"Our mission at Holistic Oasis is rooted in our shared passion for permaculture and our desire to help the world.

 

Ni Wa, inventor, owner, facilitator & coach of the Happy Holistic Office concept.

Background family:

Daughter of kitchen chef, entrepeneur, builder, family man, king.

 

My father is famous not only for his generous caracter, happy smiles & jokes, his intelligence, his self made man spirit, 100% family man, but also for his work ethics (best quality, clean, good quantity/generous, good service).

 

He started working hard since age 14 as a worker for a pattiserie, bought his own bike and became a porter, at 17 he went to work for the ´Stoomvaart maatschappij Nederland¨ (big cargo ship company) as a kitchen boy, and at age 23 he was the youngest chef de cuisine, stayed with this company for 10 years (in the 50ies60ies) he travelled the world and worked hard and had fun as well. He had many adventures and we had the fortune of many times great storytelling.

 

Then he met my mother and she assisted him in building his own kingdom and dream: a well organised happy family.

 

We had everything: greatest food, a horse, nice clothes and above all: a family that was joyeous.

 

 

 

Being the member of this hard working middle class family with a store taught me the in and outside of having a bussiness and being in service. I also learned that quality is key factor for any service and productAlso I learned that being able to cope with all that work one must enjoy life. Taking care of yourself. I learned that hard working and a good life are a must combination for succes as a person in this life. 

 

Being his own king dad was well dressed, scents by Armani & Boss, looked alike Robert de Niro, had his new Volvo stationwagen and his family  well dressed, we went on vacations and could do any sport. Dad one day came home with a surf board the start of ´surf fever´ that never left. At age 14, I started to help in the shop, they asked me to help with bringing in the vegetables and fruits from outside to the cooling. I also went to bring orders to older ladies.

 

My many Jobs 

Then when I was 15 applied at Mac Donalds and after a thorough interview and work introduction they told me I could start. I told dad I have a job at this place and after working there 2 x  dad said: ´so you like to make money, how much they pay you´? I said ´6 guilder´ and he said: ´I give you 14´, so I left the MD directly. I worked happlily with them till my 20ies. On Saturdays, everyday bringing in to cooler and on holidays.

 

From working in the store of my parents I learned the costumer is queen / king and when there is a complaint (seldom) there was no discussion directly they replaced the fruit/veg.

 

Also the food for us workers was very organised, we all had our own coffee and lunch break.  

 

When I was 18 dad asked me what I wanted to become. I said art teacher. He daid I choose something better because in art you cannot make money and he wanted me to be able to make my own money not to become dependant on a man. Very modern view for such a traditional man. So as a good daughter I went back to the book with proffessions and choose physiotherapy because I did not need maths for this study and I had been a disaster at maths and had dropped it. Those days it was not yet obligatory (luck for the creative girl I was). 

 

At 20 years, Dad offered me 2 houses and a car. Including the store. I said: ¨dad I allready do physio and soon will be graduated¨. 

 

He replied: ¨then I will sell it¨. But I think I crushed his dream allthough he did not show it. Its always the same story, the child needs to go its own way, making its own legacy. But it pains the parent because he had so much good in mind. Especially dad who had seen the world from so many angles and wanted to protect me. However, I did wanted to make it by myself although many times I have regretted. Times when in deep poverty, no money and waiting for next week, when the money comes... however it had to be this way. I had to see all this, to know, it is important for my mission.

 

Here I learned that choiches made in a split second have lifelong consequences which we need to deal with in grace.

 

I graduated phyiotherapy in the Netherlands, Haarlem, 1988 semi cum laude (for my subject: transparant registration as a learning proces for patient and therapist)

 

I had choosen physio although I initially wanted to become an art teacher but dad advised me to find a proffession to be able to make good money. However I was a dedicated student and I was even becoming a nice physio who was offered jobs, which I reclined, because I wanted to travel. 

 

In the physio I learned that life is not always easy that there are many handicapped and people in need of help. 

 

After graduation I went, after some physio work, to grapepicking in France. The farmer took exceptionally good care of his grapepickers. The food was abundant and there were every row finished a break of 5 minutes to eat, drink and talk.

