Meet Ilja….
(pronounced: ill-y-a)
“Once upon a time, many years ago, there was a young girl who grew up in Asia, in Nepal. She lived in Nepal because her parents did development work there.
Being of service to others was ingrained into her spirit.
The girl was also very creative, loved painting, drawing and all things connected to art. She loved playing sports and together with her friends, dreamt of coming back to Nepal as an adult, to set up a Flying Doctors’ Service to provide Health Services to the people in the remotest parts of this mountainous country.
Her friends would be the doctors, she the pilot.
After she went back to her birth country, the Netherlands, the dream to be a pilot got lost in practicalities, and her love for making art didn’t feel like enough to pay the bills.
She made a choice based on her desire to be of service, to make a difference to other people. A choice based on passion, sensibility and responsibility.
She chose a career as a Social Worker.“
That girl is me.
In my 23 years as a social worker, I worked passionately with people from all walks of life and facing a myriad of challenges, from developmental disabilities to severe mental health challenges. I started using the Strengths Based Approach, a methodology that focuses attention on a clients’ abilities, hopes and interests, rather than their difficulties and illness, and helping clients develop confidence to start on the journey of recovery.
My love for coaching was born.
During all these years I also battled an autoimmune condition, which kept flaring up at times, making it difficult to stay active and do the things I wanted to do.
I let work take up most of the energy I had.
Somewhere along the way I started realizing that I had given too much of my limited energy to others, and in doing so, had neglected to listen to myself or my own body.
I realized that I had measured my worth by being of service to others.
My journey through health issues, burnout and the choice of a career change, have helped me learn to listen to my body, rediscover my passions and my voice. I am uncovering what matters most to me and being kinder to myself. I am learning to love my body and my life differently, learning that my worth is not tied to my doing and that I have a unique path to tread in this life. And this is what I wish for you too!
It feels like a series of serendipitous events that has led me here, to coaching, where I listen, encourage and ask the hard questions to create space to for you to dream, get your bearings, find your voice, connect to your intuition, your faith, your desires, and your joy and then start moving; in your body, your thoughts and your actions, in your right direction on your unique path in this life.
Growth is for everyone
I am reading…
Real Self-Care
(Crystals, cleanses and bubble baths not included)
- Pooja Lakshmin -
It has always been my firm belief that Self-Care encompasses much more than lighting candles and taking relaxing baths.
Self-Care is hard work. It means being courageous and willing to spend time with yourself to get to know yourself and what matters most to you.
It means making hard choices to align with the things that matter to you and setting boundaries.
It means examining your thoughts and your behaviour patterns and slowly swapping them for patterns that serve you and what matters most to you.
Reading this book is a great place to start!
I am making…
A series of smaller paintings. I have always painted bigger, separate works. Now I want to try and focus on making a series with an overarching theme.
I am discovering…
How much work goes into preparing and hanging art shows! I have been painting and creating from when I was young, but am only just starting out on the journey of selling my art. I am learning so much!