No Amount of Lavender Can Calm Me When Croatia Plays England 🇭🇷😅

I love calm.

Really.

I love slow mornings, coffee that’s still warm, candles, soft light, books before bed and the feeling that life — even when messy — can still feel peaceful.

I meditate.

I use essential oils.

I’ve probably put enough bergamot and lavender into a diffuser to calm an entire neighborhood.

And honestly?

Most of the time, I am calm.

Except when Croatia plays football.

And especially not when Croatia plays England.

Then suddenly, peace leaves my body.

My nervous system packs its bags and disappears.

Because if you’re Croatian, football isn’t just football.

It never was.

I still remember being a little girl and watching Croatia play while the whole house somehow felt different.

More alive.

More nervous.

More hopeful.

And yes — I had a poster of Davor Šuker hanging in my room.

Back then, football felt huge.

And somehow, it still does.

Maybe even more now — especially while Luka Modrić is still leading Croatia.

Because somewhere deep down, we all know we’re witnessing something special.

Little me could never have imagined that one day Croatia would become one of the best football nations in the world.

That we’d stand shoulder to shoulder with football giants.

And maybe that’s exactly why it feels so emotional now.

Because this isn’t just sport anymore.

It’s pride.

Memories.

Hope.

A strange national emotional rollercoaster we somehow all signed up for.

And penalties?

Please.

No amount of meditation prepares you for Croatian penalties.

I could meditate for 45 minutes.

Diffuse bergamot.

Diffuse lavender.

Drink calming tea.

Do deep breathing.

And still…

The second Croatia starts taking penalties, my nervous system says:

“Absolutely not.”

Heart racing.

Pacing around the room.

Suddenly unable to sit like a normal human being.

Whispering things to the TV as if the players can somehow hear me.

And now?

England.

Of course England.

Because apparently football stress likes to be dramatic.

But here’s the thing:

I don’t actually want to change this feeling.

I don’t want football to become calm.

Because this feeling?

It’s beautiful in its own weird way.

It’s peaceful and chaotic.

Calm and restless.

Exactly at the same time.

No amount of lavender can take away the feeling of your heart racing while Croatia plays.

And honestly?

I wouldn’t want it to.

Because it reminds me that I care.

That I still feel things deeply.

That for ninety minutes — or one hundred and twenty painful minutes — an entire country somehow breathes together.

The texts start flying.

The family gathers.

Everyone suddenly becomes a coach.

And strangers become friends for one night.

There’s something magical about that.

So yes.

I love calm.

But when Croatia plays England?

I allow myself to be nervous.

I allow my heart to race.

I allow myself to care too much.

Because some feelings are not meant to be fixed.

Some feelings are meant to be felt.

And this one?

This one feels exactly like Croatia.

Calm… but restless in its own beautiful way. 🇭🇷❤️🤍