News / Articles

‍Ten Days of Silence: A Deeper Reflection on My Vipassana Experience

An honest reflection on a 10-day Vipassana silent meditation retreat—what it taught me about resilience, self-awareness, impermanence and presence.

Belonging, Until You Don’t [An Expat Pocket Story]

A reflection on how our sense of belonging shifts across cultures—and what it means to stand out or fit in, visibly and invisibly, as an expat abroad.

Titles, Honorifics, and the Surprising Power of a Name [An Expat Pocket Story]

From 'Doctor Natália' to first-name basis—how titles shift across cultures, and why it matters. A personal expat story with insights on respect and connection.

The Secret to Thriving Across Cultures: Why EQ and CQ Are Essential for Modern Leaders and International Professionals

What’s the secret to thriving abroad and leading across cultures? It’s not just skills—it’s emotional and cultural intelligence. Discover how emotional and cultural intelligence empower global professionals to lead effectively and thrive in diverse work environments.

On 'being', and that's enough!

We learn to associate our self-worth to what we do... and end up becoming 'Human Doings'. It's the 'cult of doing'.If you have the courage and allow yourself the space to really listen to yourself, you will recognise that we are, instead, truly 'Human Beings'. Being is enough. Being is all that matters. Being is your true essence. Check my tips to create more time for being.

How to turn your relocation to another country into a success story

What you need to personally consider before moving abroad (again) - besides all the logistic stuff. Check our comprehensive tips to make sure you are prepared to turn your next move into a success story abroad.

On seasonal adjustments

On seasonal adjustments - How will you maintain your mood and energy throughout Fall and Winter? ❄

On pain vs. exploring pleasure without guilt

What if you could explore pleasure without guilt and savour life more?

How to make yourself the best candidate for your first-ever job [Part 1]

Tips to consider and traps to avoid when job hunting for your first-ever job, or looking for a career change.

Changing your job/career abroad?

For those currently working in a foreign country, it can often feel extremely scary and overwhelming when you start feeling uncomfortable with your current job and wondering whether you should move on to the next thing. Here are a few tips to increase the chances of turning this unpleasant situation into an opportunity for growth.

Improving your well-being at home with Tai Chi & Chi Kung (extra videos)

The second part of my initial post, with extra suggestions for great videos to watch at home and improve your own mental and physical well-being.

Tip#4. Brainstorm the perfect career for you

This post was done in the context of a joint publication with other colleagues on the 10 tips to navigate your career during a pandemic". Once you have a fair idea of what gives you purpose, what are your core values and strengths (see all the previous tips mentioned below), you are ready to brainstorm and reflect on how you wish to 'invest' your time. ...

Expectations: Adjusting and Owning Yours

Have you ever thought about 'Whose expectations are you carrying'? (...) There is nothing wrong in taking on other people's ideas and suggestions and incorporating them into your expectations, belief system and goals. However, when you 'uncritically inherit the burden' of certain things you should be doing (or not doing), you are giving away your right to determine what makes sense for you; you are sleepwalking through life or blindly following someone else's recipe.

Improving your well-being at home with Tai Chi & Chi Kung

Wondering what you can do at home alone to improve both your mental and physical well-being, during these lockdown times and beyond? Join me for a low-impact exercise session at home, with Chi Kung/ Qigong exercises that you can do alone, as you find greater mind-body balance and relaxation. No excuses :)

Relaxing at Home, with TRE exercises

At some point, we all live through circumstances that bring some tension into our lives. This feels even truer during the past few months. Being almost constantly at home is both physically and mentally demanding. Some times, extremely demanding. It feels like�some form of milder or deeper stress is almost unavoidable these days. TRE stands for�'Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises'. If you want to learn more about TRE and find out how you can do it by yourself, at home, check this article.

Having Fun Alone

What can I (and you) do that is interesting and/or fun, alone, at home, and repeatable? Share your ideas in the comments section. I hope you can try some of them yourself!

10 Keys to Happier Living [Online Group]

Join our free, online, monthly group meetings, putting the "10 Keys to Happier Living" into practice. While this group is theoretically based in Utrecht (Netherlands), all meetings are online. Invest some time on your well-being and happiness!

'Taking a Picture' of Your Life: The Wheel of Life

Even the most basic reflection, that is, simply assessing how we feel right now, is an exercise that most of us do very rarely. Yet, knowing how you are at a given moment can be a powerful tool to help you consider how balanced your life is and whether some changes are necessary (or even urgent). In coaching, this starting assessment is often done using the Wheel of Life. Here is how I do it. Do your own at the same time!

Fatigue and kindness, in the era of online meetings

... Zoom fatigue is not inevitable though and there are a few measures you can implement to reduce it. Above all, however, I would like to invite you to use your compassion and kindness when you interact with your friends and colleagues, and not to rush into judgment about their choice to video-call you or not. Don�t measure your relationships by the amount or extent of your online calls. It is hard to go by with less intimacy and real human connection but quality trumps quantity every time.

