Self Improvement with Irinä

Google + :

click here

Facebook page :

click here

Twitter :

click here

YouTube Channel : /channel/UCoJa8c0GJ4nWce2z_BaUp8w

Skype :

irina.alexopoulou

Instagram :

Pinterest :

A very multitasking elf in modern times. A molecular biologist specialized in cancer research (MSc), a marine scientist (BSc) and Fitness Coach who aims to share light and help the world. Besides academia, elven eyes stare at beauty and self improvement with separate blogs dedicated to the topic, where you can access education, tips and inspiring mindset ideas. The minimal spare time of an elf includes a lot of nature strolls, exercise, art and handcraft creation, book reading and positivity manifestation.

Thursday, 6 July 2017

In the light of an elf

Hello lovely creatures.❤

I am really proud and happy to publish this article as I've been working on it for some time. It has been a concept in my mind for months and it's finally ready to see the light. Which light? The light of an elf. Because in this article, I have the honour to host a person I admire not only for his skills but also for his energy, something that doesn't happen frequently.

Jocke Leandro Johansson. All content is taken from his personal social media accounts and all copyrights are reserved to him.

A few words about Jocke

I gave a hint of his presence here, on a previous post but now It's time to present him properly. The word's about Jocke Leandro Johansson or well-known as "Arendir"- the Elf. Jocke is the (elf) guitarist of the great power metal band "Twilight Force" which was the initial cause to discover him. I've been listening to this band, i loved their songs and at last i had the luck to watch them live (March 2017). That was a memorable moment as I didn't only enjoy the concert the way it was but I also felt a really unusual flow of energy across my body and mind. The band's performance was lovely and the audience could easily get into their spirit but what was significant, for me at least, was the energy flowing out of Jocke. I could see a guitarist who didn't just play speed solos and epic riffs. He was epic enough to perform with his elf ears and clothes giving the impression of a free and crazy spirit, really close to my way of thinking. He had half of his face covered during his performance, yet I received how passionate he was along with the fact that I somehow sensed there is a lot of depth behind the looks. That's the reason he was able to create such an atmosphere and pass this type of vibes. The few rare times I've experienced this feeling before, it came from persons who were highly self-aware and had spent time working on their mental existence too. I was really inspired and decided to discover more about who Jocke is, inside. That's the point when the Idea of this article was born.

It didn't take long until I realised my instinct was right. Upon some conversations, my respect on his face was increased because i could spot the work he had done on himself. His positivity and bright light were not a reflection of an easy and perfect life. They are the medals he wears after a lot of hard work day after day, rising up and fighting the struggles of life. We all suffer, we all have flaws and weaknesses, we all bend through hard times (short or long term). The way he acts and treats people is so gentle, honest, real and pure. And that's what i call "gold" in mental terms. Shoutout to the souls out there that keep on helping, supporting, encouraging both themselves and the others, to those who struggle but on the same time remain gentle and kind, to those who release a lot of light to brighten other souls' paths.

It was really comforting to feel this connection with a person of same mentality as mine and I was lucky enough to share and exchange thoughts. I got really inspired and motivated to hold on my goals and of course to keep working hard on this blog and provide help and support to all in need. It recharged my energy deposits so I got a spiritual lift which allowed me to be even more productive and optimistic after some facts that discouraged me.

So, long story short, I decided to share a few details about Jocke with you as I consider him one of the most motivational persons I met.

He deserves to be known and I hope you will feel inspired as I did.

Here is a different type of interview between me and Jocke.

As you will notice the questions are not the typical band related ones. These info can be dragged out of the Internet at any time.

What I'd like to show here is who Jocke is, as a soul.

What's behind his constant smile and spirituality.

1. Jocke Leandro or... Arendir? Is the character you perform close/similar to how Jocke thinks and vibes in real life?

To me a nickname is more pesonal/funny than the classic human names, like for example how the indians named thier children, its more specific to the person. The funny thing is that the lore of our characters has some truth about our life baked in to it, i think mine has the most with the love for trees, lakes and nature and the feeling of being the black(white:)) sheep of my family, sometimes my dad jokes about me being a kid droped by the stork.

2. You appear to be really positive and optimistic through your constant smile. Which are your sources of energy/strength and motivation/inspiration?

Hard one, i think the main reason is that i have the privilege to live my passion, who wouldn't be happy then? I even do that with the people i love playing with! And of course i get happy to see the eyes of the people in the audience and meet them afterwards. It's an emotional chain that works. I put effort in what i like to do, and you get appreciation in responce. thats a currency with higher value than money!

