Tell us what you’d like us to know about you?
I’m Pascale, married and the mother of two adult sons who are still living at home along with their girlfriends. They are two lovely girls and I like to think of them as my ‘daughters-in-law’. All of this makes our house a fun and busy place to be. I’m very much interested in other people. Everyone has their own fascinating story, and it’s never quite what you expect. The trick is to remain non-judgmental and always open to being pleasantly surprised. I also adore being out and about in nature, it’s so peaceful and restorative. We can’t do without it and should treasure it lovingly. Riding my bike, I keep discovering just how beautiful the Netherlands is.
What work do you do?
For the last twelve years I’ve run my own company as a Sensi- therapist and medium. Alongside that, I work as a receptionist and switchboard operator at a local hospital.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
My aim was always to raise my children to be contented, independent adults and looking at them now, I can gratefully say that I’ve achieved it.
What do you think have been the best and the worst parts of getting older?
The best part of getting older, I would say, is that you no longer bother yourself with worrying about pointless nonsense. Thanks to your life-experience you become wiser, clear thinking and more content. The disadvantage of getting older is that in your head you still feel twenty, but that your body has its own ideas and you get increasingly more aches and pains. A sure sign of age is if you spot a young adult wondering if they should maybe offer you their seat when in company. Then you know for sure, ‘I’m old’.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
That you can’t control everything that happens to you in your life. You do have a choice though, one of deciding how you respond, therein lies your power.
What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
Three years ago, against my better judgment, I happened upon the brilliant idea of learning how to ski for the first time. Looking back – I didn’t enjoy it, I was frightened to death, and it’s a miracle that I, or any of the skiers in my direct vicinity, didn’t end up injured.
If you had a warning label, what would it be?
I’m a very sensitive person and I just can’t deal with injustice, prejudice and shortsighted points of view. I’m not a saint myself of course but as I’ve got older, I’ve learned to take a step back and consider things before jumping to conclusions about people or situations.
Any regrets?
Yes, staying put in dead-end jobs because I needed the money. I just didn’t believe in myself enough, and I felt the weight of society’s expectations of how women are traditionally expected to behave, i.e. be sweet, kind and caring. This bothered me and held me back for a long time. I conformed to the point where I became less of who I actually was, and as a result missed out on the chances and opportunities that might’ve passed my way.
What was your latest Google search?
Post NL, track & trace, where is your package now?
How old are you and how old do you feel?
I’m 52 years old and I feel 52. That’s ok though, as I understand that it’s not about how old you are but how you live your life. One day it can seem like a party and the next day it’s doom and gloom, with storm clouds gathering. We should be gratefully aware of being alive and that the clock of life is ticking. Nothing lasts forever, so laugh when you can and cry when you need to.
