 I'm happy to be here with Mika Lanuy and we're going to be talking about how do we build a business without burning out. Before I introduce your bio, Mika, I just want to say hi. Thank you for being here. Thank you for asking. Yes. Yes. So let me just share with the audience your background a little bit and then we'll talk about this important idea of working, well, joyfully and aligned with our rhythm. So you had an experience of severe burnout in 2014 and that really woke you up to live a life that's aligned. You talk about how you like to combine how you like living with what you like doing, how you like living with what you like doing, right? And then when you entered entrepreneurship, you didn't want it to just be another rat race. You created a business model that aligned with your most important values such as freedom, connection and creativity and we'll talk about those things. Freedom because you want to go surfing when there are good waves. You love the beach. You love the ocean. Connection, you are the founder of a network called entrepreneurs with a mission. And creativity, you've developed a model called RIA, which we will talk about. And you are a coach and author that you want to inspire others to create a life and business in alignment with who they truly are. You believe when it's flowing on the inside, the outside will flow. So it's great to have you here. So there's a lot we can talk about. I want to, since I mentioned the letters RIA, I want to bring that forward and can you share with the audience what your RIA model of creativity is? Yes. The letters RIA are sending for a rest, inspiration and action because I believe it's a cycle. We cannot be working all the time and have this inspiration flowing all the time. We need the relaxation to open our system to receive the inspiration, but when we receive it, it's important also to act on it because otherwise nothing is going to come out of it. If I feel inspired, I want to share it with the world. Like I use my social media channels to share it. And then often when it comes from a place of inspiration, people pick it up because yeah, your vibe rejects your tribe and when it's the right vibe, when you're inspired, yeah, you have the better connection with other people who really need to hear your message. But I feel like when I'm not inspired and have so many rules in the world of entrepreneurship that you have to post three times a day or you have to send a newsletter at RIPA, when you don't feel inspired, you're only trying to force the message. People sense it, like they feel, no, okay, the word says one thing, but I don't feel the energy behind it. So for me, it's very important to act when I feel it and don't act if I don't because it's like the tide in the ocean, it's F and it's low and when it's F, I know it's okay, it's time to look after myself, have some relaxation time, do some things I really like. And then before I know it, I have this idea and I want to do something with it. And then the inspiration is back. So it's really a cycle. So that's the first part of the letters RIPA, but in Spanish, RIA also means like a tide river, which is connected to the ocean. And for me, the ocean is like the source, when you say God or spirit or whatever your word is or universe. And we're always connected, sometimes more, sometimes less like the tide to the ocean, but it's always there. And yeah, it's important to be aware of the connection we have with something bigger than ourselves and to stay tuned and tapped into that source and don't rely only on your own strength. So it's true science of the of the name. Oh, I like that a lot. Yes. So let's talk about this, because I think a lot of people watching this, you know, there's they understand inspiration. I think we all understand inspiration. You know, we have this idea, you know, we excited about it. But I think many of us can pay more attention to to the rest and to the action. Yeah, that's true. So so so let's talk first about rest. What has, how do you advise people rest well or rest adequately? Or what does that really mean? How do we rest because you've experienced burnout? So you know that the importance of rest, but how do we rest effectively, maybe is one way of saying it. Yeah, I think, of course, you have sleep, which is important. But I think the rest is different for everybody. For example, for me, going to serve is a form. Maybe it's more for us and play the playful energy. The thing that charges your batteries for me. Maybe surfing for you can be dancing for someone else. Can we really like taking a nap? But we all have a different world. We're all different. So it's important to know what's what's what's charging you, what's relaxing you, what's. And so for so for some people, resting is really taking a nap or walking with a dog in nature. It can be also like doing something you really love, like their passion or like just being created without a reason like painting or yeah. So I think it's important to know yourself. You know, those activities that make that make you feel you like to have more pleasure and more fun and play factor in your life. Yes, that's that's wonderful. Yes, like I love this idea that it's it's different for everyone, you know, and you have to sense into what renews your energy, right? What helps you to renew a fresh perspective about life. So thank you for sharing that. And for you, it's the ocean surfing, right? Which is awesome, which is awesome. And then the other side, action. So we hopefully are resting well, we're resting regularly. And the inspiration will naturally come when we rest well. And then action, talk about that. I mean, lots, we all know we need to take action, but maybe a lot of us are afraid to take action. You know, maybe it's perfectionism or something. But tell us how how how you take action. How do you advise others to take action? Well, for me, it really only works when I when I feel the inspiration. But then it's important to not go to your head and to start thinking about it. But then, yeah, like really follow the flow because and I think action has a lot to do with being grounded. We