Sitting at the beach on a beautiful morning last week, I spoke with a friend about connection. I called her, because her name just popped up in my mind and I wondered if she wouldn’t like to join me at my fantastic freelance work spot for the day. She answered the phone with the words, “Wow, I was just thinking of you!”. It happens to all of us regularly. And our conversation continued about the importance of connecting with yourself and others. Being connected with yourself, means being connected with others, who are in true connection with themselves as well. You find each other there, as all is one. Tapping into this, brings such happiness. In the end, it is the connection with yourself that creates the most balanced and happy you, telling others unconsciously they are allowed to do the same. As Nelson Mandela does in his inauguration speech, words of wisdom:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
It’s our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually who are we not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightening about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.
And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously
Give other people the permission to do the same.

Nelson Mandela, Inaugural Speech 1994

Now from childhood onwards, everything was about educating the mind. Yes, I say ‘was’ as times are changing. Making sure your grades are good, getting into a well-regarded university and do an education of high standing. In order to have the best chances offered to you in the labour market.

Last weekends’ Financieele Dagblad (Dutch financial newspaper) published a spread about the most famous business universities like Harvard and INSEAD, who are now offering more and more programs on life lessons instead of business education. Because there is a high demand for a more intuitive kind of education. In the primary schools around me I hear nothing but kids not fitting into the governmental standard education anymore, searching for other ways to be able to express themselves.

Our daughter, who went to another school this year, blossoms as she is allowed to write stories, create videos, design projects of her own imagination and all that in primary school. She came to me this morning, telling me she knew how her story would continue, a story she was writing for a school contest. Just before she fell asleep it got to her and she hoped she would be able to keep it with her during the night. I wish for every child to be offered these chances. As it is not about grades anymore, but doing what you are good at. Using your personal talent, by being fully connected. A connection with themselves, one that will never leave them, if they are trained to go back there day in and day out. Listening to their inner voice. And knowing from their true being what their share in the world is. So provide them with roots, instead of holding them in our grounded conditions and set them free, make them fly . Show them they are worthy of being in their essence. Believe me, they won’t disappoint you, but show you the beauty of their dreams in return.