Today’s energy is tomorrow’s potential. Does that make sense to you? That means then, that when the energy changes today, tomorrow’s potential changes. And most people seem to wait for something or somebody to change in their life. But why wait?
You possess an incredible intelligence, creativity and infinite wisdom, but you don’t think it’s true.
I do feel that change is in the air, but I have to admit that I created it myself. Not because I like to brag, or I think I’m so great, but because I followed something inside me that was impossible to resist. It’s like a strange pull – not knowing what it means, but I just know that it feels good. This feeling I had (and still have), reminds me of a quote by Rumi:
“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.”
Coherence Hotspot
On my way back home from Bogotá (see earlier blog post), I had a vision that I was working with more communities around the world, so that we could effectively contribute to an increase in global coherence, and I named it Coherence Hotspot. As soon as I got home, I started working on this new idea, just because it felt so good.
Like with a WiFi Hotspot, in order to connect and communicate with others, we can use earth’s magnetic field as a carrier wave. Unseen by others, yet extremely powerful. Those who have been trained in the science of HeartMath® know what I am talking about. When we start radiating a different quality ‘signal’ (we are the hotspot), we communicate differently with others and we even contribute to changes in earth’s magnetic field.
After building a web page coherencehotspot.com and posting a short video on Facebook, I am now in touch with over 30 people (who have been trained by HeartMath before) in 10 countries around the world, who will be starting a local Hotspot in their community (see link for more explanation). And it’s still growing. This means that over 30 communities across the globe will actively contribute to global change, by collectively changing their personal heart vibration.
To those who are skeptical, and who have a hard time understanding that this is even possible, I would like to say that the tools and techniques we use, are all based on peer-reviewed science, that has been around for some decades. I personally use the same tools and techniques with veterans with PTSD, and it changes their lives around. Health care systems, corporations, military and police, to just name a few, all successfully apply the practice of heart coherence. And I didn’t mention my own transformation since being a HeartMath trainer.
You are the Change
The reason why I decided to write this blog post, is to show you that we are all capable of doing great things. But our upbringing in a society that mainly focuses on our limitations in life, prevents us from embracing and living our greatest passions. It’s imprinted in our subconscious, and that is why so many people still struggle, because it’s mainly our subconscious that runs the show.
The more we connect and inspire each other to do amazing things, the more the world changes – today’s energy is tomorrow’s potential!
Hopefully, there will be a Coherence Hotspot in your area soon!
It’s not the first time that you see me write about our purpose and about simplicity. Not so long ago I wrote this blog post about keeping things simple in our lives because I have learned that the more intelligent approach or philosophy we are trying to embrace, the more we come from our mind and not from pure passion. And that’s where most of us get stuck when trying to find our purpose in life.
One of the best practices that will show you when you are not connected to your heart, is when you hook yourself up to a heart rhythm monitor and watch your own heart rhythm change when shifting from ‘feeling’ back to ‘thinking’. So, if you ever like to learn more about the science of the heart and the HeartMath® principles, please let me know because I am very passionate about this.
I hear lots of my friends and people that I meet during my events talk about following your dream and living from the heart. It’s so wonderful to see that many want to break free from a life that isn’t fulfilling or just doesn’t work for them. Times are changing and we feel that we need to change too!
Although the desire is there, we seem to struggle to truly live this on a day-to-day basis. Before we know we fall back onto our familiar fears, insecurities and self-inflicted limitations. Not because we’re slow learners or not smart enough. It’s because we’re wired like that.
Free ‘purple personal purpose book’
After the well received Little Blue Breathing Book, where in which explain the power of heart-focused breathing, I felt inspired to write a new ebook for you. And so I did. I named it the Purple Personal Purpose Book (I know, it’s only me who can come up with such a silly title). In this short ebook, I will talk about the ‘hard-wiring’ of us humans and I will take you on a fun journey into the art of living life. After reading this book, you might come to the conclusion that my 3 deceptively simple but profound ways to help you find your purpose, are exactly what you’ve been looking for. If that’s the case, please let me know, because I always love to hear your experiences.
