Single for 16 years Maja Brunner has been single for 16 years - now she reveals her secret
Singer and actress Maja Brunner enjoys her life as a single woman. She has been without a partner for 16 years, but she doesn't feel lonely. With her advice for the festive season, she inspires all those who feel alone.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Maja Brunner advises people who feel alone to get active and reach out to others.
- Contact with family and friends should be maintained all year round, not just at Christmas.
- Brunner celebrates with her family on December 24 and with friends on December 25 - being together is the most important thing to her.
- Christmas also brings melancholy moments, but Brunner sees something beautiful in them.
At the latest when Wham sing about last year's Christmas on the radio, children present you with a gift wish list without being asked, or the janitor decorates the stairwell with tinsel, you realize: the contemplative season is here.
This time is not so uplifting for everyone. Many people who have no family or social environment struggle with feelings of isolation during the festive season. Maja Brunner, singer and theater actress, is familiar with this challenge - and knows how to counter it.
Aloneness as a balance
Maja Brunner has been single since separating from her former partner, musician Philipp Mettler, 16 years ago. Nevertheless, she doesn't feel lonely, as she tells Schweizer Illustrierte: "Fortunately, loneliness isn't an issue for me, as I'm embedded in my family and my circle of friends," she says.
Especially during the Christmas season, when she is on stage, as she is currently doing in "Die kleine Niederdorfoper" at the Bernhard Theater in Zurich, she even enjoys spending a quiet evening alone. "Due to my job, I'm often around a lot of people and I appreciate the peace and quiet as a balance."
But Brunner knows that not everyone feels this way. That's why she has a piece of advice for anyone who feels lonely during the festive season: "Go out, don't hide away in your shell, reach out to other people!"
Maintain contacts throughout the year
You have to be active yourself and not wait for someone to approach you. Maybe you have to jump over your own shadow and join a group or institution. It is also important to maintain contact with family and friends - if you have any - throughout the year and not just at Christmas.
"Being alone is not a problem if you know that you can always call someone or go to someone if you don't want to be alone," Brunner is convinced. She also finds the security she needs in small moments: "I love Christmas and the run-up to Christmas with all its lights, decorations, carols and scents," she says.
She likes to share this warm feeling - and celebrates twice: once on December 24 with her family and once on December 25 with friends. "Being together is the best thing about Christmas."
Melancholy is a beautiful thing
Christmas also brings melancholy moments for Maja Brunner. Memories of her parents and grandparents, who are no longer around, or of Christmas celebrations from her childhood, mix with the anticipation of the festive season. There are also melancholy moments during the year, she says.
With thoughts of her childhood, her parents and grandparents who are no longer around, thoughts of Christmas with her first love or Christmas with heartache
"For example, when you hear music from the past that reminds us of people." However, she does not see this melancholy as depressing, but as something beautiful. "The experiences of the past have made me who I am today."
No time for loneliness
In her childhood, people sang under the Christmas tree, and this tradition continues today. "It used to be the whole family, now it's Carlo's grandchildren," says Brunner.
These moments of togetherness and celebrating in a small circle are more important to her than big presents. "I always give presents to the hosts and the children and ask them in advance what they would like." But the best gift is being together.
Maja Brunner doesn't know the feeling of being lonely. Even when she is alone, she never feels isolated because she can rely on her loved ones. "I don't have time to be lonely," she says with a laugh. "I'm very grateful for everything I've been able to experience so far and I'm looking forward to a future in which I still have a lot of plans."
And what does Maja Brunner want for Christmas? "Health," she says without hesitation. "Some events in my circle of friends this year have made me realize once again that health is the greatest gift and the greatest good."
