Eva de Bruine has been part of the A Beautiful Story family for 10 years, and since 2020, she’s been our Impact Manager. In this role, she keeps a close eye on, maps out, and continuously improves our (social) impact. But what does this season’s theme Bloom mean to her?
“To me, to bloom is about growing and truly getting to know yourself. It's making decisions that you fully believe in, rather than following the expectations of others. I can’t say I always do this perfectly, but when I reflect on major changes in my life, I realize I made those choices by trusting my intuition.
“Bloom is about making decisions that I fully believe in, rather than following the expectations of others.”
One moment when I felt truly in bloom was after high school when I moved to Quito, Ecuador. I was 18 and lived there for nine months to learn Spanish and grow personally. That time taught me how to make my own decisions, take on adventures that felt a little risky, and open myself up to new friendships and a love for life. It was also when I discovered my passion for understanding different ways of thinking, cultural diversity, and societal structures. This eventually led me to study cultural anthropology, which became the foundation for my career.
Family, friends, and work play a huge role in my growth. They inspire me to evolve by challenging me. My work keeps teaching me, while I stay connected with colleagues and partners worldwide. For strength, I turn to gemstone Carnelian and symbol dragonfly for renewed energy and adventure. I remember that I saw a big dragonfly in our home the day that I found out I was pregnant with our second daughter, which I found striking and beautiful at the same time. Before, I would have chosen a more grounding gemstone like labradorite, but this season I feel energized and ready for what's next to come!”
