Mental Health - Widower Experience (WX)

Feeling to stand or even work in somebody else’s shoes, to anticipate how they see through their eyes, feel what they feel, that’s how good life can happen, good relations run and peace exist. And it’s up to me, you and evryone who is open to be empathic to let it happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world. Authentic Life and Empathy Living an authentic life was always something I did. I defined myself as someone who isn’t afraid to be true to who I am, including my personality, values, and principles in life. I didn't bother compromising the entirety of who I am just for the comfort of others. Rather, I most often stuck to who I am regardless of what others think of me. But as I grow older, and faced a number of really challenging things in live including a few on a knife edge - step by step I realized I can live even more authentic and honest when I let people closer at me and that I can grow by that. I learned that a team, a society, a family is more tha...

Empathy is fundamental to emotional intelligence - this is beyond all question. I read an interesting study by Sarah Konrath , college students in 2010 had 40% less empathy than college students had back in 1979.  Empathy is our ability to imagine life from another's perspective, to walk in someone else's shoes .  And here are some ways to jumpstart your empathic imagination.  Play a game I call five fingers perspectives and it is based on a design thinking method. Let's do it, I tell a story that typically generates a negative judgment. For example, you're a team member and you say hi to your trainer / coach / manager in the hallway, but she walks right by you without saying a word. Your assumption is, oh, she hates me or what a snob! Now your job is to create five explanations that assume no ill will on the part of your trainer / coach / manager.  Let's try it here, pause your reading and think of five innocent reasons that it could explain that behavior.  So...

When a friend is challenged by a physical problem, like a health issue, or an emotional problem, like a breakup from a beloved person, romantic partner or animal, we want stand by them - being able to support her or him in a way that is both helpful and supportive. Whether they are suffering from some misfortune, loss, or challenging experience, how do we respond in a way that spread and share warmth and understanding? Do we offer sympathy or empathy? And what is the difference - and both has its time and can be beneficial or not that good. Sympathy and empathy are similar, BUT sympathy or empathy are different in how they can or will make the other who is suffering feel. Empathy is a sense that you can understand and share the feelings of another. As User Experience Designer as person with a few experience in my life - I firmly believe that this "shared" experience can generate a profound understanding because you attempt to know what it’s like to “walk in their shoes.” We a...

Show your siblings that you appreciate them, even when they often don't make it easy and enrich someone else's life on Sibling Day. It would be hard to dispute the fact that the bond between siblings is something very special! Especially since many of them have spent most of their lives together. Many people can't even remember a time when their siblings weren't part of their lives. Some of them even shared a womb at the same time if they were born as multiples! Sibling ties are often lifelong relationships, usually lasting from cradle to grave. As siblings are likely from the same generation, these are often the longest relationships in a person's life - much longer than a mother's and father's relationship. Sibling Day is an opportunity to honor the special bond that develops within families, as brothers and sisters share life from childhood through adulthood and even into old age. Certainly, National Sibling Day carries deep emotional significance. The da...

Each May, the world unites to honor Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to focusing on mental health, raising awareness about mental health issues, and breaking down the stigma surrounding them. This month is a significant opportunity for us to make an impact by promoting understanding and providing valuable information on mental health. In a fast-paced and ever-changing world, where societal, technological, and personal pressures are at an all-time high, prioritizing mental health has become more critical than ever. The rapid shifts in our daily lives - whether through work demands, social media influence, or global uncertainties - can take a significant toll on our well-being. By fostering greater awareness and a deeper understanding, we can empower individuals to navigate these challenges with resilience, compassion, and the support they need. What Does Mental Health Awareness Mean? Mental health is just as important as physical health. Despite this, discussions around m...

While writing my blog, I’m keen to emphasize that my thoughts are mainly based on my own experience - increased by talks I had with other grievers aren’t aimed at any one person, or a particular community, culture or tradition. Instead, it recognizes that our collective ‘society’ - a many-faceted, diverse, rich in variety time and environments - has strong opinions and a very loud voice which influences how we navigate - and talk about grief. As a result, society and 'good' friends, colleagues impose expectations and judges people – especially when they’re grieving – by telling them what they ‘should do’, how long they ‘should’ grieve, and how they ‘must’ feel. If someone doesn’t cry at the funeral, or if someone does cry but for ‘too long’, society assumes there’s something wrong with them. In the recent months I wrote a lot about grief, how to deal with grief and death - but this time I thought it is time to write how to deal with grieving people - for people who ask themsel...

