Shot of inspiration

Perhaps you are looking for shade under the sun during your vacation, perhaps you are confronted with your own dark sides now that the summer does not seem to be taking off in many places. Nowadays I actively seek out my own dark sides, during tantra retreats. And I do not avoid them in 'normal life' either. Shadow work is a type of self-development in which we focus on our dark sides: characteristics or parts of ourselves that we normally prefer not to face or share with others. Things that irritate you in others, your so-called 'triggers' are often indications of where your own 'shadow' is. Actively seeking out your shadow, exposing it and integrating it, is called shadow work. It is not therapy. So it is not a 'problem' that needs to be solved, it is discovering a part of you where some more development can be achieved. You get to know yourself even better by looking at your contradictions. In this inspiration shot I will go into this a little deeper. Dive into the dark with me, if you dare?

During the recent Workation in Italy it became painfully clear again: many entrepreneurs do not dare to step into the spotlight; whether they have 50 years of experience, have written a book, hold impressive titles and positions, or have an important message to help others… ‘Who am I?’, ‘What will others think?’ and ‘actually what I do is very normal’ are common phrases. Some overthink it or make it too big, while the magic is actually in the little things. I have been sharing everything I experience for almost 25 years, and I still continue to learn. In this Inspiration Shot I'll share some ideas and tips about visibility.

I had already written an inspiration shot about health (“What is health anyway? Traditionally, health is often seen as the absence of disease, but is that all?”) when I got dengue fever, high fever and excruciating pain in all my bones and joints, during my writing retreat in Curaçao. That brought me face to face with how even those little things that we normally take for granted are not so common at all. Things that normally don't cost you energy, such as talking or eating, or being awake or lifting your head... In this inspiration shot we look at health.

My month in Argentina was not just about dancing tango in Buenos Aires... I also did a tantra retreat. Many people think that tantra is only about s*x, but I learn essential life lessons every time; more about that later. The result: I feel more 'alive' than ever. I am more in my feminine energy, I look better, I experience more connection with others, my business is booming and I have more fun in life! In this Inspiration shot I would like to share my insights, so that you too can live life more lightly.

For a few months now I have felt a deep inner peace. I am at peace and relaxed. Something that I had been actively looking for for years just suddenly appeared. And it seems like it's not going away. I am no longer in 'survival mode'. I am much more in the moment and can enjoy it more. It feels great. In this inspiration shot I will share what I did to achieve this; hopefully it will also bring you one step closer to your inner peace; and give you hope that it is really possible, even if - like me - you have to come a long way...

Many people make a 'to do list' of their new year resolutions. However, just like this 'alternative Christmas to do list', we can also make a 'not-to-do list' for 2024. Or a list of things that make you happy; that you don't have to do, but with which you can just be. The preparations for my theater show are an example of this; it gives me so much energy! While I will continue to offer my workshops, writing retreats and coaching this year, it feels like I have already started just being and doing fun creative things, without planning. What does your (not) to do list for 2024 look like?

For years the greatest desire that appeared in my meditations was to feel more 'space'. After more than 50 years of extreme productivity and 'no excuses', I long for space to be. No more to-do lists, appointments, or obligations. More room for spontaneous adventure and creativity. On my 55th birthday, on June 28th, 2025, I will say goodbye to this productive phase of life with a one-off 'No excuses!' Theater show in Amsterdam. From then on I have decided to turn everything around. Instead of trying to work less and create islands of being in a life of doing, I want to switch to being with at most a few small islands of doing on it. The most precious moments in my life happened spontaneously when I had nothing planned. I want more of that! So I'm not going to plan anything after my 'retirement'. I don't want to fill the space that is created, although there are hundreds of courses and trips I could plan. That would be continuing in the same way, only with different 'do' things. Strangely enough, that empty agenda after my 55th birthday does not feel 'empty', it is not a 'lack of actions'. It feels actually full; full of possibilities! In this inspiration shot I will take you through my plans (plus how you can still work with me on your dream over the next 1.5 years). I'll also show how you can find your balance between 'doing' and 'being'. Because the magic is hidden in the latter…

People often ask me: how do you do it? How do you turn seemingly irrelevant experiences such as raising money for charities, a relationship with a playboy, being fired from the Netherlands, dancing tango or picking olives into a successful workshop, book or retreat? The secret is: use what presents itself. Don't resist new developments, but be curious, try to find 'the present in the shit'. Some people have been following me for 15-20 years. They say they get inspired because I keep reinventing myself. Nice to hear, of course, but for me it is just different aspects of myself that suddenly become visible in a certain context. In this inspiration shot I'll give you some great examples and tips on how you too can continue to reinvent yourself.

I cannot express how excited I am about ChatGPT and all the developments related to AI. I'm definitely not a 'techie', but since a friend explained to me how it works in 5 minutes a few months ago, every day has been a journey of discovery. I pass on some of that knowledge to everyone I coach or meet and I myself learn from other entrepreneurs. In this inspiration shot I share some of my most important eye openers. Hopefully you will also be (even more!) inspired.