You don't change. You expand.

Camila has lived in six countries… Colombia, Argentina, Italy, Qatar, London, Dubai… and somewhere along the way she stopped believing she had to reinvent herself every time she moved. In this conversation she reframes reinvention as expansion, and it shifts how I think about every fresh start since.

We talk about what home actually is when it isn't a place, what migration costs children, the grief of losing the version of your life you were in control of, and how positivity works as a real skill rather than a slogan. If you have ever felt the pressure to become someone new for a new city, a new job, or a new chapter, this one is for you.

In this episode:

• Why moving expands you instead of changing you (00:00)
• Six countries, five languages, one thirst to explore (03:00)
• "Home is not a place" and what it is instead (10:00)
• The grief no one warns you about when you migrate with kids (14:00)
• Positivity as a survival skill, not a personality trait (21:00)
• How to ask for help, build a network, and lower your risk (26:00)
• Imposter syndrome, and seeing the greatness others already see in you (30:00)

If this made you look at your own life differently, I share more of these thoughts on my Substack. Link in the description.

Camila is a Colombian-born brand and retail leader whose life and career have been shaped by movement, culture, and reinvention. She spent over ten years living and working across Europe before building a strong chapter of her life in the Middle East, where she has spent a total of seven years across different periods.With a career rooted in fashion and retail, Camila has built and led brands across multiple markets in Europe and the GCC, working at the intersection of creativity, commercial strategy, and cultural relevance. Her global experience has given her a deep sensitivity to how identity, femininity, and self-expression evolve across cultures.Alongside her professional journey, Camila is also a mother—an experience that has deeply reshaped her perspective on leadership, balance, and purpose. Today, she brings a human-centered approach to her work, guided by storytelling, inclusivity, and the belief that fashion, like life, is about growth, belonging, and becoming.

In part two of my conversation with Cyndi, we get into Minal Qalb, Arabic for "from the heart," her project illustrating and platforming women across the Middle East. It started with frustration at how mainstream media gets it wrong, and turned into real friendships: with Nouf at the Jeddah F1, with the Rawazi hiking team in Riyadh, with women whose stories never made it past the stereotype.

We talk about:- Why an abaya photo made her Belgian friends worry- The name Minal Qalb, and why she chose Arabic before she'd learned the language- Balancing logic and emotion, in marriage and in business- Why she keeps AI out of the conversations that matter most- The one-word, one-smile theory of changing the worldOne idea I keep coming back to: you cannot judge what you have not lived. Curiosity, not comparison, opens the door.

Follow us : https://link. kirtana168.com/podcast

Episode highlights1:35 Introducing Cyndi and the Minal Qalb Project5:10 How the project actually started9:50 Meeting Nouf at the Jeddah F117:23 Balancing awareness, logic and emotion26:41 Choosing kindness, every day

Cindy Van pollaert is a person who loves from the heart. She is the Happiness Manager at 555 Live Experience, a cultural bridge-builder, and the founder of the storytelling project Min Al Qalb.She blends live events with human connection and storytelling, turning moments into memories across cultures, with a strong focus on the Middle East.Alongside her work in large-scale international events across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the wider region, Cindy created Min Al Qalb (“From the Heart”) as a cultural platform that celebrates inspiring women through illustration, narrative, and shared human experiences. The project aims to bridge cultural gaps and present a more authentic, human view of the Middle East to the rest of the world.Through initiatives and gatherings the project also brings people together offline, encouraging dialogue, connection, and mutual understanding in simple, meaningful ways.Guided by her personal philosophy, “Enjoy the little things,” Cindy believes that lasting impact is created not only through big moments, but through small, heartfelt connections.

Follow Cyndi: https://www.instagram.com/vanpollaert

Joy isn't a performance for Cyndi, co-founder of 555. It's how she runs a company.

Cyndi and Kirti talk about what positivity actually looks like inside a fast-paced, high-pressure events business, the little things that carry her through no-sleep weeks, and the one line she won't let anyone cross: "If I am not my kindest version to you, it means you have crossed my values."

Real talk on boundaries, self-care, and leading multicultural teams with kindness that isn't a performance.

Follow on:

https://www.instagram.com/vanpollaert

Cindy Van pollaert is a person who loves from the heart. She is the Happiness Manager at 555 Live Experience, a cultural bridge-builder, and the founder of the storytelling project Min Al Qalb.She blends live events with human connection and storytelling, turning moments into memories across cultures, with a strong focus on the Middle East.Alongside her work in large-scale international events across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the wider region, Cindy created Min Al Qalb (“From the Heart”) as a cultural platform that celebrates inspiring women through illustration, narrative, and shared human experiences. The project aims to bridge cultural gaps and present a more authentic, human view of the Middle East to the rest of the world.Through initiatives and gatherings the project also brings people together offline, encouraging dialogue, connection, and mutual understanding in simple, meaningful ways.Guided by her personal philosophy, “Enjoy the little things,” Cindy believes that lasting impact is created not only through big moments, but through small, heartfelt connections.