3. You mentioned you’re keen in psychology, there is for sure visible spirituality around you. How has this “journey” affected your life? Did you change (for example: habits) through the process?

Wow, its visible? crap... maybe thats why some people call me a hippie, just kidding :)

This journey has made me feel like my life has come to a point when i finaly feel home. so in a way it feels like the opposite of changing my life since ive spend all my life preparing/traning/working towards this kind of life in an enviroment that didn't feelt like mine. even though i would never identify as my new life cuz things can change and life is more complex than just what we do even though we get to live our passion.

4. Living a life where you can do something you really seem to love and be passionate about (guitar playing) is the highest dream for some persons. Through this intense lifestyle, do you have other dreams?

Prefect follow-up Question, yes i have a dream wich involves the concept of what is "nice" to have, and what is "need" to have in life, cuz when you give up something you always gain something. sorry for the vague answer but the big dream of mine will be revealed shortly!

I can add that a thought tough, the things we earn money to buy is mostly items to save time in everyday life or to be entertained, yet we are stressed out or asses more than ever.. The balance between life and work is very unbalanced in my opinion...

5. After an exhausting day/week/period, which are the thoughts Jocke makes to find calmness?

I usualy go out and sleep in the forest either alone or with friends depending on the season. and physical training is also good to ease stress. Or sometimes i just listen to my self and try to figure out what i need to do in that moment, could be either something of the things i metioned before or it can just be watching a great movie, or just a walk.

6. Which is the strongest lesson your took for yourself so far?

The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.

7. What expresses your soul better leading you to inner peace? Fire, Earth, Air or Water?

All four. maybe even a fifth. its like the same way you need 3 components to make a fire... heat, air and fuel.

Thank you so much for your time, answers and great co-operation Jocke!

That was it for today. I am so delighted to present and host one of my inspiration sources on my blog.

I really hope you enjoyed this article as much as I did and you got motivated to extract your inspiration in order to improve yourself and get creative. Find souls that match yours and exchange positivity. Our world needs more of it. Always remember to love and be gentle with yourselves, embrace your special features just as much as you want someone else to do so.

Stay tuned for more upcoming content. Till then chase your dreams, dare to be the way you want to and take care.

Much love,

Irina❤

CONTACT INFORMATION

Emails :

Google + :

click here

Facebook page :

click here

Twitter :

click here

YouTube Channel : /channel/UCoJa8c0GJ4nWce2z_BaUp8w

Skype :

irina.alexopoulou

Instagram :

Pinterest :

Wednesday, 21 June 2017

Motivation: Life Lessons

Heya back!

Me, myself and I a couple of days ago.

This is a sincere highlight of Summer 2017 which affected my way of thinking a lot. I am now looking back at this article (it's been some months; since I published it on late June) and I realize I had no Idea how much this mindset swift would reflect a series of changes and evolution accompanying the end of an Era and the Start of another! So the initial post goes like this:

"June is not just here, it's almost over! A month ago I had a really different plan in mind for June's blog updates, yet life is full of plot twists so here I go with an article I wasn't supposed to compose at the first place. In fact, an experience (not enjoyable at all) made my whole mental existence shake, tested my boundaries and challenged my inner strength to the limits. I had rough days but as I'm always a Self Improvement oriented person, I chose to gather all the data of this experience and turn them into a life lesson for me. That's today's topic: Life Lessons.

What I am about to share today is not the conditions of what I have been through, but the outcome. What I gained out of this mess.

Before entering this drainful situation I was full of energy, hope, motivation and dreams, ready to dive into a different routine, far out of my comfort zone. I had an Ideal background to proceed and that's how i got started. Within a month, the conditions were such to completely challenge my physical and mental response in an increasing pace and mid-June found me totally freaked out, drained and exhausted. I kept on accepting things I shouldn't for a long time, being patient and keeping my temper. I was thoughtful, trying to make the best profitable decision twisting everything in my mind for days to make sure I wouldn't regret anything. Right on this process, the killer shot came and i fed up. INSTANTLY. All these thoughts I've been processing were suddenly solid, forming a sentence: YOU HAD ENOUGH OF THIS. This happened not in a moment of temper loss or under anger. It happened within a moment, when I realised who am I and what I deserve.

I was far away from home (and computer) so in a try to express myself, I composed a small text summing up the inner strength wave i felt, washing out my doubts and fears at that moment.

