Thriving in Your Thirties: How Elise van Zeeland Turned Lived Experience Into a Message That Resonates

When Elise van Zeeland joined Write Business Results’ author community, she had already built a successful career helping people grow and perform at their best. But her own turning point arrived during a period many will recognise, when professional achievement and personal wellbeing stopped working in harmony.

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In our Behind the Book interview, Elise describes her thirties as “a decade of expectations.” She had reached milestones in business and life that she once equated with success, yet something felt out of balance. That tension became the spark for her first book, Thriving in Your Thirties: How to Do It All, a candid exploration of what happens when ambition meets overload, and how to rediscover fulfilment without losing drive.

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Elise’s story begins in honesty. She wanted to write about real experiences of striving, falling short, reassessing, and ultimately rebuilding with clarity. The book reflects the questions she and her peers were asking: What does it actually mean to have it all? And what does thriving look like when you stop trying to prove yourself?

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From Burnout to Breakthrough

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The idea for the book emerged gradually. Elise shared that it wasn’t a single “light-bulb” moment but a growing realisation that success had become unsustainable. “I could see that people around me were burning out, and I was heading the same way,” she said. “I wanted to open up that conversation, to say it’s okay to pause, to re-evaluate, and to admit that you don’t have to do everything perfectly.”

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During her discussion with Georgia Kirke, Founder of Write Business Results, Elise explained that the project began as an act of reflection. Putting her thoughts into words helped her process what she’d learned from a demanding period of life. It wasn’t about telling others what to do; it was about sharing perspective from lived experience.

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That intention, to write with empathy rather than instruction, became the foundation of her message. Thriving in Your Thirties invites readers to consider what matters most, to challenge cultural definitions of “doing it all,” and to redefine achievement through self-knowledge instead of comparison.

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The Author Journey: Embracing the Rollercoaster

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When Elise began her author journey, she quickly discovered that writing a book isn’t just a practical process, it’s an emotional one.

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“When you start writing a book, you probably don’t really know where to start,” she said. “That’s why you get professional help, to guide you through the process, how to approach it, what’s important, how to define your niche.”

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As the chapters began to take shape, so did the highs and lows. “Sometimes you write something and you feel on top of the world, like, this is it, this is what I want to write, fantastic. And then… you think, is this even nice for people to read? Is this fun? Does this work? To a point where I thought, this is the worst idea that I’ve had for 2025. I should not have put this on my top 10 things to do this year.”

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But those moments didn’t last forever. “Then you feel like, no, I got it again. This is what I wanted to say, this is the story that I wanted to tell,” she said. “That whole rollercoaster from up and down. I think it’s relatable for everyone, but it’s also something you really need to embrace, and not let it kick you back.”

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When asked how she got back on track during tougher moments, Elise shared a simple but powerful approach: taking a break. “What really helped me was at one point to put it aside for just a few weeks, and then go back into it,” she explained. “Because if you keep going and you feel like it doesn’t work, you might also change things that aren’t broken and that are actually good as they were.”

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She also found clarity through feedback. “When more people started to read it, the editor, someone else, and one other person who read the whole book multiple times, I asked her to be really, really honest with me. She picked out the points that she really enjoyed, and then you go like, oh, okay, so that’s the tone of voice that I want to have.”

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For Elise, that reflection became the heart of the process. “Don’t change your whole course when you feel like that,” she advised. “Because it will pass. It’s just normal. You’ll come back to your original plan, what you actually wanted to say, and you’ll enjoy it. You just need to embrace it as part of the journey.”

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Why Elise's Story Resonates

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Throughout the interview, one theme stands out: connection. Elise’s motivation was never just to tell her story but to create a resource that others could relate to. Since publication, readers have reached out to share how her honesty made them feel seen.

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Her book bridges the gap between personal development and practical reflection. It speaks to professionals who are ambitious yet exhausted, people trying to navigate careers, relationships, and identity at once. Elise doesn’t promise instant balance; instead, she offers reassurance that thriving looks different for everyone.

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From a broader perspective, Georgia highlighted why stories like Elise’s matter to the Write Business Results community. They demonstrate that thought leadership doesn’t have to come from expertise alone, it can come from experience, vulnerability, and the willingness to articulate what others feel but rarely express.

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By turning her insights into a structured, accessible narrative, Elise created more than a book. She built a platform for discussion around wellbeing, self-expectation, and the realities of modern success.

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Wrapping Up

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Elise van Zeeland’s journey reflects the essence of what Write Business Results stands for: helping leaders transform experience into content that informs, empowers, and connects.

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Her story reminds us that authority isn’t about always having the answers; it’s about asking the right questions and being honest about the process of finding them.

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Through collaboration, structure, and empathy, Elise transformed her reflections into Thriving in Your Thirties: How to Do It All, a book that continues to inspire readers to define thriving on their own terms.

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For Write Business Results, her journey is a testament to the power of partnership between author and team and to the enduring impact of stories told with purpose.

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If you’re ready to explore your own story and see how your experiences can become a book, the Write Business Results team can help you shape your ideas into a structured, publishable narrative. Book a  call with our team to discuss your book idea.
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View the full interview with Elise here: Behind the Book: Georgia Kirke and Elise van Zeeland.