About Astrid
My story
From conforming to being allowed to be myself
My name is Astrid Geel. My own path to more freedom and connection with myself hasn’t always been easy.
For a long time, I was insecure. I had learned to conform, to take others into account, and above all, to keep going. In my youth, I went through experiences that had a major impact on me. Because of this, I learned early on to adapt and not always put my own feelings and needs first.
Years later, while living as an expat in another country, something important came unexpectedly: distance. The distance from my familiar surroundings gave me space. Space to feel. Space to look at myself. Space to discover which patterns I had brought with me and which of those no longer suited me.
Slowly, I got to know myself better. I learned to hear my own voice again and discovered that I didn’t have to keep living based on old beliefs.
I was allowed to be me.
I was allowed to be strong.
I was allowed to make my own choices.
And I was allowed to receive love.
My life has changed as a result. I no longer have contact with my family from the past. That hasn’t always been easy, but over the course of my life, I’ve built my own circle of people. I have a lovely family, including partners and extended family, and people around me with whom I feel connected.
That taught me something important:
Family isn't just about where you come from. It's also about the connections you build in your life.
About people with whom you can be yourself. About love that doesn’t depend on what you do for someone else. And about the right to shape your own life.
My personal experiences are an important part of who I am as a coach. I know how complicated it can be when the voices, expectations, and needs of others are so strongly present that you can barely hear your own voice. And I know how liberating it can be when you start to recognize that voice again.
That’s why I believe that your own wisdom is ultimately your most important compass.
You don't have to reinvent yourself. You can meet yourself again.
I coach women who live in another country or are preparing for an international move. My own experiences as an expat have shown me how much a change of environment can set in motion. Sometimes you lose yourself precisely when you’re trying to do everything right. And sometimes a new environment gives you the opportunity to get to know yourself all over again.
I know what it’s like to be insecure. I know what it’s like to take others into account a lot. I know how old patterns can continue to influence you, even when your life on the outside has long since changed.
But I also know by now that change is possible. That you can learn to listen to yourself. That you can set boundaries. That you aren’t responsible for everyone else’s happiness. That you can make your own choices. That you can be strong. And that you can receive love.
I bring that experience into my coaching. I don’t have to tell you who you should become. My role is to stand beside you, to listen, to ask questions, and to help you discover what you actually already know.