Why are so many people looking for the ultimate happiness? Why is this so important to us? Is it because we lack happiness in our lives or is it because we are always seeking for more? I’m sure that we don’t think that happy living is obtained by doing extraordinary things or looking for that ‘magical dream’, but by becoming too obsessed about reaching a state of happiness, we become too attached and start feeling anxious. This will make us rigid and causes us to forget our deepest wishes and desires.
Common Sense As many of you know, I am a down-to-earth guy, living a life inspired by simplicity. When I am present, I can just feel the gratitude for being alive, I am curious about what is, and feel compassion towards others.
I decided to write the 7 Principles of Happy Living, a simple little book, and I suggest the readers to just be humble and using your common sense. Hang out with the people that are doing healthy things. Focus on healthy relationships, full of love. When you learn to trust your inner voice (your heart), then you will know that it’s all good. This feeling will generate all the peace and happiness that you are craving for.
You might want to use The 7 Principles of Happy Living as a guide. One principle at a time. Always make sure you are relaxed about it and try to feel the impact in your body. And if you don’t feel it right away, don’t worry. Just be quiet and listen a little longer.
When you have received this article via your email subscription, you have also received a link to download the free ebook The 7 Principles of Happy Living. In case you don’t receive my emails yet, please sign up below and you will receive the link by email after you have signed up. Below is also an introduction to the 7 principles of happy living.
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1. Our Essential Nature
Our essential nature is pure consciousness, perfect balance, simplicity and bliss. The universe is a movement of energy and information and is there to guide us, so that we can live in perfect harmony. We often perceive the world as being harsh and complicated. Well, it’s not the world but the people who make it complicated. And I think it’s for no real reason.
2. Giving
We have probably all heard it before, how a simple act of giving can improve our health, our relationships, our happiness and more… It is something we already know in our heart – that giving is a key part of every person’s life. Did you also know that being open to ‘receiving’ is equally important? And why?
3. Conscious Choice Making
We’ve all been provided with a number of incredible and irrevocable gifts that are oftentimes overlooked or taken for granted. Although we’re well aware of the conscious choices, it’s often the unconscious choices that lead to producing our less than desired results, regardless of how badly we may ‘want’ something.
4. Least Effort
This is a principle we can directly learn from nature. Every day, the sun rises without effort, and the birds start to sing. They don’t really try hard, they just sing. This is also human nature, so that we can manifest our deepest dreams in just a perfect and balanced way.
5. Fulfill any Dream
With intention, you can fulfill any dream or desire you might have. You can apply this in your thoughts, feelings, emotions and desires. You are part of this mighty universe, which is a movement of energy and information. Attention energizes, but intention transforms and this is the true power behind your desires.
6. Step into the Unknown
Do you also have things lined up and your life pretty much planned for the next year(s)? Most of us have. It feels good, doesn’t it! It’s our need for security. But what if something suddenly changes? Panic! Here is why it’s helpful to embrace uncertainty. If you’re open to things, they walk through the door and you’ll find yourself at places you never imagined to be.
7. Our Purpose
Have you ever sat down and thought, “What is my purpose in life? What is my passion? Where do I go from here?” The true goal behind what we pursue is often internal – and most of the time, this internal goal is simply to be happy. We like to think that this is too simple. But really, it is enough. Don’t you think so?
Feel free to leave a comment or to send me a message. I also organize events and one-on-one trainings and coaching. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
Recently, I was speaking with a friend of mine about bringing out the child in us. We joked and pretended that we were young children again. There were lots of “what if….” and “just pretend that…”, but then I was being confronted with a huge surprise. “Thank you so much Dirk”, she told me after a while. “For what?” I asked. “For reviving me, and bringing out the child in me again. I am in awe.”
