When life gives you a voice

But I'm happy to tell you about it today. When I was on my way to Basel at the end of May, I suddenly received great news: “Katharina, you're on C40's wish list for the Mayors Session”. Wow! I didn't know what to say and was just so incredibly happy. I had no doubts and immediately said "Wow, I'm speechless! Of course I'm in!". Ok, a few days later I did get a bit nervous.

I was invited to the Urban Future Conference in Rotterdam at the beginning of June and was already scheduled for a panel on the topic of “Heroes of Climate Adaptation”. Not a bad title either, in my opinion. It motivated me to give my best. And then there was the offer to take part in a panel with the three mayors from Rotterdam, Bogota and Tirana. Me! Me? Not that we're misunderstanding each other here. I am now an experienced speaker and feel absolutely confident in my topic and myself, but the fact that I was put on an English-language panel with mayors surprised me a little. You don't usually expect something like that. The fact that the invitation came from C40 was particularly nice for me, as I think this EU organization is just great - both the committed, open-minded people and their valuable work for positive development in the world. I had already dealt with C40 more intensively in the past and was therefore particularly impressed by their choice.

And then there was another exciting component: I was probably chosen out of 250 speakers at the conference, partly because I created Create Change. No joke! When I heard that, I couldn't believe it at first. I hadn't expected that a private project, this passion, could have such an impact on my professional life. To be honest, I was still hiding a bit about it. But those days are probably over now. That's a good thing!

What I want to say with this story is that the invitation came at a time when I was fully with myself and in the flow. Pure abundance, life delivers even more. A good fit! And then there's my homepage with my texts, which not everyone likes, as I already reveal a lot about myself. To be honest, of course I watch my words, but openness is often equated with danger. Anyone who is open is also vulnerable and open to attack. But in this case, this openness turned out to be a great opportunity. If we show ourselves as we are, then those who like what we do and fit in with us can also find us. And in this case, it was clear to see that I stand for something with my person. And when you stand for something, you have a voice that wants to be heard. You radiate clarity and certainty. And that's what you need above all if you want to move people. And not just emotionally, but also physically.

I was given the opportunity to speak in front of around 150 people and to exchange ideas with three politicians from large cities. It also gave the younger generation, us women, us climate adaptation managers and also the municipalities a voice. I was able to talk about how climate adaptation works in practice and what and who we need to continue to support development. Because what is happening in the world right now is, to put it mildly, “very unfavorable”. It was therefore important for me to take this opportunity, because this is not really about me, but about many others and a process that I want to support. An incredible, unique opportunity to have a positive influence for which I am and will always be very grateful! But I am even more grateful for the insights that I have gained and that I have just described to you. The event has given me even more confidence in life and now offers me the chance to share them with you so that they can help you on your path. So it's a win-win-win situation. You can get so much out of every situation if you look closely and, above all, feel. That's where the real treasure usually lies.

I sincerely wish you the courage to go your own way even more and to open yourself up so that life can present you with the opportunities that suit you and allow you to continue to grow. Because when you grow, your environment grows with you. The podium has also made me a bit taller again. You can definitely tell, can't you? ;-)

When was the last time life surprised you like this? What mood were you in when the invitation was extended? Did you accept it or not? If not, why not? When and where do you feel open to life? How can you get more into this energy? And last question: What do you want to stand for?