The text was:

" Well, it takes self awareness to be an efficient and successful warrior. Sometimes it's not about how much you stick into something or how much you want it but about acknowledging your needs and value. Sometimes, sacrificing everything for a reason, a person, a target etc won't bring you success. You have to realise who you are and what you deserve. We are so used to our own features that we forgot how special we are......That's where self awareness kicks in. Knowing where to stop, what's worth it and when you just have to walk away, not because you give up, but because this plate doesn't serve you anymore. There are moments you shouldn't try to "fix it", you're not the reason it doesn't work. But even if you force it and finally get it, it won't matter because it won't be right for you. If it was, it wouldn't make you lose yourself. If it was right, you wouldn't be drained unable to enjoy its whole existence. Sail away."

Truth is, after writing this down, i read it multiple times and I felt extremely strong to defend and protect myself. I realised there's a limit on the parts of ourselves we sacrifice. If something smashes our soul it's not worth it. We have to be solid, content and pure in order to feel complete and happy. Life is not heaven itself. It is full of people and occasions that disrespect you or try to twist the perspective you have of yourself, not always targeting you personally, but just because it is more profitable for them. This applies either economically or personally. It's not the first time I come across with people who are aggressive, unfair, disrespectful in order to feel better through demolishing some body's spirit. It's also a fact that people who feel their spirit broken are far more easily manipulated, a situation that frequently takes place in a working environment.

What about me? I had the ideal potential before entering this situation and maybe that's the reason why even though I felt horrible, I knew I do not deserve this. I was just patient, not in hope that it will change, I was just hopping I will be able to hold on a little more for the sake of my initial goal. That Day, I woke up and felt the flow of energy across my body, for the first time in those days.
I almost had the same appetite for life as the day before I enter all these. I knew that's who I am. That's how i want to be. I stood up on my own feet, pointed out my value, supported myself and took charge of my own happiness and life. I demanded what i deserve. I became fierce and kicked out anything that crossed the line of my self-respect.

Back to reality, this mindset and mental decision came together with a choice and its consequences. It was maybe the first time the conditions were so special that supporting this decision was too difficult according to the resources and further planning. I had maybe a moment of despair but I took a deep breath and reminded myself "You are strong. You are responsible for yourself and you always find a way to solve things. You are a Warrior. Act like one." And that was the moment I bravely accomplished everything. This set came with all the possible problems that could occur but still i managed to handle it and make it though. The physical exhaustion and further loss of time and money were nothing compared to the happiness and pride I felt for myself. I gained back a stronger version of myself, more mature and stable. I learnt that any kind of investment can turn into a disaster but this is not the end point. It can be twisted into a significant push up, redirecting you to something better if you choose to treat it this way. I trained myself to spot the tiny glimpse of light across the raging storm, I appreciated even more how valuable the "ordinary" things are and last and most importantly, the most significant gain i had was the feeling of self-security. Surviving one of the hardest situations while being able to solve everything by myself made me feel powerful and brave. I do not feel afraid to risk anymore, I will not limit myself on the next big decision i have in mind. Because now I know, I am not only capable to achieve what i want, but I am also efficient on dealing with whatever comes with it.

That is how I chose to transform a negative experience into a life lesson, extracting positivity and wisdom out of it. Furthermore, i realised that viewing the world from a scope which targets your wellness isn't only a valuable tool for your future and evolution but is a necessary factor to your joy equation, in the present. This point of view helped me recover pretty fast, underlined clearly my needs as well as enhancing my ability to estimate and evaluate situations faster. Being able to understand myself and what I need at each moment leads to decisions and actions which comfort me and serve my happiness in the present too. After all, I concluded that being happy is (at the highest percentage) a matter of our own choice. How we choose to deal with sorrows. Whether the choice is being dramatic and pessimistic or positive and optimistic what happened doesn't change. What will came is also uncertain. But what we have now, is the only thing we're able to control and that's our power. Take as much time as you need to heal and restore your spirit. Rip out any stain from your glorious soul, you need it pure. Comfort yourself, form an environment of persons, choices and habits that fulfil your heart and mind. Dealing with harsh situations is not a piece of cake and the last thing you need is extras cumbering your back.

Make yourself a priority, leave the past behind but make sure you move on not with bitterness, drama and confusion, Move on full of life lessons that will support your presence, protect your future and keep your mind in peace. "

I really hope this article offered even the slightest comfort, courage and motivation to your soul. It is a special one for me because everything is too recent and I still sense all the tension while sharing these thoughts with you. Life is full of ups and downs but the stability of the sailor is what guarantees the quality of the journey. Feel free to share your thoughts, questions, recommendations and feedback through the contact info below. Stay tuned for more and take care.

