25-year-old Dutchie — Spoiler: I’m not often perched on a boat with sunlight dappling my skin, I’m usually hunched behind my desk in the rainy Netherlands, but we can always pretend… Bio Hello! After a year and a half on Medium, I’ve finally worked up the courage to make my ‘About Me’ page. …

I want to be a better friend to myself — Welcome to the year of the boundary Every year, Oxford Dictionary chooses a word of the year. In 2015, it was “Emoji tears of joy”. In 2021, it was “Vax”. In 2022, it was ‘Goblin mode’. For 2023, I bet the word is going to be ‘boundary’. As more than…

Out of office, out of mind — One of the first things we ask a person is what their job is, and that already builds the foundation of how we see them. It’s at the top of dating profiles, no matter the app, and something people will always check. It’s not difficult to see why this is…

How a simple test can tell you all you need to know — I was first introduced to the Soldier, Poet or King test through the number of people complaining that they got ‘King’ when they’re obviously a ‘Poet’. This sparked my interest, so I decided to try the test for myself. I just wanted to confirm my clear status as a Poet…

Lights off, it’s shower time — If I asked you about your routine when it comes to showering, would you be able to run me through it? Our daily showers are a habit so ingrained that we usually go on autopilot. …

What are the dangers of body checking? — I would never claim that I’m cured of my eating disorder, as it isn’t something that will ever truly leave me. My eating disorder will always be a voice in my head, a doubt before I bite, a discomfort in my body. But I’ve reached a point where I’m learning…

In a world of free content, here are 6 ways to help writers — It’s become pretty normal for content to be free. If you think about blogs, Tiktok or Youtube, you can get almost everything you want for free. Medium does have a paywall, but allows you to read five articles for free each month, or pay $5 for unlimited content. And while…

The impact of remote working on office friendships — Office friendships have always taken a life of their own. The workplace provides a unique environment where everything outside ceases to matter. You become friends with people that you wouldn’t look twice at if you passed them in the street. It doesn’t matter if they’re 45 and married with kids…

No additional time or energy required — My friendships mean the world to me. I’ve struggled a lot with my mental illness in recent years, and so I’ve narrowed down my friendship group to core people that love me unconditionally and understand what I’m going through. I value friendships so much, and yet I’m also a big…