Habits, habits, habits – or just pure luck?

22/01/2018

Have you ever met a person who’s always happy, smiling, ready to laugh and get things going? They’re active in their lives and seem to always be doing amazing things?

I’ve met plenty of people like that and have always envied them. This is because I’ve always been emotional and sensitive, often feeling “the weight of the world” on my shoulders.

The interesting part about this is, I used to think that people like that were born that way – with a happy-go-lucky, laid-back attitude and nature (and maybe some are). But I never considered that maybe their upbringing, or they themselves, had developed positive habits in order to maximize their levels of happiness.

Maybe there’s no such thing as a happy person, per se. Maybe we are all products of our habits and actions. The people we choose to surround ourselves with, the ways in which we choose to spend our time, what we choose to listen to and watch. Not to mention the way we choose to do things, even little things like getting out of the bed in the morning.

Do we snooze and stall getting up? Do we spring up excited to start the day? Do we wallow in our potential morning-depression? Do we start to exercise? Do we read a book? Do we stay stuck in social media? Do we read emails? Do we read the news?

Can we change?

Maybe everything can be developed. Maybe everything can be fixed. Maybe every little thing can really be changed.

Although I’m a big believer in the impossible I now realize I’ve still had limiting beliefs around what’s inherent in me. That I’m just a sensitive person who feels a lot. That oh well, that’s my role in this world.

Maybe it’s just too damn easy to let ourselves believe there are certain things in our lives and within us that are simply out of our control.

But what if it weren’t so?

What if we could change everything?

What if everything we do, say, feel and think would be in our control?

What if all the tiniest habits we have could be changed?

What would you change?

How do you want to be?

How do you want to feel?

These are the questions we need to ask ourselves. And more importantly these are the questions we need to answer.

Because only when we have a destination, can we figure out a way to get there.

—

This blog post was prompted by a moment in the Helsinki city bus as I sat down thinking about my week. I was flying high all week last week – I had amazing, deep connections with people every day of the week. And it continued to blow my mind how amazing people are.

At the core of human happiness, for me, are true, deep and real connections with people.

So, I was sitting there thinking about how much these connections had uplifted my mood and how incredibly blessed I was feeling. It’s not a feeling I usually feel every day, all the time. And it led me to think about other days in my life when I’m not flying so high, when my mood might actually be quite low.

And then the question became, how can I generate those emotions when it’s just me and I’m not feeling so good. When perhaps my habits weigh me down, when my choices allow only for momentary gain but end up in long-term ill-being.

Our habits begin to play a gigantic role in our lives on those days when we are feeling less than. Our brain attempts to preserve energy so it defaults to already-formed habits when we are feeling low. In order for us to have a better chance of feeling good on a day-to-day basis, we need to form healthy and positive habits that support us even when we are down.

What a simple and beautiful revelation I had sitting in the city bus!

What small change are you going to make?

Thank you for reading.

With so much love, respect and warm hugs,
Erika

Studio Metsä Year in Review: 2017

31/12/2017

The year of tumult / Studio Metsä Photography

The year 2017 has been one of the most tumultuous of my adult life.

The year of change.

So let’s review.

It was the first full year of Studio Metsä under the concept of photographing women who don’t believe they’re photogenic.

With that came many amazing people to my life that continue to inspire and challenge me (in the best possible way) to this day. Clients that turned into friends. Clients that have touched my heart and soul with their experiences, wisdom and ways of seeing the world.

It’s safe to say that Studio Metsä has the absolute best, most open, optimistic and heart-warming clients ever!

People who are willing to go deep and open their hearts to someone they’ve just met.
People who trust and embrace the world and its people.
People who take responsibility for themselves, their emotions, well-being and growth.
People who want to work for who they want to be.

I’m honoured and blessed to be able to associate with people like that.

This year has at its absolute best been a year of true connection. Connection that goes from heart to heart. Connection that strips us bare, that leaves nothing to hide behind. Connection that brings out our humanity and vulnerability.

Connection like that is rare but it’s what true and real human interactions are made of.

But wherever there’s true and deep connection, there’s also the possibility for experiencing loss as we connect to a place within us that tells us the truth of who we are and what we truly want and need.

In order to grow, we need that connection, those realizations and the pain that may accompany it.

These types of losses teach you to let go. However, I’ve only realized I don’t fully know how to do that.

One of the biggest losses this year has been the passing of my beloved nearly 15-year-old cat. Just looking at the photos I wanted to include here turned me into a wreck. It’s hard to understand and come to terms with.

Some things are not meant to be and it doesn’t matter what I do or who I am, some things will never happen or go the way I’d like them to. And this means, I need to learn how to take a step back and let it go.

It’s generally really hard for me because I don’t like to quit. I’m a problem-solver and it’s difficult for me to accept that there are certain problems that I can’t solve.

So. In the year of 2018, I shall learn how to let go. How? I have absolutely no idea.

But I recently came across this little piece of writing that perfectly summarizes how I hope to grow in 2018:

“I no longer force things.
What flows, flows.
What crashes, crashes.
I only have space and energy for the things that are meant for me.”

But now, a summary of 2017 for Studio Metsä:

Highlights of the Year

YLE PERJANTAI – Interview // Only in Finnish

ME NAISET-magazine photoshoot with five women
(Also in Finnish)

Click below for the full article.

KD Magazine Interview
(In Finnish)

Click below for the full article.