Love,

Irina

CONTACT INFORMATION

Emails :

Google + :

click here

Facebook page :

click here

Twitter :

click here

YouTube Channel : /channel/UCoJa8c0GJ4nWce2z_BaUp8w

Skype :

irina.alexopoulou

Instagram :

Pinterest :

Tuesday, 16 May 2017

Fitness: Workouts: The importance of stretching

Woohoo world!

Swiss ball is not only for sit walls and ab work.
It can help a lot with stretching too😊

This is a fitness/health related arcticle, aiming to explain the importance of stretching not only as a post-workout practice but as a staple in your daily life.

Stretching is easy, quick and holds multiple benefits for your physique, health and quality of life.

But, why? Let's take a closer look:

Stretching is a natural reflex. Most obvious reason to stretch is to relieve ourselves from muscle soreness caused either by poor sleeping position, or, a long day on the chair. It's an almost automatic reaction of our body to seek ways to restore back to normal

Another amazing benefit of stretch, is stress relief. Musicians stretch before their warm up on stage. Public speakers stretch backstage before hitting the stage. Stress tends to be stored in the muscle, and releasing before a stressful event or during a hectic day can give you a much needed boost on your mental health. No matter if you just hit a workout or you are simply sitting on the sofa, stand up and stretch!

With that out of the way, let's review the goodies we get in return, for stretching:

Stretching on a daily basis benefits

Physical and mental preparation to start the day. Stretching in the morning definitely boosts the energy levels and contributes to a better mood.

Posture improvement means moving with less pain everyday, having a much flattering silhouette, having correct breath intake and as a consequence, reduced tiredness levels during the day.

Prevention of muscle soreness and injuries [due to tightness], improvement of balance, increase of muscle flexibility (leading to significantly higher efficiency during the workout) and whole body strengthening (especially while performing dynamic stretching exercises).

Blood circulation booster which plays a key-role on shortening the muscle recovery time, promoting the organs' well-function and cell growth as well as equalizing the blood pressure.

Gaining control of proper breathing (mostly during of static stretching) automatically leads to balanced distribution of oxygen. This is essential for optimal performance on your workout since you delay the accumulation of lactic acid around your muscles (aka the pain when you are close to failure during a set).

Stress reduction is a result of 2 main factors that stretching targets: release of concentrated/build-up tension inside the body accompanied by endorphin production and secretion.Endorphins are kind of "miraculous" hormones responsible -among others- for your happiness.

Mind tool:

Stretching can strongly affect your ability to concentrate and focus, allowing you to maximize your efficiency on your daily activities and therefore improve your skills. It is a highly recommended habit especially for mentally demanding activities such as teaching, studying or working with data.

Sleep quality is based on the body's ability to relax, regulate the blood pressure and certain hormones along. To reap those benefits, stick with neck/head/shoulder'back stretching before you go to bed.

Some nice examples :)

Blood sugar regulation and potential decrease on fat storage. Extremely important and beneficial for diabetes patients.

10 minutes of dynamic stretching can be a great warm up before your workout. Prolonged dynamic stretching can serve as exercise for people suffering from arthritis. Such people usually stay inactive due to their condition, which indeed needs special treatment, but is frequently used as an "excuse" to skip. Dynamic stretching is 100% harmless as it doesn't strain the body and promotes muscle preservation.

Trance. Controlled breathing and concentration during a stretching session promote control over the flow of air and energy in the body. Said skills are highly associated with meditative activities and in many cases can help you achieve mind calmness.

*All of the benefits mentioned above refer to correctl stretching practice. Everybody has its own limits, range of motion and individual needs. Performing under a safe range of motion will not harm, strain or damage the body. Listen your body.

Thank you for being here and I really wish you will benefit from the information shared above. Always treat yourself with love, care, kindness, It's the most valuable thing you have!

If you found some value here, spread this energy around.

I am really looking forward to receive your feedback.

Till next update, stay safe,calm and take care.

Much love.

Irina

CONTACT INFORMATION

Emails :

Google + :

click here

Facebook page :

click here

Twitter :

click here

YouTube Channel : /channel/UCoJa8c0GJ4nWce2z_BaUp8w

Skype :

irina.alexopoulou

Instagram :

Pinterest :