Hello World, Let’s Do Something

My first post, the classic ‘hello world’.

So why this blog? I needed to “Do Something”. Quitting my job in October 2014, I had no real plan, except that I knew that I wanted to create something meaningful and have a positive impact on ‘something or someone’. I say ‘something or someone’ because really it could be anything, I just don’t know. I gave myself a year to explore my next direction.

I left for a eight week trip to Nepal and Istanbul to “think”. Being on the move usually is the best place to do this. I even decided in Brazil (April 2014) that I would start my own business (yes, I had the brilliant plan to import colorful leggings, making the world a happier place one leg at a time :)). And I even needed to remind myself of this decision while in France (August 2014) so that I would actually quit my job.

I am getting off track… Back to Nepal. Five of the weeks I spend in Nepal were spend walking in the Himalaya’s, literally a dream come true as I love to walk. Although the Himalaya’s inspired me to come back to Nepal as soon as I could to explore all the unexplored corners (many!), I still did not have a plan when I returned to Amsterdam.

Now, 5 months back (wow, time flies) I am confronted with a few challenges, or lessons, depending on how you look at it.

• Challenge #1: No work = no money. Solution: Work as a freelancer and join the awesome Aimforthemoon community of entrepreneurs. Interesting insight: Can I deal with the uncertainty when not having work? Yup, I’m ok. I can eat oatmeal and tomatoes for a month, as long as my exploration-itch (having money to travel) does not have to suffer.
• Challenge #2: Living in a fast-paced and connected world without a plan = surprisingly unnerving. Solution: Go out for a walk and remind yourself that not having a plan was the plan all along. Try out and test new things. No more, no less. Interesting insight: I find it more difficult then expected to ‘let go’ and see what comes my way. On the upside, I do love the freedom and realization that with no plan, the horizon really is limitless and everything really is possible.
• Challenge # 3: The horizon really is limitless and everything really is possible. Dealing with my mind’s chaos versus (my desired) order. Solution: This blog. Having a place to document my ideas, my experiments and my learnings will force me to make choices and get ‘out of my head’. Stop thinking, start doing. Will it work? No idea, let’s find out. Interesting insight: When I do things, I like to do them well. I have never build a website and want this blog to be ‘well-groomed’. I could fuss over the details (oh, I want to..) or let it go and just see what happens. Learn along the way. Someone wise told me today “Done is better then perfect”. Thanks.

In a nutshell, this blog is a personal experiment (lean startup style ;)). It is for me to document my journey as my destination. Hopefully I will inspire some people along the way either with my ideas, my failures, my lessons learned, or my travels. Otherwise, I hope I can atleast get some laughs.  I don’t know what I am doing. Does anyone?

See you soon.

• Postcard: May 2011 – Birthday card from Lian
• Picture: May 2015 – taken while biking near Amstel Station, Amsterdam. It was literally beckoning me to stop thinking and start ‘doing’. Doe Iets (NL)= Do Something (EN).