Beautiful Ripples

Noticing What Moves Us—and What We Move

These ripples, shaped by wind and sea, danced across the vast beach of Terschelling this spring. Organic patterns, gently repeating—one grain of sand moving another, then another—expanding softly.

I love that gentle meandering. Simply beautiful.

There’s something quietly magical about ripples.

When I watch my dog joyfully playing with others, joy ripples through me. His happiness becomes my own. When I open an art book filled with Jeroen Krabbé’s vibrant landscapes’ paintings—and my body smiles before my mind catches up.

These moments stay with me. And now, when I think back to a series of unhurried conversations and serendipitous encounters I had lately, I see seeds planted that keep rippling further. Conversations about what it means to be humane, to become, to connect, to live a slow life.

They begin slowly, unconsciously. Something starts bubbling: an idea, a tiny insight or a shift in perspective. A spark that keeps nudging. These ripples linger—subtle, but still tangible days later.

I realise sometimes I am that grain of sand—moved, inspired, awakened by others. And I wonder: What kind of ripples do I send out? Whom do I reach, inspire, or energise—often without even knowing it? Because every gesture—no matter how small—carries the potential to ripple outward.

What about you? What recent experience still echoes in you—like a ripple you didn’t expect?

Thank you, Tenneson Woolf, for the inspiration.

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is nothing at all.

My business partner and friend Ewen Le Borgne and I are quietly developing “Rebel with Pause” – a new project exploring how small moments of stillness can help heal work culture and discover new possibilities. What if we gave ourselves and our teams permission to breathe? There’s something beautiful waiting in those pauses. We’re curious about what emerges when we stop rushing long enough to notice what’s actually needed.

If this whispers to you, we’d love to connect.

The bit at the end

Exciting events on the horizon to support your exploration:

Join Street Wisdom in Alkmaar on Friday, 12th September at 16:00—slow down, stroll, and get delightfully lost on purpose. Sign up now to join!
Join the next Unhurried Conversation—a space to slow down, listen, and connect. We meet every 2nd Monday of the month. It’s free, and you’re warmly welcome. Sign up here.
For more Learning Moments, subscribe to my newsletter and get timely updates straight to your inbox.

Reach out, I’m always open for a chat.
Creatively, Nadia

P.S.The paintings featured on the blog are my own.