the light is getting different, Spring is coming

 

Dear Bloggers,

Do you recognise that feeling? Every year around this time, when it's sunny one day, the crocuses are still awkwardly opening their limp calyxes to catch the first rays of sunshine, and you can enjoy the feeling that spring is coming so intensely?

 

I certainly do. It can make me feel completely euphoric. The air is clear and clean, the light feels different and the birds are singing again. Last Friday, I walked the dogs and did my round in the village; sun on my face and wind at my back, with a hint of chill still in the air. In addition to the crocuses in the parks, I also saw the bright yellow flowers of coltsfoot popping up. Everything was fresh, new and beautiful.

On the way back, it was dark, with thick clouds full of rain and the wind blowing hard in my face. The euphoric feeling was gone.

 

That's what I love about this time of year: the new that is tentatively and cautiously becoming tangible and visible, and the old that is still there, shaking me awake and bringing me back to the here and now.

 

This is similar to my process of developing a new story. Just like the many flower bulbs that have been waiting invisibly in the earth since summer, I sit behind the screen all that time, my brain working hard.

Now the time has come for the first shoots to cautiously peek above the ground. I find that exciting, because the shoots are still thin and fragile. But I also know that this can grow into something very beautiful. This is pretty much everything I have with nature.

And yet I have learned to enjoy everything that grows and blooms during my walks through the woods and nature reserves. These walks also give your mind a sense of peace and you have to learn to see by really looking. I walked a lot because my wife was in a very bad way and I needed to escape from it all. Walking helped me to keep my thoughts and pain under control. It was a bit of relaxation at a time of financial worries and a family that demanded a lot of attention.

Writing about everyday things is also a help in this world filled with disasters and wars. We hear very few positive things, which sometimes makes it difficult to write a story.

 

Just like plants, I need good seeds to sow a story and wait for the first shoots to emerge from the ground.

I could also use some help in spreading my “seeds”.

So that things can return to normal and the old-fashioned idea of letting children play in nature slowly but surely becomes the norm again. And we let children grow up in contact with nature, instead of glued to their screens. So, parents of today, put your stuff and worries aside for a moment and enjoy the lovely spring sunshine.

Everybody needs a bit of Sunshine and a little flower

 

The Old Sailor,

 

What if it is .........

 

Dear Bloggers,

It's been a while since my last blog post, and it's been a turbulent few weeks.

For me, at least. Life isn't going the way I want it to, and that's causing some resistance. Nothing new, really, and it gives me another chance to dive into myself and discover what all this means to me. Things aren't going smoothly at work either, and to make matters worse, our trusty old Volvo broke down. Repairing it would be far to expensive, so we had to look for a replacement. Fortunately, I'm not a pessimist and I'm not in a hurry when it comes to buying a car.

 

Remember when I wrote about flow and designing beautiful journeys? Well, flow and budget are out the window, so that will have to wait. I also wrote about the exciting decision my partner made to change course. It's a little too exciting now that she's doing things independently again and going out in her own car.

I was recently studying Thai Chi on the net, a slow form of movement that feels like a kind of dance. A form of movement in which you should slowly sink into the resistance. Now I was in a position with only resistance, I wasn't sinking anywhere. And suddenly something popped into my brain. It was the following.

 I'm actually quite tired.

Tired of fighting with myself every day. Tired of working hard, doing my best to keep up with my surroundings. Tired of the expectations I place on myself. Tired of dreaming of financial freedom, a good pension, and wanting things to be different.

 

Writing this down and sharing it is a bit of a thing. Because hey, I was in a flow. I had planned wonderful trips for my wife and myself. The year didn't start off great, but we came up with some great projects and had plenty of new plans.

And now it's February and suddenly my world has come to a standstill. Okay, it just seems to be standing still. Everything is on hold. Everything has been sown and now we're waiting to see which plant will sprout first. And which plant won't. And no, that's not my favorite moment in the creative process.

