Levensavonturiers

The Art of Staying Human - Session Zero

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What makes it hard to stay human in today’s world of pressure, speed, and technology?

It’s an anonymous 5-minute reflection that helps shape future stories, tools, and experiences.

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The Art of Staying Human - Session Zero The Mission Game was just the beginning of a larger vision. The next step is The Art of Staying Human, exploring how we can slow down, reconnect, and lead ourselves in these fast-changing times. We’re gathering honest, anonymous input to show that this work matters. Proof that people everywhere fe...

Last post of 2023

These last days of the year are always a great opportunity to look back and reflect. The year 2023 had it all for me. I've seen years of personal transformation (2013) and of starting a nomadic lifestyle (2016), but in all honesty 2023 might have been the most enriching year in my life so far. I danced with life, and all of its aspects. Friendships all around the world, starting with me being my own best friend.

💪 Personal Development
At the beginning of the year I started a NLP Practicioner course. It was great to invest in myself like that and go through 18 amazing days of personal development through interacting with others. Even though most of it wasn't new p***e, the trainers and the group that we worked with definitely did lead me into new insights and things to consider for the future. Although I have no concrete plans to continue with NLP in 2024, there's still a chance that I will sign up for a follow up. Investing into ourselves should always be a priority.

🍻 Alcohol
After a second dryspell of around 4-5 years I started drinking again in early 2023. Just some wine and gin tonic; it wasn't until Thailand that I began drinking beer again. No regrets there whatsoever, but it did lead me to gain some kilo's again. Not sure if I'm willing to accept that. So to get rid of those before summer of 2024 should be another priority.

✈️ Workwise
With a change of manager and some changes in our team, the doors opened up for me to show what I can do and pour all my passion, creativity and dedication into it. We received an insane amount of new employees and for many of them, it's their first real job. As you can imagine, that comes with a few challenges here and there. I've tried my utmost best to stay true to myself and be kind and welcoming, but when people think they can make their own rules and go about their work day through lies and trickery, someone has to draw a line. As a Duty Manager, it's my duty to do exactly that. Some might argue I changed for worse, but I know I'm there for anyone who needs me, even if we had our differences in the past. This year I unlocked levels of drive and ambition within myself I didn't even know I had hidden within me, and now as a result, I'm nowhere near done growing in my career. Let's see how far I'll go in 2024.

🕺 Festivals
There was a time in my life when I went to all the raves and festivals, and let's just say that this summer might have topped it. Boom in Portugal, Ozora in Hungary and Own Spirit in Spain are just a few of the highlights of last summer. It was crazy, colorful, beautiful, fulfilling, exhausting and energizing all at the same time. Apart from all of the people I already knew, I got to meet so many new beautiful people too. People kept coming up to me to tell me how I was the party itself and how much positivity I was vibing. Many people wrote in my guestbook, that was often there with me in the front of the dance floor. Together with glitters and face paint, for anyone to use. Will 2024 be any less crazy? Probably not, as a certain someone doesn't take no for an answer.

🧭 Adventures
Apart from the festivals and some trips with Marta, my last proper solo adventure was a beautiful 2 month trip to India in 2019 / 2020. Knowing how rewarding and fulfilling such solo adventures can be, I started 2023 by planning for a new solo adventure. You've probably seen my Thailand pictures in November. Let's see if I have some days and coins to go on another solo adventure in 2024. Destination is yet to be decided.

🌐 Connection
Whether I go into my work day, a festival or walk into a Thai bar, I do so with an open mind and heart. Always on the look out for people to connect with. For a random smile, a short chat, a night out or dancing together for a week on end. The year 2023 was full with beautiful connections. Unfortunately Acchi and Daniel Zuur disconnected from the land of the living. I will honor their memory, their smile and their craziness. On and off the dance floor. In 2024 and beyond.

🇧🇷 End of Year
When I didn't make it last year, I agreed I'd go the next edition of Universo Paralello in Brazil. Normally that would be around new years of 2024/2025, but then they announced they would do one this year already. Thailand or not, I couldn't not-go. We don't know how many weeks / months / years we have left and besides, like I mentioned a certain someone doesn't take no for an answer. So, here I am, on the bus to a paralel universe. Signing off for 2023.

See you in 2024!!!

Love & Gratitude

🦄❤️‍🔥🚀

My biggest inspiration?
PEOPLE!

