Why do people do the things they do?
I never cease to be fascinated by the choices people make. Why do we cling to beliefs that no longer serve us? Why do we keep doing things we know aren’t particularly good for us? And why is changing our minds sometimes so difficult, even when the evidence gives us every reason to?
I’m just as interested in the answers as I am in the questions. And I certainly wouldn’t rule out examining a few of my own decisions along the way.
A life on my own terms
A few years ago, I decided to have a house built in northern Portugal. Not because I was dreaming of some romantic Mediterranean lifestyle, but because it offered me the opportunity to arrange my life around what matters to me.
A beautiful home, plenty of space, and the possibility of hiring affordable help with the garden and household chores. That leaves me more time for the things I’d actually rather be doing.
Do I love everything about Portugal? Certainly not. But I don’t have to. Every choice comes with advantages and disadvantages. The trick, I believe, is knowing what matters most to you and which compromises you’re willing to make.
I’m quite happy at home, especially with my cat around. I don’t need to be constantly travelling or searching for the next destination. There’s already more than enough to explore, both around me and inside my own head.
My mind rarely takes a day off
I’m currently studying epiphysiology at Evenwijs, exploring subjects including immunology and naturopathic medicine.
Not because I particularly need another qualification, but because I genuinely enjoy understanding how things work.
How do nutrition, hormones, the immune system and our environment influence one another? What role do stress, emotions and beliefs play in our behaviour? And why do two people respond so differently to seemingly identical circumstances?
My professional background naturally feeds into these interests. I’m a dietitian, an orthomolecular therapist and the founder of Nederland Slank, a Dutch company specialising in personalised nutrition and weight management.
I’ve spent much of my professional life investigating the relationship between food, metabolism and health.
But I don’t regard knowledge as a collection of established truths that should never be questioned. In fact, when something is widely accepted, I’m particularly interested in discovering what the evidence actually tells us.
That doesn’t mean every unconventional theory deserves to be believed, either. Evidence matters on both sides.
People are at least as complicated as their metabolism
I sometimes think human behaviour fascinates me even more than the human body itself.
The expectations we place on one another. The way we form relationships. Our need for recognition, security or control. And the remarkable gap between what people claim to value and what they actually do.
There’s enough material there to keep me thinking indefinitely.
I enjoy stimulating conversations, humour, good food and interesting company. I don’t mind disagreement. Quite the opposite, provided we’re willing to listen to each other’s arguments.
And sometimes it’s simply enjoyable to laugh together at the absurdities of everyday life.
What I write about
This website doesn’t have one particular theme. I’d probably find that rather restrictive.
Here you’ll find stories about my experiences in Portugal, thoughts on health and science, observations about relationships and human behaviour, and whatever else happens to capture my attention.
Sometimes I write from professional knowledge, sometimes from personal experience, and sometimes because I’ve read or encountered something that makes me wonder: What’s really going on here?
I’m not particularly interested in getting everyone to agree with me. I’d rather explain why I think what I think, and remain open to a better argument.
After all, having an opinion is easy. Being able to support it — and change it when necessary — is far more interesting.
Enjoy reading.
Liesbeth
