People keep asking me:

How do you do it?

How do I live here, in Portugal, where the pace is slow, the air is warm, and every day feels like a gift?

The answer is simple:

I stopped waiting for life to begin.

I’m surrounded by people who notice the way the light dances on the water,

the conversations that start with what if instead of what’s next.

There’s an energy here, a quiet knowing that this is where I’m meant to be.

And yes, I’ll say it:

I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

Not because everything is perfect,

but because I finally dared to live by my own rules.

I see the cracks in the system,

but I also see the new world rising.

And that gives me hope.

We need to wake up collectively.

If we see it, if we choose differently,

there’s a brighter future waiting for all of us.

That’s part of why I’m so happy: I can feel it coming.

And in my own way, I’m leading by example.

I realized I don’t say it enough,

so I called my parents in the Netherlands to tell them:

I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.

And you should be proud, because this life is also thanks to you.

We forget to share these moments,

but they’re everything.

That’s also why I’m sharing this with you.

If you’re reading this and feeling that pull, that restlesness,

this is your sign.

The life you want isn’t out of reach.

It’s waiting for you to choose it.

So tell me:

What’s one thing that would make your life feel a little more like paradise?