Started my studies to become a certified Life Coach (Graduation in April 2018)
Realized men struggle with the same insecurities as women do and have started the process of expanding my services to include men as well
Photographed a man!
Created and held an amazing workshop in Copenhagen, Denmark with the incredible Danish Line Bram, a sexologist and Love Coach
Travelled to Brussels for an amazing photoshoot
Held my first Instagram Live which went so incredibly well, I felt so blessed and grateful!
Created a video series about insecurities that begins airing January 2018
Expanded the newsletter into twice monthly
Was interviewed by Aino-Kuutamo Uusitorppa for her new book Valtavan ihana
Created free wallpapers for your phone (“I am enough”, “I am beautiful”, “I am inspiring”
Photographed only in Finland for the 2018 Wall Calendar
Went full-on with video, making videos for clients and some even for social media!
Embraced the rapper/hiphop artist that’s been hiding inside of me
Held my first-ever Instagram contest
And probably much more that I can’t think of right now

So, to all of you who have been a part of Studio Metsä’s journey this year, I THANK YOU.

From the bottom of my heart I say, thank you.

You have been a crucial part of the growth and development of this business.

What I hope and wish for you for 2018 is experiences, adventures and people that test your boundaries, push you a bit further than you’re comfortable going, show you exactly how magnificent you are, and how incredible life is.

I wish you a year full of love.

True and real love.

With love and hugs,
Erika

Don’t dream your life, live your dream

08/06/2017

I have a question for you: What would your life look like if you had no fear?

Someone once asked me that and I haven’t been able to forget about it ever since. It’s that powerful.

And I’d highly encourage you to take a moment to take that question in and really think about it.
What would your life look like if you had no fear?

What would you be doing?
What kind of person would you be?
Where would you live?
Where would you work?
What kind of person would you be married to?
What type of a lifestyle would you have?
What clothes would you wear?
Grab a pen and some paper and write down the answers.

Allow yourself to dream. Let your mind wander and be free. Forget about what’s “realistic” and write down your wildest dreams.

Do that now.

Go ahead…

(I’ll be here. Waiting. No rush.)

…

How did that feel? What did you write? How does that life look like? How do you look like?

We’re never too old to dream. And we’re never too adult to believe in those dreams.

Have you ever looked at someone and thought wow, I wish I had her/his life? I wish I were like her/him? What’s the next thought that comes to your head preventing you from believing it’s possible for you too?

We’re not born this way. Most of the things in us and our lives at the moment are learned. We learn to behave in a certain way, to think in a certain way, we even learn to believe in a certain way. Some people learn more beneficial thought and behaviour patterns than others, but we all have the power (and freedom!) to change them as adults.

If there’s something you really want in your life, you can have it. You just have to figure out what’s stopping you.

Hit reply and ponder about it in an email to me!

Happy dreaming and remember… “Don’t (just) dream your life, LIVE your dream!”

With so much love and hugs,
Erika

The Love of a Mother

14/05/2017

The mothers I know and have photographed all share one thing: worry.

Worry that

they’re not doing a good job
they’re not able to give their child what they need
they’re not perfect
they’re not enough.

That’s mother’s love. This worry comes from the depth of a mother’s love.

I don’t have children myself, but every mother, mine included, tells me it’s love like they’ve never experienced before. It’s something inexplicable.

When you feel such strong love, when you know you’d do anything for this child, when the child is your world… how can there be anything bigger? How can anything else possibly be better?

MOTHER – THE MOST IMPORTANT

Mothers: I’m proud of all of you. It’s not an easy job, yet you do it, and make it look easy. You’re doing the most important job in the world: raising the next generation. Be proud. Be happy. Encourage and support yourself (and other mothers).

Give yourself time to grow and develop, to relax and restore. You deserve it.

While being a mother is the most important job, it’s also important to remember that underneath it all, there’s still you.

It’s okay to spend time by yourself. It’s okay to pamper yourself. It’s okay to focus on yourself every now and again. Because when you recharge your batteries, you have so much more to give to your child(ren) and others close to you. It’s a gift you give to others when you take care of yourself.

So don’t be shy. Don’t be too modest.

You deserve pampering.

You deserve relaxation.

You deserve you-time.

Take it. And enjoy it.

Happy Mother’s Day!

You make this world a better place. Thank you.

With so much love and appreciation,
Erika

Seven truths to challenge yourself with

04/05/2017

In honour of it being May 4th today, I decided to bring on the wisdom of Yoda. If you’ve never seen any of the Star Wars movies, I’d highly recommend watching at least the first trilogy. And if for nothing else, watch them for the wisdom.

I was never interested in these films until a couple of years ago I was practically forced to watch them. After the first film, I was sold.

So without further ado, here are a couple of reasons, from Yoda himself, why you should watch Star Wars:

Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

Luke: I can’t believe it.
Yoda: That is why you fail.

You must unlearn what you have learned.

Many of the truths that we cling to depend on our point of view.

Do or do not. There is no try.

You will find only what you bring in.

Named must your fear be before banish it you can.

Are you convinced yet?!

If not, I hope that at least some of Yoda’s wisdom hit home to you. After all, they’re universal truths about life and I hope they will inspire you.

May the 4th (ie. Force…) be with you!

Until next time lovely,
With hugs,
Erika

Ever feel like you’re failing at life?

27/04/2017

DISCLAIMER: This blog post is a result of the questions that arose for myself and my life after having watched an amazing interview (which I’ve linked at the end of the post).

—

Do you ever get the feeling that you’re failing at life?

Knowing the food you consume isn’t really good for you, but you do it anyway, because well, it’s too desirable not to?

Knowing that sitting by the computer or tv or any other device for longer periods than you’re on your two feet is really bad for you but you do it anyway because well, what else are you supposed to do?

Knowing that you really need more sleep and in appropriate times but that you’re always willing to compromise on it first hand?

Or,

wondering how you got to where you are now when all you want is to be elsewhere?

Dreaming of all the things you want yet not lifting a finger to achieve them?

Moping around in your home not knowing which way to go, walking aimlessly only to return back to the couch or bed or whatever cushioned surface you have available in your house?

When did we become like this, I ask?

I see my life flash in front of my eyes and I’m not even dying.

