Certified for coaching

Now this was quite a journey.

I joined the company's Toastmasters club with January 1, 2019. I had 11 speeches and a panel discussion since then, my path was the "Effective coaching". I learnt a lot, about speaking confidently in front of others and a lot of other things as well. 

Today I had my last speech reflecting on my experience, but I started the whole story from high school because I felt that was also relevant in this. Back then I was terrified to join the school's dispute club and after all those years, I reached the level where I would gladly pick up the challenge. Funny because is still feel I'm at the beginning of the whole learning curve. Maybe got out of the pit. :D

PTBP (Proud to Be President)

Yesterday was the first Toastmasters meeting with my presidency - because I was elected as president of our club from the 1st of July to the 1st of July next year. Yay!

The election itself was in my opinion not solely because of my shining personality and supreme power as a possible president, but rather because I was the only one who - after some encouragement and negotiations - volunteered.

We'll see how it turns out. Until then, this was my first speech as a president (of course I learned it by heart):

"According to the club leadership handbook, the club mission is the following: „We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.”

As the new president of this club, I will do my best to ensure these values and mission statement in the upcoming year. This club is way more than a place to learn about communication and leadership though. When I arrived at my first Toastmasters meeting, I wasn’t sure what to expect and I wasn’t sure that I would like to be a member, I was just curious. But one meeting as a guest was enough to decide. I felt for the first time that I don’t have to feel ashamed of my ahs and ums. I felt for the first time that I won’t be laughed at (neither openly nor behind my back) for any mistakes that I make or for a not too perfect speech. Here in this club everyone knows that mistakes and stumbling are part of a learning journey. For me, being part of a community where mistakes are not only accepted but encouraged, is a treasure."

Letters From The Bed

Dear Elon Musk!
Launching rockets to space and bringing them back is really great and believe me that I admire your achievements, your path and your vision. I know that my children will grow up in a better world because of you, and they will understand your historic importance. However, being sick again while trying to manage children, household and work makes me wish that you please invest in researches of nanorobots or any other solution that can identify and instantly kill viruses and bacteria (but most importantly, viruses) because that would be when I say the future is here.
I know that viruses are Nature's last resort for overpopulation, but I think we will manage without them. We are a smart species.
Yours sincerely,
Maanji

Dear Nature,
how about a deal?
We promise that we take better care of you and also promise to solve our overpopulation issues somehow (by going into space for example), and in return you stop your stronger and stronger viruses and adapting bacteria for good.
Awaiting your answer,
Maanji

Dear body,
if this is you saying that you get too much stress then please tell me another way. There is no need to catch all viruses and bacteria in the air, one will do.
Oh true, one did not do it because I still continued my ordinary time table.
But how about a suggestion: if you feel that there is too much stress in our life, just make some of my hair grey like everyone else's body does. I'll understand, believe me.
Thanks in advance,
Maanji

Strange chat

This post is dedicated to my sweet ex-colleagues in Prague so this time I'm writing in English.
I worked with you guys for almost three years and I really miss it - the fun and the good relationship, although we never met in person.
One of the funniest experiences last week represents the whole thing very well. We are working with google spreadsheets in one of the projects with many languages, and it's quite on-the-fly localisation: we receive the mail to translate this or that, open the spreadsheet ourselves (not our resources) and simply put the translations in there.
Now last week I was filling the HU column when suddenly far below the translation area a string appeared in the CZ column, stating: "Zsofia was faster :D"
And then we started to chat.

I can tell that I never imagined to use a google spreadsheet for chatting but it was so fun I felt like hugging Filip. Thanks guys for the distant friendship and I definitely promise to go to Prague some day.