Today I start with the quote that everything happens for a reason, even
if sometimes you don’t know why.
I believe there is a reason why I was born.
I will tell you a little bit about my family. Born and raised in Aruba, but
from a teacher mother from Bonaire and a chief of police father from
Curaçao.
Growing up with two older brothers has taught me that I always have
to be strong, fight for my rights and be able to defend myself against
them.
My mom raised me to become a woman that can stand on her own two
feet and never be dependable on anyone.
In 1988, as an almost 17 year old I took the plane to Amsterdam. Aruba
was becoming too small. Being the rebellious daughter of a chief of
police wasn’t easy.
My life in the Netherlands has done two things for me.
- I became the woman that can stand on her own two feet, with all
ups and downs (it was the best time of my life). - I realized during that period that I was born to do great things. I
love the quote of Gandhi that says “Be the change you want to
see in the world”. I am the change. I do not do things the
traditional way. I do not ‘go with the flow’, only dead fish do.
These two things formed who I am today: I am not lazy -to the contrary -I work hard, I am determined and everything I have achieved until now is because of those traits.
I set the goal and I work for it. I do not wait for it to fall in my lap. Good
things don’t happen to those that wait. Good things happen to those
that work for it!
Be good. Be happy. Dream big. And then get to work your ass off.