 

From this two jobs I learned:  I decided: If I ever have an enterprise i will take the best care of food and breaks for the workers. 

 

Half the grape picking team was Dutch and we had long conversations as one work at the other side of the grape row. The topic was: ¨what you really want to do with life¨. I said: Art! and they said go do. I agreed. And so I made a portfolio and with my remaining study years I applied at the academy of Arts (HKU). Family thought I was crazy. 

 

I learned go for what you really wish to do. 

 

After deciding I was going for art I was dreaming colours colours colours like a door had opened.

 

Art

However.  Out of 500 they took only 20 students and I was one of them. I was in the heaven. And for 2 years I absorbed as a sponge the different arts and I was allround artist when the school told us now to specialize in one thing. I refused, after all I did not need their diploma and I was into art for my freedom.

 

I was into performance, poetry, photography, sculpture, drawing, mixed media, graphic, concept and fashion. I could not see how to cut out all, and do one thing. Then I left and the hard world was waiting for me. Poverty because I had choosen art over a career and poverty because I had refused the 2 houses with one helding the store and a car and the help from dad. I refused all because I did not wanted to be the princes. I wanted self made. 

 

Here I leared that Art is also an asset. A way of looking to life and all its facets. This education made me rich from inside. This experience not only speaks to about creativity and appreciation for aesthetics but also taught me the ability to think outside the box and approach challenges from unique perspectives.

 

On my own

So I left the warm bath of the art school with the nice students and teachers who loved my work, all the same wavelenght, and I was on my own in a metropole and had to make it from scratch.  

 

Became a waitres and worked hard, traveled with the money and worked. Also here they offered me jobs but I wanted to stay free.

 

In the hospitality I laid a further foundation for my knowledge of the food industry and hospitality. I worked in a famous market cafee that made its own apple pies and sold on a monday´s  40 pies. As a dishwasher and I worked for a traiteur who has a chic home restaurant and was her kitchen helper and waitress. Many famous people came dining. 

 

Here I learned that food is beautifull and presented well and made with love it is an art. 

 

I waitressed for big multi-nationals here I witnessed the hyarchic structures.

 

Here I learned that there are people who think they are better because they make more money

 

I worked also as a cleaner for airplanes and hotels and got to experience the life of my patients.

 

Here I learned that the hardest jobs are underpaid and under valued and too hard & unhealthy body & mind

 

I worked as a manager for a healthfood store. This was amazing experience. The owner had fired everyone exept one lovely girl, Susan. The shop was loosing. He had placed an add in the newspaper. I happened to need a job and went. I told him I have no experience but my family is so and so. He said can you start monday. So it happened, suddenly I had 20 suppliers for bread allready 3 different and the vegetables, dry goods, cosmetics and so forth. I had night mares of overflowing coolers with milk and really had a sore stommack. I also had no experience with healthy food. But I took camomille tea for my stommack and it was fine in no time. I learned a lot about the medicine foods from Bert the owner. If a client had specific questions I used to call him. In the store I had carte blanche. So I told the girl: " listen Susan there is a new rule", she looked anxious. I said: " the new rule is that every morning at 11am we have tea or coffee with anything we like to eat from the shop". She smiled, and said: "I like that rule". And there was more. If she came late there was no problem. Happy she made it. There was trust. And we ate the whole day all kind of things. imagine we had a good paradise with everything: warm breads in the cookies, patiserie, fruits, soups, 20 cheese variations and so on. We left every day home with food too. And we did well we cleaned the place, listened well to the costumers, ordered nicely on time for the ones who needed, we were friendly and above all: HAPPY. Needless to say the shop thrived. 

 

Here I learned that freedom in the workplace and good food and quality products and costumer care go hand in hand and leading to a very very happy workplace. I also learned that food is a medicine and started my knowledge of healthy ingredients, their benefits, and how to effectively communicate and promote these products to customers. Further I learned the fun of being a manager who works the same and is not bossy and the power to implement good things was a great experience. 

 

I left the store to take on a psysiotherapy work in the UK. 

