2014: A Year Of Transitioning
While I write this end-of-year-post I’m high above the clouds. Literally. I just took off from Geneva, Switzerland, after a energy-boosting weekend with two of my best friends. It was magic. As my plane takes off and shoots through the rainy deck of greyness, I think about the past months.
Stunning hues of turquoise, tangerine and rose shine through my little window. Enchanted by the beauty I see outside, I observe how the Mont Blanc deep below me peeks out of his fluffy white blanket, already covered in fresh powder snow.
The scenery in front of symbolises the inner peace I feel after enduring the wise lessons that 2014 had in store for me. While I look back on the fear, the excitement, the laughs, the tears, the anger, the desperation, the passion and the persistence this year, big drops of happiness roll down my cheeks.
Patience. Persistence. Peace.
Whenever you feel like you are not getting anywhere, try writing a list of everything you’ve accomplished this year. The small steps, the big leaps, the milestones, the places you’ve traveled, the people you’ve met, the smiles you’ve shared, the tears you’ve shed… They all add up to who you are today.
To me, 2014 was truly dazzling, throwing everything upside down from time to time. From becoming a graduate to co-founding healthcoachFX to starting The Green Tribe to finding out about my autoimmune disease to starting to take courses in nutritional medicine to taking life changing decisions.
3 things 2014 has taught me…
Starting out as a fresh graduate, I couldn’t evolve our business fastly enough towards its potential. It put a huge burden of stress on my shoulders. Finding out that good things take time was a revelation. My father taught me – “Everything that comes quickly, fades away even quicker.”
1. So, good things take time.
It has become a guiding mantra to me. It slows me down when I go too fast. It keeps me grounded when I’m flying away with my head in the clouds. It keeps me en route motivating me to keep on going. To never give up. To persist. I keep my eye on the vision and works towards it. Day after day. Step by step. And everyday, I gain more confidence that the good thing is really going to happen. It starts taking form. And in 2015 it will become real.
I discovered many other mind tricks that help me towards everyday peace.
I have started to wholeheartedly thank the universe for all the good things that are happening now, right this moment. I shift my focus onto the positive and on what ís there, instead of what isn’t. I have experienced that a mindset of gratitude changes everything. It brightens your day instantly.
Whenever I feel fear taking over, for inconclusiveness to drag me down, or when I’m just feeling plain lost, I look back on everything that I have already accomplished. I reflect on the road that has gotten me here.
2. Gratitude changes everything.
What I have only be able to do in the last months is to see the bigger picture in moments of doubt and despair. I am envisioning myself at a specific point in the future, and wonder how my 88-year-old self – a supercool old lady version of myself of course – how she would look back at the particular situation at hand. Would she care? Would she laugh?
I can assure you that 99% of the time she will just shrug her shoulders and move on with her day. Being able to take distance from the stress, evaluating how I deal with the problem from an outside perspective, is one of the biggest steps I have made towards more inner peace.
3. Whenever you find yourself lost in the details, focus on the bigger picture.
Inspirations in 2014
Our Wellness Warriors + Readers
The Green Tribe wouldn’t be where she is today without the inspiring contributions of its close circle of incredibly talented Wellness Warriors creating kick-ass mind-blowing content: Bebetta Campeti, Bree Hogan, Cora Mol, Elizabeth Kelsey Bradley, Greta Streitberger, Jelle de Vries, Jess Carlson, Katie Dean, Laura Brown, Mara Pinkert, Megan Gogoll, Renee Vos de Wael and Sarah Potter. Words fall short to describe my gratitude and admiration for you.
At the same time, I thank you tribe for all your support, comments, subscriptions, likes, and the time you invested to read and share our articles! I am eternally grateful that you have joined me on this journey. Keep being that sparkle in the world my gorgeous souls!
Petra van de Vorst
Co-Founder healthcoachFX, Orthomolecular Therapist & Nutritionist
I am truly glowing with pride. I have witnessed my mom, Petra van de Vorst, transforming into a fierce inspiring healthcoach full of in-your-face-wisdom. After four years of studying nutritional medicine – including orthomolecular therapy, personal training and hormonal science, she has set out her sails this year on a journey towards making a healthy impact on the world around her, guiding her clients, friends and family towards health and happiness. She has been my number one inspiration in 2014, is the most empathic person I know and I cannot be happier to have co-founded healthcoachFX together with her.
Rachel MacDonald
Writer, Mentor, Co-Author of Spirited, Creator of Bloghearted
I started following the radiant blogging & life coach Rachel MacDonald mid 2013. The day she invited her loyal readership to join her Bright-Eyed & Blog-Hearted ecourse, I signed up without a second of a doubt. I jumped onto this opportunity to be able learn from the best. Rachel’s course has been a celebration of love, life and creation. She gathered all her students together in a glorious tribe of beautiful souls and I am everyday thankful to be part of her community. The Bright-Eyed and Blog-Hearted women give me the confidence and motivation to create something truly valuable, beautiful and authentic.
