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Equality starts at home
Tomorrow is the 8th of March, the International Women Day, #eachforequal, but... What does equality really mean for us? I grew up in a traditional family where the role of the woman and the man was set many years ago. My mother was a girl with ambitions and my dad was...
When dreams come true
After few days of anxiety about presenting my book in front of my children, husband, mother- in-law and neighbours, the moment of the truth came on Wednesday, the 29th of January. That's when I had my official book launch at the Paagman bookstore in The Hague. It is...
Change management for parents and consultants
As an Organization Development and change consultant some of the most used words in my day-to-day business language are 'change', 'transition' and 'experiment'. I am now feeling the impact of those words directly, as I am going through several personal changes myself....
What makes someone a leader?
Some people say that leaders are born, others say they are made. I think we are all born with the possibility of being leaders but we are also all born with the desire to follow because the desire to belong to social structures has existed in humans since the 'hunter...
‘Happy mums for happy kids’. The highs and lows of raising kids in The Netherlands & How we can rise as Mothers and Leaders
In my podcast interview with Andy Clark from Here in Holland I spoke about the role of mothers in the Dutch society and the difference between living as an expat and the challenges of local mums. I shared the story of Diana, one of the charachters from the 'Mothers as...
#Metoo campaign is need it everywhere but in Afghanistan is a human rights issue
As I was reading this shocking article about the rate of sexual abuse in the Afghan I am reminded again how fortunate I feel that my daughter wasn't born in a country where women can't feel safe at their workplace. We are benefiting from the privileges gained for us...
A dream comes true…the Mothers as Leaders book
It started as a wild dream five years ago, but it is now a reality. The book created due to the generosity of many mothers from across the world who shared their life story with me is now available to be ordered via amazon Thank you to everyone who believed in the...
BBC News: Ethiopian woman gives birth and sits exams 30 minutes later
BBC News - Ethiopian woman gives birth and sits exams 30 minutes later https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-48594161 A fascinating story about a mother in Ethiopia and her drive to get an education no matter what.
Live your dream…
Today we are celebrating Mother's Day in The Netherlands. If you are a mother with small children like me, you will be surprised with little crafted gifts with many red hearts and sweet little poems. We take pictures of these moments and we might even print them for...
Is she bossy? The language bias against women
Today is International Women Day, we celebrate women's courage and beauty. We congratulate each other on our achievements and progress against discrimination and but, how was this day chosen? On 8 March 1908 a New York textile factory caught on fire with the owner...
‘Letting go to letting come’
Last week, it was my son's first week at school. I waved goodbye hoping he will cry asking me to stay longer, but he didn't. He was ready for it and actually looking forward to it with excitement. I, on the other hand, wasn't ready to let go. I was afraid because ...
Is it OK for a mother to be a bit selfish and take charge of her life?
I was really looking forward to our week in south France but I was suspicious of the word 'glamping'. I changed my perception when I arrived at 'La Douce France'.I loved the huge luxury tents and even more the delicious dinners in the 'table d'hôte' setting. The place...
Sometimes senior women tend to distance themselves from the junior ones
I love how in this HBR article, Anne Welsh McNulty addresses the hard truth that we, women and mothers, find difficult to face in the: https://hbr.org/2018/09/dont-underestimate-the-power-of-women-supporting-each-other-at-work Quotes from Anne Welsh McNulty, HBR...
Lessons from my grandmother …at her funeral
People will forget what you did, they will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel’ (M. Angelou) You never know how you will be impacted by the death of one of your family members until it happens. My last grandparent, my maternal...
How to make your dreams real!
Once, almost thirty years ago, I had a dream that one day visit I would visit Japan. I was fascinated by stories with samurais and geishas, but when growing up in communist Romania you know that such dreams are as bold as nowadays travelling to the moon. I almost...