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From Fear to Courage:
My Journey to Create the life I want
My life story
Living a life shaped by others
For much of my life, I lived as many do—I followed the expectations of others. My career began conventionally: I trained as a general practitioner, mainly because it was my parents’ choice. Honestly, it was never my dream to become a doctor and help people, even though I do enjoy helping others. To be even more honest, for the biggest part of my life, I had no idea what my true desire was. Although I thought I knew, I now realize that I had no clue.
I adapted easily to the world around me. From a young age, I learned to adjust to what was expected of me. My optimism and resilience helped me navigate life, but they also came at a cost. I rarely expressed my true thoughts, afraid of the consequences.
Instead, I said what seemed appropriate, what kept things smooth. But no matter how well I played this role, the feeling of disconnection never left me.
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The Cost of Ignoring My Own Needs
I transitioned from being a doctor to becoming a manager, and later, an entrepreneur. I built a career, got married, and did what seemed like the logical next steps. But I wasn’t creating a life—I was reacting to it.
I was preoccupied with making sure others weren’t disappointed in me. My focus was on keeping the peace, making the right impression, and avoiding conflict. Even when I started to feel that life had more to offer than just reacting to circumstances, I wasn’t ready to explore what that meant. It was too overwhelming, too uncertain.
And so, I kept adapting. I stayed in situations that didn’t truly fulfill me, both in my career and in my personal life. I ignored the quiet voice inside me that said, This isn’t it.
Life's wake up call
But life has a way of forcing us to grow. My divorce, for example, was a painful and tumultuous time, but it pushed me to confront truths I had long avoided. I realized that I hadn’t been happy for much of my marriage but had lacked the courage to acknowledge it.
Similarly, working in a group setting taught me the cost of neglecting my own needs. While I loved collaboration, I became so focused on meeting others’ expectations that I lost touch with myself. This imbalance led to tension, divorces, separations, conflicts, and even periods where my business struggled to thrive.
These experiences, though difficult, were wake-up calls. They made me realize that something had to change. But I didn’t yet know how.
The Role of Meditation—A Step, Not the Solution
As a step to change, I started meditating. Meditation became an essential tool—it helped me observe my emotions and habits. I became more aware of how fear and conditioning shaped my decisions.
But meditation alone didn’t fix things. It gave me clarity, but it didn’t stop me from making choices that didn’t serve me. It made me aware of my patterns, but it didn’t teach me how to break them.
I was still missing something.
Discovering conscious creation
The real transformation began when I discovered conscious creation. I started to understand the power of consciousness—not just as a tool for calmness, but as a way to actively shape my life.
For the first time, I saw that I wasn’t just reacting to life—I was creating it. And the life I had created was full of compromise, hesitation, and fear. That was a tough realization, but an empowering one. Because if I had created a life that didn’t truly fulfill me, then I also had the power to create something different.
Following Excitement Instead of Fear
When I embraced conscious creation, everything changed. I stopped hiding my authentic self and started living it. I began to see emotions—especially fear—not as obstacles but as guides.
I learned to follow my excitement, even when it defied logic or expectations. For example, moving from The Netherlands to Asia in my 60s wasn’t what most people expected, but it felt undeniably right. For the first time, I let my true self take the lead, trusting my conscious decisions and acting on them with courage.
Starting a new company that sells international online courses about conscious creation is another example. It brings me immense joy—not because it’s what I should do, but because it's excites me: creating self-empowered content and selling it.
The Freedom of Being Myself
Where fear of being myself once ruled, my desire to create my own life now guides me. I no longer shape my life to meet the expectations of others. Instead, I trust in the honesty of my excitement, knowing it will lead me where I need to go.
True Transformation: Being Who You Truly Are
If there’s one thing my journey has taught me, it’s this: true transformation begins with being who you truly are, even when you feel fear. By aligning with your authentic self and acting consciously, you can create a life that exceeds even your greatest aspirations.
Today, I live the life I have always wanted, and I help others do the same by creating and selling courses that empower you to create your dream life as well. It’s not about eliminating fear or avoiding challenges—it’s about embracing them as part of who you are. It’s about choosing authenticity over conformity and courage over comfort.
My wish for you:
"The life you dream of is not only possible—it’s within your power to create."
Guido de Valk