What have I done? What have I accomplished? Where am I going? Am I going anywhere?

Why, but WHY, do I put myself through this hot mess when I know I could fix it?

Why are we so conditioned to behave like robots, just resting on waves, floating, not fighting?

Even though we are in constant fight or flight mode, we do neither, we only live through the constant distress. WHY?

How did our cultural and societal expectations of life become so passive and unsatisfying, not to mention, down-right deadly?

But the most important question is, how can we reverse all of this damage?

How can we change the course of our lives and realise that we have control, that we can change, that we can actually, really, really, really, in all honesty, CHANGE OUR LIVES?

Our bodies are mechanisms, living beings that we treat poorly every single day and then we blame and punish them for acting out, for showing symptoms of poor treatment. And we stuff our bodies with more bull-crap because we’re conditioned to believe they are the solution.

Truth is, it’s not until we rise up to the challenge, take responsibility, stop the self-pity and START DOING that we will be healed.

—

This entire blog post is a result of having watched a truly life-altering interview of a Holistic Psychiatrist Kelly Brogan.

I’ll add the interview here so you’ll get a chance to challenge yourself as well.

It starts now.

Are you ready?

Until next time lovely, let’s believe in ourselves, trust ourselves, give ourselves love and care, and trust ourselves, deep down we know what’s best for us.

With much love and many hugs,
Erika

Why beauty ideals suck. Hard.

13/04/2017

Today I wanted to talk to you about beauty ideals and to start things off, I’ll tell you a little story:

One summer when I was 14, I was spending time with a friend of mine who lived in another town.

She was friends with a girl that both of us thought was really beautiful and we’d always admired her.

One day when she was surrounded by a group of people, we looked at her and wondered what it would feel like to be beautiful.

It was the type of genuine curiosity that would have shown anyone nearby how little we thought of ourselves.

We, just like Päivi, simply believed we were not in her category. Nor would we ever be.

It just wasn’t in the cards for us.

Photo courtesy of http://impossiblebeautystandards.weebly.com/

The absurdity of beauty ideals

Now, let’s stop and take a second to think about this.

What’s wrong with this type of thinking?

EVERY. SINGLE. THING.

Why?

Because

our value isn’t dependant on our appearance
beauty is not just one type
if we aren’t all beautiful, what are we?
true beauty comes from the inside
external factors do not equal happiness.

There is a common misconception that someone we think is beautiful (and may I remind you that beauty is in the eye of the beholder) would have it all – confidence, health, love and happiness.

A friend in Canada put it aptly when he said that a gorgeous person has simply “won the genetic lottery”. But so what? If they don’t have the personality to match, what good is their gorgeousness?

It’s an inside job

Who we are, how we are and how we feel, starts from the inside.

We may try to find confidence, love and happiness from external sources but on that road we will always fall short. If we rely on external sources for validation, permission, acceptance, we will never find peace or happiness because we aren’t in control of it.

External validation can’t and won’t last. It exhausts the people around us, it exhausts our relationships and it will never build us a sustainable life. We will always feel empty and lacking.

And WE ARE! when we expect others to tell us our worth.

The only person we can rely on to do that, to validate us, to believe in us, to build us up when we fall, is ourself.

Only we are in control of what we think, say and do. We aren’t able to control others, nor should we. When we take responsibility for ourselves and for our own happiness, we have a chance at building a healthy life for ourselves and for those around us.

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” -Gandhi

To give you some perspective, I’ve attached below a great talk by a model about the realities around our beauty industries.

And remember, you choose if you tell yourself you’re beautiful or ugly. And you choose whether you believe it or not.

Be gentle and loving with yourself and you’re well on your way to making this world a better place.

[ted id=1647]

Until next time lovely,
xoxo Erika

Chatterbox getting away with murder

06/04/2017

A couple of weeks back I spoke with YLE Perjantai (A Finnish Broadcasting company’s Friday show) about my business, the concept and challenges that many women face. One of them was the chatterbox which some of you may be familiar with. It’s that on-going chatter in your head that speaks to you in all circumstances, most of which is not very encouraging, some of it downright degrading and mean.

My chatterbox used to be really mean. It was hard to listen to it even though it had become my “trusted” companion.

As a teenager I used to stand in front of the mirror and point out all the things I hated about myself. They always included my acne-filled face, small breasts, stretch marks, bowlegs, ugly toes, the works!

It was self-pity at its best – the chatterbox getting away with murder.

What made all of this mean chatterbox-ing even more problematic was the fact that most of the things I disliked about myself were things I had no control over. Or if I did (ie. plastic surgery), I wouldn’t. So I was putting myself down for things I could do nothing about.

I kept hearing this chatterbox for many years to come, in different times and in different volumes. The chatterbox was also very chatty in moments when I screwed up, but instead of going after my physical appearance, it attacked me internally: “oh I’m so dumb! How could I have been so stupid!?”.

Saying Adios! to the chatterbox

It wasn’t until the summer of 2009 when I was living in Canada that I started to finally get rid of it.

Of course I’m no ice queen with zero insecurities and I don’t think there’s a person in the world who doesn’t battle with some type of insecurity. The difference to before is that I no longer feed it nor do I allow myself to stay in the state of self-pity. If I screw up, I feel bad, but instead of telling myself I’m stupid, I think about what I could do differently next time.

I still have bowlegs, small breasts and I’m still not entirely infatuated with my toes, my skin is still prone to acne, BUT, I no longer hate these parts of myself nor do I call myself ugly names. The only other way I could have fixed these things were with plastic surgery or Photoshop.

I found neither appealing.

I couldn’t keep fighting against who and what I am for the rest of my life. If I’ll always stay discontent with myself, and my life, I’ll miss all the things in life that bring joy and I can no longer cultivate more.

