What a year. My review of 2023

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"The year will be steep - steep waves, but also recovery phases." - That's how a friend summarised her feelings about what the year would bring for me. She turned out to be right.

You can learn to sleep better.

It's crazy. Sufficient sleep is so good for us, improves our performance and health. Professors have even calculated that we could plug the German budget gap if we slept enough. 

But we don't. 80 % of all employees in Germany have regular sleep problems. Some keep themselves from sleeping with too much activism, others can't sleep long enough or well enough, even though they want to. And others don't even know what contributes to a good night's sleep. 

So I decided: I want to do something to help as many people as possible to sleep better. Together with Philipp Amann from SAMINA, I developed the Quadro Sleep well and I have written a 4-week course on good sleep developed. The course was free, but now you can watch the recordings for a small fee. 

I really enjoyed imparting my knowledge and receiving enthusiastic feedback: "Your tip about a different duvet was great. Since I've had it, I no longer wake up drenched in sweat and have to change my sleeping clothes in the middle of the night!" And: "I've implemented all the tips from the course and sleep much better now!" 

1200 people took part in the course. And I was in my element: imparting knowledge compactly and effectively - what a pleasure! 

Sun, warmth and entrepreneurs

After that, it was time to relax. The previous years had demanded a lot from me, both professionally and personally. My father died in 2022. I longed for distance and time to take a deep breath. And for warmth. The four previous holidays had been extremely rainy. Friends of mine run a small guest house on a small island in the Caribbean, where I could stay for three weeks. At a price that was barely higher than the heating costs I had for my boat in winter.

Oh yes, and small island means: 1.5 kilometres long. And perhaps 300 to 500 metres wide. Full of beauty, peace and warmth. It actually only rained for one day. I enjoyed having plenty of time to read, reflect, swim and savour. 

But I was most inspired and moved by the conversations with three entrepreneurs. One has already started a small AirBnB business and a second company that bottles really good spring water - the best I've ever drunk. Our creative minds were smoking. Now he has a better company name: Cariboo instead of as before TWLC and other new ideas for drinks that he has already realised. 

Another self-employed woman was selling the same scarves on the beach as all the other women - in all the days I was there, I never saw anyone buy anything from her or the other women. I thought with her about what she could sell instead or in addition: Sun cream, which tourists often ask for and which you can't buy anywhere else. Or really good salt from the island's salt lagoon. You can simply reach into the salt lake with your hand and scoop out pure sea salt. It only takes minutes to collect a pound of salt. You leave it to dry for 1-3 days and then use it. Marvellous.

The third man, who had a small boat, complained that you couldn't be successful because nobody would give you credit. The morning after the conversation, I sat on the beach with a notebook and developed ideas that could be used to get started without a loan. I then had ChatGPT (artificial intelligence) add to my 20+ ideas and discovered that there are many possibilities.

I have often experienced that people are so blocked by what doesn't work, e.g. getting loans, that they can't see what could work. Or they dream of something really big, their own shop or car hire, their own café or something. Because this is not immediately possible, they refrain from starting small and, for example, testing the sale of salt, sun cream or special adventure trips by boat, etc. 

Here, too, I find that when I can think creatively with people and develop ideas and explore options with them, I am in my element. I dream of using this gift even more here in Europe in counselling, but also in poorer countries. 

Wow! What a woman - Jaqueline Novograts

I heard the entrepreneur and philanthropist Jaqueline Novogratz speak at an online congress for entrepreneurs. My mouth couldn't close. The organisation she founded Acumen supports entrepreneurs who develop solutions for the poorest of the poor with long-term loans or equity investments.

These are companies in the fields of electricity, sanitation or nutrition. This could be the development of durable mosquito nets or a business that turns wilted flowers, which are normally simply thrown into the rivers in India, into incense sticks. Or solar lamps for people without electricity or solar-powered refrigerators for market women so that their produce doesn't spoil so quickly. 

