Monday morning, after a 3-month sabbatical, I sit down at my computer to start working again. I open my inbox.

My eye is immediately drawn to a disturbing message. Lotte, my accountability and presence partner, passed away two days earlier, on Saturday, 2 August, while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail—a trek across the United States from the Mexican to the Canadian border, covering a distance of 2645 miles—with her husband, Sten. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood cancer, ended her inspiring life at the age of 59.

Stunned, I stare ahead as I slowly begin to process the news. I struggle with the reality that I will never speak to her again. At the end of August 2016, nearly 9 years ago, Lotte and I began our accountability partnership. Every workday, we called each other and shared our daily goals. We always started with a reflection on the previous day. Our conversations typically lasted about 5 minutes. It was the key for both of us to overcome procrastination and make progress on significant projects. After a few years, we added an essential element to our calls: our intention—who we wanted to be, what energy we decided to radiate for an important meeting or throughout the day (the so-called presence partnership).

Every morning at 7:55 AM (and later at 8:25 AM), Lotte would call me—every workday, for 9 years. We knew in detail what the other was working on, what the other’s dreams were, and what the other had already achieved.

This news hits hard. I get up and feel the urge to move. I want to go outside. Usually, I walk from home, but today I allow myself a short drive to the nearby forest. I choose a 3-mile walk through the beautiful nature. Tears sting behind my eyes, and I notice I’m sighing deeply. I keep walking and, fortunately, don’t encounter many people. It’s comforting to be alone for a while, surrounded by trees, water, and birds. About three-quarters into the walk, the question arises: “What am I grateful to Lotte for?” My attention and thoughts shift to gratitude. Immediately, I feel a change; my mood becomes a bit lighter, I walk more upright, and I look ahead instead of down at the ground.

I become more aware that Lotte’s life is a beautiful example of how, regardless of circumstances, you can experience life from a place of calm, joy, and freedom. As she wrote in her own book Life after Bullying (2018), Lotte transformed from a timid girl who had even lost her voice for a time into a confident woman, becoming a successful coach and international speaker.

Thank you, Lotte.
You embodied how a complicated past
can give rise to a beautiful future; you showed that anything is possible.
Thank you for your loving wisdom, inspiration, and
dedication to making a difference in the lives of others.

You certainly made a difference in mine.

I will miss you!