Mental Health - Widower Experience (WX)

Courage and confidence are intrinsic qualities that have always sustained me, deeply rooted, as I believe, in human nature. They enable people to see light even in the darkest times of life and to keep fighting. Particularly impressive are the stories of those who relentlessly pursue their dreams and ultimately triumph despite adverse circumstances. The Paralympic athletes are shining examples of such indomitable will. For me, they are moving and motivating examples, symbolizing the courage to bounce back after setbacks and to rise again and again. Physical and Emotional Challenges Physical and emotional challenges are often intertwined. The physical disabilities that many Paralympians have to overcome bring not only physical limitations but also emotional burdens. The path to athletic triumph is paved with setbacks, pain, and mental struggles. The disability itself poses a constant challenge, often accompanied by societal stigmatization. Yet, it is these very challenges that shape the...

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought about significant changes to our modern world, reshaping various aspects of business, society, and even our personal lives. Under the current circumstances, AI has become an indispensable tool for data processing, automation, and decision-making processes. It has allowed businesses to improve their operations, boost productivity, and gain valuable insights. However, the widespread implementation of AI has also raised concerns and presented challenges that need to be addressed. I created this image by AI, a prompt that asked the maschine to create a juxtaposition, contrasting pairing, confrontation of human and mother nature vs robot and and AI. In the business realm, AI has had a profound impact on efficiency and innovation. By leveraging AI, businesses can automate routine tasks, analyze vast amounts of data for strategic decision-making, and enhance customer experiences. This has led to increased productivity, reduced operation...

Every day we are faced with choices, big and small, that can influence how we feel about ourselves and our lives.  A choice point is a moment in time when we get to choose, get to the feeling that we have to or should choose between being consistent or inconsistent with what we do, how we do something, think about things - think about our values, life. It might be a moment where we face the eternal conundrum of ‘to a dessert or not to eat a dessert?’ or the choice between staying in a job we struggle with or even hate or seeking a more fulfilling one. The choices we make in these situations can make a big difference as to whether we experience more moments of ‘Yes, I am who I am and I want to live 'my life'!’ or ‘Ugh! I suck! What is my life!?’. It’s not always easy to identify when these choice points occur, but with practice and support, it can be easier. I already wrote about challenges in life - and in this context it is or might be worth to check them out... Dealing With C...

Saying good-bye and letting go of what was, transforming to what lies ahead. In 2023, a lot happened. I can't even begin to describe how much it means in words. Many of us experienced growth, change, ... you name it - so many changed that only a few years ago we could not have imagined. In your struggle, nobody is alone. You're not the only one who worries about what might happen next. And more and more, we all become aware of the little and significant shifts in who we are, how we perceive the world and reality, and how our awareness has changed.  Our drive to achieve goals is influenced by our level of confidence, which is why I wrote an article a few days ago. Having a confident base is essential while trying to modify our unhealthy habits or adopt new, healthier ones. Confidence plays a role in our motivation to pursue goals and so when we address how to change our existing undesirable behavior (e.g., excess eating, drinking, vaping, spending), or want to pursue new healthy...

My thoughts at the end of the year. We are living in a time of huge changes. Now another year is ending. and 2024 will start soon. I can, You can, we can start a new year with confidence by simply being open to ALL that can occur, change and shift in the upcoming 365 days. We know that things can change in one day, so don’t let the idea of what you didn’t accomplish or didn’t finish stop you from knowing that it can and will still get done. We all could use a few ways to start a new year with confidence. You can be confident in a new year no matter how things ended on December 31 What is confidence?  Well - In its simplest form, confidence is the feeling of trust in something. When we’re talking about confidence we have to have self-confidence in mind and soul as well, it is the belief that you can trust in yourself and your abilities or knowledge. Confidence impacts physical and mental health. Confidence is a trait that can help us face life’s experiences head-on.  Start buil...

Rules of life - there are several one. But the main one for me are the three As ... A wareness         A cceptance         A ction Or in other words, getting aware, then accepting and our understanding that there is a way through any situation In my private life, in my decades as competitive sportsman, and on my jobs as craftsman, paramedic, architect or now as designer - I never call it in question that I have to be aware of, review, comprehend and perhaps dig into the circumstances, driving and influencing aspects and use my empathy. And that is even more true when it comes to self-awareness. The first step toward change is awareness. If we feel that something as it should be, can be, might be ... that we suffer, that we are not happy, or can not accept something any longer ... and I firmly believe that is true for personal life as well as professional life. I verily believe that our mental health needs this as a basement and that...

We strive to live and eat healthier, look better and work more productively. But the road to self-improvement can be a slippery slope. Accepting and appreciating ourselves is sometimes harder than we think.  There are moments and time of trouble in life - challenges when you struggle. With ourselves, the path we have taken or certain circumstances that make up our lives. However, the most important part(s) of finding yourself and self-awareness are remembering what you want and why you want it. Don’t be afraid to reassess your approach if things start to tip in the wrong direction. With all the stress of everyday life, you often forget yourself. To keep self-care and self-esteem high, breaks are essential. I like to share with you a few ideas - how you can practice a little bit of self-love every day. A small sentences - just 3 words - can have a big impact. And you should say these 3 sentences to yourself more often "I love you" or "I love me" We are who we are -...

