Being a solopreneur can feel quite lonely. So can being a mother, a product person, a highly-sensitive individual… I made it my mission to bridge the gap between my professional and my private life to show up as authentically and whole-heartedly as I can, inviting others to connect with me from human to human. In this section you can check out extracts from my personal newsletter «Tanja’s Butterflies».
To follow my product-related writing, I recommend subscribing to my Substack blog Learning Organisation. Some of my articles can also be found in the section Publications & Templates.
I’ve always loved the symbolic fresh start that comes with the end of the year. Turning the page and beginning a new chapter with intention is such a powerful way to shape momentum in our lives. I know it's still a bit premature, but before we all disappear behind mugs of mulled wine and Christmas trees, I'll share my reflections with you. For 2024, my mantra was "long distance"—in both the literal and figurative sense. 2375 km and Counting...
Yesterday, I spent two hours stuck in traffic with three kids in the car. The heavy snowfall (and a ton of unprepared drivers) had paralyzed every road in and around Bern, and I couldn’t help but wonder: How come we keep getting surprised by the obvious? "Snow in November?! Who could have guessed? And now I’m shocked—shocked!—that no car mechanic has time to change my tires." Winter is coming, my friends. So buckle up! And you know what else is coming? (*drumroll - super smooth transition*) Menopause. Yep, also known as climacteric (look at me learning fancy new words). Like it or not—about 50% of the global population will experience it directly, and the other 50% will feel its ripple effects. And boy did I...
It is said that we become the average of the five people we surround ourselves with most often. Whether that is scientifically proven or not, I do believe deliberately choosing your close circle is a wise act. One of the traits I value the most in my favorite people on earth is their honesty. Some of them are really good at standing their ground when you cross a boundary, some of them have a built-in bullshit radar and will call you out as soon as you lose your authenticity, some are great at coaching you into uncovering your own truth, and some offer a combination of all of the above. Feedback is one of the greatest gifts we can give each other in life. Being...
“All of my favorite underpants are gone!” my son exclaimed in frustration last week. And rightly so—they were indeed all missing. Confession time: I’m a squirrel. (Some of you might remember my newsletter about packing strategies…). I start gathering items weeks before any trip, stashing my family members’ favorite socks, t-shirts, and trousers right from the laundry, and piling up games and equipment in different stacks. At times, various upcoming trips simultaneously occupy different corners of our house… “Why on earth would you do that?”, you might ask. It’s simple. I’m a precrastinator. We all know procrastinators: They wait until the last minute to submit their taxes, buy a gift, book vacations, hand in their reports at work—you name it. For some, it works out quite well...
"Sometimes, a person reaches a point in their life when it becomes absolutely essential to get the fuck out of the city." (A Psalm for the Wild Built)I had reached that point last week. I was so fed up with everything lately that at first I thought I needed at least six months to break free. That's how long it takes to walk the Pacific Crest Trail. And some day I might - but not right now. Then I thought, I needed at least four weeks to do some meaningful pro-bono work down in Africa to reconnect to a purpose. And one day I might - but not yet. I was convinced I needed 11 days in silence to help me recharge. Turns out all...