Summer inspirations & reflections

When summer hits in the Netherlands, the party is on. Around me, people exclaim "iee aah oee" as they step onto the hot sandy beach. Well, "beach." It's the small sandy patch in Rotterdam at the Kralingse Plas, where everyone without a garden seems to gather, seeking a bit of cooling off. You can swim there, there's a cold shower, and when it gets too hot, you can always take shelter under the cool shade of the trees that act as a large fan, protecting us from the sun.

Seeking sun and inspiration

Today, I’m not looking for protection. I lie in my bikini under the blazing sun, trying to soak up the sun's rays to get and retain that vitamin C. This summer has been stingy with nice weather, so I'm trying to make the most of it while I’m still on vacation.

The lively atmosphere of the city

I look around and take in how people are enjoying the summer. Coolers are being lugged around, children's toys float in the water, and barbecues are already being fired up in the afternoon. One advantage of Rotterdam is there's always someone barbecuing, filling the park with the smells of slightly charred meat and overly hot coals. There is no silence in this nature, but a constant hum of playing children, gossiping teenagers, and panting elders. The merging of the city fills me with joy, despite sometimes wondering why I’m still here. The cumulative energy of people enjoying themselves is contagious.

My first summer as an entrepreneur

This summer is also my first as an entrepreneur. I’ve just returned from a vacation where there’s no automatic income (although I was already used to this considering that within a normal month there isn't an income guarantee either). A vacation where I made a last-minute sales call before boarding a boat, where my reception would be even more questionable than on the campsite. My mind didn't fully switch off, and ideas kept flowing, yet I feel recharged. Taking a bit more distance; working on my business instead of in it.

What do you really need?

During this vacation, we gained inspiration from various people to see how they live differently; buying a house in a tiny village in Spain like Kiki and Lukas did or start living a life on the waters like Kate & Mat. The choice to become an entrepreneur brings more freedom, and it makes the next potential step seem smaller. The greatest gift entrepreneurship has given me so far is truly experiencing that many things are malleable. Over the past year, I’ve often asked myself: what do you really need? There are other ways to provide yourself with security, which doesn't necessarily come from a monthly salary.

Reflecting on human needs

I came first came across the concept of the 6 human needs through the Challenge Club. However, they are created by Cloe Madanes, Tony Robbins' coach. The theory says that 6 elements we as human being seek to feel fulfilled. Known as:

• Certainty: assurance you can avoid pain and gain pleasure
• Uncertainty/Variety: the need for the unknown, change, new stimuli
• Significance: feeling unique, important, special, or needed
• Connection/Love: a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something
• Growth: an expansion of capacity, capability, or understanding
• Contribution: a sense of service and focus on helping, giving to, and supporting others

Knowing where your needs lie serves as a guide for your path. A simple and helpful exercise can be to rate yourself on these different points. How do you score on these elements right now? And in which areas do you want to grow? How does this reality look like for you and what actions do you need to take? You can also read more about it on this site and take a test to see which needs stand out for you: Tony Robbins' Blog.

What I learned from Alex Malone (founder of the Challenge Club) is that when you focus on fulfilling the last two needs Growth and Contribution, all the others will be fulfilled automatically (you can read more about this in her book).

Personal growth and contribution

For me, growth is a core value and a major determinant in my choices. For the past six years, I have been intensely involved in personal development. This has made my life much lighter, more adventurous, and more enjoyable. Currently, I am focusing on 'contribution.' My personal mission is to raise the frequency of love. Since starting as an entrepreneur, I feel this is coming to fruition more, even if sometimes as an 'undercover agent.' My challenge is to make this more explicit. I believe in the power of combining movement, nature, and self-reflection to help people grow and ground and am working on some new ideas around this theme.

Summer vibrations that make you smile

For the rest of the summer, I’d like to take you along in a series of special summer edition blogs. I’ll dive into the stories of people who have inspired me this summer or through events that have brought me new inspiration. Summer is the season for inspiration, for experimenting, for trying, for learning. To fall and get back up and try again. If you have an inspiring story and would like to share it with me or through this blog, let me know! Let’s spread the inspiration.