I have been blessed with an easy life. I grew up in a family with little stress, sufficient financial resources, plenty of opportunities for self-development (like music, sports, volunteering). Studies went well – I was even asked to pursue a PhD. During my studies, I met my wife Leen. I landed my first job at P&G. We got married & got children. We built a house. I moved on assigments. …
Research indicates that most people only start to reflect about life in case of a big event such as the sudden death of a beloved one, an accident or illness. None such event has happened to me or my close family.
Nonetheless, deep down, I knew something was missing. I had seen people work hard taking insufficient time to spend with their family. I had been in situations were the boss clearly prioritised immediate results over well-being of team members. I was given explicit feedback that leaders never say “Sorry, I don’t know the answer. I will look into that and come back to you.”. I witnessed how creativity was quelled. Excuses not to do what felt right were abundant.
On April 1st 2021, I was fired (it wasn’t a joke). Although I felt miserable that day (thank you Mark Kerremans for being with me that day), I knew it could/would be a turning point in my life. On May 11th 2021, I had a (virtual, corona proof) meeting with Stan Hensmans introducing me to the Happiness@Work community. It felt right. It made me jump and became self-employed: I would support leaders in organisations to help them find improved balance between profitability and well-being / happiness. I really believe both can go hand in hand. Joining this community gives me the feeling not being alone & being connected.
Today, I am grateful for being fired. I am happy to have founded Ithaki. Although there is still a long road to travel for me and many others, I feel very energised. That is why I am making my small contribution to the Happiness@Work Conference, which will take place on December 13th 2021 in the Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp. Several international speakers will inspire > 1.500 professionals with their vision: Ricardo Semler, Gabrielle Bernstein, Tal Ben Shahar, Claude Silver, Iris Hond. Feel free to join this sparkling community of champions (in-the-making) of Happiness@Work.