I share several passions with my partner: entrepreneurship (he is also an entrepreneur), sports, travel. We are two extreme sportsmen who love water, the beach and the sun. Since we have had our two daughters, we have set ourselves the goal of taking a week as a couple every year.

This winter, we chose Bonaire to go windsurfing, get away and recharge our batteries. I had been dreaming about it for months! Everything had been planned. The grandparents were available to take care of our girls. I had even trained at the gym with a personalized plan. As soon as I arrived, I was charmed by the island. It was heavenly!

After two long, six-hour days of intense work on the board, muscle fatigue began to set in. I decided to make one last crossing. On my way back, a gust of wind made me lose my balance. As I fell, my hands remained on the wishbone (the arch that surrounds the sail).

The impact of the twist between my moving lower body and my stable upper body was heard. Tack! A dull sound came from my knee. In pain, I cried out in frustration, in disappointment. Not in this idyllic place after only two days!?

Then I thought back to that December day in 2015 when I had exactly 24 hours to move my entire agency, find new offices, and relocate my team. My life as an entrepreneur has been peppered with these moments where I had to be resilient by accepting a situation that was out of my control, where bouncing back was my only option.

Rather than feeling sorry for myself and ruminating on the beach chairs watching others windsurf, I took action. I turned to scuba diving. Imagine my delight in discovering incredible coral reefs, admiring sheepshead, parrotfish and barracuda, swimming with turtles and a beautiful seahorse! I then learned that Bonaire is not only one of the top five windsurfing destinations, but also one of the top diving destinations in the world. How lucky!

Against all odds, my week was marked by a learning experience: that of accepting what we cannot change. And a lesson: it is sometimes in the unexpected that we make the most enriching discoveries.

In business, obstacles most often arise at an inopportune moment. As if to force us to grow, to develop our resilience, this ability to do the best we can with an incomprehensible, unfair, unexpected situation.

On the eve of International Women's Day , I pay tribute to all those who, despite the obstacles and pitfalls of life, have remained standing.

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