Fly High Reach the Sky (eBook)

7 Ways for Women to Take Action in Life

Esther Beltran (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2017 | 1. Auflage
200 Seiten
10-10-10 Publishing (Verlag)
9781772771893 (ISBN)

Infos

What is the right decision? Where will this path lead? This is part of life for every woman, isn't it? This book shares how the author, Dr. Esther Beltran, has dealt with these uncertainties through her personal life stories. The book shares her journey from a little girl in Catalonia to where she is today, working with NASA, as a leader in Medicine, Science and Aerospace. Some of these stories have been shared with students and audiences, others are being shared publicly for the first time. The stories are intended to ignite a spark of inspiration and empowerment for women. Life gives us plenty of opportunities to laugh at ourselves, and Dr. Esther's contagious sense of humor is evident throughout the book. She says, 'It is my goal to show you life through my eyes, with hopes that you might gain a small pearl of wisdom from my '7 flight lessons.' It is also my hope that you would get a glimpse of my true spirit, the real me underneath all the titles and list of accomplishments, one that at times comes across a bit comical.' In the past, women's voices were silent or unheard. Our thoughts and ideas were hidden from the world. Now, those points of view can be expressed and heard. Why aren't we, as women, using the voice we have been given? This is the mantra of this book. It is time for women to 'Fly High,' to be seen, to be heard, and make a difference in this world!

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What is the right decision? Where will this path lead? This is part of life for every woman, isn't it?This book shares how the author, Dr. Esther Beltran, has dealt with these uncertainties through her personal life stories. The book shares her journey from a little girl in Catalonia to where she is today, working with NASA, as a leader in Medicine, Science and Aerospace. Some of these stories have been shared with students and audiences, others are being shared publicly for the first time. The stories are intended to ignite a spark of inspiration and empowerment for women. Life gives us plenty of opportunities to laugh at ourselves, and Dr. Esther's contagious sense of humor is evident throughout the book. She says, "e;It is my goal to show you life through my eyes, with hopes that you might gain a small pearl of wisdom from my "e;7 flight lessons."e; It is also my hope that you would get a glimpse of my true spirit, the real me underneath all the titles and list of accomplishments, one that at times comes across a bit comical."e; In the past, women's voices were silent or unheard. Our thoughts and ideas were hidden from the world. Now, those points of view can be expressed and heard. Why aren't we, as women, using the voice we have been given? This is the mantra of this book. It is time for women to "e;Fly High,"e; to be seen, to be heard, and make a difference in this world!

Textauszug

CULTIVATE YOUR PASSION

The Grounding Effect: Catalonia “The Mother Land”

AS A KID, I COULDN’T wait to start school. My mother says that even at age three or four I was excited about every opportunity to visit the school. When I finally reached school age, I would wake up early, four or five in the morning, because I didn’t want to be late. I would be dressed and ready to go long before my mother. I would pester her to hurry. Not that I was never late; I was usually the first or second student to arrive.

I loved learning. I was fascinated by each new discovery. Through my studies, I felt transported to a whole new world. Throughout my childhood, I was intrigued with learning and discovery, but I had also set my sights on a goal.

My mother tells me that I had wanted to be a medical doctor since I was five. I carried that desire in my heart from that young age, and it never changed. I was interested in anything that had to do with medicine; anything that had to do with healing and understanding the human body. It was more than just an intellectual interest. I empathized with those who were ill or injured; I had a desire to serve others, to be useful, to bring healing to people.

To fully understand this first step in my life’s journey, you need to also understand my heritage; how it has influenced me and continues to shape my life.

I grew up in Barcelona, Catalonia, a prosperous region bordering France with open access to the Mediterranean Sea.

Catalonia was founded around the 6th Century BC. Greeks founded the two cities what are today known as Roses and Empuries. From the 5th to the 3rd century BC, the Romans took over the area and created a more organized territory. The Romans created solid infrastructures, visible yet today, and established cities like Barcelona, and Tarragona. These cities are the two major economic engines for the entire country of Spain. Both cities have major shipping ports on the Mediterranean Sea.

I realize now that I might have been less accepting of others if I had not lived in an entrepreneurial society like Catalonia and Barcelona where there is a blend of cultures. Our society was developed over centuries from different influences dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Our culture continued to develop during the renewal of Modernism at the beginning of 20th century and continues to evolve today. It is this rich mix of cultures that drove the people of Catalonia to a future of exploration and discovery.

Catalonia has always been an entrepreneurial place of commerce and is continually advancing. It has given birth to visionaries who follow their vision and, more often than not, push the envelope, moving society forward at a much faster pace than other places in Southern Europe. Catalonia and Barcelona easily digest change. They are more flexible in their mentality and more accepting of the new than in some other areas of Spain. It is has been this way since ancient times and has often been a source of friction between Catalans and Spaniards.

