Life as a dance
Inspiration shot February 2025

Everything has two sides: dark and light, masculine and feminine, yin and yang, ups and downs. Life is a dance. What I learned from tango is that you have a choice: do you focus on ‘following as best as you can,’ or do you go all in and enjoy, even when things don’t go as planned?
The past weeks in Buenos Aires have been a mix of disappointments and beautiful moments, both personally and in the world news. It’s all part of the journey. I used to think life should always be fun, but I’ve realized that by consciously acknowledging the difficult moments, you can appreciate the good ones even more.
This month, I’d love to share a piece of my life dance with you—along with some inspiration for your own.
Tango as a mirror – What I learn from tango
Nine years ago, I arrived in Buenos Aires, found a tango teacher through Google, and took my first steps into a world completely unknown to me—one that turned out to be a mirror for my personal growth over the years. Tango as a mirror. I wrote a blog post about my first life lessons from tango. I continue to be drawn to the dance, the surrender, the flow, the feminine energy—but I also continue to struggle with it.
This time, I decided not to push myself to go to Milongas (dance nights) alone, feeling insecure about my dancing and knowing that I don’t actually enjoy going out—let alone being ‘available’ for the men in attendance. Was I being a coward, or was I simply being kind to myself?
I did continue taking private lessons, though, and once again, I learned subtle details that I could immediately apply to my life: stay centered on your own axis, allow yourself to move femininely, take up space, maintain a connection with the other, take your time, enjoy the music, the movement, and the moment—it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Below is a video of a lesson with my teacher Adrian, who, by the way, will be coming to the Netherlands for my theater show in June! He’ll also be offering private lessons and workshops to share the magic of tango with you.
Theater show: Challenges and progress
June 28 is getting very close! I’ve been practicing tango for my theater show, booked a ticket for my teacher Adrian to come to Amsterdam, found an amazing bright pink suit in Buenos Aires, and am working on even more exciting surprises.
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing… The theater suddenly added 21% VAT on venue rental, technical costs, and more—a significant financial setback. And since many people have been waiting to book their tickets, there are still a few hundred seats available (about half of the theater). I even had a nightmare this week that it was suddenly the day of the show, and I hadn’t prepared anything… I never had an anxious dream before.
Still, I know it will all come together. After all, my show is about trust—and this is just another lesson for me. But honestly? It would be amazing if you grabbed your ticket now!
–> Special offer: Bring a friend, the second person gets their ticket for half price! Plus, everyone will receive a book of their choice, a drink, and a little gift from Italy.
There is also a live stream, in English, so you can join from all over the world.
Let’s make it an unforgettable evening!

AI news: Balancing ease and personal power
For two years now, I’ve been a big fan of ChatGPT—it has completely transformed my work and life. But AI itself has also changed. It’s still fantastic for small tasks, but I’ve discovered its limits. When working on large projects, like structuring and editing books for clients, ‘Chattie’ gets confused: mistakes, laziness, fabrications—sometimes even outright lies. It apologizes politely… and then makes the same mistake again. Frustrating! My trust started to waver.
Recently, I wrote a break-up letter to ChatGPT and started a new relationship with Claude. Promising, as new loves often are. But soon, Claude stumbled over the same challenges. And then something remarkable happened: what AI couldn’t do, my own brain could—helped by a few energizing sips of the Argentine mate. I saw the structure and knew exactly what belonged where, what could be merged, and what was redundant.
Many people fear AI will take over their jobs, but if you’re truly good at something, you have nothing to worry about. Trust yourself. I recently wrote this blog post about it: AI: Threat or invitation?
Still, I remain an AI fan. Its ease and power are revolutionary. It’s all about balance: use AI as a tool, but stay sharp yourself.
Starting this month, I’m writing a monthly AI column for the famous Dutch magazine Intermediair. The first one? Never type again: How chatGPT can write your emails for you.
Plus, I’ve trained three AIs that can help you—the Esther way:
Try them out for free (start small!). Who knows—AI might change your life too!
Workshop alert
My most popular workshops are now available as digital bundles!
You don’t just get a recording of the most recent live workshop—you get full access to ALL my knowledge on the topic.
Each workshop bundle includes:
–> One or more live-recorded workshops packed with insights.
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–> Links to extra materials, bonus videos, and books.
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In short, this is the complete resource to get started right away with all the knowledge, tools, and inspiration you need.
Available Workshops:
- Modern promotion & free publicity (new!)
- ‘How to turn anything into a business’ (new!)
- Energy management & burnout prevention (new!)
- Digital Nomad
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The ‘from idea to book’ workshops are coming soon!

