I wish I had a quote at hand, to mark the occasion.
Something deep and meaningful, that would put me flushing a fifteen year long career down the drain, into perspective.
Although: “Done!” would probably suffice.
It’s strange how long it can take before you realize half an income as an entrepreneur is actually worse than no income at all.
At least if there was none, it would be clear nothing is coming, right?
Now I invested (can I say wasted, or is that too cynical?) years reinventing my business and myself.
Just to be clear:
The reason I quit teaching is that I’m prioritizing writing and publishing books. And in order to do that, I need money coming in.
Ideally, I would have that coming in from writing the books, but if that’s not the case I don’t have time for extra hobbies.
Writing is my hobby.
Once it starts paying the bills, I can start adding extras -such as teaching yoga, marketing and mindset – but until my Harteveld Bestseller Revenues start pouring in, I don’t have anything to spare.
Least of all time.
That having said, the result of this pragmatic choice is that this morning, for the first time in 15 years, I woke up not being a yoga teacher.
And much to my surprise, I find myself being excited about this!
Here’s my top three things I look forward to, now that I am no longer a yoga teacher.

3. writing

Duh, right?
But I had not anticipated this almost child-like excitement.
I now “officially” have permission to write a blog post here, in English, every day, for the rest of my life. Because I no longer own a “real” business that is making money.
Blogging here will be the number one thing I do every day.
On a little side note:
I ll be going on a little trip this week.
It’s just a few days, but I do not own a laptop and intend to keep it that way. I always use precious days away from home to get inspired.
So no writing. My next blog will be Friday, earliest.

2. Real holidays and nights off

I haven’t had a holiday since 2014. Much of it had to do with the cats, who were both sick in their final years and needed me home.
But aside from that, for a yoga business the two classic holidays, Christmas and summer, are two seasons you bust your ass off to ensure that in January and September new students will be signing up for your courses.
Oh, and then there’s the summer season as a whole, where you still pay for your studio, yet can’t offer your full program.
At least I couldn’t.
So you’re basically partially unemployed for two months of the year.
And to have my nights off!
Oh, I so look forward to that.
From now on, it will pay off to go to bed early, because I don’t have nights where I m not home before 10.30 PM anyway; And therefor not in bed before 11.30 PM because I have to unwind first.
Being a morning person, working nights made it impossible for me to optimize my sleep-work-leisure schedule.

1. yoga!!

Trust me, no one is as surprised about this one as me.
Yesterday (before I made the decision to quit) I had even made my peace with the fact that if I wanted to start taking care of my body, with yoga and or fitness, I would do well making peace with the fact that I absolutely hated doing it.
And to simply commit to do it, without expecting to like it.
But the moment I knew I never had to teach another class in my life, if I didn’t want to, I felt a liberating shift.
Suddenly there was so much space.
Including space to enjoy the practice of yoga, which I had started dropping out of the moment I started teaching it.
I m so incredibly happy!

A famous saying from Elizabeth Gilbert is:
“Don’t let your creativity pay the bills.”

She could have said the same thing about yoga.

<3LSH
An unexamined life is not worth living

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Including getting the size 6 body that went with it…..
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tenth anniversary of the book that changed my life!

Summer 2008 I started writing in English.
Dutch American Diary 
This diary became the only thing that offered stability during a time where I had just left my partner after fourteen years and two new men were driving me crazy.
A book about starting over in your mid-thirties and reinventing yourself as a lover;
As a woman;
And as a vengeful fury from hell.

Als je Nederlands bent is De Candystop een aanrader.
Dit dagboek speelt enkele jaren later, maar er komen minstens evenveel mooie mannen in voor.
En veel beroemder.

BOOK SHOP

These are my English titles:
Dutch American Diary 2008-2009  €15
LS Diary 2012-2013                                € 10
Bedtime Stories 2014                            €15
Mirage 2014                                               €5
Big, diaries and erotica 2015-2016 € 20
Get a 25% discount on all prices in the shop.
Select your store f.e. Nederland or United States
with the flag in the upper right corner.

De volgende Nederlandse boeken
zijn ook op voorraad bij boekhandel de Feeks in Nijmegen
verzending gratis v.a. € 17,50

Het Boek Benjamin           € 45
verzameld werk NL en Engels.
Het enige boek dat hier niet inzit is Witte Tijgerin, dus mijn andere Nederlandse boeken zitten hier wél in.

Mango                                 €15
coming of age novelle

22 erotische verhalen   € 15
literaire pornografie in de geest van Anais Nin

Witte Tijgerin                  €5
gids voor solitaire vrouwen die een geweldig seksleven willen en plenty energie