Taking the lead in a world full of surprises<\/h1>\nInspiration shot May 2025<\/h3>\n<\/div>![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_0758.jpeg\" "\\"IMG_0758\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Life surprises us. Sometimes in unexpected ways, with a strange conversation or an absurd experience you could never have made up. And sometimes it hits hard, with a phone call you wish you had never received. You never know when someone might suddenly end up in an ambulance.<\/p>\n
That is exactly why I believe true freedom starts with being prepared. Not trying to control everything, but knowing what you can do when it really matters. Choosing what you can influence. And making sure you know yourself extremely well, so you are never caught off guard by how you react. This month, I am sharing moments where that made all the difference for me, hoping this will help you to find something to hold on to your own freedom a little more firmly.<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Lesson from a fall<\/h2>\n<\/div>\u201cYour father has fallen…\u201d Recently, I got the phone call I had been dreading for a long time. Dad was in an ambulance on his way to the hospital. Fortunately, he ended up with just a big bump on his head and some scrapes on his elbow and knee.<\/p>\n
Because of his Alzheimer\u2019s, he quickly forgot the fall, but for his caregiver and for us, his children, the impact lingered. One thing brought peace of mind: I had all the important documents digitally accessible in Dropbox. Lesson: Make sure you (and the people around you) have immediate access to essential information in case of an emergency.\u00a0Here\u2019s the full story.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/esther-dad.jpg\" "\\"esther")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>AI expert?<\/h2>\n<\/div>It\u2019s funny that people now see me as an AI expert – because of my monthly column with ChatGPT tips in\u00a0Intermediair<\/em>\u00a0and how I use it practically in daily life – while I\u2019m still learning new things every single day.<\/p>\nBut every time I show somebody how I use ChatGPT, they say\u00a0it\u2019s truly life changing. As I always say: you\u2019re already an \u2018expert\u2019 if you just know a little more than others and can help them with it. My latest columns are:\u00a0ChatGPT as a coach<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Do you need to credit ChatGPT as a source?<\/a><\/p>\nI\u2019ve now made my self-trained Esther AIs easily accessible via estherjacobs.ai<\/a>. Free tools to help with book writing, becoming a digital nomad, gaining more freedom, and working smarter. Super handy, even if you don\u2019t (yet) know ChatGPT well.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-2025-05-07-at-11.32.39.png\")
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Theatershow update<\/h2>\n<\/div>Only 7 weeks to go until my\u00a0theatre show<\/a>! I can hardly believe it. There\u2019s still so much to plan, do, and organize. And yet I feel confident, like it\u2019s all going to come together. I\u2019m actually really excited.<\/p>\nDo you have your ticket yet? You can also join via the livestream.<\/p>\n
On social media, I regularly share stories around the show. Like the insight\u00a0‘I can\u2019t die yet!’<\/a>\u00a0or this one about\u00a0duality<\/a>\u00a0and what I realized about\u00a0a happy ending (but not the way you\u2019d expect)<\/a>\u00a0during recent interviews.<\/p>\n<\/div>get your ticket here (theater of livestream)<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/theater-show.jpg\" "\\"theater")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Inspiration bites<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>INTERVIEW
\nTravel, life, entrepreneurship<\/a><\/h3>\nThe Dutch\u00a0&C magazine<\/a>\u00a0interviewed me about making choices, failing a hundred times, and getting to know yourself extremely well.<\/p>\nEverything is covered: readers said it is the perfect ‘end of career’ interview!<\/p>\n<\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inspiration-bites-c.png\" "\\"inspiration")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>RADIO SHOW
\nSecond date update<\/a><\/h3>\nHilarious interviews where someone who ghosted after a first date gets a call asking\u00a0Why?<\/em>\u00a0And whether they\u2019re up for a second date.<\/p>\nWhether the funny stories are scripted or not, it\u2019s very entertaining.<\/p>\n<\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inspiration-bites-second-date-update.png\" "\\"inspiration")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>SINGLES AD
\nThe power of marketing<\/h3>\n