would have good connection with the earth as well, because yeah, you're like a channel. You have your inspired ideas, but it's through your action that they're getting into form, that they're getting more real. It's not just an idea, but it's now a workshop or something like, yeah, you need to put you put your ideas into, you know, I think the right steps to make them available for other people, maybe I would say. And I think other people for many reasons, but the biggest one is fear. And if other fear, I think all the reasons are fitting. You want to do it perfectly or we want to do it. Yeah, we start to think what other people will think or and the moment you start to think that you're really cutting off the flow of inspiration and you're getting in the cycle of being stuck. And often, yeah, I think you can. There's this thing like when people don't take the action because they're scared or sometimes people, for example, you have this nice workshop you want to share with people and it's not really flowing or you don't get clients. You're going to push your marketing or going to push your sales. But sometimes the right action is the action inside yourself to look like, hey, what are my beliefs about this or what are my beliefs about making money? What are my beliefs about and then put the action inside yourself, work inside yourself to, yeah, where's this flow stuck? And then, yeah, sometimes we take action, but not the right action. You know, it's focused outside. While I think your business is a really good mirror for what's happening inside yourself or your beliefs or emotions. So if you use the process of where you get stuck in the action, you have to use it as a mirror, like, OK, what is this showing me about patterns, about beliefs, about things I still need to, yeah, bring to light, bring awareness to it and transform. So I believe if you transform yourself, your business will transform with you. And so you will grow in a way that's also satisfying for your soul. Oh, I love that. Yes, that that that we take action, not just outside, but that we take action inside to discover where are we stuck in the flow and then to how do we unstuck that flow? Yeah, that's that's a wonderful briefing. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm wondering, though, what if someone, let's say, you know, wants to live a life guided by flow, guided by inspiration, but but there's some financial stress, which right now, unfortunately, that is very common in the world right now. Financial stress with people, you know, of course, so much unemployment, but that also leads to entrepreneurs also, you know, experiencing that kind of financial stress. What is your encouragement or guidance or advice for for people who are feeling that pressure? It's a good question because I experienced it myself. I've been single for a long time, and that's just that you're starting a lot of your career, you really take you jump into the deep waters, say like that. And for me, I were in the beginning, I wear a lot of money as well. And then I also it's like being rich or being of a living abundance. We all have this idea about it and I started to ask myself, but what does it mean for me to live rich, to be abundant? Because it's never about the money. It's always about how you feel, how you can live your life. And then I started to start there like, OK, if I'm if I was rich, I would feel free. I would feel I would make time to do the things I like. And then I just started to live in that energy. OK, I can I can feel grateful for the freedom I have already now because I'm not working for a bus anymore. I can already make my own schedule. So I felt really like I didn't think freedom, but I really felt it inside my heart. Like I am already so free, so I'm already very rich. And I believe that money is a form of energy that when you can that tap into that energy you're you're attaching too much towards having money. Yeah, I think the money follows. I know it sounds a bit spiritual, but it's a lot of attraction also. So if you if you say money follows joy and if you start with the joy, I believe the money will find a way to get to you. But we're so conditioned to see the other way around. If I have enough money, then I will do this and then I will feel that. But actually, it works the other way around. It starts with the feeling and I know it's it's a lot of effort when you're because when you see your account is almost minus zero and you have kids and you have to feed them. It is very stressful. So yeah, and it's very hard to say, oh, I feel joy and freedom while the reality is different. But you can try to do it in little things, you know, like the appreciation for what you have, except where you are and then start to feel grateful. And then little by little things will start to change. I think you always have a choice where you put your attention to towards what you don't have or what you have. And if you start to be grateful for what you have, you can. Yeah, there will come more things to be grateful for us. And yeah, another important thing is when I realized when I was worrying about money, I was always in the future. And then I brought myself back to here today. Now, do I have enough money here now? Yes. OK. And then because we always worry about the future, I can find out ten times. So bring yourself back to today. And if you can say, OK, I still have food. I still have, OK, today I'm fine. And then, yes, bring yourself back to the here and rose. What's for me also very important. Such good advice. I'm so grateful that you shared this because it's true. No matter how rich or poor, financially, there is there is still your consciousness and the ability to choose the thoughts, to choose your actions that bring you good thoughts and feelings. Which then, you know, create more opportunity, more connection. And that's what I want to talk about next, actually, is connection, which is one of your top values. And you're a great connector. You've created a network called entrepreneurs on the mission. Yeah, I think you're just a you're very good at connecting people. So tell us about this. How can we