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20 June 2025

Tag: happiness

You’re More Successful Than You Think: 15 Signs

Monday, 14 September 2015 by Nadira

 

For the past few days I’ve been reflecting on the concept of success, and from personal experience, especially when you hold high standards for yourself (like I do), it can sometimes feel like you’re a bit of a failure. Usually we tend to focus on the big picture, which takes (loads of) time to achieve, and we forget the ‘’little things’’ that make us grow better. Under the veil of ‘’The only time you should look back, is to see how far you’ve come’’, and ”It’s not about the destination, but the journey”, I’ve come up with 15 signs of success that we tend to forget to recognize in the process of getting where we want to be.

  1. You have raised your standards.

You don’t tolerate certain negative behavior anymore, from others, but also from yourself. You believe in accountability and taking responsibility for actions. You spend your time wisely with only those who add value, instead of those who steal your energy and fill your life with pointless drama.

  1. You are aware that failure and setbacks are part of life and growth.

Nobody has success 100% of the time, life is not a Disney story ( and even Disney stories depict setbacks!).
Life is about victories and losses (ying & yang). Every setback can be a stepping stone to something better, if you choose to look at and handle it that way. But really there is no such thing as a setback. It’s all just part a fun rollercoaster journey.

  1. You accept what you can’t change.

Our power only reaches to a certain degree in many cases, especially when you are dependent on external factors. If you can’t change it, change the way you look at it. If you can change your negative perspective on situations to a positive one, then you are successful.

  1. You change what you can.

On the same note, there are many things we do have control over. Successful people don’t sit around accepting the negatives that are changeable. They get out there and do something about it!

5. You let go of things that don’t make you feel good.

Self-love is success. Love yourself enough to say ‘no’ to anything that doesn’t make you happy, doesn’t serve your purpose, or drags you down. It’s not narcissistic or egoistic, because if you don’t choose you, no one will.

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  1. You have learned to appreciate who you see in the mirror.

Love yourself. You are awesome.

  1. You know ‘’your people’’ who would do anything for you.

You know exactly who really has your back and who only pretends that they do. It’s a painful realization and process, but once you learn to see the signs,  you can stay away from those people.

  1. You’re grateful

Because you know you’re blessed. Even though life is not perfect, there is always plenty to be thankful for.

  1. You applaud for others’ successes.

You know what it takes to create success, and you admire others for reaching it. When others succeed, it doesn’t mean you fail. You applaud the people who rise to the top. The more positive energy you give to other people’s victories, the more you will create your own.

  1. You have passions & goals that you pursue.

You have unique gifts and talents. You know you have something wonderful to contribute to the world. Not only do you know it, you pursue it. It’s this excitement of something to look forward to, that drives you.

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  1. You refuse to be a victim.

You know that life doesn’t always happen to you. Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. No matter what happens, rise up and conquer anyway.

  1. You don’t care what other people think.

You can’t please everyone, and you know it. You know that the standards with which society judges people is unrealistic. So you just keep true to yourself and love the person you are.

  1. You love deeply and open yourself up to be loved by others.

Love is risky, and sometimes scary, because there is always the risk of rejection or getting hurt. If you open your heart enough to love and be loved, then you are successful.

  1. You always look on the bright side.

It’s all about the perspective you choose. Life can be full of disappointments –Or, learning opportunities. No negative experience is ever wasted as long as you learn from it.

  1. You are happy.

To me, pure happiness with what is, is the ultimate definition of success. It doesn’t matter what the balance is in your bank account, how big your house is,  or how many fancy vacations you take. If you are happy, then you are successful in life.

I hope you can recognize a lot of these signs and that this will give you a little motivation boost to keep at it. Don’t worry if you find yourself not at the above mentioned points yet, because it’s always a process, take your time, just keep moving forward.

Keep growing and learning!
Lots of love,

Nadira

Outfitdetails: Straight Outta Gym Tshirt by Wulterkens. Blazer & Boots from Zara, Hat from Missguided, Skirt from Nasty Gal.

