Some people seem to know from an early age exactly which direction they want to take. For me, it was different. My interests were broad, my energy was high, and my curiosity was always there. One thing became clear quite early on, though: I love adventure, connecting with others, and variety. I love movement, discovery and growth.
That love for adventure and the mountains started early in life. First during holidays in Switzerland with my parents, and later when, at sixteen, I travelled to the United States without them to explore several national parks and breathtaking natural landscapes. Seeing new places, feeling free, being on the move and challenging myself that already suited me back then, and it has never really changed. For me, the mountains are the most beautiful and powerful place to recharge and gain new insights.
Mountain fitness: choosing more peace, movement and nature
That is also why our move from Rotterdam to a forested area near Amersfoort, about a year and a half ago, was such a conscious decision. After yet another beautiful mountain trail during the summer, my husband and I felt more strongly than ever that we wanted to live closer to nature. The pace and dynamics of central Rotterdam no longer served us in the way they once had. We were craving fewer stimuli, more connection to the rhythm of the seasons, and more opportunities to exercise and move outdoors.
It was also quite an exciting adventure for both of us, because we had very few connections in Amersfoort. Still, it felt like a clear “yes.” A yes to a different lifestyle. A yes to more calm and more intentional choices in our lives. A yes to an environment that better matches how we want to live: staying fit so we can continue enjoying our trips to the mountains. Whether that means trail running, hiking with our family, alpinism or winter sports.
Not long after that, life once again reminded me that not everything is predictable or controllable. A few years ago, I was told in the hospital that the chances of becoming pregnant a second time were small. We gave that message a place in our own way and eventually let go of the idea.
That is exactly why the surprise was so enormous when I unexpectedly found out last September that I was pregnant. It was something we truly no longer expected. I actually found out in the week after an alpine trip in the Alps, and on the very day before I was about to run my first ultra trail. That news definitely needed time to sink in. And yet, despite a pretty intense first trimester, I still completed my first 50+ km trail, calmly and consciously, and truly enjoyed it. I was incredibly grateful that I was so fit and still able to do it.
By now, we have fully embraced the arrival of our daughter, and our six-year-old son is absolutely thrilled that he is getting a little sister. For me, it was another reminder that life sometimes takes its own path and that being fit helps you absorb and adapt to unexpected developments. For the moment, I have paused running because it no longer feels comfortable with my growing pregnant belly, but in the meantime I am still staying very active. And honestly, I cannot wait to start working on my recovery again.
Always in motion
Movement has played a major role in my life from a very early age. I danced for years - from classical ballet to salsa, from Argentine tango to rock ’n’ roll - and learned a great deal about coordination, body awareness and expression. Athletics also crossed my path several times. During one period, together with my former partner, I coached decathletes and heptathletes in their mental preparation, both individually and as teams. I joined training camps and competitions in the Netherlands and abroad and saw time and again just how important mental strength is. That was also where I learned that performance rarely starts in the body alone. Your mind, your mindset, and your ability to deal with pressure, change and setbacks often make all the difference.
I experience every day how much of a difference a positive mindset can make. For me, the glass is almost always half full. I often see opportunities where others mainly see obstacles. Not because everything comes easily, but because I believe that with the right mindset, discipline and resilience, you can achieve far more than you may think. I see it as a form of manifestation: focusing on the things you want to attract. That inner drive to keep growing and to keep moving is still the foundation of many of the choices I make.
Mountain spirit: why mental resilience and flexibility make the difference
This has remained a fascinating theme for me. How do you stay mentally resilient when things do not go as planned or expected? In business as well as in private life. In the change and transition processes I guide, I often see resistance emerge. Usually not out of unwillingness, but out of fear and uncertainty, because the outcomes of change are not always clear or predictable. I also see people around me bending over backwards - unfortunately especially women, though men too - to meet the expectations of those around them and to preserve harmony, while slowly losing themselves in the process or creating unnecessary stress.
Personally, I have had my own challenges in this area as well, coming from a family where harmony was almost always the dominant theme and where there was little room for discussion or friction. So how do you learn to stay flexible without losing yourself? How do you deal with strong-willed or temperamental people who actively provoke debate? How do you deal with doubt, discomfort, or old beliefs that keep you small or tell you to just act normal? Because what might other people think?