become better at connection? Or what is, yeah, what's your what's your secret sauce, maybe? Yeah, I think the most important thing is a connection with yourself because you cannot really, really connect to others if you don't have first this relationship and this self love with yourself, because otherwise it will always be kind of you will need something from the other person. For example, if you want to connect with your client, for example, but you don't have this good connection with yourself, you will, you will need to prove one from them or you will need recognition or, yeah, I like on Facebook, too. But if you if you cannot say to yourself, oh, wow, this is this message is really from my heart. I want to share that you don't need it, the improvement from someone else. I think the real connection starts and if it's with your clients, but also with your partner or your friends, it starts with a good connection with yourself. And then you really have you also have more to give to the other person, I think, because they are more free as well, because you don't need their their improvement or your you don't need them to tell you that you exist or that you're a good person because you will know from yourself that who you are. And yeah, so I think that the most important thing, the first to have a good connection with yourself. That's wonderful. Yes, absolutely. Authenticity, connection with ourselves. I've always believed and shared that, too. Now, when it comes to connecting with other people, you know, you have really, I think, mastered it with creating a network and being but being a leader among your community. Any any advice for aspiring leaders, people who want to be better connectors with other people? Yeah, like it started just with one or two person because I I found them like you're doing what we do so much. Like, you see someone who inspires you and I send them an email like, oh, do we have time to go for a coffee or maybe you go for a drink? And yeah, they said yes. And so that's how it started, like with genuine interest to get to know the other person. And you don't I never had a plan to build a network. It just kind of naturally happened because yeah, it's about caring about people. I think I'm really wanting to get to know them and not because you have an agenda, but really because yeah, you care about people. I think that's important, too. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think what what really stands out to me is you've you really embody this idea of, you know, a flow guided life. And that's also what you teach. So thank you so much for being the message that you that you share with others. I think it's really it's really great. Well, our time is coming to a close. I want to just make sure other people know how to work with you, where to find you. You work primarily in Dutch right now. So most of your most of your content is in is in Dutch. So for those who are able to read and speak Dutch, they will be happy to be able to read your content and listen to you. But but obviously your English is perfect, I think. So you're you're able to maybe in the future work with people in English as well. And tell us what kind of services or products you have. And yeah, for now, I only work like real life, let's say. So I have a group or program for entrepreneurs, but I don't teach anything about marketing or sale, but really like the insights and alignment and insight flow and get to really get all the things I thought you like. If you if you were worried about money, OK, what can you learn? What can you learn from your business that you can work on inside yourself? So that's the idea of the program. And then I work one on one with what? Upload sessions. It's kind of a massage dance in one water. And it brings people back to, like, yeah, being coming to earth, like being born and the connection with your mother, the connection with, yeah, with life. It's feeling feeling safe or not. Like also it's a feminine energy flow or inner flow, your intuition, your emotions, because, yeah, like I say, I really believe when it's flowing inside yourself, your life will be so much more effortless. And I really wish everybody could experience that because we're forcing so many things and it's so bad for our health as well. Well, I like the quote from Stuart Wilde, I think, life was never meant to be a struggle, just a gentle progression from one point to another, much like walking through a valley on a sunny day. And I like that, like, we don't need to struggle. It can be in a different way. And that's what I'm trying to practice myself, because I think as conscious entrepreneurs, we need to live what we're preaching, like walk or talk and also talk your walk, because it's going also with ups and downs. So, yeah, sorry, I was going on a sidetrack. But the water, like the element of water for me is very important to many things that get us stagnated, sometimes like emotions, like losing our clarity because we have some hidden beliefs we don't see or something like that. Look at more clarity inside yourself. And then I'm going to start, I'm actually doing a course now for M-braining. I don't know if you heard of it. We have like three brains. We have our head, we have our heart, and we have our belly. And the more they are aligned with each other, the more you will have a more creative life where you are very courageous and you have compassion and you can bring your highest potential. You can give your highest potential to the world if you're aligned inside your three brains inside your body. So I'm going to start with that as well after some. Wow, that's amazing. Sounds great. Well, I will be putting any links that you want to share in the notes of the video. So those of you watching this, you can look at the description of the video. Maybe it's below on YouTube and on Facebook. Maybe it's above. So, Mika, thank you so much for this conversation. Thank you for asking me out of the comments. Yeah, it's just been a wonderful feeling to hear about your way of doing things and to see that you're embodying. So thank you. Thank you for your work. Thank you so much.