Katinka Csizmadi: Embracing Gratitude and Simple Living

As we step into 2025, I find myself yearning for a collective shift and a conscious decision to consume less and appreciate more. In a world that often equates happiness with abundance and success with accumulation, my wish is for us to rediscover the profound joy in simplicity and gratitude.

Imagine if we embraced a day each week dedicated to slowing down, where wallets stayed closed and hearts opened. A day free from transactions focused instead on connection with loved ones, ourselves, and the natural world.

Such a practice could recalibrate our lives, reminding us that what matters most and fulfills us most cannot be bought. The benefits of consuming less extend beyond personal well-being. Reduced water and energy usage, fewer unnecessary purchases, and more mindful travel would significantly reduce our ecological footprint.

Small, deliberate choices, like buying things second-hand or borrowing instead of buying them, could ripple outward, sparking broader change. But this wish isn’t just about conservation; it’s about transformation. When we pause our relentless pursuit for more, we create space to notice what we already have. We recognize the beauty in everyday moments, such as a conversation with a friend, the comfort of home, or the taste of a meal made with care.

Gratitude flourishes when we focus on being rather than having. Such a shift requires effort. It means resisting societal pressures to always strive for the next big thing. It means teaching ourselves and future generations that contentment doesn’t reside in the latest gadget or trend but in cherishing what we hold dear.

I wish 2025 to be the year we redefine prosperity, not by the volume of our consumption but by the depth of our gratitude and the strength of our connections. Together, let us tread more lightly, live more mindfully, and celebrate the richness of simply being. For in that simplicity lies the essence of a truly fulfilling life.

After a post as a marketing manager of a language school in Scotland, Katinka Csizmadi is now a stay-at-home mum in Zsámbék, 30 km west of Budapest.

Gergely Haris: Food for Thought in 2025

Coming from a family of restaurateurs, what would my wish for 2025 be? I see that fewer people are cooking at home, and even when they do, fewer are preparing good quality dishes, often opting for industrial meals or ordering online.

But is it really “only” about food? Food is, of course, nutrition. But are you mindful of what, when, and where you eat and how your food is prepared? Do you choose local, organic products, not to mention zero-waste options?

It’s also important to be aware of allergens, additives, vitamins, and other ingredients that can influence your physical or mental health. When reading about food and diets, try to rely on trustworthy sources or invest in classic cookbooks. Should you decide to dine out, visit restaurants that serve high-quality dishes made in-house.

Food is a social opportunity. It’s worth trying not to eat alone and taking your time. Even if it’s just a quick office lunch, slow down and chew properly. Enjoy the taste and texture. Smile at the person across from you or maybe at someone at another table. And talk (only not while chewing).

Spend time with family and friends while sharing a delicious meal. Food brings people together or can tear them apart, especially if one’s too blunt in sharing an unsolicited opinion (welcome to Hungary).

Food for thought: food is bliss for your senses and calls your brain cells to dance. Food can help you close a deal. It can also be a generous donation to people in need. Food can make you love somebody or somebody love you. Food is a love language. Food is an inspiration.

So, what do you wish for? A perfect apricot? A decently cut schnitzel? Or maybe a gluten-free, vegan chocolate mousse? I wish for favorable weather so we can enjoy more locally sourced food. I wish for favorable market conditions that provide access to a variety of food experiences. Most of all, I wish everyone improves their relationship with food this year; for your mind, body, and soul.

Gergely Haris is co-owner of Bobo Restaurant in Budapest and managing director of hospitality consulting firm Haris Concept.

David McCall: Priestly Advice From 50 Years Ago Still Valid Today

Many years ago, when I was still in college, a man-of-the-cloth who had devoted his life to education, a Jesuit, impressed upon me the practice of completing the reading of a book each month.

It wasn’t important how many books you began, he argued, but that you finish a book each and every month, no matter what type of book, no matter what is going on in your life.

I have adhered to this practice ever since, and it has helped me stay grounded while exploring the world through lines written by people I will never meet. Reading for half an hour before going to sleep (rather than scrolling on your phone) will help inspire dreams and better sleep.

It helps you process what happened during the day, whether good or bad. It opens doors to other cultures, other places, other thoughts and broadens our horizons, which in turn helps us understand others, making the world a place to which we can better relate. It will also provide information that may come in handy next time you’re playing trivia or just having coffee with a friend.

My wish is a request that everyone reading this piece adopts this practice, and completes a book each month. I’ll also throw in a challenge: at least one of those 12 books each year should be in a language other than your mother tongue, though I know that this will not be possible for all. I will start the New Year with Angela Merkel’s newly released book “Freiheit” (“Freedom, in English) in the original German.