1,500 responses to a single ad\u2026 Surprise! Hopefully, we can also help that many puppies find a new home!<\/p>\n<\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inspiration-bites-singles-ad.jpeg\" "\\"inspiration")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>FUNNY STORY
\nThe weirdest Marketplace experience<\/h3>\n
You hear a lot of strange stories about Marketplace, but\u00a0this wild one about FB Marketplace<\/a> truly tops them all. And it\u2019s told in such a hilarious way too:<\/p>\n<\/div>![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inspiration-bites-wild-fb-marketplace-story.png\" "\\"inspiration")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Did you know...?<\/h2>\n\u2026that I\u2019m retiring in two months, but I still plan to keep working?<\/p>\n
Many people ask if I\u2019ll be doing absolutely nothing from now on. After\u00a0my theatre show<\/a>\u00a0on June 28, I\u2019m stepping back from\u00a0running a business.<\/em> No more workshops. No more team meetings. No packed schedule. No focus on growth, but instead on rest.<\/p>\nFor anyone who wants to learn from all the tips and experiences I\u2019ve gathered, there are now my\u00a0\u2018Best of Esther\u2019 workshop video bundles<\/a>.<\/p>\nStill, I want to keep doing what I love most: helping people tell their story. Finding the essence in a pile of words. Creating impact through books, talks, and interviews.<\/p>\n
So no, I\u2019m not\u00a0really\u00a0retiring. I\u2019m just going to focus on the things I enjoy the most:\u00a0writing coaching<\/a>,\u00a0manuscript reviews<\/a>, VIP ghostwriting, and one-off\u00a0RESULTant sessions.<\/a><\/p>\nPeace. Space. Results.<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/did-you-know-.jpg\" "\\"did")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Where is Esther?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The past few weeks have been full of surprises and special encounters.
\nI hosted a\u00a0private writing retreat<\/a>\u00a0for a 78-year-old American lady in my trullo in Italy. Alongside writing, I also taught her\u00a0how to use ChatGPT<\/a>. \u201cLife changing,\u201d she said, and it truly felt that way for both of us.<\/p>\nOver Easter, I was in Rome with my friend Annaliza, who lives just outside the city for twenty years. On our way into Rome, the radio announced that the Pope had passed away less than an hour earlier. We decided to go to St. Peter\u2019s Square. The atmosphere was magical and intense at the same time: grieving religious people, silence, confusion, while many tourists had no idea what had just happened. A historic moment to witness up close.<\/p>\n
After a week in the Netherlands full of King\u2019s Day buzz, catching up with friends, and a prep visit to the theatre with my team, I flew to Miami to spend two days with my father. Thankfully, he had recovered well from his fall. We shared some beautiful moments, including one\u00a0where he suddenly became very lucid<\/a>\u00a0and one at Starbucks, where I\u00a0connected warmly with someone who overheard us talking.<\/a><\/p>\nNow I\u2019m in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, at the Dynamite Circle conference, my\u00a0‘tribe’\u00a0of successful location-independent entrepreneurs. Friends, colleagues, and kindred spirits. This week I\u2019m hosting a workshop called ‘How a book can boost your business – and how to write it.’<\/p>\n
In the second half of May, I\u2019ll be wrapping up my final coaching programs and shifting into full theatre-show prep mode. At the end of May, I\u2019m heading to Mallorca for\u00a0my very last writing retreat<\/a>\u00a0on the island that has meant so much to me over the years.<\/p>\nAfter that: two weeks of full focus on the show. And then\u2026 I hope to see you on June 28 in\u00a0Theater Amsterdam\u00a0or online via the livestream!<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Life surprises us. Sometimes in unexpected ways, with a strange conversation or an absurd experience you could never have made up. And sometimes it hits hard, with a phone call you wish you had never received. You never know when someone might suddenly end up in an ambulance.<\/p>\n
That is exactly why I believe true freedom starts with being prepared. Not trying to control everything, but knowing what you can do when it really matters. Choosing what you can influence. And making sure you know yourself extremely well, so you are never caught off guard by how you react. This month, I am sharing moments where that made all the difference for me, hoping this will help you to find something to hold on to your own freedom a little more firmly.<\/p>\n<\/div>
