Journey to Purpose: Discovering Your Path with Practical Steps
Create With Ease
Embark on an enlightening journey of self-discovery and unravel your purpose through the captivating 'Create With Ease' blog series. Each post is brimming with practical exercises thoughtfully curated to help you understand your needs, wishes, dreams, and goals. By diligently following these steps, you will attain clarity and find your path to fulfillment.
The best part is that these exercises are available to you at absolutely no cost, as my genuine intention is to wholeheartedly support you in finding your true calling. However, any donations are always appreciated.
Feel free to engage in these exercises at your convenience, wherever and whenever you prefer. Don't forget to keep an eye out for the SUN ☼ symbol in the blogs, as it indicates reflective exercises. I sincerely hope you find them both enjoyable and beneficial for your overall well-being.
Discovering Your Path
I want to assist you in discovering your path and purpose. When I was 28, I had a job that made me feel stuck and uninterested. Then, a life-coach entered my life and guided me towards a more fulfilling direction. The exercises I will provide are meant to help you regain your motivation.
Once you understand your 'Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How,' everything else will fall into place effortlessly. If you ever need extra support, remember that I'm here to help! It would be my pleasure to assist you in moving forward. I have personally benefited from these exercises and I'm excited to share them with you. Let's embark on this transformative journey together!
Journey of Self-Discovery
The 'Create With Ease' blogs offer a range of exercises that can help you overcome any feeling of being stuck in your current situation. These exercises have been personally tested and are based on my own journey of self-discovery.
I'm excited to share these insightful self-inquiry exercises with you. But before you begin, I'd love to share my story with you. If you prefer to jump right into the exercises, simply look for the sun symbol ☼ at the end of the blog. It indicates that the exercise is right there waiting for you.
Initiating Changes
So, let’s begin here. I'm Marianne de Kuyper, currently 46 years old (born in 1977). Throughout my life, I've embarked on more than 27 house moves, switched subject studies on various occasions, and the longest I've stayed in a job was approximately 9 months.
Change has become an integral part of my journey. In my earlier years, changes were often thrust upon me, such as moving houses. However, as time went on, I embraced the power of initiating change myself, whether it was altering my environment, exploring new fields of study, or pursuing different job opportunities.
Soul Searching
My husband, Hugo and I decided to make a major change in our lives by moving to Mallorca Island, leaving the busy streets of Amsterdam behind. This decision was driven by my personal journey of self-discovery, which began when I started therapy at the age of 22.
Through this process, I discovered that I am a highly sensitive person (HSP). It became clear to me that living in the countryside, surrounded by nature and the soothing sounds of birds, would bring me immense happiness.
Needs and Wishes
Hugo and I decided to explore our deepest desires and dreams in life. This clarity allowed us to start a new adventure, which brought us to the stunning Mallorca Island in 2019. Our mutual longing for a warmer climate than what The Netherlands offered led us to choose Mallorca as our new residence.
The temptation of soaking up the sun's warmth and being surrounded by clear blue skies was simply irresistible. Additionally, the island's awe-inspiring natural landscapes offer us plenty of opportunities to indulge in our passion for mountain hiking. And on days when we prefer a more laid-back atmosphere, we can easily relax on the nearby beaches, enjoying leisurely hours under the sun.
Progress, not perfection
Currently, we are both freelancers, embracing the freedom, autonomy, and independence it offers. I find immense joy in working from home as a freelance writer and yoga teacher, while Hugo thrives as a carpenter. Is our life perfect? Well, it's a mix of yes and no! While we have achieved a great deal, we believe in progress rather than perfection. We continue to work hard to sustain this lifestyle, although it's not always a walk in the park.
Gratitude
For instance, there are times when we have to fly back to Amsterdam in order to earn enough money to cover our expenses. Other times, only Hugo returns while I stay on the island to keep things running smoothly.
However, this year we were able to stay on the island throughout the winter months, which was a great accomplishment. Despite the challenges we still face, it would have been much more difficult to live in Amsterdam full-time, with its crowded and noisy environment, high daily expenses, and fast-paced lifestyle. That's why we always feel incredibly grateful for every day we get to spend on this beautiful island.
Journey to Purpose
How were we able to initiate these changes? I believe that our shared travel experiences have played a significant role in helping us adapt to life in a new country. Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, I have personally gone through numerous relocations, so change is something I am very familiar with.
That's why I would like to assist you in discovering your deepest needs and desires, so that you can structure your daily life in a way that you can journey to purpose, living a life that brings you happiness, health, and fulfillment. Furthermore, I hope that you will start embracing 'change' as a comfortable topic rather than something to avoid, which is a common tendency for most of us.
Stepping Stones
Teaching has always been a significant part of my life, and I have a solid foundation in this field. Every decision I've made along the way has been like building blocks, leading me to where I am today.
I have experience in various areas, including Communication on Strategic Change Management. I have taught English to both young and adult learners, and I have also written English language course materials.
