top of page

Haitske van de Sande

Reclaim your fire

Instagram

:

My nest is empty. My mum is moving on. And I’m standing here at the edge of something new.

Tomorrow my mum moves to the other side of the country. At 70. (Actuality we are moving all her stuff in 27 degrees Celsius 🤭💥🔥)

My kids have already left the house. And I stay here. In my little home that I love and I have my caravan during the week when I have to work.

Everyone moving forward. Everyone finding their place.

And me — standing still. Not lost. Just… in between.

There’s something quietly beautiful about that. Watching the people you love step into their next chapter while you figure out yours.

This is mine. 🌅

Anyone else in this season of life? 👇

Follow @haitskevandesande for more.

:

My nest is empty. My mum is moving on. And I’m standing here at the edge of something new.

Tomorrow my mum moves to the other side of the country. At 70. (Actuality we are moving all her stuff in 27 degrees Celsius 🤭💥🔥)

My kids have already left the house. And I stay here. In my little home that I love and I have my caravan during the week when I have to work.

Everyone moving forward. Everyone finding their place.

And me — standing still. Not lost. Just… in between.

There’s something quietly beautiful about that. Watching the people you love step into their next chapter while you figure out yours.

This is mine. 🌅

Anyone else in this season of life? 👇

Follow @haitskevandesande for more.

Yesterday we painted garden gnomes.
Yes really.
Our family has been getting together every year for over 40 years.
This year’s wellness activity?
Not yoga. Not meditation.
Painting Garden gnomes.
Pink hats.
Teal hats.
One guy in full Dutch football kit.
Nobody questioned it.
Still absolutely unhinged. 😄
Still our version of zen. 🪴 Accepting gnome donations for next year 🤪👍🏻
Don’t let yours collect dust.
Drop a 🧙‍♀️ if this made you smile.
👉 Follow @haitskevandesande — energy, transformation, and apparently gnomes.

Yesterday we painted garden gnomes.
Yes really.
Our family has been getting together every year for over 40 years.
This year’s wellness activity?
Not yoga. Not meditation.
Painting Garden gnomes.
Pink hats.
Teal hats.
One guy in full Dutch football kit.
Nobody questioned it.
Still absolutely unhinged. 😄
Still our version of zen. 🪴 Accepting gnome donations for next year 🤪👍🏻
Don’t let yours collect dust.
Drop a 🧙‍♀️ if this made you smile.
👉 Follow @haitskevandesande — energy, transformation, and apparently gnomes.

I always move away from the smoke.
Always.
But tonight something was different.
47 tabs open on my laptop.
A to-do list that never ends.
And a fire that just… didn’t care about any of that.
So I stayed.
Fire crackling.
People I love around me.
No notifications.
No deadlines.
Just that fire.
And for the first time in a while
I wasn’t thinking about what still needed to be done.
I was just… there. 🔥 When did your fire last beat your laptop?
👇
👉 Follow @haitskevandesande for more.

I always move away from the smoke.
Always.
But tonight something was different.
47 tabs open on my laptop.
A to-do list that never ends.
And a fire that just… didn’t care about any of that.
So I stayed.
Fire crackling.
People I love around me.
No notifications.
No deadlines.
Just that fire.
And for the first time in a while
I wasn’t thinking about what still needed to be done.
I was just… there. 🔥 When did your fire last beat your laptop?
👇
👉 Follow @haitskevandesande for more.

Every year, my family gets together for our annual weekend.
We’ve been doing this for over 40 years.
And this year’s zen activity?
Painting garden gnomes. 🧙‍♀️
Is it spiritual? Debatable.
Is it meditative? Absolutely.
Is it the best thing we did all weekend? 100%.
There’s something about sitting around a table, brush in hand, fully focused on getting the little hat just right — that makes everything else quiet down for a bit.
No big talk. No fixing each other.
Just gnomes. And presence.
And 40 years worth of love in the room.
Turns out you don’t need a fancy retreat to reset.
Sometimes you just need your people — and a tiny ceramic man.