Lesson from a fall<\/h2>\n<\/div>\u201cYour father has fallen…\u201d Recently, I got the phone call I had been dreading for a long time. Dad was in an ambulance on his way to the hospital. Fortunately, he ended up with just a big bump on his head and some scrapes on his elbow and knee.<\/p>\n
Because of his Alzheimer\u2019s, he quickly forgot the fall, but for his caregiver and for us, his children, the impact lingered. One thing brought peace of mind: I had all the important documents digitally accessible in Dropbox. Lesson: Make sure you (and the people around you) have immediate access to essential information in case of an emergency.\u00a0Here\u2019s the full story.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>AI expert?<\/h2>\n<\/div>It\u2019s funny that people now see me as an AI expert – because of my monthly column with ChatGPT tips in\u00a0Intermediair<\/em>\u00a0and how I use it practically in daily life – while I\u2019m still learning new things every single day.<\/p>\nBut every time I show somebody how I use ChatGPT, they say\u00a0it\u2019s truly life changing. As I always say: you\u2019re already an \u2018expert\u2019 if you just know a little more than others and can help them with it. My latest columns are:\u00a0ChatGPT as a coach<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Do you need to credit ChatGPT as a source?<\/a><\/p>\nI\u2019ve now made my self-trained Esther AIs easily accessible via estherjacobs.ai<\/a>. Free tools to help with book writing, becoming a digital nomad, gaining more freedom, and working smarter. Super handy, even if you don\u2019t (yet) know ChatGPT well.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Theatershow update<\/h2>\n<\/div>Only 7 weeks to go until my\u00a0theatre show<\/a>! I can hardly believe it. There\u2019s still so much to plan, do, and organize. And yet I feel confident, like it\u2019s all going to come together. I\u2019m actually really excited.<\/p>\nDo you have your ticket yet? You can also join via the livestream.<\/p>\n
On social media, I regularly share stories around the show. Like the insight\u00a0‘I can\u2019t die yet!’<\/a>\u00a0or this one about\u00a0duality<\/a>\u00a0and what I realized about\u00a0a happy ending (but not the way you\u2019d expect)<\/a>\u00a0during recent interviews.<\/p>\n<\/div>get your ticket here (theater of livestream)<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Inspiration bites<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>INTERVIEW
\nTravel, life, entrepreneurship<\/a><\/h3>\nThe Dutch\u00a0&C magazine<\/a>\u00a0interviewed me about making choices, failing a hundred times, and getting to know yourself extremely well.<\/p>\nEverything is covered: readers said it is the perfect ‘end of career’ interview!<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>RADIO SHOW
\nSecond date update<\/a><\/h3>\nHilarious interviews where someone who ghosted after a first date gets a call asking\u00a0Why?<\/em>\u00a0And whether they\u2019re up for a second date.<\/p>\nWhether the funny stories are scripted or not, it\u2019s very entertaining.<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>SINGLES AD
\nThe power of marketing<\/h3>\n
1,500 responses to a single ad\u2026 Surprise! Hopefully, we can also help that many puppies find a new home!<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>FUNNY STORY
\nThe weirdest Marketplace experience<\/h3>\n
You hear a lot of strange stories about Marketplace, but\u00a0this wild one about FB Marketplace<\/a> truly tops them all. And it\u2019s told in such a hilarious way too:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Did you know...?<\/h2>\n\u2026that I\u2019m retiring in two months, but I still plan to keep working?<\/p>\n
Many people ask if I\u2019ll be doing absolutely nothing from now on. After\u00a0my theatre show<\/a>\u00a0on June 28, I\u2019m stepping back from\u00a0running a business.<\/em> No more workshops. No more team meetings. No packed schedule. No focus on growth, but instead on rest.<\/p>\nFor anyone who wants to learn from all the tips and experiences I\u2019ve gathered, there are now my\u00a0\u2018Best of Esther\u2019 workshop video bundles<\/a>.<\/p>\nStill, I want to keep doing what I love most: helping people tell their story. Finding the essence in a pile of words. Creating impact through books, talks, and interviews.<\/p>\n
So no, I\u2019m not\u00a0really\u00a0retiring. I\u2019m just going to focus on the things I enjoy the most:\u00a0writing coaching<\/a>,\u00a0manuscript reviews<\/a>, VIP ghostwriting, and one-off\u00a0RESULTant sessions.<\/a><\/p>\nPeace. Space. Results.<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Where is Esther?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The past few weeks have been full of surprises and special encounters.
