Dr. Simone’s Mind Space

Back to traditional climbing: Mount Kenya Part 2

In today’s episode Agi shares her 13hours to the top of Batian Peak, Mount Kenya. The journey she took and prepared for herself, as an inspiring independent woman. Be prepared to hold your breath while Agi shares her adventures to the peak and back!

 

@drschwank

@agichristine

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

Back to traditional climbing: Mount Kenya Part 1

In today’s episode Agi shares her passion for mountaineering as a woman. She takes us on her journey to the top. In this episode, Agi explains how she prepared herself, to increase her chances to summit this 5000er.

 

@drschwank

@agichristine

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

Women: Mentoring across generations

In many cultures, women are the core of all education and in charge of passing on traditions and believes within the family and the community. Yet at work, women often act as concurrency rather than mentor and mentee. It’s a topic that has followed me through my entire life and often I realized the negative dynamic only when it already had been (almost) too late. Unfortunately, the topic of jealousy is way too common among people with similar backgrounds and trajectories. Jealous people will never stop, they will always want more, what to see the target to feel miserable and inadequate.  But there’s ways to avoid continuous exposure and major blow ups. At times, the wisest option is to run away, to a save and supportive space. As a young woman it’s extraordinarily important to have a senior mentor, who’s life experience will have jealousy on the radar and can intervene, when necessary.

 

Sources of jealousy and how to manage it?

There is no single cause for someone’s jealous behaviors, attitudes or feelings. However, there can be several of the following reasons why someone might feel this way, including insecurity, past history, or fear of loss. Jealousy can be triggered by these and might create tensions within themselves and relationships. Some of the various signs of jealousy might be accusations, suspicions, questioning your behavior or day-to-day activities, having negativity towards partner’s relationships, and comparing themselves to others.

 

Steps to jealousy awareness:

-Recognition: understand the origin

-Reflection: identify the motive

-Accountability: take responsibility for the way you’re thinking

-Communication: the most essential part of processing your feelings

 

Sources

https://centerstone.org/our-resources/health-wellness/what-is-jealousy-and-how-to-manage-it/#:~:text=There%20is%20not%20one%20root,create%20tensions%20within%20your%20relationships.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5609545/

 

@unesurcent

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

Powerful women across generations

Female role models inside and outside the family are crucial, to develop a sense of nonchalance and self-evident attitude towards gender equality. Wise women of previous generations have insights and knowledge that is of great importance to pave the path for younger ones to dare to try and reach new territories, yet always remembering their save harbors. Having a strong woman in a previous generation, has impact on following generations of women within the family. A feeling of yes we can, if grandma could. This feeling is of great importance and one of the reasons for generations of strong women, within a single family.

Seeing other women accomplishing things outside the box, is empowering and inspiring. It further takes away lots of self-doubts and some of the pressure to conform. Women across the world have passed on their wisdom to younger generations. This tradition is of immense value, not only for young women themselves, but their families, and their entire societies. Strong women have shaped societies and cultures around the world. The more we keep these women in mind and strive to conquer new territories, the more we can achieve for future generations and present female selves. The more we live up to our strong female heritage, the less exposed we feel and the better we can shelled off the winds, blowing from all directions. Internalising the nonchalance of our great grandmothers fighting for rights, completely unimaginable. It show us how we can change the world to a more gender equal place. The rights and benefits our great grandmothers achieve, so often is neglected. We take many things for granted.  It’s important to keep fighting for freedom, not all women around the world have the responsibility rights they deserve to have.

@unesurcent

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

Exercise whilst traveling

Pack your swim wear in your carryon, my mom always reminded us. In case luggage gets lost, you can still go swimming upon arrival at the holiday destination.

Bring your runners, your basic gym equipment or gym with your child. The perfect way of combining family time and exercise. Children love to run around, they love to imitate adults’ behavior, so exercise with them together.

Yet, a solitary run with a dip in the clear sea at sunrise or sunset can be exactly what you need to recharge your batteries. Take yourself an hour out just for yourself.

