Here we are in 2024 and yet there is still a kind of melancholy, a very special sense of pity, in the eyes of those who look at a woman turning 40 who says she is happy and fulfilled even if she doesn’t have children or a husband. It is voiced less often, yet the idea remains – more deeply rooted than one might think – that a woman must adhere to specific social steps and that certain fields, certain narratives, are not hers to claim.
Happiness comes in many shapes and forms. For us, independence is a fundamental value: it means being able to choose, being financially independent, expressing ourselves without fear, in journalism as well as in everyday life.
This is precisely where the refined yet quietly powerful battle waged by Aleksandra and Erna—both in their lives and between the lines of Mood – finds its place: planting the seeds of a new consciousness that advocates for the right to freely experience relationships and make choices that contribute to one’s personal fulfilment. Encouraging critical thinking, diversity of views and the serene acceptance of what is different but creates value.
Mood.HR: What is it?
Mood.HR is an online magazine dedicated to pop culture and original stories, a seeker of emotions and unique moments. It was created to promote mindful reading, creativity, and slow journalism. Its goals: to create new space for women and new awareness about female empowerment, encourage critical thinking, inspire creativity and bring diversity to the world of media. The motto around which the magazine structures its editorial choices is “Don’t just scroll. Feel it!”.
To enhance direct engagement and promote the reintroduction of the pleasure of information into daily life, every Friday Mood.HR sends all its subscribers a newsletter featuring a curated selection of topics designed to promote relaxation, entertainment, and the joy of immersing oneself in the world of emotions.
There is a mission behind this project: to encourage critical thinking, promote slower and more mindful journalism and, above all, diversity in the world of media.
Let’s start with an intriguing and meaningful fact: Mood.HR was launched on 8 March, International Women’s Day. No accident, we’re sure…
That’s right, Mood.HR was born on March 8, 2023, on International Women’s Day. After 20 years in the media world working as a journalist, editor and managing editor – it is Aleksandra, founder of Mood, who tells us about these very first parts of the project – I had the desire to create something personal by combining my passion for writing and images. Thus began Mood’s journey, an editorial dimension in which we go in search of unique moments and emotions, in which what matters is not only telling stories, but conveying an experience, leaving something that remains. Mood is also the desire to create a space for a more direct female point of view, without unnecessary filters. The style, dedicated to pop culture and original stories, allows us to approach the public informally, but there is a mission behind this project: to encourage critical thinking, promote slower and more mindful journalism and, above all, diversity in the world of media.
Mood is an editorial dimension in which we go in search of unique moments and emotions, where what matters is not only telling stories, but conveying an experience, leaving something that remains.
What’s very, very interesting about your #sisterhood is the way you combine a very independent outlook on life and a passion for teamwork
We met several years ago, purely by chance, in a cafe. We had completely different lives: one was editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan and the other ran the marketing aspect of a big shopping centre. But from the instant we met there was a special connection, an energy that made it clear that we had something in common. Then, when Mood was born, that connection turned into a shared project, which added a new dimension of dialogue, but took nothing away from our independent nature.
If anything, it made it even more stimulating, because there are two different but complementary approaches: one more artistic, emotional, linked to writing and photography, the other more concrete and pragmatic, with experience in marketing and business. Putting these together gives us an even stronger vision. Then, through the autonomy in our work, we have the privilege of discovering new nuances of each other: sometimes, by reading what someone writes, we get a much deeper glimpse into their soul. If given the right time, this is the power of writing: it allows you to go deeper, to uncover something intimate and authentic.
A shared project added a new dimension of dialogue, but took nothing away from our independent nature. In fact, it made it even more stimulating, because there are two different but complementary approaches.
Although we are making significant strides on the path of female empowerment, a certain pattern of social expectations for women is still deeply ingrained and structured. What are your thoughts on this?
We live in a society that is changing, becoming more fluid and free, yet yes, certain questions keep coming. We are well aware that many women still feel the weight of certain expectations: marriage, children, life to be built according to predefined patterns. But the point is that happiness comes in many shapes and forms. For us, independence is a fundamental value: it means being able to choose, being financially independent, having the freedom to express ourselves without fear, in journalism, in books, in photography and in everyday life.
There is an image that perfectly captures this feeling: imagine standing on a beach, surrounded only by the blue sea, aware that infinite possibilities lie in front of you. This is the perspective we should never lose. We do not feel the pressure of external expectations, because we have had full control over our choices and we are at peace with ourselves. However, not everyone is in a position to say the same, so it is important to get the message across that there are several ways of interpreting the same thing.
We live in a society that is changing, and yet yes, we know how many women still feel the weight of certain expectations… that is why it is important to get the message across that there are several ways of interpreting the same thing.
This thought clearly emerges in the editorial choices of Mood, which distance themselves from the mainstream focus on celebrities and gossip. How important is it to make space for different points of view?
The goal is to offer something different, something that allows readers to take time to immerse themselves in the texts, to really feel the emotions they convey. We’re not interested in fast news, celebrity gossip, or passing trends. Today everything is fast, information is consumed in a few seconds, and this leads to a loss of meaning.
Mood aims to recover the value of mindful reading, that pleasure we once experienced when flicking through magazines calmly, letting ourselves be carried away by their words. That’s why our motto is “Don’t just scroll, feel it”. We are interested in female voices, empowerment, psychology, well-being. We want to give space to stories that would otherwise go unheard. Making space for different points of view also means assigning value to those who have not yet found their space in the media, it means giving space to people. Words come from people.
We don’t care about fast news, celebrity gossip. We want to give space to stories that would otherwise go unheard… and that means giving space to people. Words come from people.
What is the contribution to change that you hope to promote with @Mood.HR?
The world of art and culture has long been dominated by men. There is still a tendency to believe that certain topics, certain ways of telling stories, and certain details are not the domain of women. Now is the time to open up spaces where women can express themselves freely and creatively, without limits, and be what they really want. #sisterhood is a key part of this process. We must support each other, knowing that one woman’s success is a victory for all women.
Independence is not only an economic concept, but also a mental attitude, it means learning to recognise our own value. Looking to the future, the desire is to see a more female world, a world in which women have more and more space to tell their stories, to be heard, to express themselves without fear. Change starts with stories, voices, words. Mood.HR was inspired by the desire to promote this change.
It’s time to open up spaces where women can express themselves freely and creatively, without limits. #Sisterhood is a key part of this process. One woman’s success is a victory for all women.
