As March is drawing to a close, it is time to share some of what I found most uplifting in the past couple of weeks. Especially in crazy and sad times like these, I want to make sure that I consciously “fill my cup” and seek out things that make my heart sing, that give me energy, confidence and hope.
First thing on this list clearly has got to be music.
There was this very special Lüneburg Heath weekend with my friend Eva. We met in a former barn in northern Germany. We played and we sang, we laughed, we tested, we failed, we found harmonies, we went for walks, we cooked, we experienced flow and we also recorded some songs – a full album, to be precise. We even have a name now, can you believe! I feel beyond grateful to call weekends like this a part of my life. To be able to enjoy such inspiring, liberating and uplifting company.
Outdoor activities, of course!
Be it on a hike with Klaus or working in the garden, sometimes even a short half hour during my lunch break – just having fresh air around my nose is blissful. Also, I find it enormously satisfying to work with my hands for a change. So much of what I do for a living has to do with talking and I spend 80% of my workdays in front of a screen. Compared to churning down a to do list on a screen, gardening gives me much more tangible results.
Another source of energy: Being with my family
My mum has been going through a really rough time for more than a year now. I am glad that I can support her and be with her when she needs me, at least some of the time. Same for my grandpa. We shared a bottle of wine among us last night and he revelled in anecdotes from his life – the ups and downs and the in-betweens. Now, I am looking forward to 12 full days of holiday with my daddy that shall begin tomorrow. It’s a relic from a former life, booked in 2019 and should have originally taken place in 2020 with my mum, then postponed twice and now it feels a bit surreal to be going on this adventure, finally.
Work that doesn’t feel like work
First up, there was this memorable leadership offsite I got to facilitate live and in-person this month. I was once again amazed by how magically things can fall into place sometimes. On some days I can hardly believe my luck: that this activity that excites me so much and gives me fulfilment and lets me be me is actually my job. Also this month, I got to design and record an audio course on resilience and human needs with/for a client. This is was a first for me and I am keen to hear how it resonates with the target audience. The thought that my voice might soon take a couple of hundred people by the hand for some guided journaling and self-reflection makes me a bit nervous.
And all the while, there is still a war raging in Europe. There is unspeakable cruelty, there is injustice, futility and madness. Violence and pain beyond comprehension. This war is always present. It plays a role in how I feel, in how people are showing up in workshops, it shimmers through in conversations. Of course, it is omnipresent in the media first thing I hear in the morning and last at night on some days. This war puts things into perspective, reminds me of what are the things worth standing up for: Freedom, democracy and peace. Knowing that can also be a source of energy, I reckon.
What are you doing these days to “fill your cup”, dear one? Wherever this finds you, I am sending you lots of love.
Bye-bye, hamsterwheel! 