Last week I have spent some time together with Nicholas evaluating the MyGen finals of the students at Amsterdam Fashion Institute. It was an experience both interesting, full of vulnerability and inspiration. It also gave me some ideas to speak more about the power of presenting and how you can really get a good glimpse into someone within 7 minutes of presentation and 8 minutes of asking them follow-up questions. So here are my takeaways from the experience that might help anyone with presenting or speaking in public…

Way back, what now feels like an eternity, maybe in March this year, a journalist asked me some questions. And one of those questions was “what do you think is the biggest obstacle when it comes to helping people fleeing the war in Ukraine?”. I remember not taking a pause to think. I remember it was so clear then and feels like premonition now. I said, “the biggest issue is perseverance”. I believed it so strongly then as see now how much fatigue people have when it comes to heavy imagery, unresolved issues, people suffering, survivors' guilt, guilt for having more than those unlucky ones or many other issues I hear from people as time goes by.

Maybe nine years ago, I have placed this post-it note on a window in my room as a reminder for myself to be warry. It said “if you are the smarterst person in the room, you are in a wrong room”. And I really carried those words with me. I kept it as a reminder for growth and for constantly challenging myself. Not just for looking for new rooms, chellenging the “norm”, creating opportunities that feed my hunger to learn and explore….

I heard this sentence “we always find words for the things we no longer need to say” and it really grabbed me. I always question so I was really questioning it. Do we? What are things we no longer need to say? What’s the point? How much weight and importance do we put on the words? Into them? Around them? How much silence needs to linger around the words to make them feel or seem different? More or less important. More or less heavy. Words like love or pain? War? Freedom?

Some random reseach shared during the moments of challenged motivation, inspiration and tying it all together for the world that I want to trust with my whole heart.

Let’s talk about reality, about things that touch our skin. That touch my skin. That land in the parts of the soul that haven’t been remembered for a long time.
How we dare to grow in pain, despite of pain, how we shiver through the light we call humanity. How we hold hands and expand through love…..

A few days ago we celebrated the restoration of the independence of Lithuania. I remember that day thirty-two years ago not super clearly. But I remember fear and uncertainty that was surrounding it for a good while. And the past few weeks I recognise this same uncertainty, anxiety and disbelief of what is going on…

Based on a theory by Hermann von Helmholtz, who was among the first scientists who calculated the rate of nerve conduction in humans. Helmholtz approximated that the speed of nerve conduction in humans was between 50-100 meters per second. I have been thinking a lot about that lately…

Reflecting on the workshop I held in Rotterdam this week for the lecturers of Hogeschool Rotterdam. Really happy that gender is also a language that we are developing to make the world more inclusive, connected and inspiring.

Sharing my life experiences and achievements with three groups of students at UWC Maastricht this week.

Yesterday I gave presentation about my journey through the experiences of NGO, volunteer work and education design over the years that felt really confronting and heavy to prepare but really turned out into a beautiful experience of embracing authenticity.

Tone of voice is not what you say but how you say it. This encompasses not only the words you choose but their order, rhythm and pace. Rather confusingly, when seen in business and marketing, the phrase ‘tone of voice” refers to written — rather than spoken — words.
Making sure your message is clear and easily understood by your audience is imperative in any business.

And while I pick the fruit filling the large buckets and enjoying the jolly banter of zio Mimmo (or uncle Mimmo) in the background (or sometimes really close to me!) I cannot help but wonder how this wine will taste next year….