Page 11 - Demo

I AM. MAGAZINE - 11The beginning of a long agony.A handful of friends and confidants remain. Thanks to my parents, Idon%u2019t become homeless. And the universe grants me a second chancethat I grasp with both hands!Only in September 2019 will I find out through another, moreextensive blood test, that I%u2019ve had mononucleosis. Now I suffer theconsequences of knowing this too late and therefore forcing myselffor months, resulting in all symptoms of the chronic fatigue syndrome(CVS): severe fatigue, limited energy, aching muscles, quicklyoverwhelmed,%u2026Marcel Lahaije, storyteller and good friend of mine %u2013 described it lastlike this: %u201cDo you know the feeling that you%u2019re knocked out of thesaddle and being smacked rock hard in the rain and mud on theground? That everything is dark around you and you feel alone,distraught and lost?%u201d Well, that%u2019s how I felt.Coincidence doesn%u2019t existAt the coffee table after the funeral of the grandmother of a goodfriend, I encountered my soulmate. She was there to support herfriend, the aunt of my friend. Thanks to her, I found the courage tocontinue moving forward. Closer to my goals. Following Lindy-Hop(dance)classes, relaxing and having profound conversations,laughing, room to experience spirituality, %u2026Because she has been working steadily for eight years, despite herchronic fatigue syndrome, she also learned how to deal with the CVSsymptoms and to limit the consequences.I have found the power to restore my basic trust. From there Ilearned to take good care of %u201cthe horse%u201d and stay close to myself.Making social contact and showing myself to the world again.Reinforced by what others say -According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator-personality profile I aman IFTP-A (Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling and Perceiving) personality: anAssertive Mediator.This mediator is a true idealist, always looking for something good ineven the worst people and events, searching for ways to improvethings. Though they can be seen as calm, reserved or even shy,Mediators have an inner flame and passion that really can shine.They only make up 4% of the population. The risk of beingmisunderstood sadly is high for the mediator, but if they find likeminded people to pass their time with, the harmony they feel is asource of joy and inspiration.This is confirmed by the peoplesurrounding me. People say I have the gift to see things that othersdon%u2019t see (yet). That I%u2019m a go-getter. Someone that keeps on searchinguntil he finds the answer. Someone that has discovered how he canuse his highly sensitive & introverted personality characteristics asstrengths, also in enterprising.Imagine: you meet an attractive person. Your heart is beating faster,you start blushing and you feel butterflies in your belly. Do youimmediately go to that person and ask him/her to marry you? Or togo to bed with you? No, of course, you don%u2019t! And yet I see thishappening all the time in the business world. Whilst trust anddiscretion are the foundation for any form of relationship. Whether itis love-, work- or business relationship.There are usually only two groups of people: those who buy andthose who sell. To which group you belong, depends on whatsituation you%u2019re in. Each group has a specific language, whichlanguage you speak, depends on the group to which you belong.Well, this is the beginning of my offer to you. Learning to tell yourstory, both with words and with body language, etiquette innetworking, ethics and values. Offline and online.Experiences are meant to be passed on. Do you manage the key ofthe archive closet of your experiences or are you the owner of thelibrary where others may learn of your experiences? Like ourforefathers did around the campfire, it%u2019s your job to show who youare and what added value you can offer. Especially when you%u2019re anintrovert.I AM. MAGAZINE - DESIGN YOUR (BUSINESS)LIFE NOW