Have you ever been told by a Dutch person: je bent niet van suiker gemaakt (you are not made of sugar) when you’re huffing and puffing about biking in the rain? Well, I have – and not just once. Now, I say it to others all the time. After living in the Netherlands for three years, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve adopted the Dutch way of life.
Having grown up in Saudi Arabia, a literal desert, it was very difficult for me to get used to Dutch weather. Whenever there was “heavy” rain in Saudi, classes would get cancelled and school would be closed down for the day because the country’s infrastructure simply could not handle the rain. If it drizzled a little bit while we were in class, our teacher would let us go outside and enjoy the rain because it was such a rare occurrence. So, I’m not exaggerating when I say that I really was not used to the rain. That is, until I moved to the Netherlands and was forced to confront it, live with it, and get soaked by it.
Je bent niet van suiker gemaakt is an infamous Dutch saying that is frequently used in reference to rainy weather. I’ve been subjected to it a lot, especially whenever I complain to my Dutch friends about having to bike in the rain to get to my pilates class. They always hit me with: “You are not made of sugar.” It suggests that you are not vulnerable like a sugar cube, which is prone to melting in the rain. You are strong, resilient and capable. You can bike in the rain, even if that means you’ll arrive soaked for your pilates class. The truth is, it’s an essential mindset to have when you’re living in the Netherlands. If everyone were to use the weather as an excuse to not leave the house, frankly, nothing would get done. Oh, but how nice would it be to do nothing every once in a while? Let’s talk more about that, shall we?
Niksen – this is the Dutch verb for the act of doing nothing; and in my opinion, it can actually help us do more. Although it sounds easy, I found it difficult to practice niksen at first. All I had to do was do nothing, but that was the problem. I wanted to get up, move around, be productive, do something, anything. But as with anything else, the more you practice something, the easier it gets, and the better you get at it. One of my favorite ways to practice niksen is to have my morning cup of tea while looking outside my window and watch people go about their daily lives. I don’t pick up my phone, check my emails, or plan my day, because all of that comes later. Niksen comes first. This simple act helps me ground myself and stay in the present moment. I notice that whenever I practice niksen, I am able to better show up for the day ahead. I’m a big believer of niksen improving one’s mental health, which is why it’s my favorite Dutch practice.
Another very simple and very effective Dutch practice is uitwaaien. This is the practice of going outside and feeling the wind blowing against your body. If you ever feel super stressed out, try this simple act and feel all your worries wash away. You can practice uitwaaien at the beach, park, or simply at any outdoor location. All you need is wind, and the Netherlands has plenty of that! If you feel that the wind is not strong enough, hop on your bike and start to cycle – then you’ll really feel the wind (and most likely also the rain). Whether this will make all your worries disappear or only mess up your hair, I don’t know, but you can give it a try. After all, je bent niet van suiker gemaakt, toch? (you are not made of sugar, right?)
