“You can find inspiration in everything. If you can’t, then you are not looking properly.”
A collection of useful, funny, amazing but above all inspiring tips, videos, photos, quotes, people, stories and jokes.
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You can take a Digital Nomad off the plane but you can't take the travel out of a Digital Nomad… I was planning to be in The Netherlands for the whole month of August, but… I wanted to go see my dad in Miami, and also to Puglia for a few days, to arrange everything there for the 3 Airbnbs. From September I will be 'on the road' all winter anyway, so this seemed like a perfect time for another Inspiration Shot with tips about location-independence and entrepreneurship.
"Busy"; it seems to have become our new natural state of being. Doing less is difficult, especially if you approach it like another task on your full to-do list. But what if you turn it around? What if you could design your schedule, to-do list and priorities all over again, from scratch? Almost ten years ago it happened to me out of necessity, when a car accident and whiplash forced me to slow down; this time was voluntary and less invasive, but just as effective: an MDMA retreat under the guidance of a psychologist. The preparation, the psychedelic journey, the aftermath and the 'digital detox' were a natural moment for a complete reset. I got off social media for a while, now leave my phone on 'do not disturb' at all time. More 'being' instead of 'doing'. In short: a better work-life balance. In this inspiration shot you can read about the 'trip', the experience of a 'fresh start', productivity tips from the DC entrepreneurs conference in London that tie in nicely with that, praise to Amsterdam and the importance of dancing.
This month, two special people who were father figures to me passed away within a week. I was able to say goodbye to one of them by sneaking into the hospital outside visiting hours. For the other, I cancelled a trip with 40 girlfriends to Valencia to speak at his funeral. Fortunately, my father is still 'here', but - due to his Alzheimer's - not the way he used to be. Father's Day, therefore, became an emotional day with a lot of reflection this year. This inspiration shot pays homage to all fathers, father figures, and other loved ones and gives some great tips on how to capture your time together while they're still here. I hope that the stories and suggestions in this inspiration shot will touch and inspire you, whether you are a father, want(ed) to be, still have your father or have to miss it.
Years ago I 'accidentally' found myself investing in real estate. When I sold my house in Amstelveen, I was able to invest in a few 30m2 apartments in Amsterdam. I had them specially designed, furnished and started renting the 'tiny houses' out to expats. Just when things seemed to be going well and I had done a very pricey refinancing of my investments, the rental property regulations in the Netherlands changed. Now, I can only charge half the rent I used to, and on top of that, property taxes have increased ten fold! It has become an unsustainable situation. My entire business model is turned upside down, which means I have to sell the apartments again. At the same time, other opportunities present themselves. That is why I like to share my real estate secrets, tips and dilemmas I've encountered, in this newsletter.
As spring transforms my olive grove into a sea of flowers, I find myself undergoing a transformation as well. Returning to yourself after a long period of recovery can be quite challenging, especially when you have lost yourself in a disappointing relationship for years. Nevertheless, I am slowly regaining the color in my life. I even purchased a colorful protest sweater, plus I am learning a lot from nature. It brings me joy to be here in Puglia where I am not only connected to the internet (World Wide Web) but also to the 'Wood Wide Web' 🌳 🌳 🌳. In this Inspiration Shot, I will share some insights and tips on how we are all connected; both to each other and to everything around us.
When you travel extensively and seldom stay in one location for more than a few weeks, how do you sustain your business? How do you work with your virtual assistants, and what tasks and responsibilities do you delegate to them? I have been getting many questions on this topic lately. With many people being (too) busy, they often even lack the time to explore outsourcing options. Therefore, this Inspiration Shot offers a variety of practical recommendations for working smarter and outsourcing duties to virtual assistants or ChatGPT, the popular Artificial Intelligence tool. Great news for entrepreneurs and writers on a tight budget. Let yourself be surprised and motivated by the possibilities available to you.
What if you seem to have everything in your life 'under control' and then suddenly get confronted with a health issue? A 'devil's dilemma' even? Then you are forced to look at your situation with completely different eyes. Especially if - in my case - it concerns an eye problem, having already lost partial sight in 1 eye, and the risk of becoming blind suddenly seems very real... How do you deal with such a situation or a similar setback? Do you listen to the experts? Are you going to do your own research? Who do you trust more? The doctors or your own gut feeling? In this inspiration shot we dive deep, very deep into the human psyche. Do you dare to dive?
Puglia is becoming increasingly popular; trendy travel magazines, newspapers and special editions: everyone is writing about the area. Unfortunately, most journalists visit the same places, while there is so much more. Do you want to discover the real Puglia? Since I have been in Puglia for a few months now, almost without interruption, I would like to share with you my love for this authentic part of Italy. In this Inspiration Shot you will find tips, insights and fun facts. Whether you want to take a vacation here, want to practice remote working (during my Workation in April?), want to come and live here or perhaps even invest, here we go…
“If you had to choose, would you rather be blind or deaf?” Do you remember how you answered this hypothetical question? I always chose sight. Even though I know that sound is important, and being able to have a conversation; as a writer, reader, and traveler I value my eyes the most. So it was quite a shock when I suddenly had flashes of light in my right eye a few weeks ago. I rushed to the emergency room of an Italian village hospital… It turned out that part of my retina had detached; I have permanently lost partial sight in one eye. I gained a lot of inSIGHTs from this experience, which I would like to share with you in this inspiration shot.
To me, an airplane is a kind of 'time machine'. You enter with a certain climate, time zone, culture, and language and a little later you exit in a completely different world. Fast travel gives me a kick! But I've wanted to take it easy for a while. So when I saw this super deal on a 1st Class Interrail ticket; 3 months of unlimited travel through Europe, I bought it without thinking. In this inspiration shot I'll take you on my trip and will share some inspiration examples to reflect on your (life) journey: do you prefer fast or slow?