"Tell me a little about yourself..."

“Tell me a little about yourself...” I’m speaking on a Panel this weekend to an audience of university students and this is the opening question. It’s straightforward yet I’m struggling to answer it…

What labels do I use to define myself? Labels defined by my career, my hobbies, my relationship-status, where I was born, what I studied in university? What’s on my business card or what’s not on my business card? How do I reflect that I’m multi-faceted and unique with an alchemy of experiences underpinned by values that have influenced the decisions I’ve made in life…?

Are the labels I use truly representative in defining 'me'? Defining myself as a ‘consultant’ feels incomplete… as does ‘climber’ or ‘adventurer’. ‘Daughter, sister’ too one-sided. ‘Lover of life’ too ambiguous… ‘mover and shaker’ too brassy and bold. 'Introverted' too misconstrued… So who am I really? 

Until I stopped to truly consider this question, I was surprised at how quick I'd previously been to strip out the ‘true essence’ of who I am.… 

So who am I? 

What my business card says. I'm employed by a global professional services firm. I have nearly two decades of experience as a Change Management and Communications specialist and have spent most of my career working in financial services.  Rolling up my sleeves to work with organisations to improve the experience of their people by helping to manage the impacts of change - technology changes, regulatory changes, role changes etc. -  is what I love most about my job. I’ve had the opportunity to do this in South Korea, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cyprus, Switzerland, Netherlands, UK and Canada. I enjoy the diversity of the job, the people I meet, and the fact that every single day I learn something new.

What my business card doesn’t say. I'm a sister. I’m the eldest of four, but definitely not the wisest... I have four nieces and two nephews. I’m not married and I don’t have children. I'm a daughter to my parents who live near Ridgetown and the farm where I grew up. I’m a first-generation Dutch-Canadian and my first language is Dutch. And yes, I like pannekoeken, drop en gezelligheid - sometimes at the same time. I can't cook but I make a mean margarita.

I’m curious. I’m a problem solver, adventurer, facilitator, lover of nature. I love wild places and wide open spaces. I'm humbled by the sheer power and beauty of Mother Nature every single day. The mountains and the sea are where I go to lose myself and find myself at the same time.

Empathy motivates and drives a huge part of my life - from mentoring teams at work, organizing expeditions, to supporting charities in Nepal or closer to home here in Canada. I do my best to live with and be led by an open heart - I don't always get it right but I try. 

When I was 7 years old my elementary school teacher, Mrs. Havens, said that I was 'conscientious'. I had to look the word up in a dictionary at the time. I'm sensitive and feel things deeply, and I always try to understand what other people are going through. The way I fit this into my work and life is by listening more and talking less, paying more attention to the people around me, and trying to understand things from their perspective. 

I value trust, honesty, authenticity. I am grateful for the people and opportunities in my life that reinforce this.

I’m inspired by movement and change. This has led me to explore new places and experience new cultures. I love sharing these experiences with others - although I really enjoy being 'on my own' too. I’ve climbed some of the highest mountains in the world. I’ve been on over 25 expeditions over the past decade and over 15 months of my life have been spent walking up big hills to enjoy the views from above 5,000m/16,500ft. I’ve cycled across Canada and across Tanzania, dragon boat raced down the Thames with the future Queen of England, and white water rafted throughout Nepal. 

In the words of the philosopher Crazy Frog (circa 2005), "I like to 'move it, move it". For me it's about passion and purpose. For Crazy Frog it was more about record sales. 

Combining my interest in people and ‘what makes them tick’, a love for the outdoors, and passion for “giving back” I'm committed to raising money and awareness for causes focused on health, the environment, and education. I’ve done this through an intentional cross-over of all that’s implied by what’s on my business card and what I love to do beyond it. This has been the highlight of my life. It’s where my purpose and passion have come together.

So who am I?

I’m still not sure I have the answer - and maybe there isn't one... and maybe that's the answer in itself.

Tell me a little about yourself?