Daria is a woman who gently but resolutely walks her own path – with a book in her hand and a smile on her face. Her everyday life is permeated with a love for language, people, nature and simplicity, and her inspiring story won us over at first sight. In her role as a library director, mother, mentor and writer, Daria proves that strength and elegance can be worn – at the same time. It was a pleasure to talk to her about style, writing and life values.
What would you highlight as your favorite achievement?
My most cherished achievement is that I have managed to instill in my daughters through example
true values (it doesn't matter what you wear on your feet or in your hand, but what you carry in your soul). Immediately after that, a precious achievement for me was the belief in myself that led to the publication of my two books, in which I expressed myself as best I could, and in the process, helped some people find their way with my stories.
What is Daria's style like?
I would say, elegant minimalism. Monochrome romance with a few flowers. No matter how hard I try to have sportswear in my closet, it's always full of dresses and skirts. I choose simple clothing lines, and I emphasize femininity with details like earrings, with freshly washed hair and a light wild cherry eau de toilette.
For me, the saying "less is more" always applies. Whether it's summer or winter, my favorite clothing item is dresses, I rarely wear pants, and never classic floor-length ones. I love asymmetry and the play of shapes, but I'm a stickler for color. I love the combination of a black dress and gold-colored jewelry, so all the Kragrlica necklaces I have go perfectly with that. I often choose earrings first, and then I put together an outfit based on them. I prefer Croatian jewelry and clothing brands because, in addition to liking them, I want to support our creatives. Everyone who knows me well gives me a book or earrings for my birthday, and there's nothing wrong with that.
What do you do?
After sixteen years of working in a high school where I taught Croatian language and literature and worked in the school library, this year I found myself in a new role as the director of a wonderful city library on an even more wonderful island of Kvarner. My job is also my calling in life, which perfectly overlaps and fits in with everything I do privately and am involved in, which is writing, learning, teaching, working with young people, volunteering, chat rooms, organizing literary evenings. It is a privilege to go to work with ease and true joy. For four years now, I have been running a reading club with my sister that nourishes us spiritually once a month.
How do you like to spend your free time?
Along with the time dedicated to parenting, I'm a real coffee addict. I love the sun, drinking coffee with a good book or magazine, nice dinners on summer terraces with a gin and tonic, long conversations with
friends, coming up with new creative ideas...
I love to travel, but I don't like to pack. However, when I pack my things for the trip, along with my charger, my cell phone,
documents, I never forget my jewelry box. I think of combinations in advance that will suit my chosen earrings.
What does your mind, soul & body self-care look like?
I feed my mind with personal development workshops, non-violent communication, reading and
by educating myself on inspiring topics and talking to people close to me. I also train my mind by listening to the inspiration that often wakes me up at two in the morning, so I write poems and short stories. Unfortunately, I haven't found myself in classical meditation, but I like listening to the rustling of leaves in autumn and the sounds of waves whenever I'm by the sea, because luckily I live very close to that wonderful blue. I also nurture my mind more and more often by distancing myself from crime news, so for several years now I've hardly even watched the news, very little TV, I briefly inform myself about events in the world, but I don't let my thoughts occupy things over which I have no influence.
I'm not a sporty person by nature and I force myself to exercise (walking, gym), but I still feel
I prefer to be a bookworm. When we feel good, it shows on us. When we feel bad, it shows on us. Skin and hair must be clean, and the mind must be nurtured with beautiful thoughts and gratitude. I like naturalness as much as possible. There is no powder in my cosmetic bag, only tinted cream, a good eyeliner and mascara and blush. I don't use perfumes, but rather airy-scented eau de toilette. And when I go shopping, and during weekend house cleaning, and during formal events and meetings, and all sorts of obligations, I always wear earrings, even the smallest ones, because they are my piece of jewelry that makes me feel different.
Little things you do out of love for the Planet?
Recycling books, donating clothes I'm bored of, donating furniture... I'm big on it.
I am a fan of canvas bags with interesting illustrations and inscriptions. I love my
orchids (they are the only flowers I manage to keep alive, all the others wither) that I care for and cherish. I avoid plastic jewelry and choose natural materials.
What drives you?
Love for life and people, strength born from difficult moments experienced, will and an inexhaustible desire to help others, that inner joy that grows within me with age, motivation to make this world a more beautiful place as much as I can through my actions. I am driven by volunteering, working with young people, people with developmental disabilities and a result that rewards the effort, people full of energy, smiles and satisfaction.
I love ambitious individuals with charisma and vision, but with a good reason and cover. Those who never give up in the fight for their dreams and their rights, even when the majority is against them, and when everyone else tells them that there is no point. There is never an ideal, but our choices define us. I try to convey all of this to my girls. I consider myself to have a well-developed intuition, so I carefully choose the people I surround myself with and share my small circle of great people.
What would you change, if you could, in our society?I believe that I can, that everyone can, change society. Of course, not all at once, but each
our step in the right direction, it is a step for all of us. Every day I try to make the environment I live in better. I am often told that I am childishly enthusiastic and naive, but today I see that as a compliment, not an insult, because we need to know how to remain a child in the crazy world around us, to keep that spark that does not fade.
If I had a magic wand, I would make all people aware of what they have and grateful for it.
health, to greet every day with a smile, to have more empathy for each other, not to be selfish and egocentric, not to chase after the outside but to build ourselves from the inside. Ultimately, whenever and however, we are left alone with ourselves. I am aware that we do not all resonate on the same wavelength and that some will find these words of mine funny, childish or naive, but that would be my wish. If I had to choose only one wish, it would be that all children have a home, a healthy upbringing and the experience of an unburdened childhood full of play, laughter and craziness.
9. Do you have any unfulfilled wishes?
It's nice to have desires, we all have them. I try to stay realistic, even though I'm a dreamer by nature and
I'm a romantic, so reality often slaps me. Great wishes can also lead to great disappointments
I try to keep my desires and expectations to those that help me act, to see.
forward, to push forward even when it's hard and to persevere regardless of all difficulties.
I have one big unfulfilled wish that I will keep to myself.
It was a pleasure to listen to Daria. She builds spaces around herself where books are read aloud, people listen with their hearts, and jewelry is not worn for impression, but as a sign of an inner story: she teaches us how to be ourselves.