Aiming for impossible perfection takes out strength, joy and experiences in life

A healthy approach to taking care of oneself brings with it happiness and peace. We all know the basics: eating, sleeping, exercise and water intake. They’re talked of a lot, we all know about them, however it’s far too easy to forget about them. It’s easier, and perhaps more appealing, to find new and more exciting (and passive) ways of creating happiness. But whatever it is that we want, we have to work for them.

At the end of the day, there are many things in life that we can change but also those that we can do nothing about. So, I wanted to add this beautiful serenity prayer that we can all remember in our own way when our minds take control of us:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

If there’s anything you’ll take with you from this blog post, take this: you can, you’re able, capable, you’ve got choices and they’re up to you. It’s not whether you fall but whether you rise. Children don’t start walking perfectly when they take their first step, but have you ever met a child that gives up altogether?

Until next time lovelies, with many hugs,
Erika

Straight-up and honest stuff coming at ya!

22/03/2017

My business relies heavily on honest and open communication between my client and I. Trust needs to be built or other wise I cannot help her.

I ask deeply personal questions in order to provide my client with a platform to talk about her fears and insecurities in. That conversation builds a bond between us, so you might say that it’s absolutely crucial to be able to create an atmosphere of trust.

But how does it get created?

Trust develops when we know something about the other person, when we open up and share our innermost thoughts and feelings. Correct?

The problem is, I have realized:

I’m actually not that open!

When I have one-on-one conversations with people, I open up and people know they can trust me.

But if I don’t do the same online, how can I expect you to develop enough trust in me that you feel comfortable enough to contact me at all?

So that’s what I’m here starting today. I’m challenging myself to bare those raw and vulnerable sides of myself in order to show you that yes, I, too, have insecurities and fears.

And I’m going to start today by analyzing why it might be that I don’t have the guts to be more open online.

Why is that?

The most obvious reason must be the fear of rejection and ridicule.

“Oh, but what will they think of me?”
“What if I make a complete a** of my self?”
“Why would people care about what I have to say?”
“What if I appear too self-centered?”

And what lies underneath that fear? Insecurity.

Insecurity about not being good enough, smart enough, funny enough etc. Just not enough. And I know exactly where this comes from. It comes from the time I was bullied in elementary school by a frenemy (on good days my “best friend”, on bad days my worst enemy). She used to tell me “but why would anyone want you, when they could have me?”.

Even though I’ve worked hard to build my self-esteem from the ground up, remnants of words spoken and feelings felt exist. And I think they’ll always be there, because as human beings we’ll always experience fear and insecurity, no matter how secure we are on most days. What matters is what we do with them.

Which is why today I’m saying hello to this raw and vulnerable blog series and waving goodbye to the power of fear! Because whatever comes my way, I’ll handle it! (As said by the amazing fear expert Dr. Susan Jeffers)

So how about we do this together, huh?? If any of this resonates with you, I’d like to challenge you: start showing up, start showing your tender sides and start doing it with pride. What’s your stumbling block? What are you afraid to show people? Comment below! Or better yet, write a blog post about it and link it in the comments below! I’d love to have a read and support you on your journey.

Sending you so much love and warm hugs,
Erika

*photos from my exchange semester in the Netherlands, 2011

Heart and Soul Present: Meditation and Negative Feelings

25/02/2016

Painting with light self-portraits by Studio Metsä Photography

Lately I have been semi-absent in the Studio Metsä social media world and I apologize for that.

In addition to photographs, Studio Metsä also makes websites and the final deadlines of a few websites have kept me busy in the last week or two. On top of that I was hit by a massive wave of depression this week and after wallowing in it for a few days, I finally picked myself up today and decided “no more!”. These kinds of things are not often talked of in public, especially as business owners, maybe because we think it will somehow harm our reputation. But if you are a human being (which I assume you are since you are reading this blog post ;)) you are not immune to negative feelings so why shouldn’t we talk about them?

After all:

It is not about the negative feelings, it is all about how you handle them.

A big factor in me slipping down that slippery slope was the fact that I had started to neglect my very sacred morning routine of reading and meditating. Whenever I have started my day by reading something new or inspiring about business and/or self-improvement followed by even just 5-10 minutes of meditation, my day has been laid with a strong foundation to stand on and my mind has been clear and focused to take on the tasks of the day.

These few days have been a great reminder to never neglect it again.

So in honour of meditation, I wanted to talk about another form of meditation I take part in.

Photography.

(Shocked?! ;P)

Never having been much of a self-portrait photographer, I first took upon myself to find myself and my emotions in self-portraiture (this is not to be confused with the ever-growing world of selfies) back in 2011 when I was on exchange in the Netherlands. Self-portraiture is actually harder than it seems as you have to try to imagine what the photograph is going to look like without actually being able to see through the viewfinder (although with the advances of technology, this seems to be lost now too as a friend of mine demonstrated just earlier this week with her new Canon 6D: you can connect it to your phone via WiFi and use your phone as the viewfinder and shutter release). In the old-school world of self-portraiture, it is a string of trial-and-errors and in its repetitive form, extremely meditative.

The following photographs are from the autumn/winter of 2014. They were shot in pitch black darkness with some light from my cell phone. This is how they were in camera, they haven’t been cropped or edited much. The only exception is the very first photo which I used as a trial for a tad darker, colder blue and some sharpening of edges. Other wise the photos are exactly as they were shot.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MEDITATION

Thank you for reading!

I would love to hear about your routines and your own form of meditation! Please connect with me by using the comment section below :)

Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika

Cats in search of a life-long home

19/02/2016

Kissa etsii loppuelämän kotia HESYssä - valokuva Studio Metsä

Cats, cats, cats! I’ve always loved cats.

But growing up I didn’t have a chance to have one. My father has asthma and at the time was reacting terribly to cats. As a result it was always an absolutely-not for any animal but cats were the biggest no-no of all. So, I was left petting all the cats I could get my hands on outside of our house.

