ASTANA – Author Helene Satushkina established the Life Is Here project in the capital in 2015, including a diary and community for active and ambitious people, to remind individuals of the importance of living a conscious life. The diary is not an ordinary notebook – it is a Book of Life.
“I chose ‘Life Is Here’ as a name for two reasons. First, the book covers a certain period of an owner’s life who is writing dreams, plans, goals, thoughts, gratitude and a personal life story there. Moreover, the diary serves as a reminder that one should live in the present, act, love, be grateful and not to be stuck in the past or future, missing out on today,” she said in an interview with The Astana Times.
The mission is to inspire people to chase their dreams and pursue ambitious goals, to be honest with themselves and appreciate each day.
Satushkina elaborately developed the diary’s page layout. Book of Life contains regular and travel calendars, an address book, list of birthdays, films to watch, books to read and places to visit and special pages for writing down ideas. Apart from simple pages for everyday planning, it has monthly planners to conveniently see a whole month at a glance. The unique feature is the 100 List, special catalogues of things giving a sense of gratitude, dreams and goals for the year and guidance on how to complete the lists.
“While working on the project I have changed my perception of the product, which is natural, I believe. It has transformed into the ‘Book of Life’ and we no longer call it a diary. Its original feature lies in its message; it makes one look for answers to serious questions. What do you want from life? How do you want to live it? ‘Life is Here’ inspires living a conscious life and answering those questions honestly. I want owners to use it as a personal diary, since writing helps us unveil many fascinating things,” she added.
More than 2,000 copies of Life Is Here diaries are printed each year. Users who have completed the 100 List and strive to achieve their goals can join the project community, which currently has approximately 30 active members. Most are entrepreneurs, aged 22 to 35, who dedicate considerable time and effort to self-development and personal growth.
“During the meetings we share our stories and achievements, support and inspire each other. We also divide into parts and thus everyone gets a partner for the next month who will help track progress and provide guidance if necessary. I believe it is important to communicate with someone who thinks the same way, since people surrounding us play an important role in our development,” noted Satushkina.
Announcements for monthly community meetings are posted on the project’s Instagram page @life.is.here, where more information on both diaries and meetings is available.