Bebetta Campeti
Soulpreneur, Green Goddess, Founder the Aurora Festival, Guiding Spirit
Bebetta Campeti is the founder of the Aurora Festival. Not only is she an amazing writer, a spirited healer and shamanic activist – she is a firm believer in the power of nature and spirit, which can give us the strength to change the world. This summer I visited her annual event in Pienza in the middle of the breathtaking Tuscan hills of the Val d’Orcia. Amongst her list of incredible speakers was environmentalist Vandana Shiva, who spoke about Biodiversity and her organisation Navdanya. Read more about the Aurora Festival on The Green Tribe here and about Biodiversity and Vandana Shiva here.
Felix Heinricy
Entrepreneur, Social Hero, Founder of Handspiel, Soulmate
Felix is my soulmate, my lover, my best friend and my beacon. Not only is he the happiest, most gorgeous and social person I know, he has the biggest heart and always makes me laugh. His startup, Handspiel-Genehmigt!, transforms worn-out footballs into unique bracelets and donates parts of its revenue to selected social projects in Ghana.
Isadora Caporali
Entrepreneur, Founder of Sublime, Soul Sister
Isa is my soul sister and one of my best friends. A beautiful paradise bird who birthed her organic cosmetics brand Sublime this year. We lived and studied together in the Netherlands and in January she decided to go back to her roots and found a company together with her family. Whenever we Skype, it’s a non-stop rave about beauty in life, light-bulb moments, creative ideas and heart-to-hearts.
Marcella Kramer
Entrepreneur, Founder of Food Fest Agency, Soul Sister
As likeminded as we are, Marcella and I were destined to meet. We connected through mutual friends already long before we somehow ended up living in the same city in 2014. Marcella is a radiant light of optimism and peace. She has an iron motivation to be independent and to create something beautiful in this world. She celebrates honest and authentic food with Food Fest. Her ultimate goal is to bring people together and to lift up their hearts with her gorgeous events and catering.
And many others…
My amazing friends, my soul sisters who continue to inspire this universe with their never-ending sparkles, each rocking their world in a wonderful way, always lifting up my spirits and make me feel alive. My bro Mitch, mastermind behind Air-60, who took some incredibly brave decisions this year. My dad Hans, partner-in-crime at healthcoachFX.
Healthpreneurs Nina Pierson, sparkling brilliance behind Amsterdam’s hippest salad bar Sla and her beautiful mother Monica Blomqvist, founder of yoga and meditation oasis Mangalam. Also Simone Sassmannshausen, owner of thé healthy lifestyle agency that celebrates good-hearted wellness brands in the way they deserve Ganbaroo.
And of course all sustainable fashion heroes whom I had the honour of interviewing during the final stages of my studies. Amongst them the amazing Natasha Tucker and Cora Hilts from rêve en vert, but also my guide in the process Nina Rennie from Nueluxe, as well as Chris Akin, kick-ass entrepreneur of The Base Project, beautiful minds behind Sseko Designs Ben and Liz Bohannon, the fierceful Farah Malik of A Peace Treaty, the great Francis Shoemack, founder of the world’s first organic perfume Abel, the lively Brooke Hahn of The Beautiful Think, the stunning Gabriela Viteri Crespo of Prymal, elephantpreneur Oliver Tomalin of Love Brand & Co., Carolina Cantor of Shopethica and the inside-out gorgeous Kate Sala of S-Inc.
Celebrating Milestones
It is so important to enjoy that moment you have been waiting for – that moment you made it – that moment in which most of us rush on onto the next to-do’s on our lists. Honour your achievements with some well-deserved treats, some time to unwind and let go.
So often we find ourselves dashing on and on, in a constant state of alertness, hopping immediately back onto that fast track, while forgetting to look back on the distance we made already and what beautiful outlooks we’ve had along the way.
No matter how small your breakthroughs, make sure to go wild about them.
My Highlights in 2014
Guiding Word For 2015: ENACTMENT
Choose one word for the coming year and let it guide you.
I choose ENACTMENT.
Finally I want to realise all the ideas and planning that went into healthcoachFX. I can’t wait to substantiate them to their fullest potential and lift our baby out of its bèta phase.
healthcoachFX was born out of the belief that in order to find fulfillment and balance each day, modern people need to be armed with a fresh set of tools that are simple, convenient, and tailored to their bodies and their hectic schedules.
Our mission? To simplify and personalize health and wellness for modern people with hectic schedules.
Preview healthcoachFX.com in 2015
The launch version will include a completely new website with a stunning design, communication board, recipe database, tailored nutrition plans, personalized fitness plans, a workout library, add-ons such as extra coaching, orthomolecular therapy or hormone training, as well as b2b offers for Personal Trainers seeking to support their clients with nutrition and virtual support.
The new version of healthcoachFX is expected to launch mid 2015.
Meanwhile, The Green Tribe continues… I’ve been running this baby on my own next to healthcoachFX and there is a great synergy between the two. Expect new recipes, more in-depth articles, an eBook, more behind-the-scenes (I’m moving to Hamburg and will turn my kitchen into a food photo-studio) and of course infinite fun, laughs and sparkles around here in 2015!
No matter how exhilarating, no matter how overwhelming, no matter how tough – 2014 helped you blossom and grow, added experience to your beautiful soul and guided you further on your unique journey. This year has brought you one step closer towards fulfilling your purpose!
A great article full of inspiration and great human beings with a mission. To all those mentioned: A happy and fruitful 2015 full of love.
You are an inspiration Laura! May you and your soulmate have a wonderful 2015!!