Welcome to my space!
Why you will love it here.
Hi, I'm Constanze—and I am so excited to have you here.
I'm a German writer living in Dubai, where I'm figuring out how to be both ambitious and present, career-focused and family-centered, professionally driven and personally fulfilled.
And I'm literally figuring this out as I go. Together with you.
(If you are a mom you know that no one ever takes pictures of you, so… there was not a lot i could work with. ;))
Out of the Box is where we explore Both/And thinking for mothers who refuse to choose between having a career and being there for bedtime stories.
I write about everything from setting boundaries that actually stick to redefining success on your own terms. From 6am padel sessions that keep me sane to the messy reality of building a business around school pickups.
If you're tired of the either/or mentality that forces impossible choices—welcome.
The Both/And Framework
This isn't about perfect balance (spoiler: it doesn't exist). It's about designing work and life that honors all parts of who you are:
Strong ME: Know yourself, own your path, stay curious
Strong WE: Build better teams and relationships
Strong US: Create lasting impact beyond yourself
Instead of career OR family, we design career AND family. Instead of success OR motherhood, we redefine success THROUGH motherhood. Instead of present OR ambitious, we show up as both—just in different seasons.
What readers are saying:
"Loved it - got a notification and read this week's newsletter which gave me so much energy... now I can 100% confirm that I will be using something like the 'This is me' document you shared with my new team." - Sue
"Oh thank goodness, your newsletter is out again! Can't wait to read it!" - Pooja
"I really love it and have already recommended it to many of my colleagues." - Christina
What you'll get
Every Tuesday, you'll get real thoughts from someone figuring it out alongside you.
Saturdays bring our Real Talk series—honest conversations with mothers like us who are rewriting the rules, one season at a time. This is for now a summer special, but let’s see.
Come be part of the conversation
This isn't just a newsletter—it's a growing tribe of mothers with ambition who believe you can have a meaningful career AND be present for what matters most. We're proving that when you think Both/And instead of either/or, everybody wins.
Share your thoughts in the comments, connect with others, and help shape where we go next as we figure it out together.
Constanze
My last drink of the day is a glass of milk 🥛, and I read every email you send—usually at 5:30am before my son wakes up (or so).