The child in you is always alive
Although my friend somehow knew that this little child was not completely forgotten, she could have never envisioned that it could be coming alive so quickly though. It took her completely off guard and woke her up, from years and years of being in some kind of sleepy state. Not feeling fully alive. Not feeling playful and light. This seriousness and sense of responsibility had crept into her life over the years, without even realizing it. But by being playful, something was triggered inside her—her inner child woke up!
From personal experience, I know that many grownups prefer to ignore to listen to the child within them. Many of us often feel that it’s childish to think that way: “What can a child offer us?” But they forget that this child is who they really are. This child once was in awe when watching the first snow flakes coming down. This same child loved to play outside all day long. Wasn’t hungry when mum called for dinner and wasn’t tired during the 3-day school trip. We were fully alive!
So what has happened then?
We are expected to grow up. School suddenly becomes more serious, and high marks make our teachers and parents happy. We apply for admission to a respected university. Mostly, not because it’s our passion, but because our parents think this is the best choice to secure a good future career. Do I need to go on? You get it, right?
I will share a secret with you that I kept completely to myself up to a year ago or so. When I was fourteen and in high school, I had to choose the subjects I wanted to focus on. I had no clue what I wanted to do after school, I was only fourteen. My dad was getting concerned and had me sign up for a career test. I was not motivated at the time, but went through almost a full day of psychological tests. The end-result was not very helpful to me – I could listen well and I was very creative, and some career options were being presented. I was not impressed. But about a month or so later, I found the official test results somewhere on my dad’s desk and started reading. I was in shock! They basically concluded that I wasn’t very smart and they found it hard to come up with a good advise for Dirk.
I had always been a happy kid and I was doing pretty well at school, but reading this report changed my life for the next twenty years. I started believing that I was stupid and school became a struggle. At some point, I felt so bad about it that I wanted to prove I wasn’t stupid. About twenty years later, I was working as a CEO for American Express. I had built an amazing career and was very successful in what I did. But I wasn’t happy… I just wanted to prove to myself and to my family that I wasn’t stupid. How sad.
When you become disconnected from your heart, you’re not living. But when you’re connected to your heart, you become like a child. You’re a spark of divine energy. I can tell you, that I am deeply connected to my heart now, and I am very grateful for this traumatic experience. It was my teacher! The medieval mystic Mechthild von Magdeburg said it beautifully: “A fish cannot drown in water, and a bird does not fall from the sky. Each creature must find its God given element.”
I was therefore touched by Paulo Coelho’s words in the movie The Power of The Heart – The child says: “Hello I am here.” But we are grown up now and not going to listen to this child, because this child has childish dreams, and so we forget the child. The moment we forget the child, we think that the child is going to forget us. But the child is not going to forget us. This child will always be here and says again: “Hello, I am here. I am talking to you. Can you listen?” You will then say: “Shut up, I don’t want to listen to you.”
But the day that you’re facing death, this child will be there again, and will ask you: “Why didn’t you listen to me?” You then have to answer. And your answer will be your hell, or your heaven.
3 simple ways to connect with the child in you
It would be easy for me to tell you just to do fun stuff. Things that you are really passionate about. Although that is definitely important, I believe there’s something more to this. Below are three simple ways of teaching yourself to connect with the child in you.
1. Becoming aware of now Science shows us that we are pure energy systems. We are for over 99% energy and the remaining 1% is matter. Hard to imagine, isn’t it? So if we are virtually pure energy, we need to make sure that we tap into this energy, if we want to connect to our deepest self, our soul, the child in you. There’s a law in science that says: “Where the attention goes, is where the energy flows.” So, in stead of always being focused on everything outside of you, which will cause you to disconnect you from yourself, start becoming aware of what you are doing in this very moment — feel what you feel right now, become aware of the flavours of the food you put into your mouth, truly enjoy the sounds of the instruments and voice when you listen to your favourite music and take in all the beautiful elements of nature when you go outside. And when thoughts do come up, just ignore them and ask yourself: “What is it that I feel right now?”
