Guest post Alexandra Matica - The Monkey and the Princess
From time to time I am lucky enough that great inspiring people chose my blog to share beautiful stories and today is such a day. I know Alexandra from our Toastmasters days and she is a woman that has the most beautiful smile and amazing big green eyes - her voice is always happy and inspires you to smile. It is a great joy to meet from time to time with her face to face!
She send me this article when O and I were at meeting with the family in Adjud for a reunion and since I try as much as possible to keep away from phone and laptop and spend time in face to face conversation it took until today to share her article with you.
Alexandra - thank you for trusting my readers and I with your amazing personal story!
The Monkey and the Princess
By Alexandra Matica
You'll never believe how my Easter present from a colleague ended up representing my two mentors. We each received a Kinder Egg, and my boss and I both got a surprise toy inside. His was a princess, and mine was a monkey. Seeing the look on his face, I offered to switch toys, but he felt that the monkey was more for him. He explained that during his CrossFit training, he had to do a hand walk competition, and he felt a special connection to the monkey because of that experience. training when he had to walk in the hands.
At the end I kept both toys and the monkey and the princess found a spot on my desk and remained there for weeks.
It suddenly hit me …. they represented my two mentors. I've been fortunate enough to have two incredible mentors who have helped shape my career and personal growth.
Meet my mentors: the monkey and the princess. At first glance, this may seem like an odd pairing, but for me, the monkey and the princess represent two distinct types of mentorship that have been invaluable to me.
The monkey represents the "hands-on" mentor. This type of mentor rolls up their sleeves and leads by example, showing you the ropes through their own hard work and dedication. The monkey mentor is always willing to lend a helping hand, whether it's giving feedback on a project or introducing you to a potential new contact.
On the other hand, the princess represents the "big picture" mentor. Just as the phoenix rises from the ashes, my princess mentor has shown resilience and strength in the face of adversity. Like Cinderella, she has faced challenges and setbacks but has always persevered and come out stronger on the other side. Her guidance has helped me to see beyond my immediate tasks and think strategically about my career goals. And just like the phoenix bird, her wisdom and experience have helped me to rise above challenges and achieve success. The princess mentor has been there, done that, and can provide valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in your industry.
Together, the monkey and the princess have been an unstoppable force in my professional development. The monkey has taught me the importance of hard work, dedication, and attention to detail. The princess has helped me to see the bigger picture and think strategically about my career trajectory.
What I appreciate most about my mentors is their mutual respect and support for one another. They may come from different backgrounds and have different approaches to mentorship, but they both share a common goal: to help me succeed.
If you're fortunate enough to have one or more mentors in your life, take a moment to appreciate them. And if you're still looking for a mentor, don't be afraid to reach out and ask for help. You never know who might be willing to lend a hand and guide you on your journey.
Hi there! My name is Alexandra Matica and I'm a proud mother of two wonderful children.
By day, I work as a customer service representative for a company, and by night (or rather, on my days off), I use my expertise in insurance to work a part-time job. But that's not all I do - my husband and I also run our own business where we provide personalized consultations in IT and offer different types of trainings. It's a lot of work, but we love what we do and take pride in helping others.
In my free time, I like to attend Toastmasters Arad meetings , where I have the opportunity to meet new people and improve my public speaking skills. I'm also passionate about personal development and I’m always on the lookout for ways to grow and improve myself. Whether it's through reading books, attending seminars, or trying out new hobbies, I'm always up for a new challenge.
Overall, I'm a busy but driven person who values hard work, family, and personal growth.
