Gisele Azad - In connection with nature

Yumeko's newest muse Gisele Azad was everything you would expect from a city girl. She never had been camping and forest walks were foreign to her for years. She enjoyed everything a common city had to offer, until she moved to Malmö for a while. A city in Sweden where city residents often venture into nature. It was there, where she discovered how strongly she enjoyed all the greenery around her. Now, together with her boyfriend, they own a forest house. Far away from the urban city. And if it was up to her, that “far away from everything” could be even further away by now.

We speak to Gisele on a changeable summer day. It is drizzling. A bird orchestra sounds in the background. It is clear: Weather the weather is good or bad, Gisele is outside. For a year now she has been living - by Dutch standards - in the middle of nowhere in a wooden forest house in Drenthe. Her inspiring life and dreamy style turned out to be the ideal combination to inspire others online. She shares her journey through her column in Vogue and her Instagram channel @giseleazad.

Gisele: “Moving here was my best decision I have made so far. The day I fainted on my bike, still in full swing in my busy Amsterdam life, was really a wake-up call. I had been going way beyond my limits for ages. I know now that I don't thrive in a hectic city. Here in Drenthe I feel calm.

“I know now that I don't thrive in a hectic city. Here in Drenthe I feel calm.”

More and more young people seem to swapping their busy city lives to a slower life in nature - just like you. Why do you think that is?

“Many millennials have this idea that they have to be a young professional, live in the city and work super hard to achieve their goals, but that's just not for everyone. I regularly speak to girls who would like to be a girlboss and have the idea that that includes a busy and rushed life. 'Being busy' is often seen as a good thing. But I am noticing a growing counter-movement. You can achieve your goals without rushing. Plus, the online world and remote work offers a great opportunity to earn your income outside the city.

What is your favorite offline activity?

I start every day with a walk in the woods. Preferably by myself, with a coffee to go. I know around what time to spot a wild deer, so I make sure I'm in the woods by then. When we first moved here, my friend said during one of our walks, “Gisele, you talk so much, but you are not looking at all. That really stuck with me. Since then, I have been fully focused on where I lay eyes on. Now I notice again how many things are happening around me that I would otherwise have completely overlooked. We are so used to being constantly occupied, both physically and mentally, that we often forget how to be in the moment. I also enjoy discovering local initiatives connected to nature. Recently I visited a young woman who has a food forest. I also love going to a garden or a local beekeeper. It is these moments, I think: this is exactly why I wanted to be closer to nature.

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“We are so used to being constantly busy with something, physically or mentally, that we often don't know how to be in the moment anymore.”

Did you have to get used to your new life? Do you ever feel lonely?

I think about that sometimes. I just get so much satisfaction from discovering this new life now. As a result, I don't feel like missing out on anything. My friends from the city also love visiting our forest home. In fact, I like this life so much that now - more than a year after we moved - I envision living my life in even more seclusion. Before we moved, I thought living in the middle of nowhere sounded exciting. Now I am not excluding out packing our things and heading to Scandinavia someday.

What are your best tips for being offline more often?

As a content creator, I spend quite a bit of time online, but I also make a conscious effort to be offline more. I do this mainly by going for walks in the woods. There I don’t feel tempted to reach for my phone, because nature completely captures my attention.

Another thing that works well for me is setting an alarm clock. I then work in twenty-minute blocks and start writing about anything that comes to mind. This helps me get out of my head and creates a sense of hyper focus.

“These are things I will enjoy for years. I wish people would think more carefully about what they buy.”

At Yumeko, we have been incredibly inspired by your way of life. What is the connection for you with our brand?
When you start living in nature, you begin to think differently about your consumption habits. You're also just less tempted. That is partly why I consciously choose what I buy. I know with Yumeko's items: these are items that I will enjoy for years. So fine and so soft. And of course: sustainably produced. I wish people would think more carefully about what they buy. It is so important for the world around us. With Yumeko you know for sure that you are making a conscious choice. That brings me peace of mind and a of course good night sleep.

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