The human psyche, human behavior and personal well-being have intrigued me ever since I was a teenager: How does what you say, think or do affect others and how does that in turn reflect back on yourself?
Connecting the polarities we carry inside creates space for growth, development and creation. True strength is derived from the synthesis of two extreme opposites, not from rejecting either one.
"I grew up outside the Netherlands as the youngest sibling of four. I was nine when my family moved to Hong Kong, where my father had accepted a position. After six years in the Far East, I graduated from pre-university education in Brussels and signed up for a Hotel Management Bachelor program. I obtained my degree in 1994. Eager to spend some time abroad, I enrolled in a Chinese course in Taipei, Taiwan. On completion of this course, I accepted a position as a Guest Relations Manager and returned to the Netherlands a year later. Back home, I worked as a TV Producer and as Event Manager at various venues and eventually started my own event agency, inPetto. I ran inPetto with my business partner for seven years, then sold my share of the company and embarked on a round-the-world trip with my partner and our then two-year-old son. A month on our way, we found out that I was pregnant. We decided to continue traveling and our second baby was born in Santiago de Chili, two days after one of the most devastating earthquakes in the century.
I felt the new life inside me and at the same time experienced mortal fear. These experiences are described in my book 'Zwanger in 13 landen' (Pregnant in 13 Countries).
Upon our return, I swapped my flip-flops for high heels and suit again. We simply had to earn a living as we had spent all our money traveling. Around the same time, I came across the fascinating legacy of C.G. Jung. Jung views the personality as a whole consisting of the I, the conscious, the subconscious, of complexes and the collective unconscious – anyway, summarizing Jung in one sentence will never do him justice.
This wealth of experiences and impulses brought to the surface a dream I had cherished deep inside for a long time: a longing to follow my inner voice. While putting on my corporate suit, I heard a voice inside tell me to 'Wake up!'
I took a long and hard look at the picture of my life and started realizing that I had spent the past twenty-five years avoiding the question "Is this what I'm supposed to do here?" I wanted my existence to be meaningful, to make a difference in other people's lives; I wanted to do good and give back to the world.
I believe that everyone has a deep desire for self-realization, to live according to her or his inner soul's destiny. When we live from this inspired wisdom, we feel confident, happy, energetic and creative. We then radiate these forces to our outside world. What we experience inside, we reflect on the outside world and vice versa.
