Don’t Look Back, You Are Not Headed That Way

You learn from your mistakes. I learn from falling, making sure that I forgive and I get back up fast to keep moving forward. The other day I saw this sign and it said: “Don’t look back, you are not headed that way”. I wanted to share this with you as I really believe that we should not dwell over past mistakes or faults. Not yours, not others. We are all humans that make mistakes. Why should you or someone else remind yourself about that mistake or behaviour, it is up to ourselves to move forward. Of course continues behavior that you can’t support is something you should move away from. Either you will need to dive deeper into your motivations and if it comes down to others, just don’t hang out with those people, I would call that a waste of energy. Other than that it is solely how you consider growth and it surely will not occur when you keep running into the opposite direction.

For me it works that way. If I fail to meet my own expectations, it is me that needs to be loving, me that needs to forgive and get back up. Don’t keep reminding myself about something that happened in the past. Trying to become a better person, the best version of myself by looking forward. So once in a while remind yourself, that forward is the direction you want to focus on, because the other way will be a disappointing road.

Tuesday Tunes – Teach Me

Thank you Bakermat. Love this song, love the video and what it means. Get out there, grab a couple of waves and remember to keep wandering.

Have an epic Tuesday!!

Tuesday Tunes – Crazy

It’s not very often that I like covers, but surely Daniela Andrade did quite the job with this cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy. My new wake up song.

Have an epic Tuesday.

Tuesday Tunes – Expectations

Sometimes I get introduced to a new artist or song and it literally gives me goosebumps. That’s what I had when a friend played this song the other day. Brika has such a soulful voice that you would expect her to be bigger or maybe even darker. Just pure soul that I love listening to while chilling at home, reading, writing while sitting in a hammock.

Have an epic Tuesday!!

 

If You Don’t Go, You Don’t Know

One of those mottos that actually works for everything in life as far as you ask me. Whether you are headed to a job every day that you don’t like and flirt with the idea of quitting, whether there is a six ft. wave approaching and you’re overwhelmed by it’s magnitude, or whether there is that someone you like but are in doubt whether it is mutual. If you don’t go you really don’t know.

It is all about taking a risk once in a while. Asking that question: “Will I regret it later on?” Most of the time you will (or at least I do) and in the end what is the worst that can happen: you have to find a new job, get washed and get smashed by a couple of big sets on your head or be rejected by someone. We mainly make the safe decision out of fear, self-doubt and/or insecurity but do you really want these emotions to decide for you where you are headed to in life. Nope, right…?!?

I reckon there are way worse things that can happen than finding a new job, getting smashed or being rejected. Bigger failures were survived and as mentioned quite some times before, you get back up, you will really get back up. The fall will only make you stronger and grow. So I decide to just go, because you never know what can happen: A life on an island, the biggest wave of my life or closer to the person that you really like.

Tuesday Tunes – Lose It

The last few days “Oh Wonder” has been comfortably waking me up and “Lose It” is my favourite. I can literally lose myself in this spacy-chill-out indie style of music.

Have an epic Tuesday and don’t forget to check out their other tunes.

Different Paths & Different Baggage

The amount I learned this last year is almost too much for me to really wrap my head around. And my head  likes to wrap itself around stuff all the time. I like clarity, real and tangible shit, not the floating around in kumbaya-land. The mind can play so many games with you. My mind can be one big blur filled with memories, feelings, experiences & imprints. Some of them growing out of proportion to an extent that it is sometimes hard to figure out what is real. My past influenced my present, but not my future. Each one of us has the capacity to change those mind-fucks around and step into a future that is one you deserve. I have been on a long journey, created habits that were not always good for me and with that came the insecurity, the feeling that I was not loveable. At a certain moment it almost felt as if I have always been like that. But I was feeding my own insecurities, neglecting the good and focused on the negative. I reckon for some of the people that know me, that might be difficult to understand. Funnily enough, it has always been part of me, I have not been wearing a mask, my mind was stronger than my insecurities. Like I can ignore physical pain, I have taught myself to ignore that annoying little voice: Don’t be a sissy, be strong, it is just not there. In some sort of way that “survival” mode made me where I am today. I fought my battles of which I know there will be mor. On the other hand, neglecting, ignoring and putting feelings and experiences away, also made life occasionally pretty damn excruciating.

Living the life I live now though, allows me to dive deeper into me. I reach out into me and ask questions. Why do I act and react in specific ways? What is the reason why my feelings head down a roller coaster when someone says no? Why do I have the feeling that I need to deserve my space (on this earth, on a party, in the ocean)? It can be quite the trip sometimes, but I have approached it with a smile (big smiles). I also do not get all the answers and I learn to accept the unknown. Each one of us, is just a human, nature vs. nurture, walked different paths with different baggage and some even with excess baggage. So don’t judge. Not others but especially don’t judge yourself.

 

 

The Lucky One

It’s not often that I politically express my feelings. I just think and feel that everyone should have their own opinion even though I consider them to be ignorant, have bad taste or just lack of a minimum level of intelligence. But wow, I am shocked and stunned about the reactions of some of my fellow “westerners” expressed when another boat sunk with hundreds and hundreds of refugees on it searching for freedom and safety. We are the lucky ones.

Shame on you people that judge without compassion:

• When you book your last-minute holiday to the Costa Del Sol to binge on alcohol where some people need to get on a boat filled with people hoping to arrive somewhere that has running water.
• When you are unsatisfied with your life after coming back from your boring job, while some people have no house to go home to anymore.
• When you complain about a little BBQ of your neighbors while someone else needs earplugs to reduce the noise of flying bullets and bombs .
• When you bring your kid to school, while somebody on the other side of the world has no school to bring their kids to.
• When you are pretending to look for a job while receiving welfare from your government.
• When you hassle your way into a bargain excursion, while others had to spend their last money to get on a boat that was already full.

I, and many others, have choices and in principle can live life the way we want. It is shocking to me that people forget how good our life is and randomly express their ignorant opinion where they just have no fokkin’ clue what they are talking about. The opportunities we have, the choices and most importantly the freedom, is something not everyone has. We are not to judge, we are to be compassionate because we are the ones that are born in better circumstances just by pure, plain and simple luck. This is what I will remain telling myself when I witness another mesmerizing sunset in Bali. I am the lucky one.

One Year – One Epic Year

It’s been a year. An entire year, and fuck how fast did that one go, I do not even know where to start.most important was that I failed and got back up, I failed again and got back up again, I laughed my eyes out, I cried those same eyes out as well, I met incredible people and I literally surfed my ass off (even though it was already non-existent). In short, I have never regretted my decision. I love it here, I can be my own entrepreneur, the leader of me and grow my brand. But most importantly, grow as a person. The best version of me, a healthy, happy me.

I am going back home today for a couple of weeks. I have mixed feelings because I just don’t want to leave but on the other hand I just can’t wait to:

• Meet my little niece Jikke, whom I saw but never met
• Hug my sis, drink wine and enjoy our awesome conversation in real life
• Take my other little princess to the beach and search for crabs and shells (and give her her long awaited birthday present)
• Hug my besties whom I have missed heaps. Finally I can be there in person for them

Life is awesome. It’s an epic continuous journey where I climbed hills & mountains and fell into valleys & ravines this past year. No regrets, only lessons learned. Work hard to play harder. You only have one of it, this thing called life. Looking back is not an option, just head full speed ahead, you never know if you don’t try. See you soon Holland. Will be right back Bali

Tuesday Tunes – Sunny

This is one should be on your summer playlist. I already loved Ayo but this one tops the list as of this week. While wandering on my scooter through Bali, this song always puts a smile on my face.

Have an awesome Tuesday.