Jaqueline and her team don't think small in terms of mini-projects. She says that aid organisations that run smaller projects are of course important. But for an entrepreneur to be supported by her, their solution must help at least one million people. She is currently working with her network on solutions for the 250 million people in Africa who have no access to electricity for lighting and communication. 

Her two books The blue Sweater and Manifesto for a Moral Revolution were - besides The Sabbath by Abraham Heschel and Making Money is killing your business by Chuck Blakeman are the books that have touched and influenced me the most this year. 

Surprise: Extended vision of life 

Meeting the small business owners on holiday and being inspired by Jaqueline has led me to expand my vision of life. 

I recently formulated my life vision like this.  
To make many ( = millions) people and trees grow.

The way there was also clear: people through the Swing concept for life in balance which I teach myself and for which I train trainers. And to grow trees quickly using the effective FMNR method.

Now it's obvious: I also want to make good companies grow. Above all through inspiration. There's often more to it than meets the eye. The expanded vision has simply crept into my life. But it's clear: promoting entrepreneurs and companies is part of my life and my vision. Sometimes you don't have to find a vision. It finds you by itself.

Shipyard: The biggest challenge - wonderfully mastered

It was clear: in the summer of 2023, the ship on which I live and work had to go to the shipyard to renew its certificate of buoyancy. That's basically the MOT for ships. I also had to renew the paint job - four coats of really good paint that would hopefully last for 30 years. 

I wanted to paint most of it myself with friends to save money. The shipyard's estimate for bringing it ashore, inspecting it and possibly welding it was really challenging anyway. I saved as much as possible in advance and sold it. I was extremely grateful for my customers who helped me and bought large quantities of the surprise boxes, among other things. Shortly before the shipyard, it was clear that I could pay the big bill, when nothing unforeseen happened. 

But I had experienced several times in the past that the costs of projects got out of hand. I was afraid, really afraid, that this could happen again. In one church service, the fear was so intense that I just cried with fear. Then I suddenly felt that Jesus was quietly saying to me inwardly: "It can also be easy sometimes!" 

Surprisingly, one company gave me an unsolicited discount of 500 euros. That was an encouraging start. At the shipyard, the plan was to pull the ship ashore with a special lorry, then move it and do all the necessary work for two to three weeks. Put the ship back on the lorry, then lower it back into the water. 

But when the ship was to be pulled ashore, disaster almost struck. The 25-tonne ship started to slide on the trolley - so much so that things fell off the shelves. I was on deck and my knees went weak. 

The shipyard staff were able to stabilise the ship and bring it safely ashore - thank God. But the boss said to me: "It's too risky for me to take the ship off the trolley. It could be a disaster. We'll leave the ship on the trolley. But I'll need the trolley again in a week." I said: "We can't do the work in time!" He asked back: "Why do you actually want to paint it yourself?" I explained that I couldn't afford to pay the yard prices for painting. 

An hour later he came back and made me an offer: "We'll do it with the paint - for the price it would have cost to take the ship off the trolley." Excuse me? It was cheaper than if we had done it ourselves!!! Of course I said yes. 

They got started on the same day. On the first day they removed the shells and started sandblasting, the next day the first protective layer was applied, then every day another layer of paint - with high-pressure spraying, which is far better in terms of quality than painting with rollers. 

Apart from two days working on a few little things, we hardly had anything to do. Instead of 3 weeks of exhausting work, it was 6 pretty relaxed days. I went for a cosy coffee with one of the helpers because we weren't allowed to be on board during the spraying. In the end, the costs remained below of the cost estimate: "Yes, it can be easy sometimes!" 

Really stupid - limp foot

The return journey from the shipyard, on the other hand, was exciting. In Berlin, 200 police officers with helicopters, police cars and boats were deployed along the canal we were travelling through to search for a lioness that had been spotted there. We watched the whole spectacle from the boat - the price for such a ship transport is quite high, so there should be some entertainment. 