Every year, my family gets together for our annual weekend.
We’ve been doing this for over 40 years.
And this year’s zen activity?
Painting garden gnomes. 🧙‍♀️
Is it spiritual? Debatable.
Is it meditative? Absolutely.
Is it the best thing we did all weekend? 100%.
There’s something about sitting around a table, brush in hand, fully focused on getting the little hat just right — that makes everything else quiet down for a bit.
No big talk. No fixing each other.
Just gnomes. And presence.
And 40 years worth of love in the room.
Turns out you don’t need a fancy retreat to reset.
Sometimes you just need your people — and a tiny ceramic man.

✨ Looking for amazing accounts to follow, support and connect with ✨
The algorithm shows me so few small, inspiring accounts… while there is so much beautiful energy and value out there 🤍
So: do you have an account about for example:
🌱 personal development
🔥 spiritual growth & awakening
🎵 music
🧭 coaching & transformation
🎓 education & teachers
🧠 teens & young people who struggle
📚 students who don’t fit the system
🥾 hiking & nature
✨ or anything in that vibe…
Drop your account below so I can follow you and who knows you might get some engagement from other amazing accounts too ✨
Also scroll through the comments and support each other a little 🤍
(Idea seen at @mindbodyspiritnl via @live.life.well1)

✨ Looking for amazing accounts to follow, support and connect with ✨
The algorithm shows me so few small, inspiring accounts… while there is so much beautiful energy and value out there 🤍
So: do you have an account about for example:
🌱 personal development
🔥 spiritual growth & awakening
🎵 music
🧭 coaching & transformation
🎓 education & teachers
🧠 teens & young people who struggle
📚 students who don’t fit the system
🥾 hiking & nature
✨ or anything in that vibe…
Drop your account below so I can follow you and who knows you might get some engagement from other amazing accounts too ✨
Also scroll through the comments and support each other a little 🤍
(Idea seen at @mindbodyspiritnl via @live.life.well1)

Some lessons stay with you.

#personalgrowth
#selfworth
#authenticliving
#innerwork
#mindsetshift

Some lessons stay with you.

#personalgrowth
#selfworth
#authenticliving
#innerwork
#mindsetshift

Clarity doesn’t come first.
It comes after you move.

#personalgrowth
#takingaction
#innerwork
#selftrust
#authenticliving

Clarity doesn’t come first.
It comes after you move.

#personalgrowth
#takingaction
#innerwork
#selftrust
#authenticliving

Lately I’ve been thinking about this.

The moments that feel like things aren’t working.
Like you’re going backwards.
Like you made the wrong choice.

I’ve had quite a few of those.

Leaving what felt “secure”.
Starting something new.
Not always knowing if I’m doing it right.

And still…

Something in me knows
this isn’t random.

That these moments are shaping something.
Even if I don’t fully see it yet.

Maybe it’s not going wrong.
Maybe it’s just… unfolding differently.

#personalgrowthjourney
#trusttheprocess
#startingover
#authenticliving
#innerwork

Lately I’ve been thinking about this.

The moments that feel like things aren’t working.
Like you’re going backwards.
Like you made the wrong choice.

I’ve had quite a few of those.

Leaving what felt “secure”.
Starting something new.
Not always knowing if I’m doing it right.

And still…

Something in me knows
this isn’t random.

That these moments are shaping something.
Even if I don’t fully see it yet.

Maybe it’s not going wrong.
Maybe it’s just… unfolding differently.

#personalgrowthjourney
#trusttheprocess
#startingover
#authenticliving
#innerwork

After not playing for 22.5 years…
I thought I had forgotten how.

But the moment I started…
something in me came back instantly.

That feeling of being completely connected
to the music…
just like I used to.

I love playing together again.
Being part of something.

And yes, a part of me still wants to do it well.

But it doesn’t have to be perfect anymore.
Not for a diploma.
Not to prove anything.

I’ve already done that.

Now it’s different.