\nI hosted a\u00a0private writing retreat<\/a>\u00a0for a 78-year-old American lady in my trullo in Italy. Alongside writing, I also taught her\u00a0how to use ChatGPT<\/a>. \u201cLife changing,\u201d she said, and it truly felt that way for both of us.<\/p>\nOver Easter, I was in Rome with my friend Annaliza, who lives just outside the city for twenty years. On our way into Rome, the radio announced that the Pope had passed away less than an hour earlier. We decided to go to St. Peter\u2019s Square. The atmosphere was magical and intense at the same time: grieving religious people, silence, confusion, while many tourists had no idea what had just happened. A historic moment to witness up close.<\/p>\n
After a week in the Netherlands full of King\u2019s Day buzz, catching up with friends, and a prep visit to the theatre with my team, I flew to Miami to spend two days with my father. Thankfully, he had recovered well from his fall. We shared some beautiful moments, including one\u00a0where he suddenly became very lucid<\/a>\u00a0and one at Starbucks, where I\u00a0connected warmly with someone who overheard us talking.<\/a><\/p>\nNow I\u2019m in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, at the Dynamite Circle conference, my\u00a0‘tribe’\u00a0of successful location-independent entrepreneurs. Friends, colleagues, and kindred spirits. This week I\u2019m hosting a workshop called ‘How a book can boost your business – and how to write it.’<\/p>\n
In the second half of May, I\u2019ll be wrapping up my final coaching programs and shifting into full theatre-show prep mode. At the end of May, I\u2019m heading to Mallorca for\u00a0my very last writing retreat<\/a>\u00a0on the island that has meant so much to me over the years.<\/p>\nAfter that: two weeks of full focus on the show. And then\u2026 I hope to see you on June 28 in\u00a0Theater Amsterdam\u00a0or online via the livestream!<\/p>\n
\u201cYour father has fallen…\u201d Recently, I got the phone call I had been dreading for a long time. Dad was in an ambulance on his way to the hospital. Fortunately, he ended up with just a big bump on his head and some scrapes on his elbow and knee.<\/p>\n
Because of his Alzheimer\u2019s, he quickly forgot the fall, but for his caregiver and for us, his children, the impact lingered. One thing brought peace of mind: I had all the important documents digitally accessible in Dropbox. Lesson: Make sure you (and the people around you) have immediate access to essential information in case of an emergency.\u00a0Here\u2019s the full story.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> It\u2019s funny that people now see me as an AI expert – because of my monthly column with ChatGPT tips in\u00a0Intermediair<\/em>\u00a0and how I use it practically in daily life – while I\u2019m still learning new things every single day.<\/p>\n But every time I show somebody how I use ChatGPT, they say\u00a0it\u2019s truly life changing. As I always say: you\u2019re already an \u2018expert\u2019 if you just know a little more than others and can help them with it. My latest columns are:\u00a0ChatGPT as a coach<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Do you need to credit ChatGPT as a source?<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019ve now made my self-trained Esther AIs easily accessible via estherjacobs.ai<\/a>. Free tools to help with book writing, becoming a digital nomad, gaining more freedom, and working smarter. Super handy, even if you don\u2019t (yet) know ChatGPT well.<\/p>\n<\/div> Only 7 weeks to go until my\u00a0theatre show<\/a>! I can hardly believe it. There\u2019s still so much to plan, do, and organize. And yet I feel confident, like it\u2019s all going to come together. I\u2019m actually really excited.<\/p>\n Do you have your ticket yet? You can also join via the livestream.<\/p>\n On social media, I regularly share stories around the show. Like the insight\u00a0‘I can\u2019t die yet!’<\/a>\u00a0or this one about\u00a0duality<\/a>\u00a0and what I realized about\u00a0a happy ending (but not the way you\u2019d expect)<\/a>\u00a0during recent interviews.<\/p>\n<\/div> The Dutch\u00a0&C magazine<\/a>\u00a0interviewed me about making choices, failing a hundred times, and getting to know yourself extremely well.<\/p>\n Everything is covered: readers said it is the perfect ‘end of career’ interview!