About Sylvia Keijzer
From ICU to Inner Calm
Suddenly, I was there, hooked up to machines in the ICU, my presence dramatically lowering the average age in the room. Arrhythmia and dangerously high blood pressure had struck “out of the blue.” Or so I thought.
A week later, I left the hospital with boxes of medication and a warning to slow down. Shame hit hard. I’d always seen myself as strong and resilient. Slowing down wasn’t in my vocabulary.
For years, I had thrived in a high-pressure international corporate career, always on, convinced that rest was for the lazy. My body hadn’t betrayed me. I had ignored every red flag it sent me.
The restart was rough. I experimented with everything: yoga, coaching programs, nature hikes, physiotherapy, silence retreats, cold exposure, time management hacks, boundary-setting programs. All helped a little. But one thing changed everything: functional breathing.
I learned to self regulate. To let my breath work for me. Take the lead instead of reactive. Regulating my nervous system. I felt the shift immediately. Sleeping better. More calm, clarity and decisiveness. I feel more in control, and surely I don’t need to be busy all day.
I increased my capacity to handle stress and still perform at a high level.
Cold
Me and the cold weren’t really good friends. But you can do more as you tell yourself, and with that mindset I started to do cold showers, Ice baths and became Wim Hof Instructor. In the cold there is only one focus: yourself in the present moment. Powerful.
The cold teaches you your automatic stress response, which is the same in a stressful working environment. Once you learn that, you increase your resilience too.
Nature
If you are looking for me, I am outside. In nature I feel alive. Totally in connection and immersed with natures’ energy. Mountains as my favorite place: for the views on top and the efforts to reach them.
Thanks to functional breathing, I optimized my running performance. I run quicker by doing less, less waste of energy to get all the oxygen really in my body.
Authentic leadership
I have worked for 26 years in international corporations making a successful career.
Thanks to the possibilities in my company, my curiosity and eagerness to learn I worked in different teams in many countries. I learned a lot about how to get things done in complex business environment and staying true to myself. That’s what I call Grounded Leadership.
- Guiding international companies to reduce workplace stress and strengthen mental resilience through breathwork
- Training CEOs and senior leaders to navigate challenges and elevate team performance using conscious breathing
- Coaching professional athletes to push limits and recover faster with functional breathing techniques
The biggest win? I can look in the mirror with genuine relaxation, self-acceptance and a smile that comes from the inside out.
My unique edge
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Corporate insider turned performance strategist
Over 25 years in senior leadership in the international pharmaceutical industry gives me a deep understanding of high-pressure corporate environments, decision-making dynamics and the mental load leaders carry. -
Science-backed Stress mastery
Advanced Oxygen Advantage, Buteyko training combined with HeartMath techniques and Wim Hof Method, translated into practical tools leaders can apply in real moments of pressure. -
Transformation through experience
I lead from lived transformation, blending leadership insight, nervous system regulation, and high-performance physiology to create lasting change in how people think, decide and lead.
Training
