WHY DO THINGS HAPPEN THE WAY THEY DO?

I think the essence is not to focus so much on the question, but rather on life itself.

Time and again, I receive clear signals (from above?), unexpected encounters, and love from unexpected places, reminding me how important it is to be present in the moment.

To shield myself from stress and negative influences. That doesn’t mean forgetting or blindly forgiving everything, but it is clear that life is so fleeting, slipping through your fingers as you watch.

Having fun, even when you don’t have the means. Creating connections and starting traditions. Sometimes, I feel a bit melancholic that this hard lesson didn’t sink in earlier.

As humans, we feel like Kings of the Hill, invincible! I am because I live!!

I live for the bigger picture, for that all-encompassing dream (eco-love). That dream that lies far ahead, and I stubbornly work towards it.

The world has gone mad. And I was (am) part of it too.

That all-consuming greed… Buy, buy, buy.

It was ingrained in me from a young age. Every season, we’d go to Bijenkorf, buy piles of clothes on the old Bijenkorf credit card. Only when it later turned into a real Visa card did I realize how harmful this type of borrowing was.

We also used to drive to Makro (the name says it all) and load up on kilos of detergent, paper, underwear, and candy. Thinking back on that time, I feel a deep sense of shame for my thoughtlessness and our compulsive need to consume.

After a period of working less (due to illness) and earning less, I began to appreciate the things around me again. Finding deep happiness in simply being aware of the tree growing outside my window, the sun warming my skin, the fresh scent of laundry, the feel of water surrounding me, walking through parks and forests, listening to healing music. I felt the need to be more, instead of always wanting or chasing after something.

I also unlearned the habit of taking long-distance trips (back then, flight shame didn’t exist yet), buying new wardrobes in the latest seasonal colors, and following interior design trends to style my home down to the smallest detail. Dining out until you had to roll out of the restaurant, competing with extravagant gifts, going to concerts you had to attend—it all suddenly lost its appeal. The right club, the right membership, and so on… Not wanting to see that you’re chasing something that’s based on absolutely nothing.

Shopping seems to have been invented to keep people from getting bored.

But staying home is also an action. Playing games, making photo albums, reading books out loud, becoming a minimalist (now that is a challenge!), or trying out new recipes. How do you make your own ghee, hummus, or even your own laundry detergent?

After yet another surgery/illness, I decided to work less, so I would have to need less (all of the above). To spend my time differently and live a wholesome life—paying attention to myself and my surroundings.

I am at the helm of my life. I have come home. And I know that eternal life doesn’t exist. My intention is to have as much joy as possible and to not take everything (or myself…) so seriously.

But how? How do you keep waking up with gratitude every day and move through life stress-free?

Many people find solace in meditation, yoga, running, boxing, walking, swimming—you name it. So many different paths, so many preferences. Personally, I practice the Five Tibetans and a lot of chakra meditation.

As soon as I’ve done these exercises, I feel balanced again and ready to handle more.

During a dark period in my life—while being treated for breast cancer—I started a very positive little business. My growing interest in owning fewer things, cooking healthier, and using more natural cleaning products turned into an all-consuming passion to leave the smallest footprint possible.

Through this journey, I developed a fragrance blend made in our own lab, using locally sourced ingredients to minimize our footprint. In creating this scent, MoodBlend, both my heart and my mind were reawakened.

During my illness and rehabilitation, I learned how to receive. Before that, I wasn’t very good at it.

The art of receiving—it humbled me. And from that humility, I wanted to give something back.

To reactivate my brain after chemo, and as a thank-you to all the wonderful friends who brought me meals, I decided to gift them a bottle (yes, a glass one, because I truly wanted to eliminate plastic from my life) of homemade laundry detergent, infused with a custom scent blend.

That blend became the original MoodBlend scent.

My partner, Harold Jonk, immediately joined in to help develop the brand. And now, together, we stand at the beginning of a pure adventure.