How I left Amsterdam and Found My Own Path

Escaping the comparison trap isn’t just a catchy phrase—it’s a life-altering choice. For me, it meant selling my house in Amsterdam and walking away from the company I’d worked at with my brother. That decision simmered for two years, a slow burn of doubt and hope. But the moment I told him I was selling the house, he asked if I’d leave the company too. Without a second thought, I said yes. Relief flooded me like a dam breaking. He wasn’t happy—family ties and business don’t untangle easily—but I’d chosen freedom over staying stuck. On April 1, 2011, I signed the house away at the notary. The next day, I flew to Scotland to visit a friend, stepping into a life I could finally call my own.

Sweet freedom wishpered in my ear, you’re a butterfly, and butterflies are free to fly, fly away, high-away, bye-bye – Elton John

Breaking free isn’t about rejecting everything; it’s about reclaiming yourself. Amsterdam had been home, the company a shared endeavor, but they’d become weights holding me to someone else’s script. Saying yes to leaving was saying yes to me. Scotland wasn’t just a destination—it was a reset. The air felt lighter, the days mine to shape. Comparison thrives on measuring yourself against others’ yardsticks, but I tossed that ruler out. My brother’s disappointment stung, sure, but it didn’t sway me. I’d spent too long living a life that didn’t fit.

Fourteen years on, I look back at that leap and see triumph, not recklessness. Living on your own terms doesn’t mean perfection—it means peace. It’s messy, scary, and worth every second. If you’re teetering on the edge of a big choice, listen to that quiet voice inside. It knows. For me, it whispered “yes” in Amsterdam and roared it in Scotland. Freedom isn’t given—it’s taken. I took mine.