<\/p>\n<\/div> Hilarious interviews where someone who ghosted after a first date gets a call asking\u00a0Why?<\/em>\u00a0And whether they\u2019re up for a second date.<\/p>\n Whether the funny stories are scripted or not, it\u2019s very entertaining.<\/p>\n<\/div> 1,500 responses to a single ad\u2026 Surprise! Hopefully, we can also help that many puppies find a new home!<\/p>\n<\/div> You hear a lot of strange stories about Marketplace, but\u00a0this wild one about FB Marketplace<\/a> truly tops them all. And it\u2019s told in such a hilarious way too:<\/p>\n<\/div> \u2026that I\u2019m retiring in two months, but I still plan to keep working?<\/p>\n Many people ask if I\u2019ll be doing absolutely nothing from now on. After\u00a0my theatre show<\/a>\u00a0on June 28, I\u2019m stepping back from\u00a0running a business.<\/em> No more workshops. No more team meetings. No packed schedule. No focus on growth, but instead on rest.<\/p>\n For anyone who wants to learn from all the tips and experiences I\u2019ve gathered, there are now my\u00a0\u2018Best of Esther\u2019 workshop video bundles<\/a>.<\/p>\n Still, I want to keep doing what I love most: helping people tell their story. Finding the essence in a pile of words. Creating impact through books, talks, and interviews.<\/p>\n So no, I\u2019m not\u00a0really\u00a0retiring. I\u2019m just going to focus on the things I enjoy the most:\u00a0writing coaching<\/a>,\u00a0manuscript reviews<\/a>, VIP ghostwriting, and one-off\u00a0RESULTant sessions.<\/a><\/p>\n Peace. Space. Results.<\/p>\n<\/div> The past few weeks have been full of surprises and special encounters. Over Easter, I was in Rome with my friend Annaliza, who lives just outside the city for twenty years. On our way into Rome, the radio announced that the Pope had passed away less than an hour earlier. We decided to go to St. Peter\u2019s Square. The atmosphere was magical and intense at the same time: grieving religious people, silence, confusion, while many tourists had no idea what had just happened. A historic moment to witness up close.<\/p>\n After a week in the Netherlands full of King\u2019s Day buzz, catching up with friends, and a prep visit to the theatre with my team, I flew to Miami to spend two days with my father. Thankfully, he had recovered well from his fall. We shared some beautiful moments, including one\u00a0where he suddenly became very lucid<\/a>\u00a0and one at Starbucks, where I\u00a0connected warmly with someone who overheard us talking.<\/a><\/p>\n Now I\u2019m in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, at the Dynamite Circle conference, my\u00a0‘tribe’\u00a0of successful location-independent entrepreneurs. Friends, colleagues, and kindred spirits. This week I\u2019m hosting a workshop called ‘How a book can boost your business – and how to write it.’<\/p>\n In the second half of May, I\u2019ll be wrapping up my final coaching programs and shifting into full theatre-show prep mode. At the end of May, I\u2019m heading to Mallorca for\u00a0my very last writing retreat<\/a>\u00a0on the island that has meant so much to me over the years.<\/p>\n After that: two weeks of full focus on the show. And then\u2026 I hope to see you on June 28 in\u00a0Theater Amsterdam\u00a0or online via the livestream!<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>AI expert?<\/h2>\n<\/div>
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div>Theatershow update<\/h2>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Inspiration bites<\/h2>\n<\/div>
INTERVIEW
\nTravel, life, entrepreneurship<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/span><\/div>RADIO SHOW
\nSecond date update<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/span><\/div>SINGLES AD
\nThe power of marketing<\/h3>\n<\/span><\/div>FUNNY STORY
\nThe weirdest Marketplace experience<\/h3>\n<\/span><\/div>Did you know...?<\/h2>
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Where is Esther?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>
\nI hosted a\u00a0private writing retreat<\/a>\u00a0for a 78-year-old American lady in my trullo in Italy. Alongside writing, I also taught her\u00a0how to use ChatGPT<\/a>. \u201cLife changing,\u201d she said, and it truly felt that way for both of us.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/estherjacobs.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/collage-may.jpeg\" "\\"collage")
<\/span><\/div><\/div>