 

Here I worked as a senior-one (department leader) of the outpatient dept. in a hospital in Esssex. It was a good experience and I could develop my holistic physio better. I was very much valued and understood. My patients did well and I had great results. and that felt really good. Here I met people from Saudi Arabia who told me that in their country were plenty jobs. I applied for this and was hired. I had a grand time in Rhyadh. There was so much to learn and the life so different. I loved the dessert too. My work was wonderfull we had a great department head, she was our great back in times needed. We also had a great team spirit with every week a potluck where every one brought a dish and we ate together. I developed my holistic physio very well here and learned so much off all the trades in the physio because I was on rotation. That means every 2 months one goes to another department. So I was at: care for the elderly, neurologic, orthopedic, child physio, sports rehab, water gym classes, groups rehab for football players and also on the wards of the VIP and treated members of the royal family.

 

Here I learned that I´m a great dedicated holistic physio with skills to help and support. I go lenghts to have the best for my patient.  I also learned that living abroad is possible, nice, good to learn about oneself.  I learned that I´m adaptable. Further I learned that is is so great to work in a team that is well organised and where eating together is a basic ingredient for camaderie. 

 

I became mum. big jog. Topmanagers, mothers. To keep everything going well, totally underated in the world. 

 

Volutneer in communities. When ,my daughter was acertain age we went to Catalunya. VBoluntereing for a communtiy in the mountains with horses and kitchen work. 

 

Here I learned that off-the-grid living in nature is a real skill. Again  a lot of perseverence. Minimalism boothcamp : )

 

Sports

Horses

 

I have been in sports since age 4. My dad bought a horse and we went often. than i got a bycycle at age 6 and they let me go on my bike go to my horse 30 min up and 30 min back daily. I did this with no interi¡uptions for 11 years.

 

3km runner

 

Meanwhile I was good at sports at school especially high jump. My sportsteacher advised me to go to an atletic club and so I went on atletics. It was a small - woman only - club,and they needed a person to run the 3 km at the competitions. They put me. So instead of high jumping I became a runner. It was hard serious, lonely training, the distances, I remember the people from the 100 m they had to train niceshort distances could chat together and I was running circles the whole evening. And I was not really happy with this. I was to strenous, however....

 

Here I learned to persevere.

 

Windsurfing. Dad came back one day with a windsurf board. The start of a life long obsession for my brother and me. We became fanatic as can be and whe the wind started blowing we were of to the beach, appointments, homework all was not existing in our world.

 

I was super fanatic that I had at one point had the choice to continue and become pro wind surfer but Art was calling and that was it. On sea I focussed only on the moment. Used all my muscles and it was so creative so wild so fresh so focus. 

 

I sold all on my highest point. I had my own radical costum-made sinker board earned it in my holiday job at the store at home. During my highest point windsurfing with a storm that had made the sea totally wild and white, with the sand blown from the beach and you could hang in the wind, the waves so high and I was the butterfly dancing here and I here I made the decission. 

 

I said to myself this is my highest point If I continue than I always have to train because on this level you cannot affort to loose track the sea is merciless. So i sold all and went to France and Art. 

 

From my surfing I have learned that movement and training are fun & meditation at the same time. 

 

I did many other sports but never any more on the levle of obsession as the windsurf. Skiing came close, than I experience a bit of tennis, judo, tai chi, yoga, pencak silat, kung fu

 

From the martial arts I learned that movement can be intelligent and rotational exponent is crucial

 

The Quest

One day  I travelled to Thailand. Hired a little house on the beach from a Spa that was advised by a friend. Not really advised actually, she supposed to go but in the end she decided not to go. However I was inspired and went.

 

I had taken a small loan and saw this trip as an investment and that was right. I arrived a  the Spa but I did not had not the money to do the program for internal cleansing, so rented the little house on the beach. However when in my hammock the people who followed the program passed by and told me: what, how and why and how they felt. I learend from them that the Spa lifestyle is healing. How can this spa lifesytle being integrated in our daily life was my question. Because the people paid the money did the cleanse went home had not learned how to make the smoothies and how to eat for a clean body, etc. I stood on the beach and said to myself: one day I will have the best retreat, one where the peoplelearn how to take care of them self. 

