Woman reading in a bathtub with a speech bubble reading

20 limiting beliefs that sabotage your self-care (and how to overcome them)

July 24, 2025

Clients tend to call me the queen of self-care, but I too need to stay alert when things get busy. It’s all too easy to feel like checking another thing off of your to-do list is more important. Because today is International Self-Care Day, I wanted to share what might prevent you from taking good care of yourself—…

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A heart shape drawn in the sand on a beach, surrounded by small stones

This simple test shows who you really love most

July 15, 2025

In this modern-day world attention seems to become our most precious commodity. With so much going on there’s always more information—or perhaps I should say stimulation—to take in. It’s become harder to focus fully on what we’re doing. Not only are we interrupted about every two minutes during work hours …

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Waves breaking white against dark volcanic rocks along a blue coastline under a clear sky, the summer break waiting

How to make the most of your time off this summer

July 8, 2025

Since many people take time off during the summer, I wanted to share my best tips on how to enjoy your vacation. Because it’s not just about being physically away from work, it’s about giving yourself the time off you need physically, emotionally and mentally. That means no checking your emails or taking work…

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Notebook with a fountain pen, phone and sunglasses tucked in an open leather satchel, ready to take stock of your time

How to align your time and energy with what you actually want

July 1, 2025

If you’ve been spending (too much) time doing things you don’t really want to be doing, this article is for you! I know all about doing things because you feel obliged, because it seems logical or implied, or because it slipped through the cracks when you weren’t alert enough to stop it. This powerful tool …

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Iris van Ooyen standing on Table Mountain with the landscape far below, thrilled and a little scared

When was the last time you were scary excited?

June 23, 2025

I believe we need to be scary excited on a somewhat regular basis. Or else we’re getting complacent. What's scary excited? My personal definition of scary excited is when I’m about to do something and I’m really excited about it but also a tad scared or apprehensive. Hence: scary excited! Currently I’m sca…

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Young woman in a floral dress reading a book in long grass under a pine tree, a flower basket beside her — doing nothing on purpose

Why you may feel like doing nothing 


June 10, 2025

I set aside time today to write my weekly blog as I have been doing for a long time. And I didn't feel like writing anything. I wasn't feeling the energy, I didn’t feel any inspiration. No topic that I examined seemed to fit. After a bit of frustration, I decided to sit outside in the garden, put my feet in the gr…

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Cupped hands catching a stream of clear water that splashes over the fingers, letting the feeling move through

How to process your emotions and what they tell you

June 3, 2025

Our emotions have a huge effect on our energy level and how we experience our day. When you are in love or exhilarated, you feel like you can take on the world. When you are sad or frustrated, you probably feel drained or heavy. I believe it’s important to become more consciously aware of our emotions and know we can…

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Close-up of purple lavender flowers in bloom across a sunlit field, the calming scent used to ease anxiety

3 tips to reduce anxiety and lower stress instantly

May 25, 2025

Here are three of my favorite tips to deal with fear, anxiety and stress in the moment. Before we dive into these tips, I’d like to point out that these tips are quick fixes that help you deal with the anxiety in the moment—which is great and will help you do what you need to do then and there. But later on you …

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Lightning striking over Toronto's skyline under a heavy purple storm sky, the moment life feels like it's falling apart

When life falls apart: 5 steps to navigate upheaval

May 19, 2025

Recently I wrote about how to wake up before the wake-up call shakes your world. But what if you missed all the signs or disaster strikes faster than you can avoid it? How do you keep living life when everything seems to be falling apart around you? How do you take care of yourself while getting things done? Well…

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© 2026 Bright Eyes by Iris van Ooyen

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