Why I choose to live in Holland

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

People always ask me, “Why Holland?”, “Why has MMS chosen Holland and how did you get here?” My answer is always the same… the weather. Well here is the real story, from my point of view.

In 1984 Cherie met Frits Philips Junior at a conference in Switzerland. They discovered that they had something in common: a love for people.

Frits was teaching people the Harvard Negotiation techniques and Cherie was teaching people how to tune in, love themselves and follow their inner messages. They found their work, at the very least, complimentary. After many years Frits and Cherie were exploring ways for them to work together. Cherie believed that Frits’ daughter Christine coming to the US, working with Lynn and Cherie at the MMS and taking the MMS programs was the best option. Christine participated in the Inner Negotiation workshop, the Coach Training and worked on the Employee Owned Change  program in three different organizations.

Convinced that there was nothing like this work in Holland, Christine told her father that the MMS was special and that “Holland needed this work!” Frits flew to the US to participate in the Inner Negotiation Workshop, to learn more about the work and to meet me. After a productive visit in the US and arriving back home in the Netherlands, Frits told his family about the two sisters in Los Angeles. As a result of that mutual experience he partnered with his daughter to bring the work to Holland.

In August of 1988 MMS and Frits Philips and Partners cooperated to bring the Inner Negotiation Workshop to the Netherlands. Thirty-three people gathered together to take the first program and the work was launched. Frits then chose to be the first MMS licensee in Holland. Over the next fifteen years, the work was passed from Frits to Vorst Impuls, to De Baak, to Life Design Consultancy. And all the while people would say MMS is a boutique operation and it needed to have it’s own “umbrella.”

Therefore in 2003 Cherie and I had a meeting. This was the moment for MMS to stand tall and take its place in the Dutch world as a BV supported by its gracious group of Ambassadors. I chose to be the director while Cherie chose her self appointed job as the Dutch Ambassador in America telling the world about the gracious hospitality and special qualities of Holland and the Dutch people.

But the question remains why would I leave Santa Barbara for Holland?

And the answer is… the Dutch people. I perceived a group of generous people who have hosted my/our visit and continue to open doors and make things happen for us and for others who value the freedom of the human spirit. The essence of the work is creativity, discovery, experiments, breakthroughs, risks and rewards and true bottom line, transformation.  Participants are able to review the present, discover and change past patterns and plan the future. Over the last twenty five years, the Dutch people have been able to see, experience, live and embrace the MMS way of life including unconditional support for the human condition, possibility thinking, breakthrough and the magnificence of the human spirit. The Dutch people get it, live it and pass it along. MMS is alive and well living in Holland.

So the truth is I have taken a wonderful side step into a 17th century outdoors museum called Amsterdam. It is my little odyssey/an adventure in living and I still love it here. It is a pleasure and an honor for me/us to be here.

Thank you Holland for your wonderful hospitality.