DREAMS COME TRUE

Can you help me put this black curtain in front of the window?’ I asked a good friend of mine. ‘Why?’ My friend asked. I answered: ‘My eyes are very sensitive to sunlight. Even if I close my eyes the light hurts’. In 2014 I strained my eyes and I was scared I had damaged my eyes for the rest of my life. As a result, I felt lost, overwhelmed, and confused. I made a phone call to Rick Pursell, an inspiring life coach who lives in Bali, and I explained my situation. He asked me: ‘What is it that you don’t want to see Obed?’ I fell silent. Completely silent. Then I felt overwhelmed with sadness and started to cry. This was the moment in which my journey as a Business Coach started.

The answer to his question was very simple and at the same time very confronting: I told myself I was happy. However, I wasn’t happy at all. I had a job that didn’t suit me and I didn’t practice my passions as much as I wanted. While working in 6 different countries, I met a lot of people who were in complete alignment with their passions and who were working on their dream businesses. I noticed these people were in harmony with themselves, with their community, and with nature. And they shared so much with others! I also wanted to live like this. For this reason, I had already created the Clarity Group Workshop. One month before I got sick I provided this workshop to my friends. In this workshop, I guided them through a series of simple and powerful questions. They wrote down the answers to my questions and shared their answers with each other. During the workshop, I didn’t give any advice. Instead, I encouraged them to tune in with their own greatness and to find the answers within themselves. My friends really liked it and it felt amazing to support them in their lives. Despite this positive experience, I still believed I was not good enough to do this full-time and to generate income with this in order to sustain my lifestyle. Moreover, I didn’t have a financial buffer and I was scared to fail. So I stayed with the job that didn’t suit me and I didn’t practice my passions as much as I wanted. The result? I got sick.

So while I was lying on my bed in 2014 with my eyes closed I reflected on this and I asked myself the question: ‘How can I experience more joy and fulfilment in my work?’ My answer: ‘To help others find their passions and achieve their dream businesses'. I asked myself: ‘Why do I keep telling myself I am not good enough to help others with improving their lives?’ I realized it was bullshit. I had already learned to facilitate workshops while working as a Senior Coach for the renowned Kalff Fundraising Company from 2011 until 2013. And I saw how I was of help to my friends with the Clarity Workshop one month before I got sick. My fears were blocking me from living my dream and as a result, my eyesight shut down. So when I was lying with my eyes closed on my bed I changed my belief: ‘I am good enough to be of service to others. I’m going to heal my eyes by working as a Strategy Coach and I won’t stop until I succeed.‘

In addition to that, I reminded myself of Mahatma Gandhi’s quote: ‘Be the change you want to see in the world'. I started by healing myself and by getting back in alignment with my own passions. With my eyes closed, I started to play music and practice yoga again. I also recorded my ideas for my Coaching Services on a voice recorder. After a few weeks, I could work for brief periods behind the computer and I was able to go surfing and dance salsa. Step by step I made progress with my Strategy Coaching and before I knew it, I had the privilege to provide workshops to 45 teachers at the renowned Green School as well as to 85 people at the world-famous Bali Spirit Festival in 2015. These unforgettable experiences gave me a strong motivation to keep helping people. And I’m proud to say that my Coaching Services have an impact far and wide, with numerous happy testimonials. All these experiences were priceless and I couldn’t have done all this without all those AMAZING people who have supported my project with their services such as building the website, creating videos, giving valuable advice, and investing money. I feel deeply humbled and very grateful for their support. Today, I see my Coaching Services as a symbol: It’s possible to find your passions and achieve your dream business. If I can do it, anybody can.