28 Provoking Questions

I saw Danielle from underlandtowonderland is making a series based on 365 Thought Provoking Questions to Ask Yourself This Year. I wanted to give it a try, as a monthly series. As it’s February, I will answer to 28 questions.

If some questions will be too personal, I will avoid answering them or I will answer vaguely. But the purpose of this series I’m starting is to look more in depth of things I might avoid. Knowing the why and asking the question is the first step into solving a problem.

1. When was the last time you tried something new?
When it comes to food, I try new things weekly, recipes or ingredients. When it comes to activities, I learned how to make my own perfume and I enjoyed that a lot.

2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?
I make an effort not to compare myself to others. I don’t know their story and how they got where they are. As a blogger I might compare myself with other bloggers, or I compare myself with high-school colleagues and I do that when it comes to work. As soon as I realize I do that, I stop and I try to take a step back.

3. What’s the most sensible thing you’ve ever heard someone say?
I don’t know. At the moment I have as a background on my laptop: Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.

4. What gets you excited about life?
Traveling with my family, my work, cooking.

5. What life lesson did you learn the hard way?
All life lessons are learned the hard way, or they wouldn’t be life lessons.

6. What do you wish you spent more time doing five years ago?
Nothing really. I just moved to UK and everything was new and exciting. I was visiting the city and discovering new ingredients and recipes. It was so exciting.

7. Do you ask enough questions or do you settle for what you know?
I ask many questions. I’m very interested in discovering the WHY behind the actions.

8. Who do you love and what are you doing about it?
I love my husband and our dog. I should do more about it, more special moments, less arguing over stupid things.

9. What’s a belief that you hold with which many people disagree?
Some of my beliefs would be quite controversial to disclose on my blog, so I will refrain from that. One I talked about is being vegetarian. At the moment there are more people eating meat than veg*ns, so it’s something the majority of the people will disagree.

10. What can you do today that you were not capable of a year ago?
This is a very interesting question. The first thing that I though of is that now I am happy to make decorations with fondant. I was scared to try it, because I wanted to be perfect. When I stopped being scared, I tried it and I loved it. Funnily enough, I think the decorations I made look perfect.

11. Do you think crying is a sign of weakness or strength?
Neither. I don’t like revealing my feelings in public, so I almost never cry if others can see me. I can’t say I cry often though.

12. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
If it’s something I believe in, I don’t care if others will judge me. They might judge me either way, but it’s my life and I must be the one happy with it.

13. Do you celebrate the things you do have?
Yes, it’s a part of being happy. I’m not a naturally happy person, but I know that and I know how to put myself in the position to focus on the happy things. Celebrating the things I have is a part of it. For example, we celebrate the day we bought our home.

14. What is the difference between living and existing?
It’s a huge difference, obviously.

15. If not now, then when?
Good question. Well, let’s try now.

16. Have you done anything lately worth remembering?
It’s work related, so I’ll not get into details. I was so happy and proud when I saw the results, a special moment.

17. What does your joy look like today?
Going to see something new, having a laugh with my husband and walking with the dog.

18. Is it possible to lie without saying a word?
Yes, of course.

19. If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow this person to be your friend?
I think this is the most important question from the whole lot. I don’t know, but it’s a question I will ask myself monthly and hopefully answer will be a longer and longer time.
We know we should be kind to others, but being kind to ourselves makes us egoists, doesn’t it?

20. Which activities make you lose track of time?
Reading and cooking.

21. If you had to teach something, what would you teach?
Cooking.

22. What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?
I’m not sure if regret is the best word, as I love what I’m doing, but I would have loved to be able to practice what I studied at Uni. I also think it’s a shame I be even more organized.
As for regrets of not having someone in my life, it wasn’t fully my choice. Even if I pushed someone out, it was their actions that brought us to that point.

23. Are you holding onto something that you need to let go of?
I think we all do that.

24. When you are 80-years-old, what will matter to you the most?
I don’t know, I’m not in that position.

25. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards and just do what you know is right?
I don’t think there is ever a time to stop calculating risks. I also don’t think there is a time to not do what I know is right. I didn’t feel this way 10 years ago, but I was 10 years younger and less mature.

26. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
Well, 5 when I’m playing with the dog or picking up Disney JPs because they are cute. I can also be around my age (hopefully less) when I’m dressing smartly. And around Mary Berry’s age when I’m baking the perfect Victoria sponge.

27. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
This is a strange question. The law doesn’t always depicts the moral values that any of us might have. For example, would I speed up while driving to get my husband to the hospital if it’s nobody on the streets and it’s safe? I think most of us would say yes. I’m not sure I would say yes because I don’t usually drive and I might get ourselves killed before we reach the hospital.
I can say I think I would break the law, if it’s in accordance with my moral values, to save a loved one.

28. What makes you smile?
The dog makes me smile every single day. My husband makes me smile, cooking makes me smile, my work makes me smile.