I am not commenting on the outcome of the latest elections in eastern Germany, nor the fact that Trump finds it worthwhile enough to post the outcome of the elections.

What is more of my concern is that this election will probably have significant consequences in the way political debate will be conducted and how political discourse is changing. Again, I am not commenting on certain currents or speculations about what it does to the country as a whole.

It is unsettling nonetheless, no matter the political side you are on. Politics is going to radicalize society and comments on how this reflects political unrest in the thirties of the recent century and how autocracy is slithering its way into reality will emerge and rule the debate.

And this is something I find very worthwhile focusing a thought on, because I had prolonged periods in my life, where I evaluated my country as still habitable in terms of if my country stayed a stable democracy or not.

Of course I’d love if my country stayed in the realm of democracy, welfare, high living standard and rule of law.

But I have developed a more differentiated view on the future, since it is neither helpful, nor realistic to postulate it is either going to be utopian or dystopian, but rather a spectrum of black to white through a scale of grey.

And that has to do, again, with establishing a system, in which I have the feeling that I can change the things I have power over and in which I try to make the best or practical out of what reality serves.

This hasn’t always been like this. God knows that a lot of my anxiety and my depression has had to do with the fact that there were a lot of things I would have loved to change or to have control over, but life doesn’t work this way.

Who or what is to blame? Probably the “everything will be fine” – intellectualizing of my parents trying to show me a world which is in the illusion of a pink cloud (no, not THE pink cloud).

Alcohol was a false friend and bad advisor in terms of easing these frightening thoughts about a world that is going down the drain if it is not the happy and safe place my parents wanted me to believe it was.

Self efficacy is and will be the only solution for me to navigate this storm of insecurity and radicalization. Better to start now to board up my house against the storm. And all without a drop of rum.

Until next time, take one step at a time and keep up the faith in yourself.