American David McCall was based in Budapest for 22 years before returning to the United States in 2012. Most of his career has been in waste management, including a project introducing curbside recycling in Budapest in 2007. He is now the city manager in Bay City, Oregon.

Milos Miskovics: Let’s Become our True Selves and Fulfil our Childhood Dreams

I would like everyone to start looking inside themselves, put down their telephones, stop using social media to escape, and instead take care of themselves and those around them. Look into each other’s eyes and start to understand who we are and where we’re going. Not to be scared of difference, but embrace it.

It would be nice if people realized life is beautiful, appreciated what they have, and felt grateful. It’s not all about possessions but about friendships. I wish we would all stop moaning and blaming others and instead find the courage to start working to change ourselves into the person we would really like to be.

I would like us to remember our childhood dreams and start fulfilling them! To take care of our traditions and families and have more fun together! To not be afraid of change, of learning new things, of being challenged to reinvent yourself into the creature you always wanted to be.

I wish that you keep pushing forward, and that you don’t lose courage at the first challenge. Don’t stop when it becomes difficult, but pull yourself together, look forward, see the light of hope, and become a kind, wonderful person.

The road to true happiness is long and rocky, but the destination is wonderful! Through patience, care and empathy, you will find more love, joy and contentment.

Milos Miskovic, originally from Voivodina, Serbia, is the owner and creative director of MM Hair, one of Budapest’s most admired hairdressing studios.

Patrycja Rup: Embrace Your Special Place Within the Local Community

August 2024 was a significant anniversary for me; it marked a decade I had spent living in Budapest. It wasn’t the first time I had moved away from my hometown of Częstochowa, Poland, but certainly, it brought a variety of excitement and challenges that I hadn’t faced in my home country.

Before coming to Hungary for good, I spent my student years in Poznań, western Poland, where I graduated with a BA in social communication, and inter-faculty individual studies in the humanities and social sciences with an MA in interactive media. It was also a time of growing up to my future adult responsibilities.

I believe that each place we visit, every city we live in, leaves a mark on us, drives changes in our perception and enriches our human experience. Poznan taught me how to be an empowered citizen and activist. In Budapest, I have grown as a writer, event producer and art curator.

None of these developments would have been possible without a strong support network provided by local communities, which welcomed me with trust. Communities offer us a unique sense of belonging, and they can answer our need for growth. Gathering for a small or great cause, to garden or to write, to complain or to build, to celebrate and compete, simply to do what matters to us collectively. Community can be a temporary home.

Budapest is certainly one of the dearest cities to me. I want it to be a space of safety, prosperity and inspiration. I wish for Hungary to have a multitude of healthy, supportive communities growing in various fields, but always from a pure and thoughtful place, without hidden agendas and for a good cause. Recognizing the history and tradition of its regions, honoring its roots, but also welcoming new citizens, new communities and reforming itself. If, as Heraclitus said, “the only constant in life is change,” then I wish for us to see changes for the better in 2025.

Patrycja Rup lives in Budapest, where she works for IBM as a talent marketing content creator.

Olha Yarmoliuk: Mental Healthcare Must not be Taboo

Why is caring for our minds still seen as a weakness while caring for our bodies is recognized as a strength? In today’s world, anxiety surrounds us from all sides. At times, I just want to pull a blanket over my head, like I did as a child, and hide from all the problems. But unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way.

Why do some people seem to easily handle stress and challenges while others spend years battling their inner selves, searching for answers? At 28, I never thought I would face overwhelming anxiety and panic attacks. The relentless race to find my place in the world, adapt to a new country, and worry about the health of my loved ones, my country, and our future, pushed me to breaking point.

My condition feels chronic: I sleep poorly, I struggle to focus, and sometimes, I feel on the verge of depression. The hardest part? I don’t know how to fix it. I am Ukrainian, and the hardships my people endure are beyond words. To me, every Ukrainian is a hero because, despite everything, they seek harmony, continue to live, and hold on to hope for a better future.

War does not just destroy homes and cities; it shatters minds and souls. The mental health of millions has become an invisible casualty of this war. It’s rarely talked about, seldom shown on TV, but it’s real, a deep, hidden wound that, if left untreated, will only grow worse.

Today, I wish for mental healthcare to no longer be taboo and for us to speak openly about our struggles and seek help without fear of judgment. This isn’t weakness; it’s strength, the strength to admit help is needed and the courage to begin on the path to healing.

My wish is for my people, every Ukrainian, to preserve their souls, heal their inner wounds, and emerge stronger than ever before.

Olha Yarmoliuk, an English teacher, fled Kyiv with her family in March 2022 in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Her husband has stayed behind as a volunteer in the defense forces.

This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of January 10, 2025.