Values

Freedom fuels my energy. It opens space for creative thinking and for generating ideas - important ingredients when innovating in education, coaching, and business strategy. Whether I am designing a learning experience, creating visual and written content, or leading a brainstorming session, freedom sparks curiosity and flow. In addition, freedom helps give me direction. It enables me to choose paths where my contributions matter most. When I feel free, I can serve others more effectively - tuning in to their unique needs, goals, and potential. That sense of openness allows me to adapt, whether I am working one-on-one with a client or facilitating a workshop with many voices. When I once asked Sharon Bättig-Diaz which animal I would be, she instantly replied: “A horse running free.” That image stayed with me. It symbolizes how freedom feels to me - a powerful blend of movement, purpose, and vitality. Freedom, in this sense, is about living and working in ways that stay true to one’s essence while fostering creativity and meaningful connection.

When I ask people what I am good at, many tell me that I am good at asking questions. That makes sense to me. Asking questions is important aspects of how I learn. I use social media because I genuinely enjoy learning from others. Every post, comment, or discussion is an opportunity to see the world from new perspectives. When I work with students, I encourage them to make as many choices as possible for themselves - including what they want to learn, when they want to learn, and where they want to learn. From experience, I’ve seen that the more initiative a student takes, the higher the quality of learning becomes. Creating educational resources is also a form of continuous learning for me. In this regard, I like to refine ideas, improve clarity, and explore new ways to make knowledge more engaging and accessible. Studying personality I learned something important about my own learning journey: My strongest inner critic is the perfectionist. For much of my life, striving for perfection pushed me to learn and improve. The perfectionist in me made me overly self-critical and easily frustrated when things were not good enough. Over time, I have learned to balance that drive with care for my physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. I have discovered that learning thrives not in perfection, but in progress. I now celebrate growth, value curiosity over control, and see each day as a chance to learn something new.

Creativity is one of my core values. It is a guiding principle that shapes how I think, teach, and collaborate. I see experimentation and playfulness as essential conditions for creativity to flourish, both individually and in teams. I believe that originality often emerges from meaningful recombination - building on existing elements in new, purposeful ways. Observing creative practices in diverse fields as well as industries and using this variety to identify unexpected links helps me to see new opportunities. I view creativity not only as artistic expression but as a mindset for connecting ideas, solving problems, and inspiring growth across contexts. For me, creativity is a dynamic process that helps to transform curiosity into meaningful impact. Some examples:

• I observe nature and try to draw insights from nature’s patterns.

• Observing various kinds of architecture helps me nurture curiosity and expand my way of thinking.

• Singing, playing the guitar and listening to music helps me to think creatively.

• Developing and sharing creative thinking methods and playful exercises help me make imagination more concrete and accessible to others.

• When tutoring children, I integrate creative problem-solving into learning environments - thereby making education experiential, playful, and connected to real-life challenges.

• I apply creative thinking in innovation workshops and business settings, for example by using brainstorming methods and other methods that help turn ideas into actionable outcomes. When I facilitate brainstorming sessions, I find it interesting when diverse viewpoints spark unique, collective ideas.

Example 1: Harmony in sports
When I was a teenager, what motivated me in sports was mainly the desire to win. With time, my way of thinking changed. Today, I value more how doing sports helps me strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and deepening my breathing. Physical activity has also become a way to relieve tension and feel calm afterward. In that sense, sports have evolved for me into a form of moving meditation - a way to find harmony between body and mind. 

Example 2: Harmony in singing
When I sing duets on smule.com,  there are moments when the voices blend so beautifully that the harmony moves straight to the heart - as if 2 + 2 suddenly equals 5. What is happening in such moments, and why do they matter to me? I believe several elements come together. For example, I believe that a recognition and acceptance that each person feels most natural within their own vocal range is important. In addition, I believe that is is important to appreciate every singer’s effort to refine their own voice type whether it is soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, or bass. Also, I find it valuable to listen well to how the tones blend and resonate together. Experiences like these remind me that harmony emerges when individual voices stay true to themselves while contributing to a greater whole.

Safety is among my core values. Its importance emerged early in my life. My parents divorced when I was five years old. Over time, I realized that this major change not only a period of hardship. It was also an experience that helped make me stronger and build resilience. For example, I learned to articulate emotions that I felt, find creative ways to solve problems during new family dynamics, and cultivate independence as an only child adapting to have more than one home. Among the five love languages, words of affirmation resonate strongly with me. When others recognize my efforts or express appreciation for what I do, I feel safer. This insight also shapes how I interact with others: I ask thoughtful questions and listen actively, creating space where people feel seen, understood, and respected. Structured reflection processes, such as exploring personal values help me strengthen this sense of inner safety. They serve as a compass for self-awareness and integrity in both personal and professional settings. A key influence in this journey is Amy Edmondson’s The Fearless Organization, which deepened my understanding of psychological safety as the foundation for innovation, trust, and collaboration. In my experience helping other people to learn and grow, two or three participants best support this atmosphere of safety. Within such small settings, I experience that openness flourish more naturally than in group that are larger, as people feel safer to express themselves authentically and connect meaningfully. Feeling this safety and expressing oneself openly is, I believe, important to enable learning and personal growth.