Couple’s time whilst exercising together can be a wonderful opportunity to combine to things with each other. Reward yourself with a lovely coffee or breakfast for two after a morning run, an afternoon tennis hour, or a cycling tour. What ever it is, exercising whilst traveling is a healthy and most often bonding moment, for the family, couple, and oneself.

Get your runners on and explore your holiday destination!

 

Happy active summer!

 

@unesurcent

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

Vacation time: Balancing family time, couple’s time, and me time

It’s summer and on the northern hemisphere the typical summer school break. All parents try to balance their time off work or partially off with family time, couple’s time, and me time.

How to arrange and balance the different needs and expectations of family members during these precious vacation days?

 

What are effective ways to prevent and avoid tension among family members?

 

How to manage the balancing act of feeling relaxed during and after family vacation time?

 

How to do:

Give yourself some time to adjust to the new environment of being away. Not everyone gets into holiday mood at the same time, which can cause friction and unnecessary tension. Give each other time to land and express their needs and expectations of ways to relax and recharge. Try to reach a healthy balance of me time, couple’s time, and family time. Each one of us differs, in the amount of  me time we need. Try to make space for these needs me time.

 

Communication is key to avoid misunderstandings and misperceptions. It opens room to express needs, feelings, and expectations towards one another.

 

Make a plan of things you’d like to do, by yourself, as a couple, and a family. Discuss it with your family members, so everyone is informed. Of course, stay flexible for changes, but important not to compromise me time too much. We all need it to pass energy to others!

Same goes for couple’s time! Hire a babysitter to get a night out, just as newlyweds, so crucial, no matter the age of your children.

Family time can also be active time, hiking, swimming, practicing yoga together. Try it out and be surprised how much is actually possible!

 

Have fun, enjoy the sun!

 

@unesurcent

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

 

Women: What’s needed to boost self confidence?

It’s so common for women to suppress and lower their personal performance, academic achievements, and success in public or work environment.

Why do we do that? I know it too well, from personal experience. Growing up in a very patriarchal society, with incredibly many obstacles to strive as a woman, it’s difficult to break free from the societal judgment. The disapproving eyes are everywhere. Unfortunately, way too often they can be identified as female. 

We can’t create a new position for women in society, if our female “buddies” aren’t inclined to uplift and encourage each other, rather than judging each other and acting out of jealousy. Role models and mentors are needed to uplift the young and not yet as self confident women.

The more we can inspire each other and support each others journey to succeed, the better. Together we’re strong, alone exposed to all the winds.

 

Check out: The glass-ceiling index, which shows in an excellent way female suppression and lacking career opportunities per country. 

 

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/glass-ceiling-index

 

@unesurcent

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

Women in power: their key to success

This series will entail interviews and stories of inspiring women around the world. Asking them about their motivation, support and obstacles on their path to success. The series won’t follow any specific rules, just a natural way of interviewing women, who contribute to our global societies.

Motivation with this series is, to highlight the great accomplishments, with and with out parental, family or close childhood friends support to seek. The higher you rise as a women, the more people feel entitled to comment. The higher women rise, the more they are exposed. Like a landmark flag on a mountain peak, exposed to winds from all directions. The more women there are on the top, the less exposed each one of them is. Together we reach the top.

 

@unesurcent

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

Living in multiple place pro and cons

Since many years, my partner and I are living in more than one place at a time. There are plenty of pros and also not to disregard cons of such a lifestyle.

The feeling of home can vary with regards to family and friends in the respective places. 

 

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

Third Culture Kids

Third culture kids (TCK) are people who were raised in a culture other than their parents' or the culture of their country of nationality, and also live in a different environment during a significant part of their child developmental years (1). Third culture kids: Citizens of everywhere and nowhere.

 

@drschwank

@unesurcetnt

@optimalperformancezurich

 

References

1. Van Reken, Ruth E.; Pollock, David C.; Pollock, Michael V. (2017). Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds (3rd ed.). ISBN 978-1857884081.
2. Useem, Ruth Hill; Downie, Richard D. (1975-11-30). "Third-Culture Kids". Today's Education.
3. Moore, A.M.; Barker, G.G. (2012). "Confused or multicultural: Third culture individuals' cultural identity". International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 36 (4): 553–562. doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2011.11.002.