“Take a deep breath and pull yourself together.”
My eyes filled with tears, which I tried to blink down. My breast filled with air, my rib-cage widened, and I tried to breathe out as evenly as possible. I know this exercise from meditation, and I repeat it until I regain full control over myself. I don’t want to cry. Not because I want to mask my vulnerability, but because I don’t want to face the reactions my emotions may cause:
I don’t want pity, I don’t want irritation, and I certainly don’t want to face someone’s sense of triumph.
I act stronger than I am, but the facade has cracks, and as soon as I’m home I take off my mask and let go. Here, in the safe haven that is my home, I can let my feelings flow freely. I am vulnerable here, tender, myself.
This month was an emotional rollercoaster, one looping after the other, relentless ups and downs. It’s only been a month, but it was one of the most intense ones I have ever experienced.
I made new friends, lost some old ones, and went over my limit. Above all, I learned a lot about myself, not least that it takes a hell of a lot of strength to face one’s weaknesses. How are you going to be strong if you can’t integrate your own weakness into your being?
April was a month of firsts for me:
I met a part of my family for the first time, my aunt and my cousins.
I ran the first half-marathon of my life.
I had to officially announce the end of a beloved project.
And for the first time in my life, I had to say goodbye to a friend forever.
Each of these firsts was intense in its own way, and profoundly formative. The experiences opened my eyes a bit wider for what is essential. Life pointed out to me once again how important friendship, family, health and love are. I guess we sometimes need to learn the really deep lessons the hard way.
Favorite App:
Co-Star
I’m usually not much of a zodiac geek, but I’m open to the whole subject, and curios. With co-star, you just enter where you were born etc., and you’re presented with a full horoscope straight away. If you add friends, you’ll see how compatible you are with each other. Suffice to say that my boyfriend refuses to tell me the exact time he was born.
Read:
Yes, yes, yes!
When I read this article, I though to myself: “Wow! Has it really come to this already?”
I have observed the tendency with myself for quite some time, have wondered for ages, and now it seems like the trend is reaching us from the USA: reality is en vogue.
I noticed this tendency with me for quite some time now. While I remain a fan of beautiful “high-end” editorials, I add more and more no-frills moments to my feed. I just don’t feel like reducing myself to crazy poses and the sheen of perfection. I want to be real and accessible, someone like a well-dressed friend who you can talk to about emotional subjects as well as politics as well as fashion. I had to admit to myself though: I’m not as funny as the girls portrayed in the article.
New Label to watch:
Kassel conquers the fashion world!
Yep, you read that right. The newest, hottest shit is from Kassel, and goes by the name: KASSL Editions.
The German brand produces only jackets and coats, each design is carefully thought through and lovingly designed by hand. Moreover, each piece has a added functional character as well, thus bridging the gap between timeless elegance and practicality. The garments are simplistic, well made and produced in limited editions to prevent over-supply. Based on these principles, the German label has made it to the very top: you find KASSL editions at Netaporter, Farfetch, etc. Amazing and wonderful news.
Watched
The Good Fight
I LOVE “The Good Wife”, and was pretty sad when the show wrapped after 7 seasons. But the spin-off is a really adequate fix, and Diane Lockhart as protagonist is amazing. She’s the tough lawyer in an unusual law firm, a professional who shows her human side and her vulnerability, who dissects the political scene and doesn’t shy away from direct criticism of Donald Trump.
Definitely highly recommended!
Food:
Vegan burgers are really a thing right now, aren’t they? I’ve enjoyed them for quite some time – ever since I stopped eating meat I try to stick to a vegan diet most of the time. It works really well with milk, for example, as there are so many substitutes like oatmilk and almond milk, but it’s not quite as easy when it comes to cheese and chocolate. But I’m on a good way, and am happy to see that it seems to be getting easier and easier. Many restaurants have definitely taken notice of the “trend” (if you can still call it that), and the choice of vegan and healthy options on the menus is definitely growing. This is also due to the fact that there’s a growing number of great substitute products on the market. See, I’m not someone who necessarily insists that her veggie or vegan burger patty needs to look or even taste exactly like meat, but I can certainly understand that such options make the switch from to a meat-free diet much easier for many people. I certainly support every available alternative, which by the way includes the new vegan burger served ad McDonalds. I think it’s amazing that vegan alternatives are finally available in mainstream outlets, despite the economic consequences. What do you guys think? Are you following a vegetarian or vegan diet? Are you trying to?
News:
You’ll hear yours truly talking more frequently over the next few weeks. I am proud to co-present a masterclass at the OMRs next week, and will also give a talk at the Federal Association of Digital Economy (Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft) on influencer marketing. The entire industry sector has taken note of the importance of our field, and awareness about the possibilities and also potential profitability has really risen steeply. More and more frequently, I found and find myself in the role of sharing knowledge and experience. It’s a new role for me, but one that I enjoy immensely, as I also experienced at a recent occasion in which I presented an entire event. I can imagine venturing much further into the field in the future. That would actually be a real dream come true!
