January 2025 Recap
January felt like a blur. It was freezing, and for a few days, it even snowed. I don’t remember much except that I was always cold, so I had to check my phone and scroll through my photos to piece together what actually happened.
One thing I do remember clearly—I've been bouldering a lot. I try to go twice a week with my boyfriend, and it’s slowly become our favorite sport. He enjoys it just as much as I do, which makes it even better. There’s something really satisfying about climbing together, challenging each other, and seeing small improvements over time. I love how it pushes me physically, but also how it clears my mind.
Emotionally, though, things have been complicated. Ever since December, I’ve been dealing with ups and downs because of his past relationship. Even though I know it’s in the past, my feelings don’t always listen to logic. But he’s been incredibly understanding, always there for me, always patient. Still, I can see that it’s been overwhelming for him too. We’ve talked about it a lot, and there were even moments where we both ended up crying. But somehow, even in those difficult moments, I feel safe with him.
Lately, I’ve been trying to reconnect with Japanese culture in small ways. I went out wearing kimono a few times, but winter isn’t exactly kind to that idea. It’s too cold, and the rain hasn’t helped either. I realized I don’t have proper kimono footwear for wet weather, so that’s something I need to figure out.
On top of everything, I’ve been busy with the matcha brand. Things are moving forward, which is exciting, but balancing it with my day job hasn’t been easy. Some days I feel like I have endless things to do, but at least it’s something I enjoy working on.
Despite all the stress, one thing that’s been really nice is spending time with my boyfriend. We’ve been having lunch together often, and eating out a lot. Living in Düsseldorf city has its perks—Japanese food is always within reach, and we definitely take advantage of that.
So, that was January. A mix of cold days, climbing, emotional waves, and warm meals. Hopefully, February feels a little lighter.