I remember a night I spent at my friend’s house who had just gotten a little kitten. My heart went to heaven upon waking up and having the little kittie come up to me purring. I thought, ‘how amazing would it be to wake up like this every day‘!

That’s what I dreamt about.

All animals have always held a very special place in my heart, but cats…there’s something special about them. Perhaps it’s their independence, their absolute resolution to showing how they’re feeling – no sugar-coating, no detours, just honesty (which I guess is also the very thing that some people are put off by). Not to mention their unwavering forgiveness – you accidentally step on their tail, they meow in protest and you kneel down to apologize and there they are, already purring, as if the tail-stepping never happened. Seriously! How amazing is this species.

At the age of 19, I finally got my own cat. Her name is Mimmi, she is now 13 years old (turning 14 this year!) and she is the most amazing cat in the world. Her and I used to take naps together when I was still living at home (that’s right, I got a cat while living at home with my asthmatic father. His reactions are long gone and he hasn’t suffered from any symptoms caused by cats thereafter) – so Mimmi and I would take naps together, I laying on the floor and she would sleep on my chest. When we lived in Helsinki and I would cry, she would come to me and lick the tears away. And every time I came home from work, she was already behind the door meowing and so excited to have me back.

How could you not love these gorgeous, fascinating beings?

—

As a result of this life-long love affair with cats, I have taken interest in their welfare and helping out any way I can. I first became more involved with animal shelters when I moved to Canada. I was volunteering at the local SPCA and began photographing the cats as time went on.

Since moving back to Finland, I have been involved with the local HESY organization doing photography for them here and there.

This week I went back to photograph some of the cats currently up for adoption.

MEET THE CATS:

Kissa makoilee HESYn tiloissa Helsingissä - valokuva Studio Metsä / Cats of Hesy

Halla – male – born in 2015

Halla is a chill cat. He is glorious in his size, he is thin but long. He came to HESY with his siblings who are all a bit timid, but friendly. He will be adopted with another one of his siblings or alone to a family that already has a cat.

Mosse – male

As soon as I got there, Mosse caught my attention. He was by far the most affectionate of all the cats there. I immediately fell in love with him. He will need a family who have time to spend with him, petting and socializing.

Viiru – female – about 1 year old

She was an interesting little kittie – she would be very interested in what’s happening around her, but as soon as the door is opened to their little room, she ran away. She is clearly looking for love and affection but is, for one reason or another, a bit timid. I have no doubt that she wouldn’t be the most affectionate cat with the right, patient and loving owner.
Viiru will be adopted along with her friend Pesonen (featured in one of the photos) to a home with previous knowledge about cats and no children.

Kissa etsii loppuelämän kotia HESYssä - valokuva Studio Metsä / Cats of Hesy

Viima – male – born in 2015

Viima is Halla’s brother and has the same timid personality as Halla does. He will also be adopted with another one of his siblings or alone to a family that already has a cat. He needs a family that has experience of cats.

John HESYn tiloissa odottamassa adoptiota - valokuva Studio Metsä // Cats of HESY

John – male

John was a real charmer and has a gorgeous fur coat. He will be adopted along with Smith and they need a home that doesn’t have small children. Both of their fur coats need to be groomed daily.

Smith HESYn tiloissa odottamassa adoptiota - valokuva Studio Metsä // Cats of HESY

Smith – male

If you’re interested in adopting any of these cats, please go to the shelter directly to get to know them! Also, please remember that these cats deserve, and need, a life-long home and should be chosen as a great fit to your family, where everyone takes an active role in taking care of the cat.

HESY ry
Yhdyskunnantie 11
00680 Helsinki

Cats can be visited Wed-Fri between 3-6pm and Sat-Sun 1-5pm

Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika

Blogging Challenge #7:
From the good of the heart

31/01/2016

Hooray, and holy smokes, this is the last post for the 7-Day Blogging Challenge! Much to my surprise, I actually really enjoyed it. In a way it is like journaling (which is something I have been doing ever since I was a little girl), which at its best can be incredibly therapeutic and meditative.

So, what do you say? Shall we get on with the last Blogging Challenge post?

We shall!

Something else that has carried with me from childhood is my absolute love and adoration for animals. They are creatures that most often far outweigh the human in more capacities than one. They have the ability to make you live in the moment and forget about all of your troubles, not to mention teach you how to love unconditionally. I mean seriously, have you ever had a furry friend hold a grudge? I sure haven’t. They have the amazing ability to forgive and forget, something we could all learn from!

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.
-Anatole France

The sad part is that, as we have domesticated animals, they sometimes end up in the care of people who are entirely incapable of caring for themselves, not to mention other living beings. This is how animals end up abused, living on the streets and, in some worst case scenarios, dead.

We patronize the animals for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they are more finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other Nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.
-Henry Beston

Luckily we have organizations that work to help these animals, care for them and provide them with a chance for a new life. One of those organizations is HESY, The Helsinki Society for Animal Protection. I have been lucky enough to have worked with them and help out in any way I can. They asked me to come in and photograph their vet at work for an article they were publishing in their magazine. These photographs are from that time.

And here are a few of the inhabitants at HESY at the time:

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
-Mahatma Gandhi

To give back and help these animals, please follow this link to donate to their important cause (the page is in English and all bank accounts are in the IBAN format so you can make a bank transfer from anywhere in the world).

I’m excitedly waiting to have a chance to work more with HESY and other organisations alike. If you have a desire to make the stories in your company or organisation visual, get in touch with me through info (at) studiometsa (dot) com – I can’t wait to hear from you!

And now, folks, this is it. I have completed my Blogging Challenge! Thanks to all of you for supporting me and commenting on my posts. It means the world to me! So even though the official challenge is over, I will still keep blogging since I am having so much fun! :)

Happy new week to all of you lovelies!