Unfortunately, we didn't see the lioness. This was mainly due to the fact that she didn't exist: a completely normal wild boar was mistaken for a lioness. The nation's joke makers had fun redesigning the cover of The Lion King to include a wild boar. Or joking that after a few more years of red-green, every animal can choose for itself whether it is a wild boar or a lion. We thought it was pretty funny. 

The arrival was less fun. During the crossing, you have to open all the hatches in the ship so that if you have a leak, you can quickly throw in a pump to prevent Titanic moments. I wanted to film the docking, forgot that a hatch was open and fell in. Fortunately not 2 metres deep, which would have been much worse, but "only" onto a metal edge. It was harder than my bones! 

After 5 hours of waiting in the emergency room, it was clear: my metatarsal was broken, once through. 7 weeks in plaster shoes, no swimming. I was grateful for everything. Plaster in summer is better than in winter, I think. My boat builder and a friend was on board for another two weeks - because things went so quickly at the shipyard - and helped me build emergency stairs, a makeshift bed and buy groceries until I was a bit more mobile again. 

Nature heals again - a miracle 

By the beginning of November, my foot had healed enough for me to be able to travel again to Tanzania for the opening of a project. A dream had come true. Building a new forest with the FMNR method had long been on my bucket list. Bucket List. These are the wishes and dreams that you want to fulfil before you kick the bucket. In the USA, this is known as a bucket. 

The FMNR method developed by agronomist Tony Rinaudo is simple. Instead of planting new forest, you protect areas that have already been cleared so that they are no longer grazed by animals and are not cut down again by humans. The trees that sprout up on their own are then pruned so that all the energy goes into one main shoot and new, large trees grow in a short space of time. About Tony Rinaudo and his method I have a Biography of a world changer and a free ebook published.

Trees grow in a short time means: in 2 years up to 5 metres high trees, in 5 years up to 10 metres. The trees ensure better air quality through less erosion and dust, more grass for the animals, more honey, and they double or triple the harvests. And, of course, they benefit the global climate. All this for around 5 euros in training costs per person. So 5,000 euros per 1,000 inhabitants. 

It was a long-cherished dream of mine to finance my own FMNR project one day when I was old and rich. Shortly before my birthday in April 2023, I thought: "Oh, screw it. I'm not old and rich yet, but I'll just try it now!" 

I spoke to the aid organisation World Visionwho have been successfully implementing FMNR projects for many years and set myself the goal of raising a total of 80,000 euros by my next birthday in April 2024. That would help around 12,000-15,000 people in four large villages to renaturalise their area. 

I start a Fundraising project for 80,000 euros and missed the target by 7 months. After 5 months, we had already reached the 80,000 euros and decided to continue collecting and expand the project. We are currently at 180,000 euros, which will help 24,000 people. And the next goal is to raise another 220,000 euros to help a total of 40 - 50,000 people and nature. 

Christmas tree - acacia tree: I am currently inviting all my friends and acquaintances to donate the amount they spend on a Christmas tree so that many people can have trees forever. And yes, the trees will not be cut down again. The village community creates and monitors laws that make this a punishable offence. 

Because the project was able to start in November, I travelled to the opening with music, dancing, freshly slaughtered goats and good conversations with everyone involved. I have tears in my eyes when I think about it. The opening ceremony touched me deeply: What a gift that my friends and I can contribute to ensuring that the livelihoods of thousands of people are not further destroyed, but preserved and restored. 

I was able to spend 4 days visiting an already successful FMNR project in the Dodoma region - where people have learnt to build more efficient stoves that use only 1/3 to 1/4 of the previous amount of wood, have already grown 20 hectares of new forest and are working on another 60 hectares. And in the fields, the farmers now have more than double the yield because trees retain moisture, provide nutrients and better, more natural cultivation methods ensure larger harvests. I have even been given an African name: Mamvula: Rain is coming soon.

Long-standing, dear university friends, whom I had always wanted to visit, live and work in the area and I was even able to stay with them and get to know their work - what a gift.