During my solo travels abroad, I gradually learned to make my own choices more and more clearly. My turning point came when I began to truly understand and feel that I could only make a real difference if I took good care of myself first. In other words: taking more ownership of my own life and my own needs, rather than operating on autopilot. Through various climbs in the mountains, and with the support of my good friend and outstanding mountain coach Jehan Roland Guillot, I learned to trust more and more that I was capable of far more than I had ever imagined. And by now, I know this: I not only dare to think bigger and differently from the people around me, I also know that with my focus, discipline, flexible mindset and mental resilience, I can actually achieve more.
For me, that is exactly where real growth begins. Not just in physical training, but also in analysing how you think, what you feel, what that brings you or how it may actually be holding you back from reaching your goals. So it is not only about setting goals, but also about what you are willing to let go of in order to get there.
Mental resilience certainly does not mean that everything always feels easy. People around me sometimes assume that everything comes naturally to me. I can assure you: that is absolutely not the case. But I do choose to persevere and stay focused on the desired end result, even when things feel complex or heavy. It also means learning how to deal with uncertainty, disappointment, change and resistance. It means knowing how to reset and reground yourself again and again. It means learning to adapt when life, your body, or your plans ask something different of you than you had expected. That is what I call “mountain spirit.”
If I were to sum it up, my life really revolves around two things: adventure and growth. I get an enormous amount of energy from setting new goals and achieving them. From discovering, learning, building and taking the next step. And just as importantly, I want to use my energy not only for myself, but also to inspire, encourage and motivate others to get moving too literally and figuratively. And where desired, to actively guide and coach them towards greater personal leadership.
Because whether it is about sport, personal growth, mental strength, or exploring new directions: growth often begins where you are willing to step into adventure.
Making space for dreams and mountain goals
I regularly speak to friends and former colleagues who say to me, “Wow, it is amazing that you spend so much time in the mountains now and get to have all those incredible experiences. I would love that too, but I have no idea how to fit it into my life.” Recent research shows that they are far from alone in that feeling. Many people are walking around with the same question: how do I make this happen? How do I prepare for it?
That question also plays an important role in the development of Alpine Hub. Because a mountain goal, a sports goal or a personal dream almost never requires only fitness or physical strength. It also asks for honest self-reflection:
- If you look deep into your heart… what would you really like to create or change in your life?
- Which beliefs, patterns, excuses or injuries are standing in the way of pursuing your dreams?
- What are you willing to let go of in order to make space and prepare for your dreams and mountain goals?
- Which objections - perhaps rooted in your upbringing or in the expectations of your environment - are you still holding onto, even though they no longer serve you?
- What are you uncertain about, or where do you still doubt whether you are truly capable?
Ultimately, the ball is in your court. Are you willing to say yes to yourself? Yes to growth. Yes to discomfort. Yes to change. Yes to taking seriously what you have probably been feeling for quite some time already. The moment you say yes to yourself, I would love to coach and guide you - together with the Alpine Hub team - towards your dream or your goal, even if you do not yet fully know what that looks like.
Alpine Hub: building body and mind in a sustainable way
At Alpine Hub, we consciously focus not only on physical preparation, but also on mental resilience, flexibility and focus. We help you build greater trust in your own body and mind, and support the sustainable realization of your dreams and mountain goals. If you want a fitter, stronger life, it takes more than training alone. It also requires mental agility. Learning how to deal with setbacks. Staying focused. And having the courage to make choices that truly align with your life and your ambitions.
Growth often starts precisely there: the moment you decide to make space for what truly matters to you. And to let go of what no longer serves you.
At Alpine Hub, we are here to support you in that process. With attention for both body and mind. With inspiration, a clear approach and the right preparation. And with guidance to help you move toward your next goal not only stronger, but also with more knowledge, resilience and adaptability.
Are you ready to say yes to yourself?
Do you want to work on your dreams? On greater mental resilience, focus and physical preparation for your life, sports or mountain goals? Join Alpine Hub and stay updated on our developments, programmes and memberships. Or get in touch if you would like to explore what your next step could be.
Welcome to Alpine Hub.
Mountain fitness. Mountain spirit. For life.