You’ll start noticing that the many thoughts that go through your head on a continuous basis, won’t be so intense anymore. You literally start creating space in between all of your thoughts, and it’s exactly in that void, between your thoughts, where your creativity (your inner child) can be accessed.
2. A picture of you One of my favourite things to do is to grab an old picture from when I was 4, 5 or 6 years old. Then, just sit down at a place where you won’t be disturbed, and just look at this picture. Can you still feel how you felt at that moment? Excited, silly, happy, curious? What did your days look like? What kind of fantasies and dreams did you have? What did you like the most? Whatever comes up, and without thinking or using any judgements, write this down on a piece of paper. Now just look at yourself, sitting in the chair, 20, 30 or 40-something years later. You’re still this same child. Your body might have changed, and you might have accumulated more experiences, but this little child, with exciting dreams and passions is still there.
3. Heart focused breathing This is the most powerful step – the heart focused breathing. The healing power of breath has been used over thousands of years already, but seems almost insignificant in our fast paced life with continuous, external stimuli. In this exercise, you will shift your attention (and therefore your energy) to your heart, energetically the most powerful organ in your body.
STEP 1: Focus your attention in the area of your heart. Feel your breath flowing in and out through your lungs, and just breathe a little slower than you normally would. STEP 2: With each breath, draw in the feelings from your childhood memories and feel them in your heart while breathing. STEP 3: Set a genuine intent to anchor these memories throughout your day, and use them while working on new ideas and projects.
Please let me know how much fun you had in trying the exercises, and how it changed your perception on your current life. I would love to hear from you. Feel free to follow me on Facebook or on Twitter.
That sounds like a no-brainer to me. Like ‘the Bike helmet law’ is a no-brainer (but that’s a funny one when you think about it). My personal experience is that ‘do it right’, or ‘on purpose’ if you like, is not so much part of our culture these days. If you ask me ‘why’, then my answer is simple; ‘we are not proud of what we are doing anymore’.
Steve Jobs was always passionate and proud of what he was doing
Quality professionals know the importance of the phenomenon ‘do it right the first time’. And they often develop complex theories about this subject. We love to make things complex.
It’s not just a ‘quality issue’, as damage repair is usually more expensive than the cost of the original process. Japanese companies like Toyota follow the Kaizen principle and are highly successful with this. The word Kaizen means “continuous improvement”. Everyone is encouraged to come up with small improvement suggestions on a regular basis. In most cases these are not ideas for major changes. Kaizen is based on making little changes on a regular basis: always improving productivity, safety and effectiveness. And that adds up when you think about it.
Tourism is not any different I am the co-owner of a receptive (incoming) tour operator in British Columbia. This means that we buy products and services, package them in a smart and consumer-ready-for-consumption way. We sell these travel packages to travel agents in Europe. So we’re right in the middle between the suppliers and the travel agents. Managing a smooth process here is key for the success of our business. I often like to tell our people that ‘the magic is in the process’. Although we can have full control over our internal processes, we won’t be able to manage our partner’s processes and work ethics. But I can tell you, there is lots of room for improvement.
Caring If you are proud of what you’re doing, whatever this is, it also means that you care. That you are passionate and doing things on purpose and not merely see it as ‘chores’ that come with the job. Actually, I don’t care so much about the cause, nor do I buy excuses like ‘this fast paced, ever changing world often outsmarts us’. We ARE the world and therefore we can’t outsmart ourselves. I rather concentrate on changing our personal belief system. Passion and caring is something that comes from the inside. From the heart. For some this comes completely natural. But you can also learn it. And it’s fun!
It’s never embarrassing to be passionate about what you do
Pain & Pleasure We as human beings are so transparent and so easy to fool. Everything that we do, every day, every hour, every minute, is something that makes us comfortable and feel good. This is what I call our hang for ‘pleasure’. We try to stay far away from something that makes us feel uncomfortable or generates pain. No-brainer? Sure! But it’s that simple.