The icing on the cake: there was even half a day to go on a short safari in the nature park close to the future project area. I even saw a few lions there - quite far away - which were not wild boars but real lions. I was able to see giraffes, elephants and antelopes up close. And when you see the natural environment, you can imagine what nature could look like there again once it has been regenerated. 

The next dream: My second ship 

Since corona, I've been even more concerned about my health than before. When corona hit, I immediately started going for a short swim every day, even in winter. And immediately after the pandemic broke out, I started a PDF with tips published how to Immune system to reduce the risk of infection. These are often very simple things, such as making sure you have enough vitamin D, as a vitamin D deficiency makes you more susceptible to all infectious diseases. 

I have been very saddened to see more than a dozen people in my personal circle who are suffering health problems, either due to Long Covid or due to suspected or even doctor-confirmed vaccine damage. They suffer from very different symptoms, but most of them have reduced physical and sometimes mental energy since falling ill. 

There are tried and tested ways to boost energy levels. For example, ice chambers, infrared or a special oxygen device that leads to a measurable 251TP3 increase in energy after 5 weeks of use. I was able to demonstrate this in Austria in a Recovery Centre and found it very exciting. 

Unfortunately, many efficient applications are not available within the normal healthcare system. And so the desire has grown in me to create a place where people can maintain or restore their performance. And where I and others can also CoachingWe can offer counselling, talks and prayer to support people holistically, including on a spiritual level, in their recovery. 

The question of where I could do this was easy to answer. Next to me is the Edelweissa big, old, no longer really white ship. The old lady is 45 metres long, 5 metres wide ... I've been dreaming of breathing new life into the old lady for a long time.

At the beginning of 2023, the owner said: You have to decide by the end of July whether you want to buy the boat or not. So I bought it after the seller reduced the price by about 1/3 and allowed me to pay in instalments.

In 2024, I want to start Edelweiss expand. With my own ship, I found it stressful that I still had to pay back loans several years after completion. That's why I'm doing things differently now: I'm building in stages - only as far as I have the finances available and using the ship as soon as possible as a warehouse, event location and much more. 

If you want to take a look at the ship: At the Spreepiraten episode no. 30 the ship was the film location. It can be seen from around minute 21.

Stage 1: Roof and floor

• Building: Remove the leaking corrugated iron roof and replace it with a walk-on wooden roof, install a wooden floor
• Use: For concerts and events in summer, as a summer terrace, etc. 

Stage 2: Entrance room to the living area

• Building: Removing the vestibule of the boat
• Benefit: For guests who want to take a break here

I want to tackle this in 2024. Either both stages or just stage 1. As with my other ship, helpers who would like to lend a hand for a day or longer from March/April are very welcome.

Empower 100 women 

I see more women than men failing to realise their full potential because they can't get started, because they don't trust themselves enough or because they lack a strategy. This is where I want to contribute to change. In 2023, I had the goal of making 100 women stronger.  

And I want to empower 100 (new) women again in 2024: 

• Through my Online life training LEO. LEO has already helped hundreds of people to build a strong, stable life. I teach the 8+1 elements for a successful life and many practical strategies to make life easier and stronger. Anyone and everyone who wants to can here log in. 
• Through coaching: I offer individual lessons Coaching if you want to resolve a specific fear, for example. Or coaching packages if you want to find and develop new perspectives. If you would like to have longer support from me, you can book a Free initial consultation book and we'll talk about what might suit you. 
• New from 2024 - Masterlife. Coaching Group: In January, I am starting a coaching group for women who would like support from me and the other participants to achieve their goals. I'm not advertising it publicly, but I'm specifically inviting individuals who might be a good fit.
  But it also works the other way round: if you want to be there, write to me or arrange a meeting. Free initial consultationto clarify whether you fit in with the group. Costs: Approx. 80 euros per month if you pay it all at once (in instalments: 100 euros) 

The big question: Will the publisher stay?

