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  • 2026: New Year, New Me? Or just a new date on the calendar?

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    Why most New Year’s resolutions fail

    Every January, many of us start the year with the familiar ritual: the New Year’s resolution list.

    Eat healthier.
    Go to the gym regularly.
    Change habits.
    Become a “new me.”

    And it prompted this post when I recently tried to sign up for a Body Pump class at my gym. Not only was the class full — even the waiting list was full. When I mentioned it to Andrew, he simply smiled and said:
    “It’s January. Everyone’s resolution is to go to the gym.”

    And that’s when it hit me.

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  • I want a man: Unrealistic expectations in relationships

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    When “Wanting a Man, Not a Baby” backfires

    Unrealistic expectations in relationships are one of the most common — and least discussed — reasons why pair-bonding can feel frustrating, disappointing, or emotionally draining.

    “I want a man, not a baby.”

    I once came across this sentence at the end of a long list written by a woman in her late thirties. The list was titled something like “The Type of Man I Want”. While I no longer remember most of the items, that final statement stayed with me.

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  • How to set goals in a positive way

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    Stopping self-sabotage your goal by simply reframing your mindset

    I have decided to get rid of my “granny/bingo arms”, as I call them. Most women will know what I am talking about. Anyway, I told myself that it can’t go on like this as I don’t like photos of myself. Andrew doesn’t see what I am talking about when I am bitching about the quality of my arms. But it seems I am the lucky one here as my partner’s eyesight is not that good anymore, so he doesn’t see things as they are. He is even talking about the possibility of needing glasses soon. And when he gets his glasses, he will see very well what the issue is with my arms. So, I had better act before that happens. 

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  • Suspended in mid-air: What happens after the leap of faith

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    I thought taking a leap of faith would feel like flying… but instead, I found myself floating in mid-air. Here’s what I learned in the “in-between” phase — and why I’d still choose the leap again.

    Because the “in-between” is part of the journey.

    One of my very first posts on this blog is titled “Deciding to Change My Life: Leaping Without a Net” https://crystalclearbyreka.blog/general-topics/deciding-to-change-my-life-leaping-without-a-net/

    Think of this piece as the mid-air update—what happened after my feet actually left the ground.

    Back then, I was preparing to leave my “cozy” corporate bubble and step into a world where I could build something of my own. I took courses, practiced my new profession, and did all the “right” things to get ready. On paper, I looked prepared. But deep down, something still felt… unfinished.

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  • Our very first yoga (re-)treat–what a success!

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    Our First Mini Yoga Retreat 

    This retreat will always be special—it was the very first mini yoga retreat I helped organize and lead with two friends.

    With a shared love for yoga, wellbeing, and meaningful connection, we dreamed of creating a space where people could slow down and simply be. Being Hungarian, hosting it in Hungary felt natural, and once we found a beautiful private estate near Lake Balaton, the vision came to life.

    October turned out to be the perfect timing. Mild autumn weather, and a peaceful villa at the foot of Csobánc Hill welcomed us to a few unforgettable days. We practiced yoga, prepared breakfast together, went hiking, enjoyed delicious dinners, and shared long conversations late into the night—yet somehow still showed up on our mats each morning.

    It was grounding, energizing, and full of joy. An experience that reminded us why we want to keep creating these retreats.

    We’re already planning the next one in 2026. Dates and details coming soon—stay tuned, and we hope to see you there. 

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  • Pocket money: yes or no?

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    Valuable lessons on the way to”financial adulthood”

    Pocket money:

    • Should we or should we not give it to our kids?
    • Should we or should we not open a child bank account? 
    • Should we or should we not give authority over the money we allocate them?

    Yes, to all three. Let me explain why. I am an economist and for decades I dealt with multi-million dollar accounts. I allocated funds, budgeted, and approved or denied colossal transactions. And when shuffling around large sums of money like I did, I had to have confidence in my craft, as much as my employer had to have enormous trust in my ability to forecast accurately. As a result assessing the longterm consequences of any decision became my lifeblood. And because it was hammered into me, I cannot help but forecast the impact of every major action, financial or not.

    So my professional experience gave me the great opportunity to pass this financial acumen on to my son, Tamás. Tamás is now 22, but I still remember how much he was looking forward to having his “own money”. From the age of 8 to10 he was constantly pestering me to open a bank account for him so he can have his own “chi-ching” card as he called the bankcard. And once he has it, he will pay with it everywhere and listen to that chi-ching sound.

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  • Does marriage really matter? It does.

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    About the (subtle) impact of commitment

    Recently Andrew and I had our wedding. Surrounded only by our immediate family members and a handful of friends, the day was amazing. We wanted to keep it small and eliminate the stress that usually comes with weddings. From the organization of it all to the event itself.

    We already knew a while back that we are committed to each other and are planning to spend our lives in each other’s company. Even before the wedding day we were discussing that the marriage will not make a difference in our lives. As we already knew that we wanted to share our lives. It was more for the family to celebrate us. 

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  • Deciding to change my life: Leaping without a net

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    Deciding to change my life: A journey into purpose and coaching

    There comes a point in life when staying the same feels more uncomfortable than changing.

    Starting this blog is the result of such a moment for me — a conscious decision to change my life. For several years, I had been quietly playing with the idea of making a more direct, meaningful impact on people’s lives. I wanted to help others recognize their potential and navigate change with greater clarity and confidence.

    My academic background is in law and economics. While psychology has always fascinated me, the idea of returning to university for a third degree felt excessive. What I was really searching for wasn’t another qualification — it was purpose. Somewhere along the way, I had reached a professional dead end. What I missed most was a sense of meaning in what I did every day.

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  • Be the Change: Why personal growth begins with choosing change

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    Looking at life as a learning experience and at change as a gift.

    Change feels uncomfortable because it leads into the unknown. Discover why personal growth requires change — and how to face it with clarity and ownership.

    When I started to write about change one morning, I jotted down some ideas that came to mind. Later in the day I thought: let me check what other people have said about change. I immediately found one of the most well-known quotes about change:

    “Be the change that you wish to see in the world“

    Mahatma Gandhi

    One thing is for sure: not all of us are able to make such monumental changes in the world as Gandhi and several others have made who truly believed in the importance of change.

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  • Benchmarking – Is it useful?

    By

    Réka

    Réka Koszta

    The importance of establishing healthy standards


    According to the Oxford Dictionary the meaning of a benchmark is:

    “A standard point of reference against which things may be compared or assessed.”

    This all sounds so simple, but who sets the standard?

    We are all exposed to “benchmarking” at some point. My first experience with benchmarking is from my childhood, though at that time I was not aware what exactly was going on. I only had a strong feeling that something is very unfair here. 

    My parents often asked me after receiving my school report card how other kids did in my class. They mentioned a few by names, and I shared their results. If my answer was that the particular kid got the same result or worse than myself, their response was: “I don’t care about other people’s kids. Mind you, you just asked 5 minutes ago. I want to know why you didn’t deliver to a higher standard”. The standard being my parents’ expectations, not what I wanted to achieve in a particular subject. If my answer was that another child had done better. My parents immediately gave me a lecture about how it is possible the other kid could learn the subject and I couldn’t. After all, they provided everything, and I only had to study. So how come my performance wasn’t exceptional every time? Well, I could have listed the facts that would have my case, but I learned soon enough that there was no point to that.

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