365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

After a few incredibly busy months, I decided to pause today. I spent some of the day with wonderful people and some of the day crocheting this cute little crab. It made a big positive difference to me: Whether it's for example crocheting or spending time in nature, taking time to rest helps my mind to slow down. It is to me an important act of self-care, which helps me stay inspired and ready to make a positive difference in the world. 🌿 🦀

The last two months turned out to be a bit too busy, but all worked out extremely well, so I'm excited that I have managed to pass the exam for CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst! To me, it is not only a confirmation of my knowledge. It also shows my passion for making our world a safer place through my mission Unhackable! Now, I will enjoy a fun weekend, to recharge and continue this mission next week!

💪 Wow, today’s litter picking event turned into a full-body workout! 🚲 This time, most of what we found had been washed into the riverbed and trapped behind branches. The water level was low. Pulling up three bicycles, a large iron grid, and plenty of other debris was no small effort, because the hill up to the street was steep! 🌬️ I’ve never been out of breath from litter picking before, but today I definitely was. And honestly? Totally worth it. 💦 Let’s keep our waterways clean!

🫶 Wow, I still feel super fulfilled from yesterday’s initiative, one that will make a positive difference for decades to come! 🌍 I joined Planet Wild’s project to help restore a peatland in Belgium. These peatlands are around 5,000 years old, but parts of them were drained to make room for farmland. That meant many unique species lost their homes, and one of nature’s most powerful carbon stores was weakened. Peatlands actually store more carbon than forests, so restoring them is a big step towards balancing CO₂ emissions. 🌿 So there we were, boots on and shovels in hand, ready to help bring this special ecosystem back to life. Our task was to close drainage canals that had been dug to dry the land. By keeping the water in, the area can slowly become wet again and nature can start to heal itself. 💚 For me, being part of something like this is incredibly valuable. It’s one thing to write about restoration, but what actually makes the difference is making these changes in the phys...

💡 Last week, I managed to get the audience at the United Nations to look up from their laptops with a surprising twist in my presentation: 🌅 I began by sharing that I woke up that morning asking myself, "Why am I here?" It's a simple question, but the answer can make all the difference. For me, the answer was: "Because I want to." 🔥 This reflects intrinsic motivation - the drive that comes from within - rather than extrinsic motivation, which depends on rewards or penalties. To illustrate how we can spark this inner drive, I shared my litterpicking initiative, something I’m deeply passionate about. ✨ After the talk, many people came up to say they felt inspired. Moments like these show me that the most positive waves are created when we do and share what we truly care about. 👉 Here you can watch the recording (audio and slides in English): https://youtu.be/q7Wa8cO1ook

Book suggestion 👇 : Consequences and solutions regarding climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss that are not or hardly discussed in the media. Explained in an easy-to-understand way. Including ideas for individuals and companies to make a positive difference.

🌿 Yesterday, I co-organized an incredible litterpicking city tour! 🤝 Together with the Kompetenzzentrum für Nachhaltige Entwicklung (Competence Center for Sustainable Development) of the University of Tübingen, we organized this event during the German Sustainable Action Days to raise awareness about healthy, eco-friendly food and reducing litter. Along the way, we visited shops promoting sustainability, for example a zero-packaging store and a bakery selling “day-old” bread to prevent food waste. 🧹 Between stops, the group of 19 picked up every bit of litter, including over 3,500 cigarette butts. This prevents more than 175,000 liters of water from being poisoned (that’s enough for 70,000 people to drink for a day!) as one cigarette butt can poison 50 Liters. ✨ Even though I already do as much as I can to live sustainably, this event inspired me to do even more: especially further reducing packaging and cutting food waste. 💚 By the end of the day, I went to sleep feeling deep...

✨ Recently, I offered an act of kindness and never expected where it would lead: 🎤 I met Marion Masholder at a conference for speakers, during a session on how AI can support podcast creation. She asked about something she wasn’t familiar with, and I was happy to share my experience to get her started. What started as a quick chat soon turned into a wonderful conversation. 💻 To my honor, this led to an invitation to her podcast, where I shared insights into my work: defending against cyberattacks and implementing proactive security measures. It was wonderful to dive into these topics and connect with such an inspiring host. 🤝 Also, she introduced me to her equally kind husband, who has already inspired and connected me with others. Who knows where this will lead! 🌱 This experience reminds me once again: small acts of kindness go a long way! #actofKindness #kindnessMatters #makeadifference