One of the biggest challenges in recent years has been that publishing and selling books is becoming increasingly difficult for many publishers - including mine. People still read a lot, but they are reading more online. Or they use videos to acquire knowledge. 

The result: In my Down to Earth Publishing House we are selling around a quarter fewer books than before. This is normal, affects many publishers and doesn't sound bad at first. But the basic costs for software, storage, bookkeeping and delivery have remained the same or increased. This means that there is less and less left over.

It's still going well at the moment, but in 2023 there were already times when I had higher expenses than income at the publishing house. You don't need to be a maths genius to know that this can't go on for long. It puts a lot of pressure on me. 

I want to decide by the end of July 2024 what I want to do with the Publisher will continue to do so. 

There are 4 options:

• Become more successful: Invest heavily in the publishing house, develop new ideas, achieve 50-100% more turnover. That would probably be enough to stabilise the publishing house in the long term. 
  Yes, you are very welcome to help by Books, quadros or impulse booklets order from us . If you do it now, it will immediately reduce your storage costs. They are currently still almost 500 euros per month.
• enter into a partnership: Perhaps I can co-operate with another publisher. Then we could share the costs for software, storage and delivery. I'm already in talks about this.
• Publishers sell: That is also an option. Hand over the publishing house to someone who would like to continue it - in combination with their own ideas. Someone who doesn't want to develop a new publishing house themselves, but wants to build on existing structures. 
• Quit: Just stop. That would be hard. But continuing when it is no longer economically viable, even if it serves people, makes no sense. 

The decision to end on 31 July 2024 is a big one for me. The publishing house is my "child", I have put my ideas and heart and soul into it for 23 years and have seen how the things we have published have strengthened and helped many people. One woman even told me that one of our books saved her life. 

I'm a little weak-kneed when I think about the decision. At the same time, not making a decision also takes a lot of energy. That's why it's really good for me to have set a date for the decision and put it in my diary. 

Last but not least - 7000 litres of water IN the ship

Final spurt of the year. I just held the last of the 3 webinars for annual reflection and planning. Then, during a short break, I went below deck to get something. And I saw it. The wooden floorboards were no longer lying on the ground, but floating in the water. Everything was floating. The water was knee-high in the ship's engine room - several metres deep. Several thousand litres of water were IN the ship.

I was able to quickly switch off a wildly pumping water pump. And I had 30 seconds to think about what to do now. I decided to hold the last hour of the webinar. I did it with a certain amount of tension, because I didn't know whether the ship was going to go wrong or the electrics would fail. I was shaking inside and the participants wrote to me later to say that they didn't notice.

Then the fitness training began: I had hauled around 100 buckets of water up 10 steps in a few hours because I (almost) successfully wanted to prevent the water from flowing into the guest rooms before a helpful neighbour arrived with a high-performance suction pump, which then pumped out the remaining 6000 litres of water. On 30 December, three friends helped me for several hours with further pumping, mopping and cleaning. What a gift!

And I set about troubleshooting. The pump housing was cracked and the pump continued to pump happily - not into the pipes, but through the crack. With an output of 3700 litres per hour. After all, I had bought German brand quality... or so I thought.

So the year ends on a rather damp note. And - despite everything - cheerful. Grateful for the help of neighbours and friends and my favourite electrician, who got me a new pump and wants to install it today, 31 December. The moral of the story: don't trust your pump.

Joking aside, when I look at the last crisis and the year, I see that all four strengthening emotions came into play: Healthy pride, security, solidarity and lightness/joy. It was really tough. But I coped well. I'm a bit proud of that. I've thought about three strategies on how to safeguard this in the future. That gives me Security. (Murphy's Law: An alarm was already installed, but unfortunately not yet connected to the electrical system. Bad luck!) I am grateful for any help. I feel connected with the people. And I'm happy about what's working, such as the pellet stove and the electricity. And I happy I'm looking forward to having running water in the right place in the ship again in 2023 or 2024. Ahoy!

Would you like to reflect on your year 2023 and 2024 with me?