Time to Talk Day is an annual awareness day held at the beginning of February - on the first Thursday of February - 6th of February 2025. The day is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and breaking the stigma surrounding it. It is a day for friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen, and change lives.  It aims to encourage people to talk about mental health and to help those who are struggling.. Talking about mental health isn't easy. But a conversation has the power to change lives. Starting Meaningful Conversations In a world where many people struggle with mental health issues, grief, or depression, offering an open ear can make all the difference. Starting a meaningful conversation doesn’t require special skills—just genuine care and a willingness to listen. Here’s how you can do it: Approach with Empathy Start by showing you care. A simple, “Hey, how are you really doing?” can open the door to honest conversation. It’s import...

Since I was a little boy it was without question and beyond doubt for myself and my understanding - that living and designing go together. Design isn’t just about making things look appealing, or just about usability, or even just delight. It is about taking something from being usable to delightful, and then beyond that — to meaningful. And I hope that everyone of you agrees that life must cover the same. Life must be appealing - and only you can define what is appealing for you Life must be usable - easy to use - reducing hurdles and obstacles, and errors And most of all life has to be delightful and meaningful to you - and beyond that it is you - your most precious treasure Remembering the quote by Joseph Beuys ... “Every human being is an artist, a freedom being, called to participate in transforming and reshaping the conditions, thinking and structures that shape and inform our lives.” ― Joseph Beuys … it should remind us to design our life. Even the tools will vary -...

On my blog, I often write about the small and big things that affect our emotional balance. About moments that throw us off course  -  and those that lift us up, shape us, and stay with us. Today, I want to share a deeply personal experience with you. A story that begins with a song from 1985  -  and still resonates with me to this day. It shows how profoundly certain moments can impact us when we allow ourselves to feel them fully. And why mental well-being doesn’t just start with therapy or tools, but with a conscious attitude toward life itself. ( This time, I have to ask my German readers for forgiveness, as I need to write this article in English   -   sorry about that. ) Not long ago, I wrote about  The Breakfast Club  -  a film that had a big impact on me 40 years ago. A story about growing up, being different, being human. Today, I want to talk about a song from that same year:  “19” by Paul Hardcastle . The Impact of P...

March 20th is the UN International Day of Happiness International Day of Happiness aims to globally acknowledge and cherish the value of happiness in lives. This day encourages individuals to spread positivity in any possible way and prompts nations to prioritize their citizens' happiness.  Happiness plays an essential role in life for several reasons: Physical Health: Happiness has been linked to better physical health. Happy people tend to take better care of themselves by exercising, eating healthy, and getting regular check-ups, which reduces the risk of disease. Happiness also boosts the immune system, improving resistance to common illnesses. Mental Health: Happiness aids mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. It contributes to resilience, helping individuals handle adversity more effectively. Longevity / lifespan: Studies have suggested that happier people may live longer. A positive outlook on life can contribute to increased lifespan. Productivity: Happ...

This should be a Call for Compassion, Openness, and Change Every year on September 10 , we observe World Suicide Prevention Day – a global awareness day that reminds us of one vital truth: we must stop treating suicide like something we can’t talk about . It’s a day for survivors, for families, for friends — and for all of us. A day that calls us to break the silence, confront the stigma, and create real, lasting change. A day to say out loud: Mental health crises, tragedies related to mental health can be / might be averted — through listening, through empathy, through action - an open ear, open mind, and open heart.   The Reality – Quiet, but Devastating According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , over 1 billion people worldwide live with mental health conditions . Anxiety and depression are among the most common. Still, most people suffer in silence . Every 40 seconds , someone dies by suicide. That’s around 800,000 people a year — more than war, natural disaste...