Jeannette van Uffelen

Sea Swimming all the year

Sea swimming, no matter the weather. YES, it is much easier when the weather is warm and the sea is the Pacific Ocean. But I’m happy to live close to the shore and can be at the beach in 15 minutes from my house.

The North Sea is rough and most of the time it is impossible to lay down and surrender for a swim, because you’re drawn away by the undercurrent and than it’s a hell of a job to get back. So better not try it! I’m tough in the water and not scared at all, but I know this sea and I know she’s a dangerous force.

And after they created the Sandmotor it became even worse. When it’s summer the temperature is fine. To get used to the water is always challenging, but when you’re IN it’s amazing. Even though in case it’s impossible to swim, because of the force, I love to be there.

Of course it’s nice when the sea allows you to lay down and swim and play. I respect and I fear the force of the sea. All through the years I live here, which is most of my life, we’ve been hearing and reading the news of people, drawn here. You don’t need to go deep, it’s just the force that pulls you back in and makes it impossible to reach the shore.

Not only for little children, especially strong young men have been surprised and caught.

No matter the weather

I dip and dive into the sea all through the year, even in winter when it’s freezing. I’ve learned how to prepare, what clothes to wear and how to dry myself in a fast way. And I’ve learned to walk back fast enough to get warm again on my way home, because otherwise I can’t get my feet warm anymore at all during the day. And that’s no good and no fun.

Yes, the start is difficult. Before you come to the joy part there is the body that needs to get used to the temperature.

When the sea is too strong you have to do everything slowly and you can’t just throw yourself into the cold, which I prefer; just drop myself down and surrender.

I love to swim, but when the current is strong you better stay on both legs.

Anyway, no matter the weather or what is possible or isn’t, being into the sea ALWAYS energises me and makes me feel strong and ALIVE.

And when I’m done and dry again, sometimes almost frozen, because I love the beauty, the challenge and the solitude at the beach in wintertime and tend to stay too long, I always feel GOOD and so much better than before.

Sea swimming in Zakynthos Greece is always easy. It's warm and not a strong current on the southern beaches.

Yes, the start is difficult. Before you come to the joy part there is the body that needs to get used to the temperature. When the sea is too strong you have to do everything slowly and you can’t just throw yourself into the cold, which I prefer; just drop myself down and surrender. I love to swim, but when the current is strong you better stay on both legs.

Anyway, no matter the weather or what is possible or isn’t, being into the sea ALWAYS energises me and makes me feel strong and ALIVE. And when I’m done and dry again, sometimes almost frozen, because I love the beauty, the challenge and the solitude at the beach in wintertime and tend to stay too long, I always feel GOOD and so much better than before.

More sea swimmers every year

I(t) need(s) some courage to go in the sea at home or in Norway in the winter. But nowadays we have science (whatever that means) to prove us the health benefits of challenging your body to the cold. When I was a child I remember that our family doctor was known and admired for his daily seaswimming habit.

For sure for me this is something that WORKS, so I DO IT. It’s worth the effort and so am I.

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The benefits of singing

Singing, I’ve done it since very young. My grandmother sang or whistled a lot and she taught me so many songs, of all kinds, in different languages. And I sang them long before I understood the words.

Singing is just a natural habit and I never paid attention to how I really did it, nor thought it was something special, until my boyfriend told me to do something with that voice. And he arranged lessons for me, when I was about 25 years old. Until now, once in a while I take some lessons.

Singing feels good

I’ve been singing all my life, just because it feels good, to express myself, to entertain, just on my own or for an audience. In choirs, solo, as leadsinger in a band, at home, in the bathroom (of course!), at the beach, in the mountains, in churches, at parties, weddings and funerals. I sing with great joy and love to give it all (whatever it is) in a song.

From August 2015 until the end of May 2019 I sing in Chamber choir Lux, founded by my favorite conductor and friend Raoul. I’ve been participating in many of his choirs and projects since he started his first choir many years ago

Getting used to it

Through the years my neighbours and colleagues got used to it and they have been (positively) commenting on my singing. Many times I’m not even really aware that I am singing, I just do it, often, everywhere, not really consciously.

Health benefits of singing

At first I tried to cancel it, but finally I showed up in a wheelchair in april 2017, just after I had broken my ankle. And although it was weird, I’m happy I did it.

I was well supported by the choir, they took care of me, lifted me up (literally as well, to get me there). It took me a year to stand, walk and feel fit enough to get back to the rehearsals.

After training all muscles, especially on the left part of my body, for months I wasn’t too busy with the fact that vocal cords are muscles as well.

That was the next thing to do. It never took that much effort before. But after not singing for a while it did. Singing together, improving and playing with the tones and our voices was good! But when I was abroad more often I quit the choir.

Just focus on WHAT WORKS, to creation and to bringing more joy into the world. Find your way, a way, any way to EXPRESS yourself, to breath deep and to enjoy life. Singing had, by the way, a good influence on my breathing and using my voice, which is good for public speaking and for training groups.

I sing … just because.

kamerkoor lux, singing, chamberchoir lux, jeannettevanuffelen.com — Lux in 2018

Always on the move

Before I had this job as a Behaviour Specialist and hypnotherapist I’ve done some things. For the curious people I will tell you some more about my work hystory and about what is or was important to me in my life.

I was born and raised in The Hague, The Netherlands. I left my hometown when I was 20 years old and came back 10 years later. I have spent some years in Greece, but never permanently lived there. Now I’m mainly based in The Hague, because it was a good place to live, close to the sea and I have friends and family here. For some years I was working abroad parttime, because I also have friends and clients all over the planet and love to travel.

I’m also an author, public speaker, trainer, ICT specialist, advanced level 4 Faster EFT (Eutaptics) professional, theta healer, a singer, an icon painter and a graphical designer.

I’ve worked in different compartments, like: mental healthcare, crisis intervention centres (for people who escaped from domestical violence), the council for the protection of children, information and communication technology corporates, professional education for youngsters and adults. Since 2003 I’m an entrepreneur.

My greatest teacher

Most of all I still feel like the girl who follows her heart and approaches life as an opportunity for growth. The best opportunity for learning, growth and love was being the mother of my amazing daughter, who was born in 1996. She’s an adult now.

The inner child

I’ve been taking care of more children than just my own and always loved to have children and youngsters around. They keep me alert, flexible, open minded and connected to the child inside me.

Inner stillness

By the years I’m taking more time to be still, to paint and to write. Those things I also did a lot when I was a child and it feels good. The results are sometimes appreciated, which is nice and good, but for me the process of doing it is the goal and just enough.

In this menu (my blogs/before this) I give a brief collection of my activities in the past and some are still actual. I share my thoughts and experience in my blogs and vlogs.

As we all have experienced, in 2020 there was a big change, that had impact on all of us and the losses as a result of it made me get closer to WHO I really wanted to BE and WHAT I wanted to DO with my life. The result of that is what you see that’s left on this website. I only offer single sessions and retreats. And I’m creating my iconic presents, so I can be on the road again. Take care of the forests and wild life.

In case you want to contact me, please respond below or mail me at: yes@jeannettevanuffelen.com.