P.S. There is a big giveaway coming up soon. To prevent missing out, sign up on the blog, you will automatically receive an email when the giveaway is available.

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  • Published in Business & Entrepreneurship, Self-Discovery & Growth, Written Archives 2013-2018
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12 Ways To Feel GREAT In Today’s Pressure Society.

Saturday, 25 April 2015 by Nadira

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Something we all want, to feel good…to feel great! If you are reading this, the chance is you are in possession of a computer, smartphone or tablet, you have a roof above your head and food on your plate. Hopefully you are healthy and that would mean you have everything you need to feel great, because your are blessed.
Yet in this society we keep on being pushed and pulled to have the need for more in order to feel great. We think we need to have more, do better, work harder, look better. We are never really content. It’s a giant form of peer pressure, that I am experiencing as well, to look a certain way and accomplish certain things, because it is expected. I do realize, that usually I’m my worst critic, so I’m the one putting pressure on myself. And I find myself in this rush and extreme need of being better (inside, outside, you name it, just better).
As much as this can be a good thing, because it keeps you sharp, and keeps you evolving and growing as a person, it can make you feel really insecure and just not great in general. Why? Because you are not ‘’there’’ yet. And in your mind, where you are now, isn’t good enough.
I’ve thought about this a lot, to find a way to deal with it and came up with 12 ways to feel great, while in the constant process of evolving.

