WORDS: BOJANA DUOVSKI
PHOTO: ALEK BRUESSING
Freedom has been the guiding force in my life, leading me on a conscious path to find balance between two essential elements: roots and wings. As I’ve grown, I’ve come to see freedom as a rhythm—a dance between grounding myself and allowing myself to soar. Born and raised in Amsterdam to Yugoslav parents, I’ve always felt privileged to experience two cultures. This unique blend taught me adaptability and openness, helping me realize that feeling at home requires an open heart and a sense of inner belonging.
As a child, however, I often felt like a stranger in both worlds. I spoke Dutch fluently but didn’t look Dutch or have a Dutch-sounding name. I understood Yugoslavian but struggled to speak it fluently, leading to feelings of shame when visiting family. Both sides labeled me as part of the other, leaving me feeling like I didn’t fully belong anywhere, yet I was also a little bit of everything. In my search for solid roots, I believed that understanding my traditions, values, and beliefs would help build a foundation. This wasn’t easy, especially since my parents, who came to the Netherlands as guest workers, never fully integrated. They lived with the hope of returning to their homeland, a dream shattered by the war. I watched their generation feel lost, unsure how to cope with the changes, and as their child, I felt the pressure to succeed and carry the weight of their unrealized dreams.
Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed to have my uncle Dragoljub Đuričić as a hero. A drummer who symbolized freedom, he led protests in Belgrade with the rhythm of his drums, inspiring citizens to fight for a brighter future. I could depend on him, someone’s opinion I would seek and advice I would follow. We could talk for hours, but also seek the silence in each other’s company. His legacy taught me that we all have a part to play in the heartbeat of humanity. His courage and kindness live on, reminding me that we all have the potential to be heroes to someone else.
Motherhood brought new dimensions to my personal journey, encouraging me to trust my inner compass and intuition even more deeply. Every decision, every choice feels infused with a greater sense of purpose, knowing that I am also shaping the path for my daughter Elena. My hope for Elena is that she grows up with a profound sense of belonging, feeling connected to her roots while also experiencing the freedom to chart her own course. I stimulate her to develop courage and openness to fully engage with the world and its infinite opportunities.
Despite lacking formal education due to family circumstances, I developed strong skills in observing and understanding people. This proved invaluable when I embarked on my professional journey, starting at an advertising agency, hired mainly for my fast typing. Twelve years later, I became managing director. Yet, despite my success, I always searched for solid ground. Over time, I realized the stability I sought wasn’t external—it was within me. I needed to free myself from pressures and expectations, but also my limiting beliefs and navigate from trust in myself.
This inner trust gave me the freedom to take risks, explore new paths, and live authentically. I learned that when you live in alignment with your values, you are free from living a life that doesn’t suit you. Throughout my journey, I’ve always felt the need to grow—what I call my ‘wings’. These wings represent my ability to dream, question the status quo, explore and embrace life fully. They allow me to redefine myself and face challenges with courage. The stronger my wings became, the less fear held me back. I learned to embrace failure as a learning opportunity, growing more resilient with each experience. Balancing both roots and wings has granted me the dynamic freedom to adapt, evolve, and learn. My roots provide stability, while my wings allow me to take risks. It’s a balance I continuously nurture, knowing there is no perfect order—only the process of embracing life’s experiences with gratitude.
One of the greatest gifts I’ve discovered is the freedom to express myself. As a child, I often felt my voice didn’t matter, leading to years of not standing out or speaking up. It took years of effort, but today, I stand as a keynote speaker, still learning to believe that my voice deserves to be heard. To challenge myself further, I started a radio show titled “Courage & Love,” born from my belief that the world needs more of both, especially in our fast-paced, often disconnected society.
In my professional journey, I made a bold decision to leave the world of advertising at the peak of my career, and embrace entrepreneurship. I started out by launching a concierge service, then later pivoted and added a personal leadership development agency. When the pandemic struck, everything came to an abrupt stop. I found myself at a crossroads, forced to adapt once again. Looking for a way to stay grounded during this uncertain time, I began volunteering with a foundation in Amsterdam focused on fighting inequality. Though it was a new and unfamiliar field for me, I immediately felt a sense of belonging. It was as if all my past experiences were leading me to this moment. The skills I had gained professionally helped strengthen the foundation’s operations from improving structure, to expanding its partner network and funding. At the same time, my background allowed me to deeply connect with the children we were supporting. I understood their challenges, because I had walked a similar path and I felt their struggles. Now I had the chance to help them navigate and voice their needs. Our collective efforts quickly made impact. We drew more attention to the cause, positioning the foundation as a frontrunner in the fight against inequality of opportunity. Seeing the ripple effects of our work is truly inspiring – not just in the lives of those we support, but also in opening the eyes and perspectives of organizations not yet understanding the depth of this societal challenge. In my role as a ‘mover and shaker’, I strive to bring a fresh perspective – rooted in trust, equality, and reciprocity. As a servant leader, my goal is to foster a culture of shared responsibility, where collective participation and attention drive real, lasting change. I am standing in the space between the social environment and the broader system, working to bridge these worlds and close the gap. This experience has been a powerful reminder that true freedom isn’t just about personal success. It’s about using that freedom to lift others, to serve, and to contribute to something greater than yourself.
As Albert Camus once said, “Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.” In my life, freedom has been about finding balance— between roots and wings, self-expression and service, inner peace and outward exploration. I continue to walk this path, embracing life with courage, gratitude, and love.
