Courage is a buzzword, but being courageous is not what you might think. — A friend and I recently discussed the concept of courage and agreed it’s a beautiful quality. Yet, as my friend pointed out, our association with courage necessarily being a massive, daring act of extreme risk can actually undermine our courage: “Sometimes, courage is invisible. It’s not always climbing Mount Everest…

Questions to ask and steps to take when your spark has faded. — Numbers released yesterday in the Netherlands show that people in their 20s and 30s are experiencing increasing and unprecedented levels of work stress. As one expert puts it, “Most people keep working, even with serious symptoms, for far too long.” One of the challenges of dealing with work stress is…

How to recognize self-doubt and the 4 practices to rebuild confidence when it inevitably wavers. — Since my return to the Netherlands eight months ago, my confidence has returned, too. My trust in myself, others and the world at large has expanded. This resurgence feels natural and nourishing, like a dry, drought-stricken river regaining its currents and flow. Then, last week, my confidence wavered. A log…

It might not always look like a hammock in the sun — still, rest is key to healing from burnout. Here’s how to get it. — For many of us, sleep is characterized as the enemy. It lurks at the bottom of our to do lists: “I’ll sleep once this deadline has passed.” “I’ll take a weekend off when this project finishes.” The idea prevails that sleeping less makes you more productive. In the mid to…

How exploring the world gives perspective — often when we most need it — After I burnt out and quit law, I took a journey with unexpected impact. Ostensibly in Portugal for a yoga retreat, it was the weeks I spent in the city of Porto afterwards that gave rise to deep healing. I’d never visited Porto before, so, after dumping my luggage at…

Why we need to translate our values into choices so they can truly change how we live I love delving into the meaning behind words, especially when discussing concepts like our values. Unpacking in a very specific, curious way how these terms inform our choices and thus our lives makes…

The lesson I didn’t know I needed — and am still learning — When I left Australia in May 2002, I never expected to still be abroad two decades later. Yes, it was a one-way ticket, using all of the savings I had accrued at that point. Yes, I threw a hefty farewell party. Still, I always assumed that somehow, life would lead…

In the process of piecing life together after burnout, healing has to come first. Any attempt to rush back into ‘normalcy’ will set you back further and potentially cause you to sink deeper into burnout. I speak from the lived experience, 12 years ago, of being a highly impatient and…

The loss (and gain) that happens when we live with an adventurous, open heart. — I’m spending the week in Amsterdam, the place I have lived longest since leaving Australia twenty years ago. Walking its streets, memories lurk everywhere. Some make a particular space in my heart glow. Others give rise to bittersweet nostalgia, sending a shard of pain to that same place. The dozen…