My stoic mantra ... Go as far as you can. When you get there You will see how it goes on. Your path and purpose will become clear and become yours - when you begin to trust yourself. The path - your path is the destination. Live your life for you with self-awareness, trust und confidence You have to trust in yourself - trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, good in others ... whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. When you look to the past, don't sit and dwell on your regrets. Instead, focus on the things you learned from each experience and how they may enrich your future. Use the past not as something to hold you back, but as a method for reaffirming the drive to move forward on your chosen path. Live your life for you and not to please expectations Social pressure is deceiving - we all become influenced without noticing it. Before we realize we lost control of our lives, we end up envying how other people li...

I still see, feel and smell my wife and my own heartbeat drive me mad In the stillness of remembering what we had It's OK but at the same time - also sad. Love, a tiny word, chosen to represent so much Feelings inside, that the senses can hardly touch. Lonely are the nights Lonely are the days Lonely am I, in so many ways My mind is all too often so loud with no way to get it silent or to break out it is time to cut these ties and chains I let them go - the shadows and pains I see the good moods richly colored like a graffiti on a wall. It's a tough battle, I stand and fall, but more often I am standing tall.

The secret of Joy, the upcoming holidays and New Year's Eve is from my point of view ... while all too many people are looking and searching something great and extraordinary ... we miss all to often the inconspicuous, small, little enlightening glitter and stars. Remember with gratitude the positive moments in your life, especially in the recent year. May the stars light up your way into the new year so that you can go your way full of confidence, strength and courage.  Just an idea - what about starting the next year with a daily practice of gratitude? It can help you recognize the positive in your life instead of focusing on the negative. And being thankful and grateful for all the good things you have can actually make you happier. All friends and readers - a merry Christmas and a happy new year. It was a special, difficult, beautiful, challenging year ... and so perhaps the next year will be too - but as well with wonderful sunrises, sunsets, ... and wonderful people - just as...

I already mentioned here and there in my articles that I am thinking in pictures. Depending on the context - when I am thinking about trust, confidence, faith, trustfulness, and resilience - I do have trees in my mind. It might sound strange or crazy - but perhaps you can understand it in a metaphorical sense - when I say a forest is like a group of people and trees like brothers and sisters. And an appropriate image to symbolize humanity: We too stand tall on this earth and stretch our arms to heaven. At the same time, trees make us aware of how small, fading and partly changing a person's lifespan is. Trees can connect us to time and the horizon. Trees give us a sense of timelessness and connect us to the past. The tree in the changing of the seasons symbolizes our own life story of becoming and passing away. For me, trees have always been a kind of / or mixture of a companion, calm anchor or call it guardian. In the highest crowns of trees, the world rustles, their roots rest st...

In a society in which grief can be experienced, shown and perhaps even can run free, the past, present and future are connected. For me - that#s how I feel it and experiencing it mourning means honoring the past and making the future possible.  There is no life without goodbyes and no aliveness, spontaneousness or love without experiencing loss and change. The time of mourning is a crisis, is a change of 'culture' for oneself but as well for the environment - and experiencing, living, and showing that you are feeling bad, that you have good moments, moments of reminding, ... and so many more experiences with mourning - the rollercoaster of emotions - must have or should have effects on society - therefore also these crisis will have effects on the present society and in the future viability of society. Opportunities, moments, acts, occurrences of mourning are a very central means, action points or points and opportunities to pause for a moment  of actualizing persona...

Social change and our society - it feels more and more that we all have to perform flawlessly, smoothly and effective - there is no time, room for emotions and for sure not for mourning and grieving. The pressure to act and behave smoothly in an accelerating society makes being 'in mourning' a disruptive state that should be limited as much as possible and ended as early as possible. This social pressure or let me call it compulsion is fatal for the mourning experience itself. Time to say farewell - in a good way - in your way  As I've written in previous articles, grief has no final ending, although the pain will subside over time and life will and have to take a new direction. In the perception of most people and as it is seen all too often in society - the expectation is that a grieving process is mostly understood as a temporary times and period with an start and end  - as exceptional state, a state of emergency - a time that should not only be over at some point...

My life changed since my wife died. And since then I wonder and explore ways to be happy alone and live a full life   Consequently , I felt and partly still feel that I have also lost my purpose and, certainly - if I like or not, I'm confused about what role I might play in the world going forward. For example, I am no longer a husband, but I still feel like one. Through my fog of grief, it was nearly impossible to envision a life without my wife by my side. So came the question: “What do I do now?” compounded by the inevitable one of: “Who am I now?” While I had to and one may have to figure out “what to do” rather quickly, figuring out the “who you are now” is usually a slow process. Consequently , I discovered the dynamics of old time friendships began to shift. I had the luck that only a few friends seemed to fall by the wayside – a few because they feel uncomfortable with the situation. Keep in mind that change is not a dirty word - each's life is full of changes! I...

It is possible to influence one's thinking and choose where to direct one's thoughts. For me 'Having Hope' means not losing faith and confidence - but also feeling well-being. Having hope that everything will be okay is especially important when we are in difficult and hard times or in other words we experience a serious life crisis. First of all you should comfort yourself and give yourself courage - if you not already do so.  If you can't think of positive or encouraging thoughts, think about what you would say to other people in the same situation to encourage this. Methods I suggest to recall positive experiences from the past ...  Which situations did you master?  What went well?  When did the situation look hopeless in the past and which kind of solution emerged or about which did you thought about? Look for people - talk with people who have already found a solution for similar challenges ...  You might find these people in your environment. Or check y...