Everyone enjoys watching those reality TV shows where a couple with a romantic idea emigrates to a far-off country to fix up a ruin. They often have no idea what they are getting into and sometimes don't even speak the language. And here I am, car fully loaded, on my way to Puglia, Italy... Planning to live there for the next 9 months, perhaps longer, and to supervise three construction projects. Fortunately, I already speak some Italian, but there will be plenty of challenges. My main question at the moment, however, is more personal: am I traveling towards something, or do I want to get away from something? On the one hand, I want to get away from the messy breakup in Amsterdam (unfortunately the conscious uncoupling did not turn out to be so conscious after all...) and recover on my land in Italy. But on the other hand I also really want to be THERE, surrounded by my olive trees, enjoying them as long as I can, and try to save them with all my energy and creativity. I want to build a new base, connect with the earth, and just BE. I want to create a place where others can also 'land'. Will you join me on this journey?

I've always been different. A loner. A thinker. I haven't always felt understood. Never really belonged anywhere. Didn't want to belong. Maybe I told myself that's what I wanted, because I didn't understand the social 'rules' and how people interact with each other. Over the years I learned the 'codes', but they always felt strange to me, like I was learning the rules of a game I didn't want to play anyway. When I tried to be like others I didn't feel happy and besides, I never managed to blend in anyway. Later I discovered how I could turn my differences and previous 'weaknesses' into my strengths. Now I can be completely my authentic self. Many special people have felt like outsiders when they were young (and often still do today). What if we no longer see our authenticity as a 'disability', but instead discover its power and learn how to use it? This Inspiration Shot gives some tips that may also be useful for the kids around us (and our 'inner child').

The past three months have been hectic. I got corona, one of my father's caretakers suddenly left, I had to deal with the end of a complicated years-long relationship, lost my suitcase with ALL my clothes and found out that my olive trees are infected with a deadly disease. In addition, I continued to have problems with people I hired through an agency and had to transfer a number of projects for the fifth time(!). Of course, there were also nice things; I bought another apartment in Italy, am in the early stages of a new relationship, and enjoyed two parties for my birthday. In the meantime, my work as a book-writing coach also continued and I helped four people to finish their books. All this while traveling through 10 countries on 3 continents, organizing 4 retreats, attending 2 conferences and supervising 2 construction projects in Italy. This was quite a lot, even for me in just three months! How do you keep your energy constant while everything changes around you? Some tips in this Inspiration shot.