Here’s a little trip report (in gazillion images) from our wonderful week in Kiel last week, where we proudly attended the national Special Olympics with our 46PLUS Down-Syndrom Stuttgart e. V. athletes team. We were a group of 20 people altogether, and although we all spent our time together from early dawn till midnight every day, we never got fed up with each other … and look who’s talking, because I’m an extroverted introvert. 😉

Brené Brown hits the nail right on the head: “Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because this yearning is so primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and by seeking approval, which are but often barriers to it. Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.”

My main take-away this week was that it doesn’t matter whether you win or you lose, or how many medals you bring home, but that you belong to a group of like-minded people who get you, who feel the same way as you and who are there for you no matter what. With that in mind, all our 12 rock star athletes won the gold medal, big time! Find your tribe, lov’em hard!

Please enjoy some images of last week, of my new favorite town Kiel (we were so blessed with the weather) 🙂 , of happy couples, and BFF, of enthusiastic athletes, lots of medals and models, unbridled joy, tons of hugs, enthusiastic cheerleading, and above all a really flippin’ cool gang!

A huge shout out to our amazing chef trainer Natja who always gives 500 % (at the least!) and knows how to motivate her athletes and bring out the best in them, and on the same time how to spoil us parents with her crazy good Prosecco Aperol skills. 😉 Another huge shout out to our superb head of delegation, Simone, who spoilt us rotten with her all-inclusive killer eat-sleep-drink and social program. I miss you guys already!