The special characteristic that distinguishes Catalonia from the rest of Spain exists in their economic values. The Catalan point of view focuses on creating wealth, prosperity, and affluence, pushing the economy forward. There is an element of frugality; spend money where it should be spent and not wasted. This frugality has made Catalonians the subject of jokes in other parts of the country where saving is not that ingrained in their way of life.

There is an old joke in Spain that goes like this: “Do you know how copper wire was invented? Two Catalonians had hold of one copper coin. Since neither would let go, they ended up stretching the copper coin so thin that it became a long copper thread stretching the length of the street.”

They laugh at us, but I think there is a bit of envy too.

The entrepreneurial spirit involves risk, but it is also contagious. Along with knowledge, progress, and keeping up with discoveries, entrepreneurship involves a huge amount of investment. In many cases, it also brings resentment. I strongly believe that ignorance is the most effective and easiest way to control, threaten, and brainwash people, however, it doesn’t work very well in Catalonia. There is an element of rebellion and independence embedded in all Catalans and because of this there is also a maturity that comes through creating disobedience to unjust indoctrination.

Catalonia has a different perspective on the economic value system and how to spread wealth through the layers of society to create economic well-being. It is not just about penny pinching. Our society is more invested in family values and supporting one another to help prosper the whole society, not just ourselves. Catalans tend not to squander money but use money to make things happen. It is considered a tool, not just as a possession. That’s why we value commerce, business, the spread of ideas, and the exchange of knowledge. It is what moves society forward.

In Catalonia, you work when you need to work and have fun when the time is right. Catalonia is a hub where science, medicine, and the arts all intermingle. It is a place where there is a balance and appreciation for music, for architecture, for almost every facet of life on Planet Earth. We are a society trained to appreciate many aspects of life, valuing each one of them. There are Catalan pioneers in many fields, medicine being one of the most prominent.

Catalonia’s rich history gives me great pride. I love to share our uniqueness with people in the New World. (Yes, we still call you the New World.) When it comes to history, the Western Hemisphere is still in its infancy in comparison. What is considered old in the United States is thought of as recent history to me. The exception, of course, being the history of the native peoples, which begins long before explorers arrived from Europe.

I am proud of my heritage, as well as the choices I have made, which brought me to where I am today. All of these ingredients contributed to the vision I have for myself – one of prosperity and achievement. I learned not to give up, to be resilient, to follow my heart and to embrace my passion for discovery and exploration. I respect, appreciate and acknowledge the path I’ve chosen for my life. I have learned how creative and resourceful I am, even inventing new things when I saw the need.

All my experiences pushed me to grow and search for what, to me, is the real final frontier, understanding Earth as a whole and the discovery of new worlds. Every aspect of my journey has contributed to who I am and what I do today – a Space Scientist with NASA, working with and studying humans in harsh environments.

The Influence of Family

Our father created lots of disturbance in our lives. We had what I call “a drama a day” type of life. Therefore, our childhood wasn’t an easy one. My father was a very difficult person to live with and even much harder to endure. When my mother decided to end that situation, I was around thirteen. All of her children supported her in that decision. “The sooner the better” was our mindset.

My father was still an influence in my life of course, but I didn’t allow him to have much power over me. I knew what I wanted for my future; perhaps his negative influence was, in a way, reinforcing the positive, my rebellious tenacity to continue developing myself and achieve my goal of becoming a doctor.

As a child, I decided that nothing was going to distract me, deter me, or stop me from becoming a doctor. Whenever anybody asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was consistently the same, “I want to be a doctor.” If somebody asked me more elaborate questions, my answer was direct and very emphatic, “I want to be a doctor, like my uncle Guillem Moreso,” who was a trauma surgeon. My answer sent a clear message and there would be no more questions. Plain and simple, end of conversation.

Looking back, I believe that desire protected me from negative influences. My father was an architect with a Doctorate in Architecture. He hated the sight of blood. I know he respected and admired the medical profession but anything having to do with blood was not his forte. Knowing this weakness in him became my means of defense whenever he tried to intimidate me with the massive, self-impressed knowledge he had on almost any topic.

It was almost like I had determined my plan and was working out the execution of it every day. I knew it would take a long time; I knew I had to be patient. I knew that being consistent and disciplined would get me there, and I was. But I also knew there was room for fun. Even with grand plans and goals, you could still take time to enjoy life.

I believe having a very difficult father helped develop my emotional growth and maturity. It gave me a lot of tools and experiences which helped develop my personal coping skills. It prepared me for dealing with personalities like his later in life.

Wherever you go in life, you will face challenges. You have to channel that energy into something positive, something which doesn’t hinder you from being yourself. You start by respecting yourself; that is the minimum. Then you have a foundation to build upon.

I learned to be patient with myself and to be kind to myself, to not to beat myself up when I failed. I’ve learned to allow myself to experience the low points and grieve a little, but then I move on. The longer you stay in that low point, the harder it is to climb up...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 31.10.2017
• Vorwort: Raymond Aaron
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Beruf / Finanzen / Recht / Wirtschaft
• ISBN-13: 9781772771893 / 9781772771893