Blog: Weltschmerz

A Farewell to 2016

Hello 2016,

you have been such a strange year. I had high hopes for you! My word to live by with you was “Badassery”. I intended it to mean that I take more action, be more firm, stop procrastinating and seize the day, take opportunities also …just finally feel more at ease with myself. Well …partly I succeeded. Being the most wonderful one, that I accomplished a long time dream of mine and wrote a book …in English (yes, that was pretty Badassery for a Kraut, or so I think) and I cannot wait for it to be out in 2017. I took opportunities and worked a lot this year …maybe too much. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed working, but I felt as if for every step I moved forward …I moved three steps back. But the steps I leapt forward were some of the coolest ever and I am excited about those and I need to remind myself to think of those instead of the steps back. It is a dance after all.

But, unfortunately, 2016, you took “Badassery” to a whole new meaning,  you really kicked my behind …and many others. There is a German word that sums up my feelings for you in general, 2016 , it is called “Weltschmerz” – literally translated “World Pain” – it means – a feeling of melancholy and world-weariness – . So many terrible things happened around the world, some of them just recently -and you could feel the pain everywhere. …and so I am saying farewell to you Badassery aka 2016 – with some relief. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out! Be sure I choose my word for 2017 wisely …that I learned, 2016!

Yours truly, not so badassery

Comments (6)

  • susan debourguignon

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    yep, i am ready for 2017, too. enough of the pain to last. these last couple if years have seen such tragedy in our world … why can’t people just be kind? that’s my word for 2017 – kind. that’s what we need. but, for folks like us, badassery was a fine word, too. nathalie, i look forward to your new book!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      I love “kind” as a word too Susan- that is a wonderful word! Happy New Year to you!!!

      Reply

  • jjflair

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    Ah, Nat, I was just thinking about “Weltschmerz” the other day! Yes, let’s stuff that away when we shut the door on 2016. I love how how described life as a dance with steps forward and steps back. :) Wishing you a wunderbar 2017 full of creativity and disco, tango, salsa and swing!!

    Reply

  • Dee spillane

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    I couldn’t agree more! 2016 was badass in a bad way. You were in a great way. Loved the start with Jumpstart. I think that and several things kicked off my creativity and Jumpstart was key. I did more art. But it was such a hard year too. So long 2016, glad to see you go! Hello 2017 great start with Jump Start.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Awe Thank you Dee -seeing you again in Texas was a highlight for sure for me too! Let’s rock 2017 :)

      Reply

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