So, here comes the trick. If you like to see more passion in your employees and reduce the number of mistakes, then you will have to find out which elements will make them feel good, but also what they tend to avoid, because it makes them feel uncomfortable.
Example: A person might have ‘taught’ himself that it is quite scary to deal with responsibilities. Something could go wrong and then he will be held accountable for it. This can be a cultural or family influence or he might have had a bad experience in the past. In one word, its ‘scary!’
So when you know this, it is really fun to do a brief brainstorm session together (or as a team) and try to come up with the positive side effects of taking responsibility. This could be: 1. that you feel really good when you know that your boss fully trusts you in working on a task 2. that it is pretty cool to come up with some possible solutions on your own and try them 3. by the time you finish the task successfully, you are so proud of yourself and so will your colleagues and your boss be 4. you want more of this! 5. and if you don’t complete the task the way you want it the first time, it is a great learning moment that will certainly help you to do it right thereafter.
Did you notice something? You suddenly start to care about what you’re doing, because you feel good about working on this task. And when you start caring about things, you automatically WANT to do them right. It’s part of our pride. How cool is this? A sudden shift in your personal belief system. It is of course very important that you encourage your employees to take initiatives and let them know that you value this highly. That you’re proud of them. We all know that a compliment and a hand on our shoulder means so much than for example a single pay raise. You can of course also apply this exercise to yourself.
Simplify As you might have noticed, I like to simplify things and situations. It is easier and more fun to work with it and I know it works! Always. When I was working for American Express in Europe, I used to manage a large team of experienced consultants. Consultants love to make things complex (and then they come up with their solution). But I don’t believe in complexity. And the ones that were highly successful, were the ones that took a step back and just used their common sense.
I wish you good luck, lots of passion and caring, but foremost ‘fun’ in what you’re doing. Drop me a mail when you have any questions or feedback. I appreciate it.
Like with a WiFi Hotspot, in order to connect and communicate with others, we can use earth’s magnetic field as a carrier wave. Unseen by others, yet extremely powerful. Those who have been trained in the science of HeartMath® know what I am talking about. When we start radiating a different quality ‘signal’ (we are the hotspot), we communicate differently with others and we even contribute to changes in earth’s magnetic field.
The reason why I decided to write this blog post, is to show you that we are all capable of doing great things. But our upbringing in a society that mainly focuses on our limitations in life, prevents us from embracing and living our greatest passions. It’s imprinted in our subconscious, and that is why so many people still struggle, because it’s mainly our subconscious that runs the show.
After the well received 
I decided to write the 7 Principles of Happy Living, a simple little book, and I suggest the readers to just be humble and using your common sense. Hang out with the people that are doing healthy things. Focus on healthy relationships, full of love. When you learn to trust your inner voice (your heart), then you will know that it’s all good. This feeling will generate all the peace and happiness that you are craving for.
With intention, you can fulfill any dream or desire you might have. You can apply this in your thoughts, feelings, emotions and desires. You are part of this mighty universe, which is a movement of energy and information. Attention energizes, but intention transforms and this is the true power behind your desires.
I was therefore touched by Paulo Coelho’s words in the movie The Power of The Heart – The child says: “Hello I am here.” But we are grown up now and not going to listen to this child, because this child has childish dreams, and so we forget the child. The moment we forget the child, we think that the child is going to forget us. But the child is not going to forget us. This child will always be here and says again: “Hello, I am here. I am talking to you. Can you listen?” You will then say: “Shut up, I don’t want to listen to you.”
You’ll start noticing that the many thoughts that go through your head on a continuous basis, won’t be so intense anymore. You literally start creating space in between all of your thoughts, and it’s exactly in that void, between your thoughts, where your creativity (your inner child) can be accessed.
