Istanbul, March 18th, 2024
My first letter as a 40-year old. And you know what, I have never felt so at peace with myself and my life. Truth be told, I was worried that the days leading up to my birthday would catalyze yet another existential crisis. But instead I have experienced nothing but peace (and a few subtle hang-overs maybe).
When I was 30, being 40 seemed old. The pressure to have it all figured out by that age was real to me. But now that I have reached this "deadline" I feel relieved. I feel this decade will be all about peace and not giving a f*** anymore.
I have become my own person, I am proud of her and that is reflected in my group of friends, my business and my lifestyle. I am surrounded by love and inspiration because I decided to no longer conform to things that don't sit right with me.
Having spent a week with my friend Erin was just what I needed. She and I met 8 years ago on a hike in Bolivia and we have been friends ever since. And even though we live on different continents, somehow we are able to still go on adventures together.
The past few days I have been time travelling. I was reminded of where I was, how I felt and the lessons I have learned through trusting life, myself and mama universe. I looked back on a decade of epic adventures, stories and exponential growth.
If there is one thing that I have learned about myself over the past few years, it is that I am bohemian at heart. When I was very young, I loved spending time visiting a museum. As I walked through the different rooms it has always fascinated me to learn the story behind certain pieces. Sure, art is nice, but I was more interested in the context in which the artist found himself while creating.
Stories about people like Monet, Picasso, Warhol, Chagall, Maplethorpe fascinate me. Human beings like you and me, who decided to go their own way and because of that history remembers them.
How they spend their time is reflected in their art. And that to me is fascinating. But it took me a while because thanks to their stories I had to go through the discomfort that comes with asking yourself that difficult question:
How do you want to spend your time?
Although I’m not an artist in the classical sense, I do have the freedom that comes with the bohemian lifestyle many artists have. The ones I read about and was introduced to when going to museums. And that realization just makes me smile! Because I am choosing how I'm spending my time and that is reflected in my health, my work and my writing.
Many of us feel so pressured because we think we need to have it all figured out. But we don’t! We need a vision, some kind of plan and a strong connection with ourselves. Something that many of us need to work on.
We have been raised in a society that is output driven. A society that has not prepared us to navigate relationships, emotions and self care. And yet, science has shown us that the lack of these crucial elements impact longevity, chronic illnesses and your sense of happiness.
So I am leaving you with a few questions, Ines:
What makes life fun for you? What would you like to experience more of? What stories would you like to share at the dinner table with your friends you haven’t seen in a while? And how do you want to feel when you wake-up in the morning?
Creativity is needed in order to have a balanced life. Because in order for us to “create”, we need to get out of our heads and into our hearts. We need to make space so that we can express ourselves. We need a platform to release the tension that comes with our day-to-day life.
You don’t have to create art in order to embrace creativity, you just need to make space so that you can be in the moment. Inspiration will find you when you invite it and that’s where ideas are born. Brilliance needs boredom.
That’s it for now.
See you again next week. And as always, feel free to hit reply and share your thoughts
With love,
Ines