Yesterday, I spoke to a friend who understood me and said he didn't want it anymore either. I'm just done with waiting and uncertainty. And after all my wanderings, I've finally settled down in a nice house for 15 years now and have a steady job, which gave me peace of mind.

 

And as tempting as that sounds, I know deep down that what I'm doing is right, at least for me. I've experienced wonderful things at work and at home over the past few months.

And when I travel to Australia or here in the Netherlands and stroll through the woods with my dogs and my wife, I feel so at home. So in tune. So right. And so I carry on.

And while I wait for better times, I write about these new creative creations. I discover how much fun it is to travel the world. Simply because it makes me happy and I can. Maybe it's precisely because I'm staying in the moment and experiencing what this whole process is doing to me.

 

The tax authorities haven't broken me. Although I do worry unconsciously and try to live consciously. And so I don't rush past the less pleasant things. That I finally feel what is there and that it's okay. I'm allowed to be tired. I'm allowed to be fed up. I'm allowed to just not know for a while. I don't have to go anywhere. Of course, my brain has very different ideas about this.

My brain hates not knowing. To admit that I am sometimes fed up. Horrible. And it looks for all kinds of excuses and maneuvers to get out of this situation. But it is what it is. And as long as I stay in the moment, there is actually nothing wrong. The unrest comes from all kinds of thoughts and beliefs that have little to do with where I am now.

 

Whether or not my trip goes ahead, deep down it doesn't matter at all. Deep down, nothing in me is changing. So my thoughts can think and fill in all kinds of things, but I don't have to attach any truth to them. So for now, it's unsettling. I accept it. It will remain turbulent for me for a while, but just as the flow was temporary, this is also temporary.

And in the meantime, I'm going to consciously enjoy spring, all those buds that are about to burst open again. And I'll see what blooms for me this summer. I wrote this blog last night, and when I went to bed, I felt happier and calmer. It's as if writing this down gave me a pat on the head. A kind of pat on the back. Come on, boy, it's okay.

The Old Sailor,

 

 

Lets go to 2026

 

Dear Bloggers,

First of all a happy and great 2026

I wrote this story a couple of days ago and no I did not succeed to place it on my blog page as I had to do my job as well. Therefor i did not manage to produce the story yet. And now is that time here. Not that bad I would say. Enjoy reading.

 

The end of the year is approaching. The days are shorter and the evenings are longer. We look back on what has been. However, as we turn the page, a new year full of possibilities awaits us. What will you do with it?

Let's be honest, December is a busy month. With the holidays, gifts, family and friends, it's as if we're always 'on'. But right now, it's important to take a moment of silence. Take a deep breath. Did you know that conscious breathing can help you to let go of things that no longer serve you? Breathe in deeply, breathe out, and let go.

Set your intention for the day each morning and reflect on what you're grateful for each evening. This way, even busy and 'obligatory' days can be meaningful.

Reflect on what you will take with you and what you will leave behind.

Somehow there is a plan for everyone to go on in your life you have to find out what kind of plan is fitting in your life. Is there another way for you to live your life in a different way. At least i think there is a new path that I need to take and get some help to get the ducks in a row again.

With the New Year approaching, now is the perfect time to look back. What were your biggest lessons? What successes can you celebrate? And perhaps more importantly, what do you want to leave behind?

We believe that real growth starts with meaning. It's not just about 'what' you do, but 'why' you do it. Through our techniques and exercises, we encourage you to look deeper.

What do your heart, head, and gut want to tell you? What is your autonomic nervous system alerting you to?

The new year brings a world of possibilities.

2026 is just around the corner. A new year means a fresh start.

Perhaps you already have some New Year's resolutions. Lose weight? Exercise more? Reduce stress?

But what if, this year, you chose something more meaningful? For yourself? Ask yourself, 'How do I want to feel in 2026?'

With our tools, you will discover what is truly important to you. These powerful methods help you make choices based on alignment, bringing all your intelligences into harmony. Because when these intelligences work together, something magical happens. You will feel secure, strong, and confident. Who wouldn't want that?

The Old Sailor,