What is the best thing that I love about my work as storyteller?

That I can create positive change by using my creativity and imagination. I never knew that I could make a living by telling stories, but it’s amazing and the fact that I can help people in the process, makes it even better.

What is my idea of happiness?

Happiness, to me, is found in smaller things. Hosting a dinner and cooking a feast for my friends or a nice walk with my mother and our dog. A good conversation with my boyfriend or finishing a good book. I have come to realise that it’s important to really feel those little pockets of happiness, because they are what makes life fun and worth living.

What is my greatest fear?

Not living up to my own expectations or those of the people around me.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

Doubting myself. I’m my own worst critic and enemy, I can bring myself down by thinking I’m not enough and never will be. These negative thoughts influence my work, my private life and the way I look at myself. Lately, I’ve been working on how to turn these thoughts around and not letting them get to me as much. Thankfully, this has been going very well.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire?

David Attenborough (beautiful movies), Reese Witherspoon (because of the pledge that she’s made with her company Hello Sunshine), J.K. Rowling (her imagination made my youth that much better).

What is my greatest extravagance?

Food. Always. I love going out to dinner and trying new and different places in Amsterdam or anywhere else in the world!

On what occasion would I lie?

I wouldn’t call it a lie, but I do exaggerate or embellish things… Although I’m really trying to unlearn this, because it creates unrealistic expectations.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

The uncertainty that comes with the territory.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work?

Every time I see the end result of a project.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

If I had to choose it would be my self-doubt. Although I believe this also makes me, me.

What is my greatest achievement in work?

I haven’t been doing this for that long, but I believe there are great things ahead!

Where would I most like to live?

I love living in Amsterdam, it’s an open-air museum and I love going everywhere on my bike. But I would move to East-Africa in heartbeat.

What is my most treasured possession?

The books from my childhood. If I ever have children, I have so many stories to share.

What is my most marked characteristic?

I really like taking care of people. This can be through cooking for my friends or helping a colleague with their work. However, it can also be a pitfall because I have the tendency to forget I about my own boundaries.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?

If I need to clear my head, I go for a walk in the Vondelpark. I especially love watching all the dogs run around and play.

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city?

Buffet van Odette. It was the first place I went to when I moved to Amsterdam and it feels like home to me.

What books influenced my life and how?

Reading Harry Potter gave me a place to go when I was younger. I always had a big imagination when I was playing with toys, but these books changed the game for me. I could lose myself completely in this world. It was an escape, but most of all it was a way for me to use and develop my imagination.

Untamed, by Glennon Doyle, has recently influenced me. It has changed my way of thinking and has taught me that I shouldn’t be afraid to be who I am.

And finally, ‘Where the crawdads sing’ by Delia Owens. This book made me cry, laugh and gave me all the feels. I was sitting at the edge of my seat the entire time and had to stop myself from reading the ending ahead of time. Such a beautiful story about loneliness, human resilience and love.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day?

Coldplay.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

Jo March and Hermoine Granger.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?

My best friend Pauline. She has showed me that being who you truly are and not being afraid to share this with the world, is the biggest expression of (self)love.

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime?

Spotlight. That’s real journalism and storytelling to me. And the Greta Gerwig remake of Little Women, because that was just beautiful.

What role play stories in my life and work?

I truly believe that without stories the world would be a grey, dull place. We need stories to survive, to have something to hold onto. But they also help us understand each other. Therefore, stories are a huge part of my life.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ to me?

A few months ago, I would’ve said: Yeah right. Now I’m saying: YES!! These words are the truth, they are what I’ve started to live by. Only I can and will write the story of my life. And I want to make it the best story I’ll ever tell.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

I used to put other people’s opinions about me, before my own. But that’s the wrong order of things. However, my parents are also big fans! Haha.

Which people or companies would I like to work with in 2021?

I would love to work with/for Justdiggit. They are true changemakers and have a strong positive message. Their story needs to be heard by the world, because climate change is an urgent issue and they present a possible solution. Moreover, it’s part of their mission to be hopeful and nowadays we can all use a little more hope!

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

I have recently found my ‘purpose’, and this goes hand in hand with passion for me. Knowing what I really want to do and achieve, makes me work that much harder for it. A project that connects to my purpose will light that fire inside of me and will ensure that I will not stop until the goal is achieved. And that’s my definition of “passion never retires”.

How can you contact me?

Through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thysa-beekman-78a38b94/