And yes: If you would like to look back on 2023 with me and plan well for 2024, I invite you for 3 webinars My strong year into my living room: Vision. Looking back. Outlook.
The webinars have already taken place live - including water damage - see above.
But if you would like to reflect on the year with my help, you are welcome to watch the recording.

My 3 most important blog articles of the year

• Trees in Tanzania: 
  All about the wonderful project that is close to my heart 
• Empower 100 women: My dream for 2023 and beyond. Because every strong woman, every strong person counts.
• Mariam, Rahel and two bags: In the midst of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, I remember two women who both made a bag for me. One Israeli and one Palestinian. 

My year 2023 in numbers

• 1 new Quadro: Sleep well
• 1 new ship
• 1 major further training programme: Kickstart. How to develop online courses
• 1 LEO live on board with me: Just under a dozen LEOs for a time of learning, reflection and fellowship. I still had my plaster cast. But I went anyway. 
• 1 swimming demo swam along: Protest for a riverside path here on the Spree
• 1 contribution at a funeral service: Geri Keller, one of my fatherly mentors, has died at the age of 92. 
• 1 active volcano climbed
• 1 milestone birthday celebrated: My mum's 80th birthday 
• 1 TV appearance at ERF - Talkwerk - also on the subject of sleep
• 2 broken stoves
• 2 online congresses where I was the speaker: Let your light shine, let love win.  
• 2 unusual women in a café who became friends in prison - 40+ years ago in the GDR deportation centre. That was probably my most exciting chance encounter in 2023
• 3 new courses developed: Sleep well, Turbo. Start your business, emotions
• 4 short trips, 2-5 days: (Baltic Sea, Franconia, Austria, Dresden)
• 5,1 kilometres walked per day: Less than 2022 - somewhat slowed down by 2 months in plaster 
• 12 days of reflection: Always on the 1st day of the month
• 15 people on board for a time-out time to reflect and sort things out. Partly with children: "Mum, can we stay here for another 100 days?" 
• 20 or more online coursesI've read 30 - 50 books and listened to a few: I forgot to keep track. But it was at least 30. 
• 100+ people coached: Fears resolved and perspectives developed. 
• 1000 birds observed: These are often the best moments of the day 

My goals for 2024

• Goal 1: Course: Finding peace. Successfully run the new course in January with many participants. Here you can register.
• Goal 2: Neighbouring ship Edelweiss Finish the roof and floor so that it can be used.
• Goal 3: An extended living space in the neighbouring ship 
• Goal 4: A further 220,000 euros for the Tree project Collect. Then we can help another 40,000 to 50,000 people in total to preserve their nature and improve their nutrition. 
• Goal 5: Publish 100 videos: YouTube, Instagram. I like to provide input and knowledge that empowers people. Until now, all the technical stuff was too much work for me. But I want to familiarise myself with it more so that I can give you more inspiration.  
• Goal 6: Decision on the Publisher meet until 31.07.2024. The big deadline. 
• Goal 7: A new course: Tidiness made easy. From March. Tidying and clearing out is such a constant struggle for many people. I have developed simple strategies. Which I would like to pass on. The course will be available on the page with my Free offers to find. Or you can subscribe to my weekly Inspiration mail. Then you'll always know straight away when there's something new.
• Goal 8: Take a trip to Iceland. Not alone, but with 4 - 12 women who would like to join me on an inspirational and coaching journey. Please contact me if you are interested.
• Goal 9: Two longer time-outs for me to refuel and find inspiration.
• Goal 10: A tenth goal find fitness, for example. Or leave it alone.

My goal in life

To make people, trees and companies grow. 
People mainly through Coaching and the swing concept for life in balance. Trees through the promotion of FMNR projects. And entrepreneurs through inspiration and ideas. Or swing business.

My motto for 2024: Steadily ahead! One step at a time!
Or Rather than the comfort zone, enter the come fort zone.
Or: Slim and strong... for my business, myself...
I don't find that really exciting yet. If you have any suggestions, please write to me.