By Olga Velitzelou, FLS owner, Thessaloniki
We all have the need to hear from story tellers in these difficult times. Let me tell you my story!
I was born in Thessaloniki, the city of love and culture. Since I was a child, my thirst for knowledge was limitless, so much so I traded playing for studying. My father, to whom I owe much, passed his love for knowledge onto me. He loved the sea very much, and I will never forget his saying ''new knowledge is like a new sea, and if you keep learning, you will keep sailing forever''. One day, sailing in rough sea, he taught me how to paddle. I remember us being stuck in the same spot for hours - I was only 8 years old at the time.
''Better to be worn out than rusted out'' is a saying I live by.
After finishing high school and with my father's encouragement, I traveled to Italy to study fish pathology at the Veterinary School of Parma. I broadened my medical knowledge in the field and I still practice today by conducting laboratory research on fish diseases. That is how the skill of observation was cultivated within me. At some point, my love for people was awakened; I could dedicate myself to the study of people instead of fish and I thought ''why not?''.
Unlike fish, people can talk. My love for communication motivated me to study foreign languages. I speak six foreign languages. After earning the necessary degrees and started teaching, the feedback from my students motivated me to keep learning and to further deepen my knowledge. In order to be able to help children with learning difficulties, I entered the endless world of Psychology. I started seeing the world with new eyes and perspectives.
I worked as an interpreter and translator, and still do. My experience in the European Parliament opened new horizons for me on the European programs, specifically the fraternization of cities. The spread of the Greek culture and the Greek Philosophy that everybody embraces abroad is now MY UNIQUE OBJECTIVE.
My many trips have broadened my horizons even further. As a fun of Lifelong Learning, I participate in countless conferences, seminars, workshops and educational trips abroad. My knowledge of Esperanto opens up ways of communicating with people of different races and cultures.
The result of this cultural calling, is the organization of cultural events and conferences. The PR EXECUTIVE is an activity that I am still involved with to this day.
A personal price to pay for all this is not having a family of my own yet. My children are all the children in this world. My hobbies include swimming, theater, opera, communicating with dolphins, painting and last but not least, kick boxing.
Sometime ago, I came face to face with a family issue, and it brought me down. Suddenly, life coaching entered my life, like a miracle. A completely different approach to solving problems and a new way of thinking. And so begins an endless journey of self-development and self-realization that has not stopped. The moment I find my footing once again, I’ll start helping the people around me to discover themselves, their desires and to achieve their goals through change. I am very thankful to many coaches, who stood beside me as allies through my journey. I won't mention them one by one, just so I do not forget to name anybody in particular. Coaching taught me to take a step back as an extrovert and to become more introverted, to strengthen my emotional intelligence and to follow the upwards spiral of self-development. I started to love myself, rethought my friendships, changed habits and distanced myself from others. I chose books to read and music to listen to.
Coaching is nothing more than the theories of Plato and Socrates. It is a way of facing your inner demons.
I highly recommend to live by practicing...life itself. Meditation, love, gratefulness for everything around us and other forces are a blessing for us to change our lives.
How do we transform a crisis into an opportunity?
Treat and educate yourself this summer, since we are unable to give in to overconsumption this year.
We are blessed by the opportunity to attend webinars, so that we may go out prepared to face the not-so-easy aftermath.
I urge you not to wait and do nothing...read, write, express yourself in writing…make the journey of self-discovery... In one word e v o l v e!!!
