Guten Tag, Reader, “Die hat doch einen Vogel,” they say in Germany, “She has a bird,” when someone talks or acts a little off. As if that’s a bad thing. The bird. Or the off-ness. Not in my book. The one that I am writing in my head. Where the birds live. And where they peep. Peep. Peep. Peep. April also has a bird. "April, April, does what it will," the Germans say. Sometimes, the Germans are specific about the kind of bird—a chickadee (‘ne Meise). And those have been chickad-ing and dee-ing...
20 days ago • 2 min read
My mom accompanied me to Helena on one of my biggest adventures: becoming a US citizen in 2015. Guten Tag, Reader, I knew the words were going to come out of my mother’s mouth eventually. Not in every conversation, but certainly in every conversation about any of my adventures: Going to the island of Corse on a motorcycle with my boyfriend when I was 17 Studying abroad for a year Traveling to any place outside of Western Europe Eating sushi Hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim Rafting the...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Rowing Miss Lucy, October 2021 Guten Tag, Reader, For centuries, women have gathered in wild places—not just for chores that kept their families alive (water and firewood hauling, food gathering, medicine making…) but for insight, renewal, and the kinds of conversations that change everything. Women played a crucial role in maintaining and protecting these spaces, often forming informal networks of support, knowledge-sharing, and resistance. From the women of the commons to modern-day river...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Notice what's happening in your body. How does your nervous system react to a coneflower shadow on snow? Guten Tag, Reader, Bitten ;tldr: Regulating your nervous system is an essential mental health skill. For a nervous system reset, join me and fellow Nature Therapy Guide Angie on the Rogue River in September. Okay, remember how I wrote about asking what we need last time? I want to tell you that the universe will always reward you for doing so. Alas, that’s not this week’s story. Or is it?...
2 months ago • 4 min read
I asked D for a dog-free walk, got what I needed, and didn't even know how much I needed it until I heard the birds singing from the snowy trees. Guten Tag, Reader, How often do you get what you want? How often do you ask for what you want? How often do you NOT ask for what you want? Don’t just read on. Actually, think about it. Then, do it again and replace the want with need. How often do you ask for what you need? How often do you not? And here is another question: How often do you know...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Even my tea had something to say about time. Guten Tag, Reader, It’s not often that I get as many reactions to a letter as the previous one. You hit reply, put money in my tip jar, and booked coaching sessions. Here are just a few of your responses: You motivated me to update a resource I haven't talked about in a long time. DO LESS. BE MORE. (Previously called How To Start Wasting Time and Be Less Productive). Download it here: do-less-be-more-sylke-laine.pdf To share with friends, please...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Time! Time! Time! See what's become of me! Guten Tag, Reader, When I say “I yelled” into the receiver last week, I am understating. I was SCREAMING. Yes, there was some spit flying. I was out of my chair and bent over my phone as I told them what I was thinking about their lack of competence and ability. At this point, you may wonder two things: When will she finally tell me which poor soul was at the other end of the line? Isn’t she a life coach? I thought those don’t get mad like that. I...
3 months ago • 3 min read
How do you wish to walk into 2025? This is me trying to avoid sliding into it on an icy road. Even though the Germans will wish you a "good slide" ("Guten Rutsch"). Photo by Mr Laine Guten Tag, Reader, Here we are again, the liminal week that the Germans call “Time Between The Years.” Neither here nor there, neither now nor then. I was going to mention the term “lame duck,” often used to describe the time between one administration and the next. But then I thought it was lame imagery, so...
4 months ago • 3 min read
As the creek tells its last stories before it freezes over, how might you prepare to slow down? Guten Tag, Reader, The land settles into winter. All growth is done, all seeds have been set, and all systems are switching from generation and expansion to slow-shit-down and leave-me-the-fuck-alone. Well, I might be projecting on that last bit. Certainly, though, nature knows winter is the season to conserve and protect energy. Yes, I am noticing the juncos, chickadees, finches, flickers,...
4 months ago • 2 min read