‘I live optimally, but no longer at the expense of my health’

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Charlotte Labee (Roosendaal, 1986) already had an eventful career at a young age as a model and subsequently as a presenter and entrepreneur. In addition to her work as a presenter, she is now an ambassador for the Energy4All foundation and a blogger for magazines, among others.

She wanted to be a vet or a lawyer. That turned out differently. “When I was fourteen I was scouted in London, where I was with my mother and grandmother. I didn’t do anything with it then – I was so young. It was only when the hairdresser in Roosendaal asked me if I wanted to do modeling a year later that I accepted. “Sign up with a modeling agency,” advised the photographer who took the photos at the time.

Not much later I was on a plane to Milan for my first job. My parents weren’t worried about me; I didn’t walk in seven ditches at once. I also lived in Istanbul for a while. The first week I felt very lonely there. I wanted to go home. ‘Yes dear, but you wanted this yourself, didn’t you?’ said my father. I persevered and made friends, but it was never a great time.”

Go with the flow type

Charlotte entered the TV world through modeling. A real dream was born there: presenting. “I was on RTL on Sunday afternoon as a presenter of a commercial program. I worked for Omroep Brabant for two years, but I lacked depth. Everything revolved around appearance. I started my own company. Out of nowhere, without any experience, I started making magazines. Yes, I am a reasonable go-with-the-flow type. I take on whatever comes my way and see opportunities in everything.

Clothing label

The magazine did not last long. It was replaced by its own clothing label. I had traveled the world and scored many nice dresses on markets. Back in the Netherlands everyone wanted to know where I got it from. I had found a gap in the market. My clothing label initially consisted of eight items that sold out very quickly.

In no time I ran an international fashion company with ten employees and my dresses were available in 145 stores. But the fashion world is tricky. Everything goes fast and you have to pre-finance properly. If 45 of the 145 shops do not pay on time, you will not keep your head above water. I’ve been sick of bankruptcy. You not only have to deal with yourself, but also with staff.”

Children’s wish

A few years before the bankruptcy, at the age of 28, Charlotte thought it was time for children. But was her body ready for that? “I was not bothered by anything, but instinctively felt that something was wrong. Three times I went to my doctor with my concerns, but because I had no complaints, no investigation followed. It wasn’t until I was sitting across from another GP that I was referred to a gynaecologist.

A few days later I was on the operating table: cervical cancer. What is happening here, I wondered all the time. I did not answer that question. I kept working and felt indispensable in everything. Surgery on Friday, back in the office on Monday. I pretended the diagnosis was someone else. No idea why. Five months after my surgery I got pregnant with our son Sky – the best gift imaginable.”

Burnt

The robbery that Charlotte committed on her body broke her. And then, at the age of thirty, came the proverbial straw. “I had neglected myself and my body wasn’t even tenth on my list of priorities.

Sky was three weeks old, we had just finished renovating our old farmhouse and were enjoying a holiday in Ibiza when we received a phone call. Our house was on fire. Neighbors sent videos, the black smoke coming from the roof. My husband flew back to the Netherlands and I started arranging from Ibiza.

“Neighbors sent videos, the black smoke came out of the roof”

A fire is incredibly drastic. Years later I suddenly missed things. Oh yes, burned too, I thought. My wedding dress, Sky’s piece of umbilical cord, his baby crib: it’s gone. For four years we fought with the insurance, because you don’t get a euro back for something like a wedding dress; after all, you are already married. It consumes energy.”

Read also – Mom has a burnout: ‘I ended up in a life that drained me’ >

Chronic stress

She felt beyond worthless. “I couldn’t give love to my child and my husband. I was at the end of my tether. Everything hurt me. It was treading water. Every day I drank wine to relax and took medication to sleep. It was my husband who urged me to find myself again. I took a sabbatical and just then I started having symptoms.

“There were two options: end up in a wheelchair or work on myself”

Scans showed that my brain was permanently damaged by the chronic stress. The options were limited: continue on the old foot and end up in a wheelchair or work with myself. It became the latter. I started taking health courses and started eating healthy, because I lived on chips and chocolate. I also started meditating; I was skeptical, but I had to. After three weeks I regained the connection with my body.”

In balance

And now, after fourteen studies/courses, Charlotte has started what she calls ‘her last career’. “I share knowledge in the field of neuroscience and orthomolecular medicine with a team of experts with the aim of getting people out of a burnout. I wrote six books about it, including three bestsellers and a children’s book.”

She’s fine. “I feel great and I am in balance. I live optimally, but no longer at the expense of my health. If I had known about the knowledge I am sharing now, I would never have become so ill. It has been my greatest life lesson; you can learn from your own low points and develop as a person.”

Knowing more? On her site charlottelabee.com you can read more about the knowledge that Charlotte has gained about keeping the brain in balance. You can also register for workshops and training courses and order her books.