The 5 words I’m focusing on for the year ahead — It might sound weird, but 2022 was one of my favorite years so far. Returning to the Netherlands has proved to be one of my all-time best decisions. I became co-Director at Human Leaders, a movement of amazing people who are changing what work looks and feels like. I’ve researched…

Why my return to Amsterdam feels like anything but regression. — I’ve always been slightly allergic to the idea of moving back to somewhere I’ve lived before. The metaphor is silly and simple: Returning seemed to imply regression, perhaps even failure or weakness. And yet, moving back to the Netherlands one year ago was one of the best moves I’ve ever…

How I’m spending my first day as a divorcée, and the moment a Dutch word blew my mind. — In therapy in California last year, session after session, one word kept springing to my mind. Unhelpfully, it was in Dutch. “Wegcijferen.” My therapist gave a look of calm bemusement. “Can you tell me what that is in English?” I had to google translate it. …

Growing up on a farm in southern Australia, I grew accustomed to seeing a spectacular number of stars in the night sky. …

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…