Coffee with my Younger Self

I met my younger self for coffee today.

She got there five minutes early. So did I.

She had just started her first job out of university at Siemens.

I tell her the next three years of work will change her life

—but not in the way she expects.

She’s eager to learn and perform well, but afraid of failure.

I tell her she will eventually leave Belgium to land a dream role that brings out her entrepreneurial spirit in China.

But she’ll leave after three years because she has to give priority to her physical health.

She worries about living and working 9,700 km away from her boyfriend.

I flip through photos of our last trip in the Dolomites with our husband and the two beautiful kids we love.

For years she worked on many challenging assignments in Central Europe.

She thinks success is hard work and happy clients — even if that means living out of a suitcase.

I tell her those things are nice. But the real luxuries in life are time, health, purposeful work, and priceless memories with the people you love. I smile and slide my phone across the table. Her eyes widen as she scrolls through my calendar.

We now have the courage to take intentional breaks between busy periods.

We now have the courage to say “no” when something doesn’t feel right.

We talk about the time she worked as a program manager, a people leader, a change manager, and an entrepreneur. She asks me if it isn’t strange that she’s worked in so many different roles.

She feels relieved when I say, look at what you did every time:

→ You like to navigate complexity — you bring clarity, direction, calmness, and energy.

→ You don’t talk the loudest, but you stand out because you use your voice to make a difference.

→ You’re a connector at heart — someone who listens, who wants to understand beliefs and needs first.

→ You shape decisions because your confidence, curiosity, and credibility shape how others respond.

→ You keep going without burning out because you know that leading yourself and leading others with care go hand in hand.

The best advice I could give my younger self?

Your timeline is your own. The path isn’t linear.

The corporate job that feels safe? She’ll outgrow it.

The “sensible” path everyone expects her to take? She’ll forge her own.

The voice telling her it’s “too soon” or “not perfect yet”? She’ll prove it wrong.

Your future self is waiting. ☕

Make her proud.

Sometimes, growth doesn’t come from running forward — but from walking in circles.

Like a labyrinth, every turn invites you inward. To slow down. To listen. To meet the parts of yourself you’ve left behind.

In our labyrinth experience, we explore exactly that: how to reconnect with your inner compass, to find clarity in the middle of movement.

Step by step, you’ll notice — you’re not getting lost. You’re coming home.

Do you want to work towards a more clarity and confidence let's discuss how we can work together.