Val
Kristin
I grew up as one of four sibling in a small village in northern germany. Community is what shapes the life in the countryside – you stick together, you help one another and you know everything about each other. For me, that feels like a big safety cushion. Sometimes that’s great – but sometimes that can also be a great burden. It can be hard to break out of all the expectations and rules that go along with this tight community.
I don't know if its because I grew up in a tight small town community or if I was just born like this but Freedom and Openness have been my focus for a while now: freedom in thinking, freedom in relationships, freedom in the work environment, freedom in designing life, freedom in growth.
It has always been easy for me to thrive as part of a community – community is my comfort zone. I gain energy and joy from relationships and I love being in sync with people. But I can also get lost in exactly this harmony and tend to forget what is important or good for ME. So it’s been the biggest challenge for me to learn to focus on what I really want and need – especially if it‘s contrary to other people's wishes or expectations.
I believe that people can only reveal their full potential when they are truly free. That's easier said than done – living a life in true freedom is a complex endeavor. So for me, it's a matter of heart to explore this topic. I believe, that the world would be much brighter and more colorful, if we all did a little more of what we actually want to do.
My parents taught me early on, to find my own way and not just obey social norms. When I was little, my hair was short, I thought cute dresses were impractical and annoying and I preferred to play in the forest rather than my room. Later, my Dad taught me how to drive on the steep dirt roads of his hunting grounds way before I was legally allowed to drive. My Mum took me camping in the most remote places, where it was normal for me to jump into lakes naked, wash my clothes in the river and spent weeks without electricity. Places, where nature and my own creativity where the most important resources.
So I learned to create my own rules. As a teenager I became a bit of a rebel, when I rode my motorcycle to school with my hair dyed bright red and my big leather jacket. But growing up I started to understand, that a commitment for the right reasons and to the right people adds to my life and that I actually really like this softer version of myself.
I believe that you can master anything if you fully focus on it. Deciding for something, in full awareness of your freedom, and then committing to it 100% – this strategy has always lead to success for me, in my professional as well as in my personal life. So I dream of carrying the concept of commitment and freedom out into the world, to inspire as many people as possible to reflect on the value they place on these ideals and to learn about other people's concepts.
Talk to us!
We’ve been trying to figure out the best way of having constructive and in depth conversations about all these subjects, but we haven't really found the best platform to do that yet. So we’ve decided, that these conversations might best be held in person. We look forward to joining in on discussions, talks, podcasts or think tanks – we are pretty open to everything!
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