Real-time Resilience response
I started blogging in 2012, and in 2015 my daughter came on board and helped me transition to a website www.proyectatubienestar.com. Through the site, we promote well-being and personal growth. We offer a variety of tools to help our Hispanic community connect with valuable information that will benefit them with many different aspects of their life.
In 2018 she suggested that I attend WOHASU( World Happiness Summit) to learn and to meet people who were promoting my same vision. Also, the event will encourage me to finish and publish my book: “Aprender y Des-Aprender Claves para una Transformación” Learning and Unlearning Keys to a Transformation.”
On the first day when I arrived at the place, I thought it was a tremendous experience, but although I felt grateful to be there, I felt that I was not competitive enough and not fluently sufficient in my second language: English.
I felt low confidence because of language, I felt lonely and alone, and I was isolated on my first day. This was my first trap: second-guessing myself.
The second trap was about mind-reading. At the end of that day, I went to the Botanical Garden by myself. Soon after I went to the hotel, I evaluated my day. I was pleased about all the concepts and all the exciting and knowledgeable speakers that I met. It was a privilege to be there.
Consequently, I was thinking about how people would imagine me since I was unable to talk nor to share anything with them during the conferences. “What kind of professional was I?” Was I the person who wanted to become a mentor, speaker, and a writer?”
I felt like I had very high expectations about myself than the real me. How I pretended to talk about self confidence through my blog if I was not capable of starting a conversation about what I was doing? After that, I told myself that I wouldn’t want to waste this opportunity to grow and to meet people. I started the evidence: I’m a Social Worker, and I speak English all day at work. Also, I’m a blogger, I have excellent communication skills, I can build positive relationships, and I will publish my book.
On the second day, I pushed myself to start some connections. In that morning, during the break, I found two Hispanic guys, and I introduced myself to them by coincidence; one of them was born in my native country Colombia. After that, I felt more confident. By the lunch break, I was able to share my lunchtime with two American ladies contemporary to me. At the end of the second day, I went to the beach, and by coincidence, I met the same two ladies who I shared lunch with. We were shocked and surprised about it. We took pictures, talked, and exchanged our personal information.
During the event, one side of my brain said, “who do you think you are?” And the other side said, “all the concepts learned in WOHASU are in accordance with your book.” It was another example of evidence; I realized that I was writing my book in the right direction. I felt that I could become a speaker one day, but I was just shy and not confident enough to express myself to other people.
At the end of the summit, I blamed myself for not bringing home sufficient contacts to networking my website. But the more helpful way to see this is to see the brighter side, I had just learned and reinforced concepts and validated a significant portion of my website content and book, and on top of that, I made two connections that I didn’t even know I could make. Besides, It was my first time in this kind of event, and next time I will be better.