Freudenstadt’s Mayor Adrian Sonder speaks openly about overcoming a childhood disability and how he learned to transform that early challenge into a source of strength. He described how resilience is built not through grand gestures, but through simple daily principles.

Two themes stood out. First, leading with humility and kindness. Second, protecting regular “me-time” to regenerate and restore energy in demanding roles.

Sonder also shared two practical rules for helping others develop resilience: creating environments where people feel seen and respected, and encouraging steady progress rather than perfection.

Having had Polio since he was one year old, Phillipe, now 73, writes about the lesson his left leg, called Julie, has taught him about life, purpose, gratitude and hope. Following a life of joy and adventure, a life-threatening accident in 2023 caused him to reflect and write "Moi, Julie, jambe polio. Reconnaître son handicap et avancer en vérité"

In this episode, Phiilipe (73) - Leadership consultant, university lecturer, and kids' toy maker - talks about life after business school in Paris, which triggers a 2-year hitchhiking trip around the world in his quest to discover himself. "Who am I?" He finds out - eventually, but not until being pushed to the limits on a tuna-fishing boat in Panama, learning toy-making skills at a hippy commune in Vancouver and finding everlasting love in Tahiti.

(Peter and I play the role of St Nicklaus and Knecht Ruprecht for our choir Christmas party).

In this episode, I explore how his work as a Qi Gong Teacher and Japanese Tea Ceremony Leader has influenced his view on dealing with life’s challenges.

Join us for this inspiring conversation on Wednesday, 14 January at 5 p.m., with a repeat on Saturday at 1 p.m., on Freies Radio Freudenstadt — 100.1 FM in Freudenstadt, 89.2 FM in and around Horb, or listen live worldwide at www.radio-fds.de.

Life has a way of testing us, often when we least expect it. Reboot is a radio series that explores how people find the strength to start again—how they rebuild, recover, and rediscover their sense of purpose when life throws them off course. Each week, I’ll be joined by guests who share their personal journeys through challenge and change, and what resilience really looks like in everyday life.

In this episode, Keith talks about what success costs, and how he tried to keep his feet on the ground while his work was taking off. He speaks honestly about choosing to spend more time with his sons, and the pull of family life, alongside the demands of flying, air-to-air photography, deadlines, and travel. As his reputation grew, so did the pressure to say yes, and the challenge of knowing when to say no.

Keith also shares what it takes to stay safe and sharp in aviation over a lifetime, how he thinks under pressure, and the habits that help him make good decisions when the stakes are real. We touch on his work with Pilot Magazine, his life as an author, and why he still loves the job after all these years. I also mention why my aviation memoir, Point of No Return, is dedicated to him.

Welcome to Part One of a special two-part Reboot conversation with Keith Wilson, one of the most respected names in British aviation.

Keith’s story starts early. As a ten-year-old schoolboy, he was already hooked on flying, obsessed in the best possible way, eyes up, mind elsewhere, quietly certain that aircraft were going to matter in his life. That childhood spark became action. He began learning to fly at sixteen, earned his pilot’s licence at twenty-five, and set off on a path that would take him across more than a hundred aircraft types, including military jets.

In this first episode, we stay with the beginning. We talk about where the fascination came from, what it feels like when a childhood interest turns into a serious commitment, and how he found his way into the world that later made him a world expert in air-to-air photography. We also get into a big turning point, the moment he chose to step away from the safer corporate track in the UK and back himself, building a life around flying and photographing aircraft in the air.

If you love aviation, you’ll enjoy the details. If you’ve ever felt the pull to choose the work you actually want to do, you’ll recognise the thinking behind his decision.

In this week’s episode of Reboot, presenter Peter Foggin speaks with Gary and Laura, a couple from the United Kingdom who chose to step away from the demands of modern working life and begin anew. The programme airs on Tuesday, 12 November at 5 p.m., with a repeat on Saturday at 1 p.m., on Freies Radio Freudenstadt (100.1 FM, 89.2 FM) and online at www.radio-fds.de.

In their early forties, Gary and Laura had achieved professional success and enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle, yet sensed that something essential was missing. They decided to resign from their jobs, reduce their possessions, and travel across Europe in pursuit of a simpler and more meaningful way of living. Over the past seven weeks, they have documented their journey on Instagram under the name Midlife Crisis Couple, offering a candid and engaging account of what it means to exchange security for freedom.

This Reboot episode invites you to reflect on your own life and priorities. If you have ever questioned whether there is more to life than work and routine, this conversation may provide the inspiration to look again at what truly matters.

Life has a way of testing us, often when we least expect it. Reboot is a new radio series that explores how people find the strength to start again—how they rebuild, recover, and rediscover their sense of purpose when life throws them off course. Each week, I’ll be joined by guests who share their personal journeys through challenge and change, and what resilience really looks like in everyday life.

In the very first episode, I sit down with Peter Kaltenbach from Hotel Langenwaldsee in Freudenstadt—a man whose story is as rich and layered as his life’s work. From his years in the hotel world to his time supporting charitable projects, from mastering the art of the Japanese tea ceremony to guiding thousands through the Gartenschau Freudenstadt, Peter brings insight, humour, and a calm depth that only comes from lived experience. He’s also a fellow singer in the PopChor Baiersbronn, where our friendship began.

Ull started the piano at ten. He has spent his life working in music. He now teaches jazz piano in Stuttgart and performs widely across Europe.

In this conversation Ull talks plainly about staying the course when things get tough. He describes how he guides students through the point where they want to give up. He explains why progress often shows up weeks later and why you should avoid big decisions when your confidence dips.

He also talks through what happens to a performer when a piece slips in the middle of a live set. He knows the feeling well. His way is simple. Accept the moment. Adjust. Improvise. Keep going. He shares how he deals with the voice in his head that can derail the flow.

You do not need any interest in music to follow this. The themes reach beyond the piano. Ull’s ideas apply to work, stress, self doubt, and the pressure that sits in everyday life. The episode gives you a straight look at how someone handles setbacks and keeps moving.