Aloha Dreams: My Heart’s Path to Kauai
I had another intensive practical training day for Walk and Talk coaching in beautiful Wassenaar. The day is again filled with walks, insights, meaningful conversations, and a new coaching technique. What inspired me and touched my heart that day were the words “Step by step.”
One of our assignments was to do something so simple, yet to me, it felt incredibly liberating. It created space to fantasize freely about what makes me happy, what I’m good at, and especially: how and where I would love to flourish as a Walk and Talk coach.
The assignment was called “Explore your deepest desire”. An invitation to reconnect with what your heart truly longs for. Desires. What you really want, but maybe don’t dare to dream about, as there might be obstacles along the way.
Imagine this… no obligations, no expectations, no limits or restrictions.
What would you do then?
What do you dream of, if absolutely anything were possible?
“For me, Walk and Talk coaching focuses on hope and taking steps toward your goals.”
In this blog, I’ll share my experience with this exercise (closely related to the Miracle/Wonder Question) and invite you to try it too.
By the way, I didn’t have to think long.
The idea had already taken root last year, during my vacation on Kauai in June.
I’ve lived in Honolulu (a long time ago, though it always feels like yesterday). Hawaii is my home away from home.
Last June, I took a yoga class at the hotel next door to the apartment complex we rented.
Can you imagine doing a warrior pose in the shade of a palm tree, with the sound of the ocean and the breeze wrapping around you like a warm blanket?
How wonderful would it be to guide Walk and Talk coaching sessions on the island of Kauai?
Kauai is called The Garden Island for a reason: lush green landscapes, waterfalls, wild valleys, volcanic mountains and yes, plenty of wild chickens and roosters wandering the beaches.
(I’ll invite you to learn more about my rooster experience in another blog soon, I promise.)
But it’s not only the landscape that calls to me. It’s the Aloha Spirit: a way of living rooted in calm, mutual respect, and deep connection with nature.
Since I’m allowed to dream without limits, I’ll take it a step further:
In the early morning, as the sun rises, I guide individuals or small groups on reflective walks.
Or we paddle on a SUP board to a waterfall, where I lead my own version of “Experience Kauai in 7 Steps” with mindful pauses, short reflections, and moments to slow down, feel, and simply be.
We begin with gratitude, perhaps offering a lei, a symbol of welcome and connection.
And yes, the chickens and roosters will likely be wandering around. That’s part of the Kauai charm.
Who would I coach on Kauai?
Locals and second-home owners. People already familiar with the Aloha way of life, and who carry a loving heart for nature. Not just to enjoy the view, but to be moved by what the island awakens within them.
Of course, it’s a dream.
But dreams aren’t castles in the air.
They offer direction.
They stir our hearts.
And maybe… every small step I take now, whether it’s in Haarlemmermeer, the Amsterdamse Bos, or along De Poel in Amstelveen, is quietly guiding me in that direction.
Because that’s what I believe coaching is all about:
Every step counts.
Even dreams begin with a single step.
YOU’VE MADE A BIG MOVE ACROSS COUNTRIES, CULTURES, MAYBE EVEN CAREERS.
Now ask yourself:
What do you truly want from this chapter in the Netherlands?
What passion or longing is waiting to be explored?
