I grew up on an island in the North of the Netherlands. No big city, but just a small village. In February I met Bryan. Same age as I have and living in Quezon City in Metro Manila. The place where I was doing my internship. He grew up here. A big difference compared to the place where I grew up.

But we are all people, no matter where we grew up or in what circumstances. Bryan and I have a lot of differences, but also things in common. The topic we talked about was about inspiration. What inspires you as a person and how do you use this inspiration to make the world a better place?

During our conversation it became clear that Bryan does things in life because he is inspired by other people. Other people can show you how you want or not want to become as a person. He is a person that wants to learn and develop himself, just like I do. This is the reason why I came to the Philippines. To learn and to develop.

Okay, inspired by people. But who inspires you then? He told me he is inspired by a man called Tom Shadyac. He is a producer of several movies, also the movie ‘I am’. Because of Bryan I also saw the movie ‘I am’ So in a kind of way Bryan inspired me and also inspired me to write this blog.

If you want to develop yourself. You have to be aware of how you are as a person. He wants to be an example for others. This without forcing his ideas on others. But just by being an example, for his family or anyone else. You can always blame other people, but a better place starts with yourself.

His family created him as a person. Of course you do not always agree with what your family thinks. It might be that your family is forcing their ideas on you. ‘You have to do this or that, because that will make you rich’ At the end it is not about being rich or that you have to become rich. You do not have to do things because others want you to do so. A lot of people are being someone that others want them to be. In the end this will not make you happy.

Bryan gave me a good example about happiness.
If you are in the forest in the middle of the night. It is cold and it starts to rain. You feel really unhappy. Then suddenly there is a house and someone opens the door for you. You get a blanket and a warm cup of soup. Then you are going from really unhappy to happy. Just with little stuff you will get happier. Another example. By having 2 billion instead of 1 billion, will not make you twice as happy.

Later when I watched the movie ‘I am’ by Tom Shadyac I saw that the examples were from the movie. It was an inspirational conversation. Tell your story to others to inspire. Just like Bryan does!