Thank you! . . . a resume after my first 100 posts

Once in a while it is healthy to take a big step back, look at what you are doing, and ask yourself: Why do I do this? Today I am posting my 100. Blog post. My blog is online since one and a half months now, and I spend more time on it than I initially thought I would. Time to draw up a quick balance and phrase out why I am blogging.

I blog because:

1. It keeps me sane. Documenting the thoughts in my head helps organize them. There was too much clutter. I am making space for the things that make me happy while letting go of the thoughts that just aren’t helpful.
2. I feel I have something to say. I am still trying to find “my voice” as they say it so nicely in all the “how to blog” advice. I would like people who read my blog to feel embraced and to spark them to create themselves a space where they can feel cosy, get comfortable, can let life in, can let other people in. I want to add value. Positive value. By sharing my story, my journey.
3. I love doing it. I really enjoy it – I more than enjoy it. I love writing, I love thinking about what to write about. I feel I started to look at the world from a different angle. Writing makes me happier, less stressed, more patient. I hope it is making me a better person.

I want to say a few thank you’s. Actually there is whole lot of people I want to say thank you to :-)

First and foremost I want to thank Anita, my mother. She is always there for us. She is so proud of her three children. She is my light. There is no one that makes me feel more embraced than my mom. I wish everyone a mom like mine.

I want to thank Silas & Maja, my children, who I love with all my heart. They make me grow. They challenge me. They make me look at world through their eyes. They give me their unconditional love. Hugging my kids is by far the best thing in the world.

I want to thank Thomas, my husband. He has a very different personality than I do. It is sometimes hard for him to understand where I am at. Yet he is always there. My rock. He reminds me of all the things I tend to forget. We embrace each other. With all our flaws and all our peculiarities. That is what love is all about.

I want to thank Muriel & Albert, my sister and my brother for showing me that being your own boss might not always be easy. It is hard, hard work and lot’s of sweat, but it is also greatly satisfying to be able to go where your heart goes. Do things that matter. Things that you stand behind. Follow your beliefs and go out there and sell them. I am confident one day this will pay off. It is great to have a sister and brother with so much passion and dedication. We are different and yet so similar. We are made of the same material :-)

I want to thank Leendert, my dad. For being who he is. A life artist. A bon vivant. When I wrote my post about “the art of living” I was thinking of my dad. He is someone who makes do with the brushes he’s got and doesn’t pout over a few mistaken strokes. He is an artist and a sailor. Adjusting his sails with the wind. Laissez faire, laissez passer, live and let live and enjoy living. Life’s too short to worry too much.

I want to thank Beate, my sister-in-law. For her openness, her candid conversations. For all the moments, we share together. Laughing and crying. It is beautiful to find a true friend so close.

I want to thank Vicky, my best friend. Her big heart, her positive nature, her enthusiastic spirit. She is a great dancer. Give her the right song and her heart dances with her. I am what I am, and what I am needs no excuses. You go girl. To another 20 years of friendship!

I want to thank Frank; after the fake wedding party we organized him and my sister I think I can call him my brother in law. My sister could not have met a better men. It is wonderful to see two people that work so well together. They went through a lot, and it only made them stronger. What a team. Yes, we connect! Not only as a business. But also as a team. They live and breathe their work philosophy. Hats off.

I want to thank Eline, my brother’s girlfriend. For showing women can be pretty, smart and kind. For caring for others. For being a role model for my little daughter who adores her.

I want to thank Anja and Teresa, the best neighbours one can have. For dancing, sports, board games and all the conversations we have. “Neighbours, everybody needs good Neighbours. With a little understanding, you can find the perfect blend. Neighbours should be there for one another. That’s when good Neighbours become good friends” I never watched the series, but I can totally relate to this song. In fact, we have so many great neighbours, Christian, Stefan, Kobus, Katja, Julia, Christoph, Renate . . . We have an awesome street :-)

I want to thank my colleagues, Anne, Tina, Geoff, Ben, Jerome, Steve, Ramin, Slavina, Ernst, Carina, Greg, Gavin, Gérald, Phuong, Stefan, Kris, Lisa, Sarah, Deanna, Tomoko, Pratima . . . Too many to mention. Having so many great colleagues should not be taken for granted. Gallup says one of the 12 drivers of successful and engaged teams is to have a best friend at work. It seemed an odd question to many people. It enlightens though. When your colleagues become your friends, work becomes so much more pleasurable. Happy people are more successful people. Les Landes, the author of the book Getting to the heart of employee engagement, send me a quote from Sigmund Freud: “Love and work are the cornerstones to our humanness.”  Since we spend so much time doing our work in life, it’s absolutely crucial for human happiness and wellbeing that every person assumes responsibility for creating an environment where we all love doing that work as much possible. I could not agree more. Thank you Les, for our conversations.

I would like to thank Anna, who I would love to get to know even better. Our daughters are like sisters. Hard to handle them as a pact, oh so full of life. It is great to have someone who is always there to jointly organize all the logistics of having kids. And even better when this person is as lovely as Anna.

I want to thank Cast D’94, the group I travelled with 20 years ago. So diverse yet so united. It is great to see the dialogue on Facebook. The connectedness we still have, after all those years. Incredible how in one year’s worth of time 140 people can become a big family. With very different viewpoints, different religions, different backgrounds, different mentalities, yet lot’s of respect for another. And joy. I love seeing old silly photos getting posted in our group room and remember and relive our year on the road.

I want to thank Vanessa for letting me know she enjoys reading my blog and my posts make her happy and more grateful. That really encouraged me. Thank you as well to everyone who liked one of my posts on Facebook. Knowing someone took the time to read my post and even felt like clicking that like button means a lot to me. Thank you also to Erin and Danielle, for the great dialogues in our writing class.

I feel like I just started rather than coming to an end. Stefan & Pat, Corinne & Andi, Biggi & Lars, Michael & Martina, Dirk, Saskia, Miriam & Roberto, my aunts and uncles, Jascha, Timo, Moos, Riva, Hedwig, Angelique, Nicola, Joey, Klaske, Albert, Sharon, Floor, Sascha, Basti, Christian, Christa, Marc, Marco, Helen, Karl, Natalie, Sarada, Michael, Nicole, Patricia, Chris, Yvonne,  . . . There are so many more people I am thankful for . . . Some that I don’t see that often, some that I just recently reconnected with, some that I have lost touch with but that still live in my heart.

This is why I write. Because when you start putting it on paper you realize how many things you are grateful for.

I watched a video last night. It made me silent. It made me realize how damn fortunate I am. And how many people struggle. Struggle with life, struggle with themselves.

iknowiknow.me video

What a beautiful way of saying: You are not alone

Thank you upworthy for sharing this video. And thank you Shannon Curtis for starting this project. You inspire me. You make me want to inspire as well.

Lyrics from Gary Allan

You really read this far? Thank you :-)
Wish you a wonderful day and perhaps you want to take minute as well and think about what you are thankful for.