The topic of consciousness, personal and social change has occupied me for more than half my life. The focus has changed as I have changed. But exploring consciousness, personal and social change, asking the right questions, finding answers, however provisional they may be, looking for a basis for explanation and finding them again and again... that is what has driven me for over 30 years.

The expression has also changed as my consciousness has changed.

A long academic career with everything that goes with it (one doctorate in economic sciences; another one in military sciencec, a habilitation in military sciences and a honorary associate professorship, various management tasks, always as the first woman on the field). An exit and a change that was characterized by a deep search for the meaning of existence. Many physical challenges with special experiences, a completely new beginning... and the consistent pursuit of my path as an author who was and is always ahead of the so-called time.

That has shaped me as a person, as a woman, as a scientist, as an author.

This has required courage, curiosity, openness, trust in life and the willingness to move without so-called safety railings. It also required - at some point - the acceptance of one's own fate in order to be able to leave it behind and truly start anew, because on every personal path there are always several new starts.

My path as an author was neither straight nor always easy. But it has always enriched me, challenged me and brought me closer to myself than anyone else has managed to do so far.

Diversity in expression is written into my hand. For a long time I hesitated as to whether the academic was more important than the artistic and whether - perhaps - the spiritual was above all else. What interested me was always more than just one area. Science, art, intellectuality, spiritual-transcendent. And - I always wanted to go off the beaten track. Disciplinary boundaries have never interested me. I found them boring. I still find the complementarity of approaches much more interesting.

Today I am certain - for me there are neither these divisions nor is one more important than the other. Because my identity as an author also draws on other sources that can be found outside of what you would expect. My scientific qualifications still enable me to approach this complex of topics with its multitude of questions seriously, and answers to them are always provisional for me.

The fact that I don't have to meet any expectations today and am consistently following my own path makes it much easier for me. I express my content, my thoughts, my feelings, what moves me deep down in the way that I think is right. That requires a high level of self-awareness, trust and expertise. I have worked hard to achieve all of that over the course of my life - often with joy and a lot of effort.

Today I trust life and no longer need proof. That makes it easy for me.

Writing is my second nature, maybe even my first nature. Who knows...

My motto: Live the original freely.