My Top 5 Resilience Tips

How can we cope with unwelcome circumstances, the break from our normal routines, being locked at home for days in a row? Our ability to cope with any event or circumstance which we perceive negatively is what we call resilience. It is a skill and, as such, it can be learned, developed, improved. My top 5 resilience skills include self-awareness, setting goals, choosing an optimistic mindset, using your strengths, and self-care.

The blessing of Corona?

How do you find the best out of a negative situation? Some thoughts on the positive side of the Corona virus outbreak.

Tips to stick to your new year's resolutions

Here are some tips to help you stick to your new year's resolutions. Check your goals, willpower and waypower!

Finding your core values and why you should care

Research has now demonstrated that living in alignment with your core values is one (maybe the) essential element to living a happy and fulfilled life. Though we live with ourselves everyday, do you really know what your core values are? What are the beliefs you hold most dear to you?

Are you suffering from MND?

Do you think you may be 'suffering' from MND (Multiple Nationality Disorder)? Have you felt the 'reverse cultural shock' when you go back to your home country? Tell us about it. You are not alone.

What are your signature strengths? And why do they matter?

This summer take some time to find your signature strengths! And invite your friends, family and community to do that too. Reflecting on them and sharing them with others will allow better to understand yourself and others, as well as to create new ways of building on your distinct strengths to create a happier life for all. I'd love to hear all about it! What are your signature strengths?

The Coach's Coach

Yes. Of course, even coaches have their own coach! We can all do better in our life and work if we have the right support to overcome our own challenges at any given time.

Pushing your boundaries... and learning your lessons

What I learned from participating in the 2019 Odyssey Hackathon, the good and the bad... About getting out of your comfort zone and on clarity and leadership.

Life lessons from struggling with your Business Plan

I am used to thinking about strategy, annual plans, budgets, and all that comes along with it. (...) You cannot be a successful entrepreneur if you cannot ultimately sell whatever you are 'producing'! Rationally, that is as clear as water. But emotionally there was a whole other battle to fight. (...) Life lesson: asking for support can deliver much better results than adhering too close to some false sense of pride or ego.

Gifts with meaning and purpose

Offer (a journey towards) meaning and purpose to those you care about - whether employees, friends or family! Performance, learning and enjoyment (happiness) are all deeply interlinked. Consider offering coaching sessions, so a journey of personal and professional development can start! A gift that will not be forgotten.

Steps Towards a Career you Love

Make sure you are getting closer to a career that will really make you feel like a happy and fulfilled person, without skipping any important steps. Are you on the right path?

Natália Leal

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October 23, 2018

News / Articles

‍Ten Days of Silence: A Deeper Reflection on My Vipassana Experience

Belonging, Until You Don’t [An Expat Pocket Story]

Titles, Honorifics, and the Surprising Power of a Name [An Expat Pocket Story]

The Secret to Thriving Across Cultures: Why EQ and CQ Are Essential for Modern Leaders and International Professionals

On 'being', and that's enough!

How to turn your relocation to another country into a success story

On seasonal adjustments

On pain vs. exploring pleasure without guilt

How to make yourself the best candidate for your first-ever job [Part 1]

Changing your job/career abroad?

Improving your well-being at home with Tai Chi & Chi Kung (extra videos)

Tip#4. Brainstorm the perfect career for you

Expectations: Adjusting and Owning Yours

Improving your well-being at home with Tai Chi & Chi Kung

Relaxing at Home, with TRE exercises

Having Fun Alone

10 Keys to Happier Living [Online Group]

'Taking a Picture' of Your Life: The Wheel of Life

Fatigue and kindness, in the era of online meetings

My Top 5 Resilience Tips

The blessing of Corona?

Tips to stick to your new year's resolutions

Finding your core values and why you should care

Are you suffering from MND?

What are your signature strengths? And why do they matter?

The Coach's Coach

Pushing your boundaries... and learning your lessons

Life lessons from struggling with your Business Plan

Gifts with meaning and purpose

Steps Towards a Career you Love

‍Ten Days of Silence: A Deeper Reflection on My Vipassana Experience

Belonging, Until You Don’t [An Expat Pocket Story]

Titles, Honorifics, and the Surprising Power of a Name [An Expat Pocket Story]

The Secret to Thriving Across Cultures: Why EQ and CQ Are Essential for Modern Leaders and International Professionals

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‍Ten Days of Silence: A Deeper Reflection on My Vipassana Experience

Titles, Honorifics, and the Surprising Power of a Name [An Expat Pocket Story]

The Secret to Thriving Across Cultures: Why EQ and CQ Are Essential for Modern Leaders and International Professionals