Blog Archives - Women in the world of Coffee

There are no pleasures in a battale, but some battles are a pleasure to win - by Irene Gutierrez

1/30/2015

Irene with classmates

Handicapped athletes fighting against the turning tides

Daily Life with a constant desire to expand

What is it that they call inspiration? To whom does it belong? The dictionary describes it, as the entry of air into the lungs, but actually it is what takes my breath away and makes me shed tears of joy. It’s an invitation to dream of “what if”.

Just thinking about it brings me back in time; to the first time I spoke in public. I had prepared a speech for my student’s election campaign. When I took the microphone, I took a deep breath and spoke from the bottom of my heart. From that moment on, I chose to do so for all other occasions. The result was that I won the student election. I believed in myself and that was enough to inspire confidence and trust in the work that I really wanted to achieve.

What did I learn from that experience? That inspiration is the key that brings us out of that comfort zone, unrelated to the source, which may be from something ordinary to something as internal and unique as me. Inspiration is the "force" that pushes us towards our journey, allowing us to overcome difficult times. I dare to call it, the medicine that helps cure laziness, the “I can’t” or “it’s not possible” and “what would the others say?” that always holds us back.

Today, people who want to be better every day for themselves and for others, nourish my inspiration. Many examples are WOMEN who get ahead in their jobs, in their cities and even in the world after constantly hearing that we are "the weaker sex": they are athletes, under unimaginable conditions that achieve big goals and become national heroes. The handicapped, fighting against the turning tides, and I cannot forget the writers of life, whose magic words invite me to read and allow me to dream of my hopes, with a future that is mine and teaches me to fight for what I most desire.

My inspiration then is different from the description of the dictionary, because I define it as “Daily Life with a constant desire to expand”. It’s the part of me that I share in every relationship and not the part that I expect back, because to be inspired, I must be positive, I must know what I want from me and what I choose to give of me.

Life doesn't get better by chance, but by change – by Kattia Barrantes

1/22/2015

Immagine

Change is a factor that has been instrumental in my life and it has left lasting impressions in many decisive moments. It has allowed me to enjoy happy and bitter situations, and each has shaped the woman I am today.

Change to me is what determines what we are and makes us unique people, what we do and we want to accomplish. It shapes the character that slowly, with difficulties and sorrows, opens the mind and makes us aware of the path we must follow to achieve a full life.

Change is necessary to grow as people and as professionals. Sometimes change is a choice and sometimes it is there by design. As humans, sometimes it is difficult to realize the time when we must make a change of direction in our lives. Change can sometimes be risky, it creates distrust and the fear of not knowing what will happen and what to expect. That is why we falter and remain reluctant to change. Other times, change presents a situation easier to visualize and we see our growth and development as individuals; our happiness.

The important thing is to grasp change, in any way it comes, with a good attitude. The gift of life was given to us to be happy, to enjoy it to the fullest, and to live it while we each build our paths. We must always view change as a reinvention, growth, improvement, a door that opens to reveal new directions and make the most out of new situations.

I invite anyone who is reading this article to cope with change, to reinvent ourselves with this stroke of fresh air, full of triumphs, hopes and achievements that will last over time. Change will always be an ally; it is within us to see it that way.