See what's left

Have you ever wondered what you would actually do if you could do anything you wanted? Have you ever thought about what would remain of your life? Have you ever asked yourself what you would take with you into a new chapter of your life from what you are doing now? And what would you leave behind?

Far too rarely in life do we take the time to think about and deeply feel what is really important and what is just mere babble in our heads—a distraction from what is truly important. When I think about today's world, how much time we spend on the media and letting ourselves be entertained by social media and Netflix, there is hardly any capacity left for ourselves. You can think of it this way: every person actually has a certain capacity for absorption. If we feed this capacity every day with things that are not relevant, then, honestly, nothing really relevant comes out. Logical, isn't it?

I once heard that Steve Jobs from Apple always wore the same clothes for this reason: a black turtleneck sweater with pants. His argument was that if he had to think about what to wear in the morning, he would already be using up valuable energy and mental resources. And I agree with him, because I know so well what it's like to come home after a stressful day at work and not be able to make any more decisions. Do you know what I mean? Because of these limitations, it's important that we consciously decide what we want to use them for and what we don't.

Just imagine a day where you're busy with work stuff the whole time, your colleague is complaining to you about how bad things are at work and what the neighbor's cat did again today. Then, after work, a friend calls you and tells you about her breakup, before you get home and read through 40 emails, 90% of which are spam. Then your child wants you to help them with their homework and tells you about their day, and so on and so forth. I could list many more things that we deal with on a daily basis. My list makes it clear that one person has been neglected in all the hustle and bustle: you! You probably didn't find the time or the leisure to check in with yourself to see how you're actually doing and what you need. You didn't have the opportunity to take care of your body or make decisions that are relevant to your life. And if we imagine that we live like this not just for one day, but for several weeks, several months, or even years, then it's clear that we'll fall by the wayside. And at some point later, we'll ask ourselves how life got us into this situation.

Now imagine the opposite scenario: you have as much time as you want to become aware of how you're actually doing and what you want. If you had this time, what do you think you would do? Who would you engage with? What topics would you explore? What activities would you do? Where would you be? Would you live the way you live now? Would you dress the same way? What hobbies would you have? What thoughts would you have?

I am writing this article for a specific reason, namely because I am currently inspired by it myself. A few months ago, I made the decision that I wanted to give myself some time to see what remains when I let go of everything that otherwise takes up my life. By reducing external influences, it is much easier to focus on yourself and your inner self. This works particularly well in nature and when you are alone.

I am currently in New Zealand and have given myself three months to do whatever I want. I spend a lot of time in nature, hiking, but also traveling and occasionally reading. And what I can already report from the last few months is that it is incredibly fascinating what is actually going on in my mind. Thoughts that, in my opinion, are irrelevant because the issue cannot be resolved right now or because I have no influence over it, because a person in my life doesn't really play a role, such as how Kate Middleton is doing health-wise, and many more things that take up mental capacity. So many things buzz around in our heads every day that actually distract us from what is really important. And once we have identified what is actually going on inside us and gained more control over our thoughts, we can filter them out. What remains is pure awareness of who we are, what we want, and what needs to be done. This gives us the opportunity to adjust our lives accordingly without doubt. Then, with a new clarity, we can plan the individual steps.

Once we have done that, the trick is, of course, to stay on the new course over a longer period of time, even when new influences bombard us in everyday life and distract us from what is essential. Life tests us again and again and is a game of closeness and distance, of moving forward and backward. If you don't have the opportunity to take a longer break or even distance yourself from the world for a few months, there is always the option of doing this in small steps and creating this space for yourself. Whether it's just 10 minutes before bedtime, a day at the weekend, a whole weekend, or perhaps even a week or two of vacation with yourself. I like to use these short but intense periods of time throughout the year to reflect on what is important and to adjust my life accordingly. In my opinion, this is the best basis for a fulfilling life and for avoiding looking at yourself in the mirror after a few years or decades and wondering what actually happened. You probably just missed the mark or failed to set a course in the first place.

I send you warm greetings from New Zealand and am very happy to be able to share these thoughts with you. Somehow, I feel like I should make another podcast episode out of this, and I just had a new idea on how I could create such a space for you. So you see, it works wonderfully! For the near future, think carefully about what you want to use your valuable and limited mental capacity for, and keep reminding yourself where you are right now and where you want to go! Ask yourself:

What would remain in my life? What would I take with me and what would I leave behind?

And finally, a few more questions for you to reflect on:

Where are you in your life right now? How are you doing? What thoughts occupy your mind every day? Do you have space for yourself where you can reflect on your inner world? When was the last time you connected with yourself? How could you create this space for yourself? Do you know what you would take with you into a new phase of your life if you had a free choice? What would you leave behind? What would you pack in your suitcase? Who would you take with you? How would you dress? How would you do your makeup and hair? Where would you live? Where would you travel? How often would you interact with people? What would you do for work? Just play your musical instrument? Would you be creative? How much time would you spend outdoors? What sports would you do? Would you be in a relationship? Would you have children?