The holiday season tends to bring up a lot of existential issues and old wounds. We might be missing loved ones and we might feel a bit more low than usual. If you are about to embark on an international assignment or project you could also experience cultural adjustment. Acclimatizing to a new locale, new cultural norms and social practices, ever-changing pandemic rules, children with identity issues, an injury, or an elderly relative, who just fell a third time and needed to be hospitalized.  These challenges bring with them additional levels of stress and dealing with them every day inevitably results in mental exhaustion, especially if you cannot be there in person and have to support through WhatsApp calls. You […]

During the global pandemic, my mother could not find yeast for weeks. Her village in Southern Germany had a yeast shortage. We didn’t have a shortage of anything here in Zurich, neither toilet paper nor yeast, even though demand for both was higher than in “normal” times. I went to SPAR and bought five packs of dry yeast. The man at the post office laughed when I told him what was in the small parcel—my second delivery since the beginning of our lockdown. My mother and aunt love to bake, even in “normal” times. The price for the package was higher than the value of the goods, but this was the only thing I could do for my family from […]

Esteban Polidura is an ICF-certified life coach, mental health first aider, bestselling author, and motivational speaker with a mission to help people navigate major life transitions with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Drawing on a background that includes more than two decades of experience in the global banking sector, Esteban blends practical strategies with deep empathy to guide others toward meaningful and lasting change. He is passionate about raising awareness around mental health and emotional well-being, offering tools, insights, and encouragement to break stigmas and build inner strength. Esteban brings a calm, grounded, and thoughtful approach to helping others adapt to change, whether it’s moving abroad, shifting careers, facing uncertainty, or rebuilding after personal setbacks. He supports individuals in reconnecting with […]

As a child, Kris Feroleto faced challenges in school, often feeling out of sync with traditional learning methods. She always believed she learned differently—by doing, experiencing, and engaging with those she admired for their knowledge and insight. Kris absorbed information like a sponge, leading to the ironic and transformative journey of becoming a lifelong learner. She later channelled her experiences back into education as an educator, helping students who, like her younger self, struggled to fit the mould. Education Undergraduate Degree: Human Growth and Development Master’s Degrees: Education: Special Education School Counseling School Administration Career Highlights Kris has held multiple roles in education, including: Special Education Teacher School Counselor Head of an Alternative Education Team School Administrator (Middle and High […]