I am of dual heritage, being half Portuguese and half Dutch. I was born in the Netherlands and spent the first two years of my life in England before moving to Portugal just before turning three. That's where I spent the majority of my childhood, primarily with my mother.
Raised by a spiritually conscious mother and significantly inspired by superhero movies, I developed a profound desire to save the world and create impactful change from an early age. Throughout my life, I was often labeled a "crystal child," a designation I later questioned due to the impact it had on my development and the subsequent manifestation of the so-called "golden child syndrome." I was indeed different—very sensitive and interested in topics that were not typical for most children. My mother, a constant pillar of support, encouraged me to spread my wings, follow my heart, and explore the world, aspiring to become a global woman.
At the age of 18, I moved to Amsterdam, where my father resided and still resides, to attend Business School. Why business school, you might ask, especially for a child raised in a spiritual environment?
Embarking on a journey to business school was initially a ticket out of Portugal. One reason was my desire to understand the "normal" world and how it operated—I wanted to comprehend the matrix. In my teenage mind, the world was ruled by businesses, so I sought to understand the mechanisms of the influential business world, aiming to crack the system from the inside out. Ultimately, I was driven by a desire to learn how to be my own boss, as I never appreciated being told what to do.
During my years at University, I traveled a lot while becoming increasingly aware of the substantial impacts of capitalism, consumerism, patriarchy, and their roles in environmental destruction and affecting minority groups, I chose a different path. I took a stand for my beliefs, adopting a vegan lifestyle, and prioritizing my heart's desires over monetary pursuits, even in the face of family pressure and societal expectations.
This stance led me down an almost extreme yet fun and adventurous journey, adopting a hippie lifestyle, living in vans, boats, eco-places, and backpacking. I embraced going with the flow, trusting in the universe's magic, and dumpster diving for leftover market food. Money took a backseat as I lived a low-cost lifestyle, prioritizing personal development, healing, and happiness. I aimed to demonstrate that money doesn’t need to be the primary driving force in life and that abundance could exist independently of financial wealth.
My ambition was to utilize my business school knowledge to enact global change. I traveled to Lima, Peru, volunteering with disabled children and girls under protection at a police station, striving to be the hero I envisioned. Later, I freelanced in NGOs and eco-places in the Netherlands and France, developing social, artistic, and environmental projects.
Working with NGOs and in eco-conscious spaces over the years provided me with invaluable insights and wisdom. The power of impact became palpable as I observed the profound changes that can occur when individuals unite for a shared cause. Collective intelligence manifested through the synergy and creative solutions that arose from diverse perspectives. I became keenly aware of the complex dynamics of human interactions, understanding the importance of building connections and fostering collaboration. I discovered the essence of self-empowerment, recognizing that each individual has the capacity to create meaningful change within themselves and the world.
Nonetheless, financially, this work proved to be challenging. Especially in our case, without philanthropist connections or financial investors, we were essentially a group of volunteers, working for minimal money and undergoing immense pressure and stress to sustain two organizations, one in the Netherlands and one in France.
To be more precise, I developed projects and wrote grants, which took months, and then awaited approval. If rejected, you earn nothing, and if approved, the payment is minimal and often delayed, sometimes up to a year after the work is completed. Administrative and bureaucratic errors could even result in money being retracted from the already financially-strained organizations.
My work also included rearranging management systems, branding, devising marketing strategies, managing social media, recruitment, and UX design. I supported young adults from minority groups in finding their calling, opening their minds, and exploring different possibilities, marking the beginning of my journey into mentorship, social work, and coaching.
After years, I realized I was stuck in a co-dependent cycle, burnt out, penniless, homeless, and unfulfilled. Despite doing what I thought I loved—helping people—I desired more. Working for these wonderful organizations still meant working under certain limitations that prevented me from expanding and using my full capacity in a way that was even more meaningful to me.
I grappled with shame for wanting more and was faced with the need to reevaluate my beliefs about money, giving and receiving, boundaries, and self-honesty. I took a risk to drop everything and embark on a deeper healing journey, aiming to make peace with money.
I yearned for more comfort, a stable home and fulfillment, to work solely for myself, and not be dependent on other people and organizations. I wanted to amalgamate everything I had learned and my life experiences into an offering to help people on a deeper level.
And so, I embraced the journey of entrepreneurship and crafted something known as the "Inner Branding Journey." Through this, I guide individuals on a path to clarify and align with their life purpose, design their personal brand, and establish soul-led businesses. I am not marketing a quick and easy route to making millions.
Instead, I am offering a method to develop a business in a sustainable and profound manner, with ease and healing at its core. This is why it is not a swift process; healing sometimes necessitates additional time and care. There is no urgency, no rush, only trust in the process, with a focus on the journey rather than the destination.
If you are interested in reading more about the Inner Branding Journey, click on this link.
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