In addition, I have worked as a guidance counsellor, providing support and guidance to individuals. Apart from teaching, I am also passionate about Yoga and have been teaching it since 2010. I have even co-founded several online platforms related to Yoga. Currently, I am working as a writer, creating learning materials focused on personal growth and well-being.
Personal Growth
I've taken the necessary steps to grow as a person, embracing my highly sensitive nature and selective sound sensitivity. It hasn't always been easy, but therapy, coaching, courses, and self-help books have been instrumental in helping me cultivate self-love, self-acceptance, and the courage to face my personal challenges.
This journey started when I was 22, and now, 24 years later, I still believe in the power of coaching and therapy to continue my personal growth. I've tried various approaches like cognitive therapy, psychotherapy, hapto-therapy, and speech therapy, all of which have played a role in helping me find my true voice.
Life’s Challenges
I can understand the struggles that come with challenges like sensitivity to sound, depression, burn-out, bore-out, fear of failure, fear of abandonment, and lacking assertiveness.
The therapies and coaching sessions I've had in the past have been incredibly helpful and have helped me develop more trust in myself. I've experienced tremendous personal growth and I'm excited to keep learning. I hope you can also experience continuous personal growth and cultivate more self-trust and self-love.
Resistance to Change
Change often triggers resistance. We may find ourselves questioning our choices and wondering why we made certain decisions. The initial outcome of our desires may not align perfectly with our expectations from the start.
However, it's important to give ourselves the opportunity to adjust and find comfort in the new situation, whether it's a new home or a new version of ourselves. When we allow ourselves to settle into the change, something extraordinary happens. In that very moment, the entire process brings us progress. We experience understanding, acceptance, personal growth, and a profound love for life.
Finally, let me explain what makes my approach truly remarkable. It stands out because it is exclusively mine, reflecting my own uniqueness. Each of us possesses our own distinct path to follow, and the blueprint I am about to share with you was generously given to me by a life-coach.
Over the years, I have meticulously refined and tailored it, shaping it into my very own exceptional method. Time and time again, it has proven its effectiveness during moments of transformation, and I genuinely hope it will work wonders for you too! May you embrace and enjoy the process of change, just as I do. Remember, I am here to provide unwavering support in any way I can!
➳ Let’s begin …
Signs. When you see a ☼ on the ‘Create With Ease’ blogs it means ‘Try this exercise!’.
Do. ☼ On a large blank page, write the word 'Change' in the center. Surround it with all the thoughts that come to mind about this word. Keep adding ideas to this mind-map until you feel finished. Take a look at your notes. Do you feel prepared for some changes? If yes, which changes are you particularly ready for?
Idea. Buy yourself a beautiful notebook, dedicate your favourite pen and colour pencils, make this notebook your best friend, your unicorn, your support system during your process. It is said that it is much more powerful to write your thoughts down on paper than just online as the hand-eye coordination is said to spark creativity!
Take notes. ☼ Consider going back to the beginning of the blog and giving it another read. Jot down any thoughts that come to mind as you learn about creating with ease.
Anything else? ☼ Anything that bubbled up to surface in your body, heart or mind whilst reading this blog, write it down. Go and have a break and go to the next blog when you’re in the right mood to continue your exploration.
Need an overview of all the 12 steps? Go to Navigate Your Journey.
Terms. I use different words like 'blog', 'step', 'session', 'journey', 'program', or 'course' to refer to a step on the 'Create With Ease' journey. When you see (s), it means 'Source'. Sometimes, a blog is inspired by a specific source, and it will be mentioned under 'Inspiration ☼'.
I versus We. The complete blog series 'Create With Ease' was written solely by me, and Bram van den Reijen provided editing assistance. This is why you may come across instances where both "I" and "we" are mentioned in the text, as we discussed and documented all the exercises together for your benefit.
Links. All external links should open in a new tab, while links within my website should open in the same tab. If you encounter any issues, please let me know so I can make the necessary adjustments.
Ready for the next step?
Check out the weekly blogs on 'QuietPages' to discover 12 simple steps for effortless change and creation. Stay updated by visiting regularly or signing up for news updates.
Do you want to explore change together?
If you're looking for additional personal support on your path to purpose and effortless creation, I'm here to help. I understand the feeling of being stuck and then finding a way out, so feel free to reach out if you'd like to have a conversation about the direction of your life.
Feedback is always welcome!
Were the blogs helpful as I had hoped? Please reach out to me with any positive feedback. I would love to hear from you and see the outcome of your efforts. If there is a broken link or if you feel that some steps are unclear, please let me know. I am always ready to update the different blogs on 'Create With Ease' for your benefit!
♡ Did you like the blog? ♡
Your support is very welcome and a financial donation can be made here: PayPal – Donate or you could transfer it directly to me at DE29 1001 1001 2620 0194 41 (IBAN) + NTSBDEB1 (BIC).
