The power of rituals

Inspiration shot October 2024

Last month was all about places, people, and habits that have always had a deep impact on me. Whether it was rereading my favorite books, watching Breaking Bad for the third time, the annual holiday with my sorority friends that I’ve known for 35 years, or returning to familiar places like my TinyTrullo in Puglia and my father’s in Miami; there is power in repetition. By spending time in the same places and with the same people, and regularly repeating activities, I discover new layers each time and get a fresh perspective on what used to seem so familiar. It is precisely through these rituals that more depth is created and I feel even more connected to my environment and experiences. Repetition lets me dive deeper, improves contact, and allows me to see things that I previously overlooked.

Curious about how you can find new depth in the familiar? In this Inspiration Shot you’ll discover how rituals and repetition can enrich your life.

The power of friendship: depth through tradition

For 35 years I have been going on annual trips with my year club from Nyenrode University. Two or three of us organize the trip; our destination is always a surprise for the others. This time we were in Thessaloniki. It actually doesn’t really matter where we go, because it is all about being together. When you see each other every now and then, the conversations often remain an update of ‘what has happened in your life lately?’ The luxury of time and the familiarity during such a trip create wonderful conversations and deep insights and you feel even more connected. It is a privilege for me to spend time with these beautiful friends, and I appreciate how they often see my growth and development better than I do myself. It is precisely these rituals that bring depth and ensure that we get to know each other and ourselves better.

The surprise of rewatching: always discovering something new

I am now watching the Netflix series Breaking Bad for the third (!) time. The first time was really overwhelming and binge-worthy. Then I discovered Better Call Saul, the great prequel, and that experience made me curious to watch ‘Breaking Bad’ again. After ‘Better Call Saul’ you understand the story even better. Recently I started again, for the third time, and again I see new things. The character development and the story are just…brilliant! If you have time and want to completely immerse yourself in another world, dive into ‘Breaking Bad’ – and if you have already seen it, feel free to watch it again…

The power of the harvest: a new miracle every year

At the end of this month is olive harvest time in Puglia. Every year I am grateful that my olive trees still bear fruit, despite the deadly Xylella virus, while many trees in the area have already died. Every year I think it will be the last harvest, but so far there is always another year. This year I expect less yield, but ‘adoptive parents’ of a tree are guaranteed their 5-liter can. The rest will be delivered in order of order, and the pre-sale closes at the end of the month. Delivery is in early December in the Netherlands, Amsterdam, or Curaçao.

Olive oil has become scarce and expensive due to climate change, but my prices have remained the same and the oil gets tastier every year. View all the details here and reserve your can of fresh olive oil now!

New rituals: make ChatGPT part of your daily routine

AI and tools like ChatGPT have quickly become a permanent part of my daily life. They are not temporary hypes, but new rituals that greatly increase my productivity. Whether it is finding inspiration, processing information, or sharing valuable lessons, ChatGPT helps me take a step further every day. I have the app on the home screen of my phone and speak my prompts instead of typing them. This has created a routine in which I can work quickly and efficiently, while at the same time having room for creativity and deepening. In my last live workshop Digital Delegation on Oct 16th, I share how AI can help you create more time and space for the things that really matter. Discover how AI can become your new ritual! Below are some tips and news on how you can use ChatGPT to make your life and work easier.

From document to podcast: discover the power of NotebookLM

Recently I discovered the new AI tool NotebookLM that can turn your book or article into a podcast with the click of a button. I uploaded my book ‘What’s Your Excuse?’ and it resulted in a fantastic half-hour podcast, in which two hosts discuss my story and draw interesting insights from it. Listen to the podcast here and experience it yourself!

Great news for Dutch people 😉 it’s completely free! For now, the podcast is only in English, but you can upload Dutch documents.

Workshop alert

Want to get started with ChatGPT but not sure how? Already using it and want to learn more?

Discover the power of virtual assistants, remote teams, and the magic of AI tools like ChatGPT to support you, and help you run and grow your business.

This live online workshop shows every business owner, consultant, writer, coach, and online entrepreneur how to get the help they need, at a price everyone can afford.

PS. This is my last workshop ever, so don’t miss this opportunity. (You’ll receive the recording afterward, so even if you can’t join live it’s worth it.)

Inspiration bites

FAVORITE CHATGPT PROMPT

Want to improve your email, newsletter, social media post, book, business plan, or contract? Ask “Can you improve this?” or “What do you need from me to make this better?”

The image below was also created by ChatGPT.

INSPIRATION BY JODIE

If you want great chatGPT tips and surprising prompts, follow my Dynamite Circle friend Jodie Cook on Linkedin.

She regularly gives practical examples that are useful for every entrepreneur and that show you what is possible.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Jeanine Mies joined one of on my writing retreats and recently published her book Magnet Words.

Positive words that say what you DO want and attract people irresistibly.

LOST YOUR PHONE?

I recently accidentally left my iPhone in a restaurant toilet. Luckily I found it, but that got me thinking. Tip: put your email address (NOT your phone number!) on your home screen, so that anyone who finds it can easily reach you.

Did you know...?

…that I wrote a book in 1 week? And that you can learn from it how to use ChatGPT.

I have already written 30 books, coached hundreds of people, and even co-authored a few books with others. But this time it was different: earlier this month I completed my first VIP ghostwriting assignment and wrote a business book for a client in just one week. It was an intensive process, but also a wonderful challenge in which I was able to apply all the experience and knowledge I have gained over the years, combined with the help of ChatGPT. Check out my blog with insights and tips, also useful if you don’t want a book!

Where is Esther?

This week I am in Amsterdam before I leave for Thailand for my writing retreat there. Last week I gave a KeyNote presentation for the first time in a while for a company that had seen me on talk show WNL earlier this year. They invited me to give an inspiring talk at their anniversary – and it was so much fun to be on stage again!

The past few weeks I have spent time in Puglia, where I finished a new apartment. The result is beautiful, with of course a new learning curve with lessons about renovating abroad. My neighbors are so kind to always bring me vegetables and fruit when I am there. I really feel at home there.

After that, I flew to Miami to visit my father. I had the feeling that his Alzheimer’s was getting worse and I didn’t want to wait until January to see him again. In this video, you can see how I surprised him when he woke up. Luckily my friend Maanwilla, who lives in Aruba, will stay with him for a few weeks to help out. She and my father have known each other for about 20 years. For my return flight to Europe, I had treated myself to business class, because I had to fly straight through the next day. But that turned out to be a bit of a blunder #firstworldproblems

In Thessaloniki, where I was with my Sorority friends last week, I met another old friend: Stavros, with whom I studied 30 years ago in Gainesville, Florida, together with Christos. I found this old photo of us. Find the seven differences 😉

In short: life is full of surprises and beautiful encounters!

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