Until next time,
xoxo Erika

Blogging Challenge #6: What Lies Beneath

30/01/2016

It was the beginning of elementary school and I was in the line up for lunch when I felt a pinch in my butt. I turned around to see a grinning girl few people behind me. I wish I could say it was a friendly grin but it was, in fact, much more malignant than friendly.

That was the start of my 6 year turmoil with said girl.

During the six years of elementary school, she was in control over how I felt, what I did, who I spent time with and where I went. The nightmare got so bad that at times I was afraid of going to school, not knowing what kind of a day she was having today – good or bad – so I would take out a thermometer, hold it up against a hot lightbulb and tell my mom I have fever and therefore cannot go to school.

As children we are, unfortunately, not able to understand and process things the same way we are as adults.

And I have since come to understand that (with the words of the wise Eleanor Roosevelt)

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

The experience of being bullied has been one of the most influential events of my life. It began as a dark cloud hanging over my head but the more I processed it, the more I came to see the gifts it presented for me.

It has made me a very sensitive and observant person
It has taught me how to recognise true friendship and care in people
It has given me strength to push through boundaries of my own and of those around me
It has allowed me to connect to something deep within me and feel feelings strongly and deeply
It has taught me that nothing is set in stone and I, myself, am a work-in-progress, always able to evolve and grow
And more than anything, it has taught me that I can push through and survive anything. Because we are precisely as capable as we think we are.

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t; you are right. -Henry Ford

And that concludes today’s Feel Good Blogging Challenge. I sincerely hope you are all having a wonderful weekend with your loved ones, feeling the laughter in your stomach and the love in your heart.

Until next time lovelies,
Thank you for being so amazing.

xoxo Erika

My self portrait in Vancouver, BC - Studio Metsä Photography

Blogging Challenge #5: THIS ONE’S FOR YOU.

29/01/2016

Reading Start With Why by Simon Sinek - Studio Metsä Photography

In honour of it being Friday, I will keep this short and sweet!

(You’re welcome! ;))

If there’s one thing I know all of us entrepreneurs have in common is the endless, near obsessive, fascination with self-improvement because we understand that in order for our business to grow, we need to grow.

So today I bring you a book recommendation to aid you in your growing.

START WITH WHY (How great leaders inspire everyone to take action) by Simon Sinek.

It’s hard to make a case to someone that your products or services are important in their lives based on external rational factors that you have defined as valuable. However, if your WHYs and their WHY correspond, then they will see your products and services as tangible ways to prove what they believe.

This book will make you rethink your business and its values as well as understand more about your own behavior.

To illustrate the concepts in the book, check out this great animation I just found from FightMediocrity:

I hope this post has inspired you to help you and your business grow and find the right audience for your message. We all have a why, but some of us just have never stopped to think about it. How about this weekend you take some time for yourself and really think about why you are doing what you’re doing?

Until next time lovelies – enjoy your weekend!
xoxo Erika

Here are a few direct links to the book (just click on the name of the store) so you can BUY IT:
-Finland -> Adlibris
-Europe -> Amazon (UK)
-North America -> Amazon (USA) or Amazon (Canada)

Blogging Challenge #4: By the way,
I also photograph

28/01/2016

Erika from Studio Metsä is also a photographer

What is Studio Metsä all about? What exactly does Studio Metsä do?

If you’ve read the previous Blogging Challenge posts, you will have gotten a pretty good idea of the values and ideas behind Studio Metsä. And now that you are aware of the why, let’s get more clear on the what.

To put it simply: I photograph.

That’s what I do.

And I love it!

Now I will introduce you to a few “categories” of photography that are near and dear to my heart:

SPACES – both interior and exterior I love the idea of a home – creating a space that caters specifically to your personal lifestyle. I love walking into people’s homes and getting a glimpse into the person, their lifestyle and values. Because that’s what I feel homes are at their best – a reflection and an extension of the person living there. This is why it is so intimate to have someone allow me into their space to photograph it – something I don’t take lightly. After all, this is the space where we let our guard down, where we come to unwind, where we run to if we’ve had a bad day.
In the more surface level of things, I’ve always been fascinated by architecture and interior design. When I was a little girl, one of my favorite hobbies was drawing floor plans for houses. I had a huge A2 (around 16.5″ x 23″) sketchbook which I would lay out on the floor, take my pencil and my ruler, and off I went into my own little world. In this world I would always have a room for cats and a room for dogs because obviously they deserved a sacred space of their own! ;)
My father has played a big part in all of this as he has always been the one fixing, building and renovating everything in my childhood home. He nearly single-handedly renovated the entire house my family moved into when I was 13 and built a lot of the furniture we used growing up. He is an inspiration!
PEOPLE – oh, people. I love people.And I love portraits. For me, there are photographs of people and then there are portraits. Portraits take in everything; the location, the light, the shadows, the angle, the expression, the colors, the clothes, the environment – everything. All of those things come together to tell a story. Most of the time, the most unexpected, unplanned, unposed photographs are the ones that go the deepest. They are the ones that express something real, something raw, something worth telling. Those moments can’t be fabricated, they come from time spent with the person. They come as trust is built between the subject and the photographer.
THE WORLD – as I found it.Traveling is another life-long passion of mine. There is no better way to get a well-rounded education than traveling. Not only do you get a glimpse into the world other people live in but you also find connection points to your own existence and every time, in every country, with all cultures, you realize that when all of these external factors are stripped, we are all exactly the same. We fundamentally operate from the same needs and wants and desires. We all want to be loved and accepted, to have freedom, safety, food and a roof over our heads.
STILL LIFE – hello control!As you spend more time with me, you will come to notice that I am a woman of contrasts. As much as I love nature and all things natural, both in general and in photography, I also love the absolute and pure control I have over everything when working in a studio. The above studio photographs were for an auction house where I got to spend time with objects from the past. These objects have been touched by and traveled with many people throughout the years. I imagine all the things they have seen and heard, all the stories they would tell if they could speak. It’s precisely those stories that blow life into these still objects and precisely why I love photographing them.

