My hobby: Being on the Way

Being a very active person who is barely ever home turned me into someone who is always on the way. When I lived on cruise ships, I was mostly sailing in the middle of the ocean, often with the most phenomenal sunsets or the most magical skies full of stars. I used to love to go up to the deck for a walk (often from my room to the theatre) during sunset times. These walks were magical. The world felt so big, and being and feeling like such a small human in the middle of the ocean and these stunning sunsets made me feel closer to magic and the power of manifestations. Those moments made me reflect and dream bigger at the same time. Hearing the ocean waves smashing against the ship (especially when surrounded by dolphins) while not seeing any land around made me realize how close I daily was to the beauty of the powerful nature of the world.

In Amsterdam growing up, I always biked everywhere. Later on, I had a scooter, so it saved me less intensive work for the physical body but the rides were mentally just as satisfying. While cycling or scootering through my city, I would reflect on all the highs and lows of the day. These rides were what brought me back into balance. Whenever the distances were short, I would be happy for the fact that I didn’t have to cycle or drive for a longer time, but mentally, I would miss my me-time on the bike or scooter.

When living in NYC, I would often take the metro for many stops, sometimes with purpose, as I had to be somewhere, and sometimes simply to be “on the way” and to put myself in different environments and vibes. Combine this with the thousands of blocks I used to walk and the therapy of “being on the way” was all the therapy I needed to digest the struggles of the day or to simply bring my emotions back into balance. Some days, as I didn’t have much money, these never-ending walks through Manhattan were pure therapy to collect my thoughts and get out of my mind and into action.

Living in Germany, I would go back to Amsterdam as often as I could. This meant every other week I would try to take the train back to Amsterdam: 3 hours of train rides back and forth, where I would daydream. I would be aware that I didn’t have to do anything besides sitting and taking in the surroundings which would pass my window. Combined with music or podcasts, I would study and expand my mind or turn it into a music meditation while staring at the world around me. No greater feeling!

Living in Los Angeles, I walked and biked a lot, but, most often, to get from point A to point B, I had to take an Uber. On all my Uber drives, if the Uber drivers didn’t tell me their entire life story, I would look out the window and realize and reflect on the fact that my story, my dedication and my heart made it all the way through LA. I would often, during those drives, reflect on my journey (and, believe me, the traffic in LA is no joke, so spending hours in traffic weekly is pretty normal there), and in these traffic hours, I would think about where I came from, how I got there and what I see awaiting in the future for me.

If spending a lot of time yearly in Curaçao, you need to drive mostly to get anywhere. As I often live everywhere and nowhere at the same time, I don’t get to drive as much as when I am home in Curaçao. These drives are my therapy. They are my moments when I talk to the universe, blast my music out, share my gratitude list to myself or speak into existence what I see for myself and my future. Windows open, breeze in my face, island vibes and the best tunes, in combination with my appreciation for the island and my culture, are truly the best way to bring me back to myself and in alignment with life itself.

In Miami, I love my beach walks. Walking while grounding my feet in the sand or ocean, feeling the wind in my face, often brings me back to my body or journey. How did I get here, to this moment in life that I get to call THIS normal? And, as you can tell, just asking myself one little question will start the self-reflection again within those moments.

Now, being on tour again, I am in the air almost more often than I am on land. Sleep is often my first priority (as this doesn’t happen so often on land), but if I am not sleeping, I am mostly in conversation with myself: asking myself the deepest questions high above the clouds, listening to playlists which bring me back to the past or make me think about the future, podcasts which educate me or simply moments of pure meditation for this moment in my life. Flying sky high is my favorite moment to turn inside myself, while being above the clouds or in between the stars.

As you can tell, I’m always on the go. This past week, we were on tour travelling by bus, driving from one city in Mexico to another, and it made me realize that if I have to tell you my favorite hobby in life, it truly is: being on the way.

These are the moments I get back to myself. These are the moments I feel and embrace the feelings of gratitude for my life. These are the biggest opportunities for myself to reflect, hold space for myself, feel joy from seeing new environments, and be in the moment, yet I can hold my own essence and truly expand my energy by moving forward while taking a step back.

I promised to myself last week that I would never want to let go of these moments, ever. Moments where I am moving forward yet taking it back. Moments where I create time to be in alignment with myself, discovering new territory at the same time. Moments where I plant the seeds of my manifestations while at the same time being grateful for everything I have. Moments which make me connect with myself and my surroundings better, while letting go of what no longer serves me.

Being on the way can be annoying when you are in a hurry, feeling tired or feeling trapped. Yet, when you choose to be fully present while being on the way, you can turn these times into magical transformative moments when you are able to connect closer to your truest self and your environment. Watching how other people live and work from your own cocoon, or seeing nature so up close, feeling the energy so alive of a city or flying high above the clouds while connecting with the universe and all that’s in it are imprinted moments, moments which make me fall in love with life and myself.

I have realized over these years of travel that my favorite hobby in life (besides dancing and snowboarding) is being on the way. It’s so fulfilling, so connecting, and feels like therapy to me, when I am able to truly be present and in the moment, into my own energy, while embracing my own essence.

I hope these examples and reminders inspire you to be more often present while being on the way. ’Cause, trust me when I say these are some of my most powerful moments, the moments I lay out seeds for my future. Every time I’m on the way, I water my seeds with more love and gratitude, while feeling and being more curious about all the beauty these seeds hold and could become.

May we all be forever on the way, searching for more beauty, being open to more aliveness and feelings of deeper connection, with ourselves and our surroundings.

The magic is within these moments, the little moments which make us feel the most alive.