What A Miserable Year 2024

As the calendar turned to 2024, I had envisioned a year filled with love, stability, and progress. The hopes had been high to experience one of the greatest years of my life. Instead, it became one of the most challenging years of my life, testing my resilience in ways I never thought possible. A bunch of personal and professional setbacks threatened to derail my sense of purpose.

It was not the first battle of 2024, but the most devasting one for me. After five years together, my partner and I had been planning to marry as well as finally moving in together and build our new life in London together. Those dreams dissolved in the wake of growing differences and upcoming tensions, culminating in our separation. The end of this relationship that had been my anchor through the challenges of the last years left me adrift, grappling with the emotional weight of loss and daunting prospect of rebuilding my life from scratch.

Yes, it is true that Hamburg is my native city, the place where I was born and had lived for few years at different times of my life. And it is also true, that this is the city I never wanted to live in and always tried to escape from. Once this second-biggest city of Germany symbolized opportunity and adventure, became once again a place of stagnation and heartbreak. Without a job and with dwindling financial resources, I felt trapped in a cyclone of despair. Neither the bustling harbor, not the natural scenery offered hope as I faced the grim reality of uncertainty. Again, I realized I keep putting my trust and loyalty in all the wrong people.

Compounding my challenges was the mounting stress with my family. Their archaic, prejudiced ideologies and hollow promises created an environment of toxicity. During that year, my biological mom, trying to impress her friends, said something as horrific as claiming all Muslims belong in a gas chamber—just to give you an idea. And with every passing month I bore the brunt of their misplaced agnger and accusations, particularlly surrounding my biollogical mother’s escalating alcoholism. Her pub work escalated into pub escapades draining her finances, yet I became the scapegoat for her financial woes. The emotional toll was immese, as I tried to navigate my role within this family that seemed to intent on undermining me at every turn. However, the moment I made my mind about leaving Hamburg and most of all, leaving this family, I started to make my peace with it.

Two years after my adoptive father’s passing, the legal entanglements surrounding his will continued to sow discord. The unresolved estate became a sourse of cpntention, exacerbating already strained relationships. This ongoing battle served as a painful reminder of the fragility of family bonds and the corrossive effects that started already during my childhood. Maybe this new year will allow us to finally settle this conflict as peaceful as possible.

As bad as my situation already had been, the fallout of the U.S. presidential election added another layer of complexity to my struggles since I was heavily relying on my royalties. My vocal support for Kamala Harris, a candidate I believed in deeply, alienated a significant portion of my American readership. The resulting backlash led to a drastic 90% decline in my U.S. book sales — a devasting blow to my career. This professional setback forced me to reconsider how I navigate the intersection of personal beliefs and public persona. No matter how hard it hit me, I know one thing for sure—I won’t silence my voice. I’ll keep speaking up for the weak, for what’s right, and for a united humanity where justice and peace belong to everyone.

Despite the setbacks and the hardships, 2024 was not without its lesson. In the face of adversity, I found renewed strength and a clearer vision for the future. I recently completed Harvard University's online course, Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking,and participated in the PhD preparatory course on research paper writing at the University of London. My vision for this year is clear: I plan to return to journalism, starting as a freelance writer to rediscover my rhythm and passion for the craft. I am filled with hope and determination to reclaim my life and pursue my passions.

But that is not all, about 20 years ago, the writer’s block also ended my career in music. Even though in 2012 I returned to make music again, more as an adviser and co-composer, I never fully allowed myself to return to it. The joy of making music once again has rekindled a part of me I thought was lost forever.

The Stoneheart Project, founded by Andre Imken and myself, will be a huge part of my life in future and I am really looking forward to the new projects. But most of all, Stoneheart Project will replace MWM Productions in future so that I can return to producing videos and commercials again. I still need a bit more learnings about the new programs, but step by step I will come back and reclaim my throne!

The challenges of 2024 tested my resolve, but they also forged a stronger, more determined version of myself. As I step into 2025, I do so with renewed purpose and a belief in my ability to overcome whatever obstacles lie ahead. The lessons of the past year have prepared me to embrace the opportunities of the future, and I am ready to turn the page to a new chapter of growth, creativity and independence.

May we all have an astonishing new year, that will fulfill its promise better and brighter than we expect. Happy New Year 2025!

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