So there we go! Four of my main photographic interests and a few reasons why.

What about you? What type of photography is your favorite? And why? Leave a comment, I would love to know :)

Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika

Blogging Challenge #3: Inside out

27/01/2016

Whytecliff Park Vancouver BC by Studio Metsä Photography

DAY THREE of the seven day Blogging Challenge – Something fascinating and relevant

Today I wanted to talk about relationships.

Why are you friends with the people you are friends with? Why do you love the people you love?

Is it because they have a lot of money? Or because they have a lot of influence? Or maybe it’s because they just bought that freaking awesome penthouse suite? Or because they are really hot? Or no, I know, it’s their designer wardrobe, isn’t it? Or no, wait, now I really know why, it’s the colour of their hair! …right?

Umm, NO.

We all know that’s not why we love someone.

It’s because they’re amazing people. It’s because they have a good heart, they’re there for you, they support you, they are great listeners, they make you laugh, they give great advice, they share your values, you have common interests – whatever it is, it is not on the surface, it is within. It’s who they are and how they make you feel.

(But if on top of that they were also really attractive and owned a penthouse suite, that wouldn’t exactly be a turn-off now would it? ;))

So let’s relate this to the business side of things. Companies and organizations are struggling to stay ahead of the competition or even simply to get recognized in the midst of the information overload each of us experiences on a daily basis.

What makes us stop? What makes us pay attention?

Something flashy might grab our attention for a moment, but then comes the next flashy thing and we have already forgotten about the one previous to that. And the cycle goes on.

Our world is saturated with images, each prettier or more shocking than before. But quantity does not override quality, it never has and it never will. And today quality comes from the heart.

What if you and your company started operating from the inside out? What if you brought out the personality, the values, the vision and mission of your brand? What if you turned your brand into the most amazing, heart-warming person anyone’s ever met? And then added the hotness and penthouse suite to complete the package?

Because this is the thing : we can appreciate the superficial qualities of products or services, but we don’t marry them or become loyal to them based purely on those factors. Our loyalty and commitment lies with those that connect to something deeper within us.

We all want connection – genuine, honest-to-god, raw connection.

I remember a time in art school when I was showing my photographs during a critique and a lot of my fellow students brought up an emotion they felt when they looked at them. The photographs weren’t literally depicting this emotion, but it was an emotion I had felt at the time I made those photographs and they were able to connect to that.

That’s the true beauty of photography – when you work from that passion within you, you work from something stronger than anything tangible, and it comes across in the work. Your heart comes across in the photographs.

So next time you need a photographer for a project, remember who your company is, the values and the reasons why you are in business and select a photographer who is in business for the same reasons. This creates a force to be reckoned with and, I swear, together you are going to make magic.

I will leave you with this little nugget of wisdom from Maya Angelou:

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post and that it has given you something to chew.

Tomorrow is a new day and we get another chance at designing our businesses, our lives and ourselves.

May the force be with you.

Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika

Blogging Challenge #2: Was I teleported or how did I get here?

27/01/2016

Gorgeous Vancouver at sunset by Studio Metsä Photography

Day Two of the Blogging Challenge! Woop woop!

Today’s theme is how did I become an entrepreneur!

I bet everyone dreams of being their own boss, right, I mean it is an appealing thought to be in complete control over your time, tasks and appointments. I’m sure the thought has crossed many people’s minds. And it sure did mine, over and over again, for years and years. But it always seemed nothing more than an elusive dream.

With that dreamer mindset I moved to Helsinki, the capital city of my homeland of Finland, soon after finishing high school. I had no freaking clue about what I wanted to do with my life, I mean I wanted to be a photographer but come on now, how realistic is it that I would get to do what I like?? So I postponed school and got myself a job instead. Funny thing is, I had dreamt about working for my at-the-time-favorite clothing store and ended up getting employed by them. So dreams do come true but I guess it wasn’t strong enough to make me realize that dudette-woman, I could totally be a photographer if I so wanted. Oh well, we all have our paths we need to take, right?

Well. Turns out not all dreams are dreamy in reality and it really is true when people say “be careful what you wish for”! I quit the job after two years and went on to look for something with more responsibility – I was really craving more opportunities and challenges, so I ended up in a mobile operator company. I started as a receptionist but due to the company’s rearranging and reassigning of tasks, I was being trained for more.

Whoopiedoo, I was getting more responsibility! But what the heck, I was still “just” the receptionist! I marched into my boss’ office and made a strong case as to why I should be promoted. She agreed and voilá, suddenly I had my own office and was in charge of bad debt and collection.

But.

As I was clocking in and clocking out day after day, month after month, I began to crawl out of my skin. It was not my cup of tea, at all!

And then it happened.

The turning point.

I was studying for an entrance exam test (because I thought if I just went to study anything, I was bound to find something I liked). But as I was (trying) to read the book, I told a friend of mine how I wasn’t at all inspired and all I wanted to do was photograph, why couldn’t I just do that? He was silent for a moment and then he said to me “Erika, if that’s how you feel, why on earth are you studying for this exam? Why don’t you just apply to go study photography?”

And that was it.

I applied to a photography school in Finland and spent an amazing year studying and devouring anything and everything related to photography. But it only made me crave for more and I decided it was time to apply abroad (something that had also been a dream of mine for a long, long time!). After a chain of events, I ended up finding and applying to a school in Vancouver, Canada.

I still remember the moment I got a package in the mail from ECUAD.

It was thick.

!!!

And I thought “nooooo, could this be…? Could this really be an acceptance package??”

