I was always drawn to the idea of living a location-independent life and started traveling, working and living abroad pretty early on in my career. Back then, in my 20s, I made a pact with myself to always include my passions into my work and personal life. But at one point life got in the way (or to be honest: I got in my own way). I was working two jobs, training at the UN in the morning, working at an NGO in the afternoon. Trying to fit in my life. I was neglecting my basic needs - to sleep enough, eat healthy, be mindful and - frankly said - to do nothing once in a while. By the age of 28, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, a mix of Grave’s Disease and Hashimoto’s, both of which are triggered by stress. It almost broke me. At one point, the only thing I could do was lying on my couch and working on my laptop. Not quite the shiny work and lifestyle I imagined.

3 years later, I’ve healed. I eliminated every major stress factor in my life, learned to listen to my inner voice, stuck to my boundaries, implemented self-care habits and surrounded myself with positive people. I got back to what really lights me up: To surround myself with driven and kind people, decide on my own schedule, to travel and include my passions into my everyday life.

On my journey, I keep coming back to one simple and pure truth - you choose your mindset and your life. Sometimes we just need a little bit of help and a sparring partner to recognize and reflect on our blind spots.