Yes, "just start", that was a very important thing for me. As part of my training to become a full-fledged encouragement facilitator, I had to "just start" with giving the 10-week course.

The first time I gave the course in my living room to a very small group of three. It was quite a learning experience, but I felt by no means ready to give it to a group of "real people". But that moment came quickly, so after my wonderful trip to Bali I began teaching the course at PARKHUYS ALMERE, the center for people with cancer and chronic illnesses (where I myself got great support during my own battle with breastcancer 7 years ago).

There's now a dedicated group of the 5 women participants and me, moving smoothly through the finely crafted trajectory of the 10-week course, enjoying great insights, feeling better about ourselves, REALLY learning to encourage ourselves, each other, and the people in our lives.

It's a real treasure to be working with these wonderful women and after a somewhat rocky start (I had to overcome deeply rooted personal old fears of leading/accompanying a group) I am enjoying my work very much!

Encouraged by the people who already liked the new website and encouraged by the fact that people have been signing up for the second 10-week-course which will take place in Parkhuys Almere, counselling center for people with cancer and chronic illness and their loved ones. There are still a few places to be filled so drop me an email and let me know if you are interested!

The course will start Friday 28th of February and will go through on consecutive Fridays from 13:00 to ca. 14:30 (it depends a bit on the size of the group).

This course will be given free of charge (normally between €120 and €250) as my gift back to Parkhuys where I had great support during my own battle with cancer 7 years ago!

If you want to check out their work: www.parkhuysalmere.nl

Another late-nighter, but the page is coming along. Seems like finally I have have found something that ties together all my many activities, somehow they ALL have to do with "encouraging". In the course of the - still ongoing - training at SCHOENAKER ACADEMIE in Genemuiden, things really start falling into place:

For the first time in my life I enjoy working with a group more than being scared to lead a group. The first 10-week-training I had to give was a grrrrreat learning experience. Not only did I come to cherish the course content and the gift I am able to share with this work - I also learned a lot about myself. Being "good enough just the way I am" took sooooo much pressure away and helped greatly to look at myself clearly and find the "recurring theme" in all I have done in the past decades:
 
I JUST LOVE TO ENCOURAGE:

- I enjoy sharing my creativity to encourage starters to bring their vision down to earth by helping them make baby-websites;
- I enjoy encouraging young artists from Nepal to become more visible in the West via promoting their art;
- I enjoy encouraging people to move their bodies and cherish their bodies by offering gentle and encouraging yoga;
- I enjoy encouraging charities i.e. encouraging good work for good causes via donations and promotional work.

I am an ENCOURAGER and have always been one!

Only that now I no longer go over my limits, no longer focus totally on the other, loose myself in the other ... because I have finally learned to encourage myself, too!