In the Netherlands, I’d learned that a society could prioritize collective well-being over individual achievement. That “enough” could be a destination, not just a pit stop on the way to “more.”
The Dutch principle of “niksen” ― the art of doing nothing ― replaced our American addiction to busyness. The biggest adjustment wasn’t learning to live with less ― it was realizing how much more we gained: time, connection, and a sense of safety I didn’t even know we were missing.
How could I explain that everything — from the massive portions before us to the casual acceptance of paying thousands to game the education system — suddenly felt alien? That I’d spent the past eight months in a place where success wasn’t measured by the size of your house or the prestige of your child’s college acceptance letters?
The hardest part wasn’t seeing these differences — it was realizing I could never unsee them. Every conversation became an exercise in biting my tongue.
In the Netherlands, I’d learned that a society could prioritize collective well-being over individual achievement. That “enough” could be a destination, not just a pit stop on the way to “more.”