  1. Remember you will always be a ‘’Work in Progress’’
    We will always be a work in progress. We will never be ‘’there’’, we will never be perfect, because even if we would be, our head would be telling us that we still need this, and that to be perfect. (Let’s assume for this statement that perfection is even possible). A recent example: When I started with Fitness I had this picture in my mind of how I wanted to look. This mental picture kept me going, yet when I reached it, I didn’t even realize it. In my head this picture had gradually evolved, making me think that I wasn’t there yet. Most of the time, we are our own worst critics. When you accept that even when you’re old and wrinkly, you will still have so many things you would want to do better; you will feel so much more relaxed and confident about the progress you make, because it’s not something finite, there is no end to it, and anything is possible.
  2. Find balance between working on yourself and loving the way you are now
    Change is great, growth is essential. Yet we have to stop thinking ‘’when I look like that, I will be happy’’ or ‘’only when I achieve that, I will be worthy’’.
    Start loving yourself for the person you are now, even if you’re not the person you want to be yet. Identify the wonderful things about yourself, certain traits, abilities, achievements, things you love about the way you look . Despite the fact that you would want to improve, you are still a lovely, beautiful person with qualities. So embrace that, and keep on reminding yourself of these things while you are working on yourself.IMG_6926photoshop
  3. Stop Comparing
    In today’s society, we get overrun by success stories, pictures and videos of others around the world. It’s not only the celebrities and magazine covers anymore, but technology has made it possible to follow the lives of many others. This makes it even easier to constantly compare yourself to others. You think you know their life, and you would love to have what they have; to do what they do.
    First, let me tell you, everyone only shows off the great things in their lives, not their struggles along the way. Second, STOP, just stop! It’s good to look up to people and try to find out the strategies they use to get where they are. But everything beyond that is not healthy. You only have part of the story, and most of the time, thing just aren’t what they seem.
    An example: Instagram is being taken over by the fitness hype, which is great because it encourages a lot of people to work out. But I see too many ladies around me obsessing with having abs, booties and muscles and having/wanting to look a certain way, that is in some cases not even possible to achieve naturally and they starve themselves for it, because they just don’t know the right way to achieve this. I will write more about this soon, but the message is to just stop comparing, because it does more harm than good. Count your blessings and focus on yourself, your own progress. The more energy you put into yourself, the more you will get out of it, and the greater you will feel.
  4. Do more YOU
    Invest in yourself, whether it is by taking some me-time and just take a long bath, or a vacation. There are endless possibilities for this, depending on your personality. You can go from reading a book, taking up a certain hobby or activity, to taking an extra course or workshop in the area you want to excel in. As long as you do something for you, that you enjoy and know is good for you.IMG_6945photoshop
  5. Don’t wait for other’s approval/applause
    This one is a hard one, for me at least. You know those people who always say, I don’t care what anyone thinks? Well I am one of them. Only I do care (to certain extent). I’m still working on finding out why approval of others is so important to most of us, even if we might not want to admit it. But when we accomplish something cool, we do like it when people around us acknowledge this. If you ask me, that’s the basic foundation of social media. Sharing the good things, the accomplishments, all in exchange for a ‘’like’’.
    I cannot tell you how to get rid of this need for approval, because I am still working on it myself. I can, however, tell you how I deal with it. I’ve decided to value my own approval more than that of others. In the end we know ourselves better than anyone else does. We can be the best judge of ourselves, and we know how we’ve struggled and when we’ve stepped out of our comfort zone to achieve something. Therefore, applaud yourself, when you’ve achieved whatever it is you wanted to. If others do so as well, it’s a nice extra, but having that inner approval is so much more valuable and should be the most important.
  6. Celebrate victories, even the smallest ones!
    Since we are talking about victories, I have found that celebrating them, no matter how small, really feels great. Even though it might be just a small step, it is a step in the right direction that you haven’t made before, and it might have required some to a lot of effort, so it is worth celebrating. It’s also motivating to get to the next step, and the next, and so on.IMG_6972photoshop
  7. Know your strengths and develop them
    We are all good at something, some of us have excellent communication skills, others can persuade very well and others can juggle or draw or dance really well. Whatever it is, it is likely that you enjoy doing these things, because you have a talent for it, and it feels rewarding. Even if you might not be able to make a living out of everything, I would encourage you to invest time into these strengths. It will make you feel great about yourself, because you’re great at it and you will get better and better.
  8. Set Goals and most important Stick to them
    Setting goals is easy. Sticking to them, well that’s another story. It’s not always easy, especially if the goal requires controversial change in your daily life or just lots of effort and time. Yet there is no worse feeling than regret of not having pursued the steps to achieve your goals. You’re always going to be busy, it will never be a perfect time, but just do it. Focus and go. You will feel great by putting it in the works, sticking to the plan, because the closer you get, the better the feeling. I personally love the feeling of checking that box next to the task on my to do list.IMG_6953photoshopc
  9. Do good (for others).
    Last Sunday, we had the privilege to receive a special 9 year old boy with severe diabetes at the Wulterkens Clothing office. In collaboration with the Make A Wish Foundation, we made it a really special day for him. He arrived in style, in a beautiful white limo, and got to create his very own design sport t-shirts with us. There were balloons, cake, and we had his family come along with him. Afterwards he went to the Ajax Stadium in Amsterdam to watch a soccer game and he got to stand on the side lines and see everything up close. There was no better feeling and I am extremely grateful for this experience. Just to see the smile on his face. Anyway, do good, because it feels great to give. Even if it’s just something small, as long as you give back.
  10. Realize that everyone else around you has Insecurities.
    For some reason, when we know that others share the same struggle, we find some sort of peace with it. There is something in the collective that soothes us, as long as we are not the only one, right? Well in this case, this might make you feel better. Remember that all of us, even the greatest, have insecurities, struggles, pain, issues etc. That’s life, and we’re only human. So whenever you feel insecure, just know that you are not the only one and it doesn’t have to be a limitation, unless you make it one.
    I don’t know if this is a direct incentive to feel great, but it does put things in perspective and makes you embrace life, the way it is, even if it’s not easy. If you think about the fact that even Beyonce has her insecurities, yet she is the amazing artist that she is, you know that you can be that amazing version of yourself as well, despite your insecurities.IMG_6960photoshopc
  11. The power of thought
    As I’ve mentioned before, we are our own worst critics. Try to understand and remind yourself that you and the way you decide to see and think about things create your reality. If you’re being too hard on yourself, you are the one making it difficult and making yourself unhappy. If you hold yourself to unrealistic standards, it’s you and your thoughts that make you feel insecure (not anyone else).
    At the same time, you have the power to create another reality, one that makes you happier, more motivated, more positively driven and more acknowledged of the small steps of progress you make. Remember all limitations are self-imposed, by thoughts and fears that are created in our own mind and we choose to listen to them or not.
  12. Count your blessings, Be Grateful & Smile.
    It’s cliché, but do it. Every day, when you wake up, count your blessings, thank for them & smile. It’s going to be a good day. There is always something to be thankful for, and acknowledging this can make you feel great. Life is all about the little things anyway. Learn to appreciate them. No matter where you are, it can always be worse. And if you hit rock bottom, you can only go up. Be grateful for the fact that you are alive and able to pursue your dreams. An attitude of gratitude will get you far.

