Hey you, lovely human!
Did you think we arrived at the end of the story already? No no, we’re not there yet!
Step by step, we’ll come closer to Ventuur. But for now, I’m taking you through the adventure that started to unfold on my way back from Slovenia. Slovenia, why Slovenia? That story, you can find in the previous blog post. On top of that, you can find one of my most valuable coaching tools in there, so go and check it out!
That previous blog ended like this: “Oh, what did I decide to do when my power light house was lit up again back then in Slovenia?
I sent an email to V-Formation. That's a story for next time!”
Small update: I was on my way with my bicycle from Slovenia, through the North of Italy, to Milan, to take the bus back to Belgium.
That Summer, I was planning to stay in Slovenia for 3 months to work at a campsite. That fairytale ended 2 months early. So I went back to Belgium, looking for a job - in the middle of the Summer of 2019.
Just before I hopped on my bicycle, I sent an email.
That email arrived in the mailbox of V-Formation.
At some point, when I was still a Nike employee, I decided to find a job coach. Not via Nike, just via myself. Because I knew that a job I would be motivated for not 10% but at least 50% and would make me feel like I was adding value existed somewhere in the world. During those 4 sessions with the job coach, I put aside all the decisions I made at some point in my life - my degree, industry, job roles - and went back to my core. Not that bit that nobody really enjoys training at the gym, no. My core, my soul, my essence. What did I enjoy doing as a child? Which job conditions do I enjoy - not taking into account societal expectations or salary stereotypes? What kind of energy & people do I love having around me most of the time?
At that time, 10% of my time at Nike I was Sports & Community Ambassador. A job role that gave me all the motivation I needed to be happy dappy during the other 90% of my time at Nike too. Because in that role, I motivated people to move in a fun way, as a volunteer I got to know interesting NGO’s like To Walk Again and I put out a helping hand in organizing and coordinating the most awesome events.
I knew pretty well at the time: if I’m allowed to do this job 100% of the time, wow - that’s my dream job. And that dream job, I know now 3 years later: it exists.
During those job coaching sessions, I didn’t take stability, salary, societal expectations and degree into account. Instead I just allowed myself to become silent and just feel what it is that makes me happy from the inside out.
And that, that’s not working with a fixed contract, that’s not sitting at my desk for 90% of the time, that’s not forwarding & replying emails. What makes me happy is moving around, it’s sharing my enthusiasm with people, it’s organizing and coordinating events, it’s listening to and telling stories that inspire.
At that particular moment, during the job coach sessions, that dream job & its particulars were quite vague. But at some point, when Nike organized an event for their employees, I noticed a small van that just brought a bouncing castle onto the Nike premises, the banner on it said: V-Formation. I googled the company to look for job openings, as that was my job coach assignment for the week, and I found the most awesome job ever: Professional Fun Provider.
That most awesome job ever always stayed in the back of my mind when I was traveling with or without bicycle. So right before I went home from Slovenia, I sent an email to V-Formation, with my resume in the attachment. Because yes Sir/Madam, 2 years later that vacancy they had was still open.
That company, they have their headquarters in Ghent, which before was a bit too far from the small town I lived in with my family nearby. But after having traveled halfway across Europe with my bicycle, those kilometers from my small home town to Ghent would be a fun adventure to get myself into once in a while to do the most awesome job ever, right?
Before I arrived home again in Belgium, I already had a job interview and first event in Ostend, Belgium planned with V-Formation as a Professional Fun Provider.
And that’s how my next adventure got started. This time it was nice & easy in Belgium, my home country, but definitely not less interesting and adventurous.
Did I mention that at time, I didn’t own a car anymore? Well, I didn’t. Because I sold it right before I went to New Zealand - less fixed expenses, less chaos in my head, more freedom.
With my roller blades, bicycle, public transport (and a borrowed car once in a while) I easily got anywhere I wanted to get within Belgium. Yes, it always was a bit of an adventure to arrange all that. But once again, I could enjoy that adventure big time.
Oh, the story becomes even more awesome. Because after a few events I did with them, they opened up another vacancy for that Summer.
Only temporary for a few months during their Summer peak season - which was perfect for me, as I already had another adventure ready in my back pocket for October
Fulltime with cool benefits - work that ass off & crank up that bank account again - bueno
With some crazy hours at time - yes please, for new challenges
Alongside some enthusiastic powerhouse musclemen as colleagues - tussen een hoopje enthousiaste krachtpatsers van collega’s- sounds like a fun bunch of people if you ask me!
So, I did my job interview with Gilles & Simon, to join them in their team for the most awesome job ever, arranged a temporary place to sleep in the most cozy Flemish town and it was all done and dusted.
I have to say, after 3 months I was physically pretty done and dusted too, but man oh man, that Summer of 2019 with those V-Formation guys was one big party! For the first time in my life, I found a challenging, most awesome, adventurous job full of variety in Belgium, where I loved 100% of my job, and I even earned money to do so too.
HOW COOL IS THAT?!
Until October that was.
That was the deal with V-Formation, as Winter time is not that busy for them.
That was because I already had my next adventure ready in my back pocket.
“What’s in it for me, Elise, that you’re sharing this story?” Well, this is the most beautiful example of how you can actually manifest your own dream life if you ask me. If I was able to do it, without even realizing it, you can too. “Manifesting? That’s a bit fluffy, no? Does that even work?”
I’m probably not the most neutral person to ask, but yes, it exists. You put out a memo into the Universe of what it is you’re looking for, and it will bring it right back to you. There’s even a part in your brain that makes sure that whatever you are looking for, you’ll pick it up too - it’s called the Reticular Activating System. Google it, it’s really interesting!
Anyway, manifesting - it’s real, because I’ve seen it happening from the front row. I wanted a job that was more than 10% motivational.
I didn’t know which one, but I chose to open my mind to it.
I didn’t know which one, but I chose to trust it would pass by if I kept the options open.
I didn’t know when, but I chose to trust that whatever needed to pass me by on my journey, would unfold without me needing to force anything.
And that’s how it manifested, for me at least. And I know it’s possible for you too, with these three steps:
Job coaching to create an open mind to my possibilities
Trusting the journey and the guidance of my intuition
Gratitude towards opportunities that came across, and the willingness to actually grab them by the balls when they’re there.
Did you end up in a job that is pretty okay, but it doesn’t really make your heart sing?
Do you have the feeling it’s not really realistic for you to throw your life around just like that? Are you so used to doing what society expects from you, that you’ve forgotten what it is that actually makes you happy?
I get it, it’s so easy to roll into the comfort zone and so hard to roll out of it once in a while. But that’s not a reason not to do it. And with some coaching, I’m sure you’ll start doing it and feel what it brings you too.
By the way, no need to go drastically from 10% to 100% freedom and no stability. It’s perfectly satisfying and enjoyable too, when you do it in steps of 10% to 30% to 80% etc. And I would love to assist you in that if you’re open to it. Does this all sound like the most beautiful music in your ears? Send me a message to plan your first free coaching session with me. I’ll get to know you and you’ll get to know me, and we’ll figure out if we can inspire each other in some way. Next time, I’m talking about the next & biggest adventure, with Sam.
Whoopee!