Professional development

Career change and growth

The year began turbulently with a position that didn’t align with my work style. The organization proved too large, and there was a culture of fear where my rapid decision-making caused unease among colleagues. This situation, combined with ongoing financial recovery from COVID-19, led to the decision to make a change.

The transition to a new position proceeded smoothly, with better employment terms. The financial recovery exceeded expectations, bringing a positive turn to the year.

Future challenges

In my current role, I’ve encountered complex legislation that complicates the work and may make it untenable in the future. I’m already proactively exploring alternative positions within the same sector.

Personal development

Health and lifestyle

A significant improvement came through meeting Dennis Kok via the sharpshooters community. This led to a great improvement in my nutrition, resulting in enhanced sports recovery. The decision to eliminate non-fruit sugars has further contributed to this improvement.

Social challenges

The search for meaningful romantic connections remains a challenge. Despite regular yoga practice and social activities, it proves difficult to engage in deep conversations, especially in Dutch. The observation that many participants are occupied with their smartphones during yoga classes illustrates a broader societal trend of disconnection.

Adjusting social strategy

The insight that smaller-scale events might offer more potential for meaningful encounters has led to a reconsideration of my social strategy. Large traditional festivals have proven less effective for making new connections.

Societal observations

Education and critical thinking

There’s growing concern about the quality of education and the capacity for critical thinking in our society. The development of parallel worlds within society threatens to become problematic for many citizens.

Political situation

The political directionlessness since the Rutte era and the increasing influence of the EU are very concerning. For insights on this, I follow analyses from Arno Wellens and Hester Bais.

Looking forward

Despite the challenges, I continue to see and seize opportunities. My approach remains characterized by:

• Sustained curiosity and analytical ability
• Step-by-step progression
• Perseverance
• The ability to identify and grasp opportunities

The most important lesson remains that stopping is not an option. Progress comes through steady continuation, step by step.