I opened it.

The letter read “Congratulations!..”

EEKK!!

I WAS MOVING TO CANADA!!!

My life was about to change. Entirely. Completely.

And it did. My life got turned on its head.

The absolute best decision I ever made.

Ever.

I cannot emphasize it enough!

On August 14th, 2008 I embarked on a journey from Finland and after freaking crazy 33hrs of traveling, I was in Vancouver, BC. (And FYI, it does not normally take that long to travel from Finland to Canada but I was flying through two different cities and got stuck in the last one due to some seriously delayed flights!)

But boy, oh boy, was it ever worth it.

I was in freaking VANCOUVER! I still remember waking up in my hotel in the morning, looking out at sunny Vancouver all the while the widest smile EVER was spreading across my face. There are not enough words to describe how happy I felt. I stepped outside my hotel and the hot, humid air hit me and I just stood there, on the street, (Beatty Street), and smiled. I must have looked like a complete fool, haha! The following two weeks I spent getting my shizzles organized: finding an apartment, getting a phone and a laptop, learning how to navigate the city, and I swear the entire time I had this goofy grin on my face. Come to think of it, people probably just thought I was high! Haha (For those of you that don’t know, Vancouver is also known as Vansterdam…)

Anyway.

It was heaven. Pure heaven.

And that’s really where it all started. From stumbling on a few different possible “career paths”, I arrived at a conclusion that I was not going to be happy unless I followed my heart. It was that simple realization and faith that got me through all the challenges and obstacles.

I dared to follow a life-long dream of living abroad and it showed me that everything is possible. When you get into that mindset that everything is possible, everything really becomes possible.

During my time in Vancouver, I met some truly amazing and inspiring people, all of whom I will forever carry in my heart. (And this makes me think of a beautiful poem by my favorite poet ee cummings called “i carry your heart with me (i carry it in“) All of these people played a part in forming and shaping my mind, attitudes and outlooks, and indirectly preparing me for entrepreneurship.

It has been a long journey of learning and unlearning and I have become eternally hungry for more. And now that I finally made the plunge to be an official, legally owned company and not a freelancer, everything seems to hold more value. Now everything I do, everything I read, everything I talk about or listen to, everything holds direct meaning for the business. When I am self-employed, it all comes down to the self (this is something that was pointed to me a while back by one of my personal heroes, someone who, in more ways than one, changed my life).

Being an entrepreneur is so much more than the work itself, marketing, branding or accounting – it is a trip into you. You are constantly at the edge of your seat, outside of your comfort zone, learning and growing, finding new ways when the old ones no longer work. It’s a constant trial-and-error, discovery and re-discovery.

It’s not just a job, it’s a way of being.

One of my professional heroes, Jim Rohn, put it so well when he said:

“If you want to have more, you have to become more.
For things to change, you have to change.
For things to get better, you have to get better.
For things to improve, you have to improve.
If you grow, everything grows for you.”

This is what I have written on the wall of my home office and this is what I keep as my mantra. Life is what you make of it and when we are lucky enough to be born under circumstances where we can have this much control over our lives, we have to make the most of it.

And that, in a nut shell, is how I arrived to where I am today.

My gratitude goes to everyone I have met along the way, in my entire life, because those are the people I have to thank for shaping me into who I am today. Thank you.

Blogging challenge #1:
Who I work for and why I am not a princess

25/01/2016

Erika Lind from Studio Metsä photographing in California, USA

Finally today, quite belatedly, I am taking part in a feel good blogging challenge created by the wonderful and inspiring Alex Beadon. I have wanted to commit myself to more (consistent!) blogging for my business and I am hoping this 7-day challenge will help me get on the road.

So. Here we go, let’s get the wheels turnin’!

Describe my tribe – who am I trying to connect with
The people I want to reach through my business and blog are the people who work to make the world a little bit (or a lot!) better. The people that are driven by a deep reason to wake up every day excited and ready to go to work because they know in their hearts how important it is what they do, not just for themselves but specifically to those they serve.
The work these people do can vary from non-profit organisations to small businesses to print publications to solo entrepreneurs – the type of company doesn’t matter, it is the cause and the why of the company that does.

Why am I focusing on serving them?
Because I am one of them.
And because I believe we are here to serve and help others.

To illustrate this belief, let me tell you a little story from a long time ago:
When I was around six or seven years old, I was at my cousins’ house on a play date. My cousins decided that we should play the princess game. Our first task was to appoint the princess and her maids. For me this was a no-brainer: I wanted to be the maid.

I have always sincerely felt that serving is so much more gratifying than being served.
(That said, I am not one to deny others of the same gratification should they in some way want to serve me ;))

Why Me?
When we are involved in work that primarily exists because of strong core values, it is crucial for the success and well-being of the work to have everyone involved believe in it too. So if we have found that our core values match, I think we’re meant to be! (To read more about Studio Metsä’s core values, stay tuned!)

The One and Only
The one message I hope people will take with them when they leave my virtual home is that of peace and certainty that together we can achieve and accomplish anything we set our minds to.

—

There we go. The wheels are turnin’ and I can feel the wind in my hair! I’ve always loved road trips and I have a feeling this is going to be one heck of a journey!

Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika

Let’s get to know each other!

08/11/2015

The time has finally come for Studio Metsä to launch its photography portfolio website. This is, obviously, also followed by a new blog, a new Facebook and Instagram account – a lot to handle all at once! But here it all is, I hope you will enjoy this ride as much as I am expecting to ;) To know more about Studio Metsä, and the lady behind it (me, Erika Lind), please click here. And for some visuals which we all love so much, click here for my portfolio!

Can’t wait to share this journey and connect with all of you fine folks. To contact me, please send me an email at info@studiometsa.com or by using the contact form here.

Thanks for stopping by! I look forward to hosting you again :)