MÅNI Words - Erika
Uppdaterat: 5 maj
Mod, happiness, and the healing power of the archipelago waters
Erika and her soon-to-be one-year-old son came over for lunch on a spring day in April. A few hours that included inspiring conversations about daring to listen inward and following one's own path.
Name: Erika
Age: 42
Occupation: Curator at a family center
Place: Stockholm
Who are you?
I am a curious, dedicated, and ambitious social worker and a present mother of three children of completely different ages. I am dynamic and in touch with my emotions (I am easily moved). I am creative and love all types of culture, with a particular fondness for poetry. I eat vegetarian and surround myself with many flowers and stones. I have many wonderful friends and a large family.
What do you like most about yourself?
That I am creative, empathetic, and caring
Describe your favorite bath
From the dock of my childhood in a cove out on Värmdö in the Stockholm archipelago. Preferably late summer, early evening with calm water and sunshine. From the ladder, I throw myself backward onto my back so it splashes significantly, and then I lie there floating, looking up at the clouds moving with only the sound of underwater in my ears. It is harmony.
What do you fill your days and your life with?
Right now, I am on parental leave, so my days are filled with walks, singing sessions, playtime, and a lot of cooking. Otherwise, I mainly fill my days with parent meetings, parent groups, and home visit programs together with my colleagues at Child Health Care. I have closed my own business, SkapaKraft, which offered creative activities in words and images, but I still keep the Instagram account to express my creativity in some way.
What does your life look like today compared to five years ago?
A completely different life. Back then, I lived a classic nuclear family life with a husband, two children, and a dog. I worked in family law and ran my own business. I was also very engaged in climate issues.
I also got divorced 5 years ago and met the woman of my life the same year. She is now my wife, and we have a child together. My older children live with us every other week.
What does health mean to you and what is your top advice for feeling good?
Good health, for me, is when the body and mind are in balance. Health is affected by illnesses or external/internal circumstances that create stress. To feel as good as possible, I try to move and get daylight every day; two days a week, I attend yoga classes to truly pause and focus on my breathing. It works very meditatively for me and gives me new energy. I always try to wind down with a cup of tea in the evening, whether it's black, green, spiced, or herbal.
What is happiness to you?
To feel love! Happiness is often linked to relationships and small moments of feeling love, excitement, connection, joy, or gratitude. Happiness can be a warm hug, hearing children laugh, watching them do something together and get along. Happiness can also be witnessing development, someone who struggles and reaches their goal. It could be Ruben proudly managing to stroll on his own with the push cart, but also a parent who finally gets a primary rental contract for their family, which is purely work-related.
What do you want to share with other women?
Believe in yourself, dare to take that step, whatever it may be. Sometimes you need to be brave to be happy.
I would also like to share something I have learned the hard way over the years, which is to let go of pride and be humble in recognizing that everyone's experiences are different. Therefore, do not be so certain that you are right and do not assume too much. Instead, communicate, ask, and confirm with each other. I strongly like the saying "to assume makes an ass of you and me."
Tell us about a journey that made a big impression or impact on you?
My breakup and fresh start five years ago was an enormous life journey I went through. Going from a secure nuclear family life to being alone in my sister's one-room apartment, and then becoming part of the LGBTQI community, marrying a woman, and creating a rainbow family. A trip to Rome with my two older children was important for them to feel that I prioritized time with them and was still there for them even though I had left their father. Very valuable!
What type of vacationer are you?
I am probably primarily a person who is drawn to the sea. I love the sound of the waves, although cities with a rich cultural life also appeal to me, and recently, day hikes have made me appreciate our country's amazing nature, mountains, and forests. I am not an adventurer.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
I love music and the variety between different genres. Spontaneously, I think of "The One I Love" by Ellen Krauss because we had it at our wedding and I don't want to be without it.
Give us a book recommendation, what should we not miss reading?
Regardless of what type of books one likes, and whether or not one has children, I believe that everyone should read "The Story of Bodri" by Hédi Fried, who survived the Holocaust. The book contains powerful and beautiful illustrations by Stina Wirsén. In the beginning, Hédi writes that we all have a choice and can choose the good. Especially in these times, it is a very important book for both adults and children.
Which MÅNI garment do you like the most?
Sun protection garment Shade!! Very good for me as I easily burn my shoulders... Especially when I'm paddleboarding.
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