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Be  great, feel great. Remember: Happiness is not a destination, it’s the journey.

Love,

Nadira

Outfitdetails:
Boots: Zara || Dress, Hat & Coat: Missguided || Bag: River Island || Bracelet: Hermes Collier de Chien.

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  • Published in Business & Entrepreneurship, Self-Discovery & Growth, Written Archives 2013-2018
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Off The Grid

Monday, 09 February 2015 by Nadira

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What 30 hours without my smart phone have taught me.

The past weekend, early Sunday morning to be exact, my iPhone cable-charger broke and not long after, my phone battery was dead. At first I was very irritated; I noticed myself picking up my phone several times trying to see if there were any notifications…it went automatically, like it was an autopilot move, and a split second later I realized, oh yeah, never mind, it’s dead.

I was wondering if my mom responded to my whatsapp messages, I wanted to call my brother about his party Friday night, I wanted to post something on instagram, I wanted to add some tasks that came to mind to my planner, I knew customers and clients could be calling first thing Monday morning….And I realized how CRAZY dependent I am that I constantly had to resist the urge to check the phone.

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Unlike most Sunday’s, I decided to  skip the office and stay home to do some well overdue cleaning and organizing and maybe do a little bit of preparing for my Business Marketing class next week.

By the end of the afternoon I felt really relaxed and actually enjoyed the 100 % focus I had for everything I was doing. I felt calm, and felt like I finally had some space in my head to think over a lot of things, that I normally don’t get to think about in the mass of speedy thoughts that usually cross my mind during the day.

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To make a long story short: I managed the clean the entire house, including organizing my big messy closet, in half (!) the time I normally need. I had so much time left I could actually enjoy catching up with the latest episodes of Suits.
Today (Monday), at the office, I managed to do everything I had planned for 3/4 of the day before lunch. And believe me, I’m a realistic planner.
I started on the tasks I planned for Tuesday, and I managed to spare some extra time to write this post. I feel a lot more creativity in writing also, which I lack most of the time.

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Conclusion: I, however I’m sure I can speak for a lot of you as well, waste too much time constantly checking my phone, getting distracted by meaningless notifications that can easily wait until later. I mean let’s be honest scrolling through Instagram, Twitter & Facebook feeds is fun, but in general not enriching or enhancing anything, while there is so much we can do with the same valuable time.

IMG_6797photoshop I knew I was guilty of this ‘’addiction’’ before, but I actually really needed the past 30 hours to remind myself of this behavior that comes so automatically, as it is programmed. I noticed that with everything I do, I constantly interrupt the task, to check my phone. Our lives are actually designed around it, and not the other way around like it is supposed to be. I mean, when you think of it, it’s crazy!

IMG_6825photoshop All this time I thought I was pretty good in the whole multitasking thing, but I’ve learned from this experience that I’ve been fooling myself, BIG time.

Apart from the high increase in productivity and efficiency that comes with the 100 % focus, the calmness I experienced was really nice. The not constantly thinking ‘’oh I have to call this client and oh I want to look up this brand on instagram’’. No…you don’t have to do anything, you just have to enjoy the moment and focus on what you are doing, making everything so much easier and more enjoyable.

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So I’ve decided to ‘’cut off’’ myself more in the future. Unfortunately I will not be able to do so during the week since I need to be on call for Business, but I will do so every Sunday. I will also try to schedule my social media activities to certain moments in the day and not during the entire day as usual.

