Always breathe easily through your pants

As the old year draws to a close, the new one is already scuffling along. Never before have I seen so many "Goodbye 2023" texts on 26, 27 or 29 December as I did in 2023. Everyone probably wants to get rid of this year quickly. But please don't overload the delicate little plant 24! The columnist doesn't believe in good intentions anyway.

I spoke to my friend B. on the phone today, we are the queens of deep talk. For both of us, that is. Others might think we're superficial, spoiled snoozers - we know that's not the case. We didn't have much time, so we just rushed through the year - what's the verdict? Exhausting, but enjoyable. On a personal level. You know what's going on in the world yourself, you can't be doing great 24/7. But if you only look at yourself, then you can draw a positive conclusion, if that's the case.

It's been a long time since I've traveled so much - easy after Corona. Unfortunately not on business again, as I didn't want to, but for leisure. On the other hand, I really worked hard in other areas - you have to be able to afford it, both financially and in terms of time. So life is balanced, and that's a good thing, this balance. For my taste, however, I had to work a little too hard on one side to achieve this balance, but you can work on that. And the swings in one direction as well as the other are probably what you call real life.

Such an Arena Icons Solid Low is narrow, but you can also breathe through it ...

I don't want to bore you with my vacation slideshow from the Baltic Sea to London, Nice, Ibiza and South Africa, I just want to give you a tip: The further away, the better the relaxation. In my case, that is. Others see it differently, I suppose, but everyone has to try it out for themselves. And it has to be long, far away. Away from the usual, that clears the mind. The old song "Everywhere you go always take the weather with you" (Crowded House, 1991) has been ringing through my life since X.'s wedding. There's a lot of truth in it, but this song is deeply annoying. So thanks to me for the annoying earworm.

All I'm trying to say is: just because Sunday is New Year's Eve and Monday is New Year's Day, just because I'll be in Berlin today and in Antarctica tomorrow, my problems, my worries, my hardships are objectively no less. But neither are my joys, what I can do, my love(s). If I pretend that the world will change on January 1st just because we are welcoming a new year, then I will inevitably be disappointed. But if, as I already hinted at in the headline, I breathe easy through my pants, then I can keep myself and my emotions, my expectations, under control.

That is very private

I will also keep these seven questions that follow in the text, which C. asked her mother and grandmother for Christmas this year, flickering in front of me like a lighthouse. So when the will-o'-the-wisps get too bright, I want to ask myself: "What moment are you particularly grateful for?" Since I'm only being paid for a column here and not an entire novel, I'll be brief: I'm grateful for my health. For those moments when I realized, yes, I am healthy. And my people. That's not to be taken for granted, because this health can be taken away quickly. This has happened a few times in my environment this year, and I am the happiest person when I hear that most concerns are a thing of the past.

"Which three people have had a positive influence on your year?" This is very private. And I have to think about that too, because I would say there were more than three. And if I had to narrow it down to three, then four and five might be sour grapes. After all, I had invited my 70 best friends to my birthday. It was a wonderful day. But of course I can reduce myself to three. I'm curious to see who the three will be next year. Maybe the same ones?

Next question: "In which situation did you rise above yourself?" I can answer that straight away: I wrote a book. I don't earn a cent from it, because every cent that this book brings in is used to save Ukrainian children who were abducted by Russians. I conducted interviews with these children, with their parents, grandmothers, godmothers, lawyers and psychologists, I met my co-author Wladimir Klitschko and tried as much as possible not to fall in love with him. I wrote at night, on vacations, at weekends, on birthdays and during parties, I spoke on the phone to people affected, I was afraid for my helpers in Ukraine and I am glad that I persevered. I didn't sleep much and I looked like a ghost, but it was worth it. One hundred percent.

How many bridges do I have to cross again, seven?

"What activities have been particularly good for you?" Writing. Sleeping. Dancing. Tennis. Repeat.

"What new things have you learned?" That I can do more than I thought. And at the same time, I've learned to say no. Not enough, I know (I also know who's rolling their eyes now, yay).

"What do you wish you had done differently?" Easy: I would have liked to be nicer. Honestly. I'm not nice in the morning. I'd like to be able to control my face when I don't like something. I would always want my husband and children to know that I love and appreciate them more than anything. But I don't always succeed. Sometimes, of course, it's also down to them. I think so. That brings me back to the point: I would always like to be nicer and I would like to have better control over my face.

Last question: "What are you taking more time for in 2024?" Well, this is really getting too private, but a certain J. may feel addressed.

I wish you a fantastic New Year, no more, no less. But: stay healthy, stay with me and don't take on too much: If you're still smoking today, you'll probably still be doing it the day after tomorrow.