Tips for winter: Pets, fitness and menopause

Dear readers,

Let me make one thing clear from the outset: I like animals – but more so those in the wild. When I see a hare in a field; a bird perched on a branch, chirping beautiful melodies; a hedgehog noisily munching on nuts; an earthworm slowly crawling across the asphalt… all of that touches my heart. But my love for animals truly ends when it comes to pets, even though I grew up with one. A Greek tortoise. Name: Susi. Age: over 50. She still roams my mother's balcony in the summer and hides away in her small, leaf-filled wooden box in the cellar during the winter.

Absolutely adorable, no doubt about it. And I really do love Susi immensely (she's like another member of the family). But I don't want to take on the responsibility of caring for an animal – whether it's a turtle, dog, cat, guinea pig, or fish. For one thing, I don't have the time; after all, I want to give a pet the attention it needs. For another, I value my independence. Being able to go on vacation without having to worry beforehand about where to leave my pet if I can't take it with me is something I wouldn't want to give up.

I think many people don't realize what it means to have a pet. The COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrated this, as it led to a veritable pet boom because people suddenly had more free time. After the pandemic, numerous animals were surrendered to shelters because their owners lacked the time and money to care for them properly. Often, these owners also fail to meet their pets' needs, as is evident in the case of rabbits.

My colleague Miriam Keilbach recently adopted a rabbit from the animal shelter. Willi. (The pictures she posted in our team chat are absolutely adorable.) The little furball had apparently been kept in a cage that was far too small and had only been fed irregularly. My colleague immediately took this opportunity to educate others about proper rabbit care. You can read her tips and tricks here .

And now, have lots of fun reading the newsletter!

Her

Laura Beigel

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Let's be honest: Motivating yourself to exercise in this dreary weather isn't easy. A cozy evening on the couch seems like the better option. Grab a bag of chips, turn on your favorite show, pull the covers up to your ears, and relax. But we're not doing our bodies any favors.

Especially now in autumn and winter, activity is more important than ever, says sports scientist Ingo Froböse. In the first installment of his new column, "The older, the bolder," he offers tips on how to overcome your inner couch potato. And here's a sneak peek: even small nudges are enough to achieve a big impact.

Even in her youth, Maria Popov never really felt like having sex. While other girls shared their first sexual experiences and fantasies, she was more of a silent listener. Only later did she discover why she simply couldn't feel sexual attraction: she is asexual. Asexuality describes a sexual orientation of people who experience little or no sexual desire.

In her new book, "No Desire Club," Popov addresses precisely this topic and clarifies misconceptions surrounding sexual desire and disinterest. "It's quickly assumed that something is wrong with us if we don't feel like having sex," she told my colleague Franziska Herrmann . "But boundaries should be the focus, taking precedence over needs and pleasure."

More on this topic:

Carolin Kebekus had imagined motherhood quite differently. She dreamed of matching outfits with her baby, a lovely breakfast in the morning, and always looking her best. "In reality, you're constantly chasing after the child with breakfast, and it's sticky everywhere except on the child," the comedian told RND in an interview.

She has written a book about her new role as a mother: "8000 Ways to Fail as a Mother." In it, she speaks candidly about feelings of helplessness and the pressure to perform perfectly during childbirth. "A new mother is like an open wound," she said. "We suddenly have to care for a human being, even though we are physically and emotionally incapable of doing so." You can read here about how Kebekus learned to step into the role of mother and how this changed her perspective on her own mother.

Maximilian Pollux spent almost ten years in prison. The reason for his crimes was also his narcissistic personality disorder, he told my colleague Irene Habich. "My search for belonging, recognition, respect, and attention led me to crime." In his book "Dangerous Ego," Pollux addresses other offenders with pathological narcissism. You can read here why not every narcissist automatically becomes violent and how Pollux himself learned to cope with his disorder.

Our author Dorit Behrens is currently experiencing it firsthand: menopause and its potential impact on professional life. "From one moment to the next, I felt like I wasn't myself anymore," she writes. Unexplained panic attacks, difficulty finding words, and constant exhaustion are now part of her daily routine.

She's not alone in these experiences. Many women enter menopause when they're at the peak of their careers – and often find that the symptoms become career killers. Experts refer to this as the "menopause penalty." My colleague has since trained as a menopause consultant and offers advice on how affected women can balance menopause and their careers. (+)

It sometimes seems like you have to search for the beautiful things in life these days. But negative feelings like anger or fear don't necessarily have to hold us back; we can also use them to our advantage. The Finns, considered the happiest people in the world, even have their own word for this: "sisu." It means to keep going with positive perseverance. Happiness researcher Maike van den Boom explains how we can transform fear into happiness in her guest article. (+)

If you have any suggestions or feedback, please feel free to contact our editorial team directly at [email protected] . We look forward to hearing from you!

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