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I’m looking forward to getting more out of my time and more out of my mind.
Who’s joining me?

Love,

Nadira

IMG_6810photoshop Outfitdetails: All items are from older collections, as I just assembled random items out of my closet.
Leather Jacket: Mango; Oversized Sweater: H&M; Leather-look Leggings: Zara ; Boots: Zara
Hat & Gloves: V&D Netherlands

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  • Published in Self-Discovery & Growth, Written Archives 2013-2018
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Have It All

Thursday, 29 January 2015 by Nadira

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The transition…From 30 degrees to temperatures around freezing point…From relaxation to kind of (a little bit) of chaos….From zen by the pool and partying to deadlines, obligations and commitments…From home in Suriname to home in the Netherlands…

I feel tired and stressed, but at the same time happy and excited, because despite the big load of work, it’s all lots of new amazing things happening, new opportunities & projects and growth!
Coming up the next few months from Wulterkens is a new sport collection,a new fashion collection, andddd something bigger, that I can’t tell just yet….Oh and at the moment we are swamped with the SALE, be sure to check out the Wulterkens website.

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In Suriname, in the beginning I was going crazy, there was so much work that I couldn’t do, and I wasn’t used to not doing very much. I realized how much of a workaholic I’ve become, I literally had to kick off and take satisfaction out of only 2-3 hours of working a day.

I spent the remainder time mostly at my mom’s home during the day, at my dad’s home during the evenings, really enjoyed the quality time with my parents. Some days I enjoyed catching up with old friends and there were lots of fun parties. But apart from that, I also spent a lot of time thinking…thinking back on the previous year, what did we accomplish, what did we do wrong, which of the things could we have done better; What do we want to accomplish in 2015, what do we have to change in our current ways to be able to accomplish these goals….etc etc.

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I’ve also thought a lot about myself, the woman I’ve become, the kind of woman I want to be; thought about my relationships with my partner, family, friends: Who do I want to spend more or less energy on. How will I incorporate more balance in my life….Is it even possible to create a balance when there is mostly chaos? I’m at this point in my life where I want so much, and I want it all at the same time…is it crazy to think that I can have it all?

I think a lot of people might think I am being too hard on myself…But if I don’t do it Now, when will I….I am 25, with the entire world at my feet, no better time than now to give my all, right?

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It shouldn’t be so hard living a fullfilling, happy, content life by managing a continuously growing Brand/business with the ultimate goal to leave a mark and become financially free, while within the next 1,5 year obtaining my Masters degree in Marketing at the University, while also traveling and still enjoying quality time with my soulmate & partner, a selected group of friends and family (I don’t even dare to call that a social life)…oh and also while getting in the best shape ever….Nah, not that hard! Another 24 hours a day would surely be helpful, but oh well..I’ll manage. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but I know it’s going to be worth it.

Being able to accomplish all of this in these prime years, will make a good story for later when I’m old and wrinkly on my Yacht somewhere in the Caribbean. But also being able to inspire others, to show them that it is possible, as long as you’re willing to work.

I am extremely grateful that I have both the vision and the opportunities to be able to do so and I know that with the right attitude and belief in combination with working hard it should be a possibility…I guess time will tell…What do you guys think? Is it possible to have it all?

“Shoot for the moon, cause even if you miss, you will land among the stars’’

Love,
Nadira

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My outfit is one of my favorite I wore in Suriname, it’s sexy, but chique and even a bit sporty; kind of J.LO inspired. I first decided to wear a nude lip with my hair half up, but halfway during the shoot I felt like spicing it up with a bit more color and a little wilder, loose hair. Which look is your fave?

Details: Pants: Missguided ; Top: Missguided ; Shoes: Missguided, older collection ; Purse: Zara, older collection ; Lipsticks: Hug me by MAC & Chili by MAC
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”…But one idea described her best: she was unstoppable and she took anything she wanted with a smile”

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  • Published in Business & Entrepreneurship, Self-Discovery & Growth, Written Archives 2013-2018
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