Hello and welcome!

I'm Ellen. Belgian by birth and passport, but world citizen by heart.

I've lived in Belgium for 36 years, but in 2020 I finally decided to follow my wild heart. That's why I turned my life upside down and moved to India in January 2020. I went with a volunteering visa, but I didn't go with the purpose to change society or to introduce the 'wisdom of the west'. I wanted to broaden my perspective, learn about new values and open my mind to things that are very different from what I am used to. I came back to Belgium in June 2021 with a lot of new experiences and perspectives.

I am what people would call an 'overthinker'. That means I think a lot and I worry a lot too. I used to consider this overthinking something bad, but now I am mostly proud of it. It makes me who I am. I constantly wish I could make the world a better place. I had to learn the hard way that this is not possible, so now I try to be the best person I can be for the people close to me. That doesn't mean I have given up on my dream of an equal, fair and just world for every human being.

I'm also a very sensitive person. A few years ago I learnt I am an HSP (highly sensitive person). I used to be ashamed about this, but I learnt it doesn't equal being weak or lame. About 20% of the population, HSP's, are born with a more sensitive nervous system. They get more easily overwhelmed by physical (sounds, smells...), social and emotional stimuli and they feel and think more deeply and strongly. I'm proud now of who I am. I care about the world and the people in it and I consider this a strength, not a weakness.

Much of my life philosophy is based on the work of researcher / storyteller Brené Brown. If you don't know her, check her and her work out. Her books are sometimes labeled as self help books, but that label doesn't do her work justice at all. She did research, looked for explanations and published what she learned. Her findings changed my life profoundly. She researches shame, vulnerability, authenticity and courage. I will definitely talk more about these concepts and her work on my blog. Also Kristin Neff's work on self-compassion contributed to my whole new outlook on life. Caring for others starts with caring deeply and genuinely for yourself

Opening this website and blog is something I dreamt of for a long time. Being a blogger, having a website always felt like something that would fit me. I'm so happy to finally do this, because writing, thinking and reflecting on issues are some of my biggest passions.

To end this introduction, I want to give you one of the most thought-provoking quotes I read in Brené Brown's work:

"True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness.

True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are."

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