I grew up in a non-academic environment where very few in my family had pursued higher education. The tools people around me knew best were practical ones - screwdrivers, calculators, machines, and technologies that helped get things done efficiently. This upbringing taught me the value of craftsmanship, problem-solving, and persistence early on. As a teenager, I cleaned and repaired tennis courts at Lystrup Tennis Club near Aarhus, a job that required attention to detail. Later, during my military service in the Royal Danish Life Guards, I experienced a culture of discipline and professionalism, where consistent service delivery and high personal standards were central to what we did. While studying at university, I had jobs that kept me connected to everyday work environments. For example, I did cleaning work at a dental clinic, worked as a dishwasher at Hotel Marselis in Aarhus, and delivered newspapers - Jyllands-Posten and Aarhus Stiftstidende - to homes and apartments across different parts of Aarhus. These experiences shaped my appreciation for consistent effort, service quality, and respect for all kinds of work.

Kindness, to me, means caring through action. Among the love languages, which are close to my heart, is acts of service - doing something that makes another person’s day a little brighter. Sometimes that means baking a fruit pie or a cake to share. Other times, it’s as simple as picking up litter on my walk and placing it in a recycling bin. Small gestures can, I find, create a ripple of positive energy in our communities. In addition, I find kindness in communication. When I talk with people, I enjoy asking questions with the purpose of helping others feel heard, feel at ease as well as to connect. I understand genuine curiosity as a quiet form of kindness. It shows, I find, that a person's experiences in life matter. I am inspired by people and organizations that spread good news and positive stories such as GOOD and Goodable. Their work reminds me that optimism and empathy are inspiring and are important ingredients of a thriving society. Kindness, for me and for Frank Calberg Services is a way of helping create shared well-being.

I enjoy watching Just for Laughs Gags, which capture funny moments in everyday life. The short clips remind me how laughter can lighten the mood and help me unwind. Humor, even in small doses, often helps me release tension. In conversations with others, I like to bring in a touch of humor, for example by sharing a funny observation or recalling a light-hearted moment. I find that a simple smile or shared laugh can open people up, create connection, and make communication feel easier and more genuine. For me, humor is about creating a space where people can relax and enjoy being with each other. I experience that humor can make collaboration smoother and lower stress during intense moments. When people laugh together, it is as if we trust each other more and approach problems with a more open and creative mindset. Humor has the power to put worries into perspective, help us handle conflicts more gently, and strengthen relationships. Even when life feels challenging and/or somewhat complicated, a moment of shared laughter can reconnect us to joy and help us see things from a kinder angle. These are reasons why I see humor as a form of care, both for ourselves and for others.

I enjoy exploring food from different cultures. For example, I like tasting Thai, Chinese, Indian, Sri Lankan, and Italian dishes. Each cuisine reveals unique combinations of flavors, ingredients, and ways of sharing meals - small windows into the creativity and traditions of different communities. For me, trying new food is not just about the taste; it is a way of learning about how people live and express care through cooking. I also appreciate living in places where people differ in age, gender, origin, education, and professional background. To me. environments, which are rich in diversity, feel more alive and inspiring because they invite people to see the world through multiple perspectives. Such settings encourage curiosity and dialogue, helping us grow both individually and collectively.  By living in different countries, I have come to understand how valuable inclusiveness is. I’ve noticed how impactful it can be when locals reach out to newcomers - offering a kind word, extending an invitation, or simply showing interest. These small gestures help transform feelings of being a stranger into a sense of belonging, and they demonstrate how diversity and connection strengthen each other. 

Hygge is a unique Danish and Norwegian concept that has no real equivalent in other languages. Hygge is much more than just a word. Hygge describes a way of living that emphasizes comfort, connection, and well-being. It is about creating moments that feel warm and meaningful - moments that allow people to slow down, enjoy simple pleasures, and nurture relationships. Hygge fits well into cultures that seek balance, mindfulness, and sustainable well-being. In practice, hygge often manifests through the creation of cozy indoor spaces that invite calm and togetherness. Growing up in Denmark I experienced that many Danes achieve this by using cozy lighting to craft a warm atmosphere during the long Nordic winters. Comfortable furniture, soft blankets, and shared meals are equally important ingredients in fostering that feeling of ease and belonging. Yet, hygge is not only about interior design. It is also about appreciating quiet moments, sharing laughter with friends, or enjoying a cup of coffee while watching the rain. Hygge reminds us that living well depends on presence, authenticity, and care. To explore more about how this concept shapes happiness and lifestyle, you can take a look at this posting that delves further into its meaning and importance.