After I personal delivered a necklace set to Marijn van Laerhoven I've got inspired by his story, which are told in his tattoos. The compass tattoo he's having is a symbol for that he's following his heart and his own way.
Something I admire when people are doing that!
Less then a week later I found this silver charm from a compass and with no doubt I bought it, because I wanted to make a nice piece with it. I send Marijn a message that he inspired me with the photo from the compass.
Directly he said: make me another piece with that! And I answered immediately Yeah sure, but I didn't bought to tempt you to buy another one. I just got inspired by your story.

Then the hustle begin, because Marijn wanted to make this necklace really personal about him. He loves the proposal I made him with the hawk eye, but he wanted to check out if Mother Earth is having another treasure which would be perfect for him.His choice became aquamarine, like his name.

Lots of treasure hunts passed by and Marijn helped hunting for his personal stone.
For months the compass and the hawk eye where together in a bag in the reserved treasure box.

Marijn is leaving soon to South America and he wants to bring his extra compass. Yesterday I went out for the last treasure hunt, but I think universe decided that the hawk eye belong to you Marijn! So here it is.

And I give you a little mission for your Journey! (Don't feel obligated!)
Use you're compass in Brasil! Aquamarine is hidden there in the ground and find the piece of aquamarine which is yours.
Use your compass for one other thing...
Find me 2 gorgeous pieces of Chrysocolla Azurite.
Once you come home you may hand those 3 stones to me, with all your amazing stories as a 'levensavonturier' in South America. And I will make you your piece desired necklace with aquamarine which will tell your story in South America. (And you paid them of with the other to stones)!

Lieve Marijn,
Dank je wel voor je support in voor mij grote stap in het beginnen van mijn mini bedrijfje!
Reis ver, duik diep en kom terug! 👁❤️👁

Wat hebben unicorns te maken met jezelf zijn? In deze blog lees je het, en waarom er een unicorn tattoo op mijn linkerarm staat.

Unicorn Tattoo: Always Be Yourself, Unless You Can Be A Unicorn Unicorns sure are a hype going on right now, but that's not really the reason why I had a bad-ass unicorn tattoo'd onto my skin.

SIX MONTHS AGO, SIX MONTHS TO GO

It's already been six months since I booked that flight. Less than six months remain until my departure. The weeks are flying by and before you know it, I will too. In this blog I share what triggered me to actually book this trip.

Six Months Ago, Six Months To Go Until South America In this article I share a bit about how I got to book a trip to South America, six months ago. Six months to go until I leave.

Vanaf november ga ik voor onbepaalde tijd levensavonturiersn in Latijns Amerika. Omdat ik er ook wil gaan werken besloot ik een Engelstalige Facebook pagina en website te lanceren. Na een paar weken bouwen en tweaken is die website nu af en dit is de allereerste blog. Check it out!

Launching LifeAdventurer.nl — Marijn van Laerhoven - Life Adventurer Booking a single-way ticket to South America and realizing I could actually work abroad by teaching English had me launch a brand new website.

FREE THE UNICORN interaction game as played at Familiar Freedom festival. No unicorns were harmed in any of the activities, I think. Updated version to be played at Familiar Forest Festival in September.

Elswout, net alsof je een sprookjeswereld binnenstapt. Alice in Wonderland.

Op Familiar Forest 2016 ontmoette ik Priscilla Knip. Priscilla geeft yogales en doet aan pranic healing, beide zijn we enorm gefascineeed door symboliek. Aankomende zondag organiseren we een NATURE QUEST in het prachtige Amsterdamse Bos. Het zal een combinatie zijn van een workshop en een wandeling door de natuur. Ben je erbij? Wij zouden het erg fijn vinden als je ons laat weten of je komt of niet. Laat je een reactie achter? Alvast bedankt!

"Free the Unicorn!" is a social interaction game that I designed for this weekend's Familiar Forest. Players will go through a story of 5 chapters that has them make new friends and explore the festival grounds. I loved designing it, printing the player cards brought a huge smile on my face and I just can't wait to see it being played!

INSPIRATIEVRAGEN

Dit zijn kaartjes met op iedere kaart een inspirerende vraag die je tot nadenken zet. Leuk om alleen over na te denken, nog leuker met twee of meer. Lekker de diepte in en filosoferen over het leven. Binnenkort neem ik deze kaarten mee voor pop-up coachingsessies, ergens midden in de stad.

Ook vandaag maakten we weer een fijne wandeling door een prachtig stukje natuur.