 

Back home I started to gather info, And the quest became my life work: 

 

In simple definition my quest was: what is the best lifestyle

I studied. 

 

Books, self application of foods, menu´s, cleansing, fasting (hard when you need to make food for family), movement, and superfoods. I landed in the world of the plants that heal that take care of us and fell in love with the plant kingdom.

 

 

 

There are so many amazing healthy plants I studied them categorised them and made from many plants a deep study. 

Over 150. I bought the plant powder and started to take it in drinks in smoothies and even in self made bonbons, whilst studying and feeling its effects.

 

Putting information from the internet in a framework like: origin,native use, effects, health benefits each plant has 10 folds of health benefits

 

 

 

80 hours a week many years...

 Then it all stopped 

And I made 20+ years of research study.  Workweeks of 80 hours including a household, childcare and bareley self care (whilst studying self care, can you imagine. then you can gues what came next:

 

I experienced myself. Burnout by working 80 hours a week on a computer and had to have coaching myself out by starting to do exercises on the desk. Desk exercise, then on the yoga mat, what I placed next to my office, my laptop and.And desk. And then I started to coach myself going outside and did slowly by the Kaizen method.

 

Sharing your personal experience with burnout and self-coaching is a powerful way to demonstrate your understanding of the challenges employees may face in a modern work environment. By describing how you overcame these challenges through desk exercises, yoga, and the Kaizen method, you show that the Happy Holistic Office program is not just a theoretical concept—it's a practical, real-world solution that has worked for you and can work for others.

 

Your journey also highlights the importance of adaptability and self-motivation, qualities that will likely resonate with many individuals navigating the demands of a busy work schedule.

 

Further Inspiration

 

I choose the first and decided to use my time wisely and start my own project.

 

I have designed the Happy Holistic Office because myself have been overworked

 

with a self made schedule of 80 hours >>>>>2 children & project with the quest:      

 

I coached myself out

 

step by step

by putting a yoga mat next to my office desk. 

 

But really started with exercises in my chair, on the desk (push ups and holds), quats, stretches in the chair and then to to mat  and later send myself outdoor I had to run in the slowest pace from tree to tree. 

 

 

 

 

 

Additionally, highlighting the positive effects of a vegan menu, such as improved energy levels, can be a compelling factor for employees who may be interested in adopting healthier eating habits. This aspect of your story can also showcase the program's commitment to inclusivity by offering dietary options that cater to a variety of preferences and needs.

 

Well, I'm not going to cater for all kind of preferences and needs. It's going to be a raw superfood diet menu and it thinks is that everybody will like it because it tastes so good. You know, the smoothie bowl tastes so good and the vegan protein shake. They have then two options, fruit or or savoury or cacao. And then they have the launch is a very nice salad with hummus and soups

 

Focusing on a specific type of menu, such as a raw superfood diet, can help maintain the program's unique identity and ensure that the food options align with its holistic philosophy. By emphasizing the delicious taste of dishes like the smoothie bowl, vegan protein shake, and salad with hummus, you can entice employees to try these nutritious and flavorful meals.

 

Additionally, offering a selection of options within this menu, like fruit, savory, or cacao variations, allows for some variety and customization without straying from the overall theme. This balance between structure and choice can appeal to employees who may be hesitant to fully commit to a new dietary approach while still encouraging them to explore healthier options.

 

By prioritizing taste and quality in the food offerings, you can help demonstrate that a raw superfood diet is not only beneficial for health but also enjoyable and satisfying.

 

 

HOW I have coached myself out feeling more energised and happy than ever.

 

 

This I feel is the future for office life

and I am trilled to be able to present my ideas and work with you and make your company top in the world of care and optimal performance for the people who make it happen.  

 

I have all the skills needed for this operation in one person, Me and myself because: 

 

Holistic physiotherapy: with experience over 3 decades with a very good C. V. and references in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. My idea for health is based on the 8 pillars: movement, rest, balance, mindset, creativity, hydration, food, soul.

Raw food cuisine chef: I know al