The "let's fix-this"-mode is a sign of survival. But what if I tell you we can approach difficulties from a whole different and more sustainable angle?
Let me show you how!
When I hit my thirties, I felt lost, confused and was extremely tired. I felt like a failure. Funnily enough, from the outside I had everything I wanted: A corporate career with many benefits, an apartment, travels and friends … until the necessary evil happened.
We all take a wrong turn in life. We all get caught up in the rat race and lose ourselves in expectations without first questioning if this is what we truly want. I was no different. In 2014, when I went to see my GP, I had no clue what was coming. I knew I was stressed, but aren’t we all at times? Is that not what comes with the package if you are ambitious? Working hard and making sacrifices is just part of the deal, right? It’s “normal”. My first reaction when handed the sick note was: “I don’t have time for this”. And that very sentence made me realize how much in trouble I truly was.
Six months went by and I felt everything was falling apart. I had limited energy and felt restless, and as a bonus I was starting to have panic attacks. I knew I had to slow down but somehow, I forgot how. I was unable to find the brakes. As a born optimist I was confronted with feelings of insignificance and despair. Heavy eyes, the need to sleep all the time, anxious, lonely, sad and angry. That’s how I felt!
Burnout is a funny thing. It was the slap in the face I needed in order to stand still and become aware of what was going on around me and within me. I was told I needed to take it easy, I needed to slow down. I felt clueless. I was so caught up in surviving that I forgot to have a life. I needed an intervention. That was a burnout for me. It was the only way to get me to adjust course on a path towards growth instead of self destruction.
One day I decided I had enough. I decided that “this” needed to change. So I bought a one-way ticket to Cuba which was followed by a journey of more than a year backpacking solo in Latin-America. I had no idea what I was doing and even less where I wanted to go, but I allowed myself to not know and to just be. I finally slowed down.
Slowing down taught me many things. I had stopped trying so hard and started enjoying myself instead. I learned to appreciate my own company, to be alone, to get lost in time and moments; I learned to dream again. Or rather, I allowed myself to do so. I disconnected from social expectations and became more aware of my own needs instead. I said goodbye to the “I have to” way of life and the “I need to” self-talk. Instead, I started communicating using “I want to” vocabulary. And that is when my true purpose revealed itself.
After a year on the road, fully recharged, fully connected and ready for a new adventure I fell back into my old routine. But this time, I was more aware of what I wanted, what I needed. I have learned to recognize my own language. And the life I was creating just didn’t feel right anymore. So I enrolled in a coaching course and quit my job … again. Driven by my own passion and focus I decided to make a difference in people's lives even though I had no clue how. I showed-up and started before I was ready.
My mission in life is to be that person I needed when feeling lost. To support people through the process of transformation. To help them reconnect with who they are, their purpose and taking those steps in building that life they dream of. No more surviving, no more playing small, no more hiding. But rather help YOU to connect with their passion, uncover your purpose, teach you tools to move through life and business feeling confident, regardless of context.
My approach is pragmatic and practical with a clear sense of direction, guided by science and intuition. Working with me is choosing to change for the better. Spending time with me will leave you feeling inspired, energized and with a clear plan to accomplish whatever it is you want in life and/or business.
All you need to do is raise your hand, to show-up because I am here, ready to serve with a proven concept and process.
If you want to learn more about my story, you can read a beautiful interview here.
