EPISODE · Nov 21, 2025 · 42 MIN
8. When Life Reinvents Us with Ruud Hopstaken
from Surrendering to the Signs · host Laura Gates
In this profoundly moving and life-affirming conversation, Laura sits down with Ruud Hopstaken, former healthcare executive, cancer survivor, and now coach, to explore what it truly means to wake up to life.Ruud shares his extraordinary story: from a high-powered career as vice chair of a major Dutch medical university, to a sudden cancer diagnosis that brought everything to a halt. What followed was not just a physical healing journey, but a spiritual awakening invited him to redefine success, surrender control, and listen deeply to his body and soul.Together, Laura and Ruud unpack themes of identity, loss, courage, and freedom. This episode is a powerful testament to how even the darkest moments can hold sacred invitations and how surrender can lead to the most profound kind of healing.What You’ll Hear in This Episode:The pivotal moment when Ruud’s life changed overnightHow illness became a messenger and teacher, not an enemyThe experience of losing his stomach and finding wholeness insteadWhy he cried tears of loss, not just joy, after being declared cancer-freeHow the need for identity and achievement can keep us from truly feelingThe long process of learning to listen to his body’s voiceStories of transformation: marathons, illness, healing, swimming with the dolphins,and walking with the MaasaiWhy he believes cancer was his greatest gift and how it led him to guide othersBioRuud Hopstaken is a coach, mentor, and former senior healthcare executive based in the Netherlands. After decades of high-intensity work in leadership and academia, his life took an unexpected turn with a diagnosis of stomach cancer, a journey that transformed how he saw himself, his work, and the world.Resources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastThe Work by Byron KatieMan’s Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklTeachings on somatic wisdom and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Ruuds website https://www.ruudhopstaken.com/Or follow his journey across Europe https://www.berlin-to-brussels.com/ Music FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicSaggie, Steven Beddall & Jenny Penkin - Easy to LoveTamuz Dekel - EvanescentSig Howler - A TripOliver Michael - Runaway Kyle Preston - Cafe de PhilosophieJozeque - SealAdi Goldstein - Ocean VoyagePodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com
What this episode covers
In this profoundly moving and life-affirming conversation, Laura sits down with Ruud Hopstaken, former healthcare executive, cancer survivor, and now coach, to explore what it truly means to wake up to life.Ruud shares his extraordinary story: from a high-powered career as vice chair of a major Dutch medical university, to a sudden cancer diagnosis that brought everything to a halt. What followed was not just a physical healing journey, but a spiritual awakening invited him to redefine success, surrender control, and listen deeply to his body and soul.Together, Laura and Ruud unpack themes of identity, loss, courage, and freedom. This episode is a powerful testament to how even the darkest moments can hold sacred invitations and how surrender can lead to the most profound kind of healing.What You’ll Hear in This Episode:The pivotal moment when Ruud’s life changed overnightHow illness became a messenger and teacher, not an enemyThe experience of losing his stomach and finding wholeness insteadWhy he cried tears of loss, not just joy, after being declared cancer-freeHow the need for identity and achievement can keep us from truly feelingThe long process of learning to listen to his body’s voiceStories of transformation: marathons, illness, healing, swimming with the dolphins,and walking with the MaasaiWhy he believes cancer was his greatest gift and how it led him to guide othersBioRuud Hopstaken is a coach, mentor, and former senior healthcare executive based in the Netherlands. After decades of high-intensity work in leadership and academia, his life took an unexpected turn with a diagnosis of stomach cancer, a journey that transformed how he saw himself, his work, and the world.Resources & LinksConnect with LauraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/surrenderingtothesignsWebsite www.surrenderingtothesigns.comDownload your free copy of Seven Keys to Surrendering to the Signs Home | Laura Gates | Surrendering to the Signs | Spiritual PodcastThe Work by Byron KatieMan’s Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklTeachings on somatic wisdom and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Ruuds website https://www.ruudhopstaken.com/Or follow his journey across Europe https://www.berlin-to-brussels.com/ Music FeaturedThe music in each episode of Surrendering to the Signs has been carefully curated to enhance the episode, below is a list of all tracks featured.List of MusicSaggie, Steven Beddall & Jenny Penkin - Easy to LoveTamuz Dekel - EvanescentSig Howler - A TripOliver Michael - Runaway Kyle Preston - Cafe de PhilosophieJozeque - SealAdi Goldstein - Ocean VoyagePodcast co-produced, edited, and sound designed by Daniel De Souza https://www.danieldesouza.com
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8. When Life Reinvents Us with Ruud Hopstaken
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