Now it’s about enjoying it.
Even on the days I’m tired
after a full week of work.

And somehow…
it still gives me energy in a different way.

#creativelife
#slowliving
#authenticliving
#personalgrowthjourney
#musiclife

After not playing for 22.5 years…
I thought I had forgotten how.

But the moment I started…
something in me came back instantly.

That feeling of being completely connected
to the music…
just like I used to.

I love playing together again.
Being part of something.

And yes, a part of me still wants to do it well.

But it doesn’t have to be perfect anymore.
Not for a diploma.
Not to prove anything.

I’ve already done that.

Now it’s different.

Now it’s about enjoying it.
Even on the days I’m tired
after a full week of work.

And somehow…
it still gives me energy in a different way.

#creativelife
#slowliving
#authenticliving
#personalgrowthjourney
#musiclife

I know I can’t go back
to a life that doesn’t feel right.

I know that forcing things
only takes me further away from myself.

I know that slowing down
is something I’m still learning.
Not perfectly.
But more consciously.

I know that having a full schedule
doesn’t mean I’m out of alignment…
it just means I’m still finding my way
within a life I’m building myself.

And I know that trusting myself
is the only way forward.

Even when it feels uncertain.
Even when it would be easier
to go back to what I already knew.

Because something in me knows…
there’s no going back.

Only forward.
Closer to what actually feels true.

#innertruth
#personalgrowthjourney
#authenticliving
#trustyourself
#lifetransitions

I know I can’t go back
to a life that doesn’t feel right.

I know that forcing things
only takes me further away from myself.

I know that slowing down
is something I’m still learning.
Not perfectly.
But more consciously.

I know that having a full schedule
doesn’t mean I’m out of alignment…
it just means I’m still finding my way
within a life I’m building myself.

And I know that trusting myself
is the only way forward.

Even when it feels uncertain.
Even when it would be easier
to go back to what I already knew.

Because something in me knows…
there’s no going back.

Only forward.
Closer to what actually feels true.

#innertruth
#personalgrowthjourney
#authenticliving
#trustyourself
#lifetransitions

Letting go sounds powerful.
Until you’re actually in it.

There are still moments I doubt myself.
Moments I want clarity… right now.

Moments where I wonder if I made the right choices.

Building a life that feels aligned
also means facing parts of yourself
you used to avoid.

The uncertainty.
The discomfort.
The not knowing.

And some days…
that still feels heavy.

But I’m learning not to run from it.

To stay.
To listen.
To trust that this is part of the process too.

#realgrowth
#innerwork
#personalgrowthjourney
#authenticliving
#lifetransitions

Letting go sounds powerful.
Until you’re actually in it.

There are still moments I doubt myself.
Moments I want clarity… right now.

Moments where I wonder if I made the right choices.

Building a life that feels aligned
also means facing parts of yourself
you used to avoid.

The uncertainty.
The discomfort.
The not knowing.

And some days…
that still feels heavy.

But I’m learning not to run from it.

To stay.
To listen.
To trust that this is part of the process too.

#realgrowth
#innerwork
#personalgrowthjourney
#authenticliving
#lifetransitions

That’s the part no one really talks about.

You make changes.
You follow what feels right.

And then suddenly… doubt shows up again.

Did I make the right decision?
Should I have stayed where things felt easier?

It’s not a straight line.
Not even close.

But I’m starting to see…
the doubt doesn’t mean I’m on the wrong path.

It just means I’m in unfamiliar territory.

#selfdoubt
#personalgrowthjourney
#innerwork
#lifetransitions
#authenticliving

That’s the part no one really talks about.

You make changes.
You follow what feels right.

And then suddenly… doubt shows up again.

Did I make the right decision?
Should I have stayed where things felt easier?

It’s not a straight line.
Not even close.

But I’m starting to see…
the doubt doesn’t mean I’m on the wrong path.

It just means I’m in unfamiliar territory.

#selfdoubt
#personalgrowthjourney
#innerwork
#lifetransitions
#authenticliving

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

bottom of page