Inspiration bites
VIDEO
‘Americanisms’
I don’t want to focus too much on the USA right now, but I couldn’t resist sharing this funny video about George Washington’s dream—filled with ‘Americanisms.’ Sadly, jokes like these seem to be timeless…
KEEP IT SIMPLE
‘How to measure like a Brit’
The Dynamite Circle London WhatsApp group is full of self-deprecating humor. This image says it all.
PS. Someone even added that they measure fuel range in miles per gallon and fuel prices per liter. Makes perfect sense, right? 😆
VIDEO
Stoffel the honey badger keeps escaping
A true freedom fighter! This video really got me thinking. On one hand, Stoffel is hilarious, persistent, and incredibly intelligent—you can’t help but admire his determination. On the other hand, it also brings up an uncomfortable question: who are we to keep animals locked up?
PODCAST
The heart of Napoleon
Along the path Napoleon carved through history, there’s another, more hidden trail—the path of love. I’m currently listening to this fascinating (Dutch) podcast, which dives into Napoleon’s love life. It plays like an unexpected novel, set against a historical backdrop. Highly recommended!
Did you know...?
…that I’m listening to my intuition more and more? That inner voice grows stronger the more space it gets These days, I dare to express what I feel more often, and that sometimes leads to beautifully intense moments—like this emotional encounter with a female customs officer at Buenos Aires airport.

Where is Esther?
When I landed in Buenos Aires in early January, my good friend and tango teacher Adrian welcomed me at the airport. I was excited to dance and enjoy the city, but strangely enough, Buenos Aires felt a bit disappointing this time. The heat was intense (35°C), prices had skyrocketed, and finding good food was a challenge. A pot of organic Greek yogurt, for example, cost $19 USD, and if I could find any expensive organic eggs, they often weren’t fresh. It made me realize how much I value local, fresh food—something that had been so effortless in Peru.
I also felt pressured by my own expectations—I ‘had’ to go to tango nights, even though I don’t actually enjoy going out. After experiencing such a strong sense of community in Peru, Buenos Aires felt a little empty this time.
Still, I tried to make the most of my three weeks. I walked a lot through the green city with its endless cafés (you can find my favorite spots here: Buenos Aires tips), took private tango lessons with Adrian, Mora, and Mariana, and went dancing a few times. I also met up with friends, including Vladimir, the watercolor teacher who once taught me life lessons from painting with watercolors. I caught up with some members of the Dynamite Circle and trained live with my Argentine personal trainer, Ezequiel, for three weeks. Since we met a year ago in a Buenos Aires gym, we’ve only done online workouts. (Watch this reel of our live training).
Between Buenos Aires and Miami, I had nothing planned. Two weeks of open space in my calendar—how wonderful! In the middle of the heatwave, I spontaneously decided to return to Peru, back to the greenery, the mountains, the community that inspired me, and the delicious, healthy food. I’ll spend the last week of January there, reconnecting with nature and going on road trips with the friends I made.
I am now on my way to Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, a stunning lake surrounded by volcanoes and a spiritual community. It’s special to revisit this place after extensively traveling there in the ’90s. The contrast between today’s comforts and how life there has remained relatively unchanged continues to fascinate me.
From Guatemala, I’ll travel via Miami (to visit my dad and sister), New York (to see my brother), and Amsterdam, before heading to France and the Netherlands, and finally settling in Italy—where I plan to rest for a month (or longer) after all this traveling.
The adventure always calls, but I’m also realizing how nice it is to return to places and people that feel like home.
PS. You can always follow where I am via my website calendar.

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