Ted Talk, El Salvador and New Goals!
I returned home to Portugal last week and spent the weekend reflecting on the last few weeks, which has been incredible in so many ways.
On June 9th I got on a plane to Germany, where I was going to give my first Tedx Talk in Aachen. The days leading up to the talk were packed with rehearsals, dealing with nerves and a bit of sight-seeing around the city. I also had time to catch up with my mum, who traveled all the way from Denmark to be there with me, and my dear friends Jason and Theresa, who took a nine-hour train from Berlin to see my talk. It was incredibly special to have them there after not seeing them for such a long time.
On Saturday, June 11th, I got on stage to deliver my Tedx Talk; something I have been working very hard towards for the last two years. I hired a coach and spent months writing the script, re-drafting, memorizing and rehearsing. Believe me, it was not always fun: I got frustrated, demotivated and felt like giving up several times along the way. But standing there on the stage in front of a big audience sharing a message and an idea I am passionate about was very special, and I had the feeling that I touched a lot of people with my story. All the hard work was suddenly worth it. I have been a big fan of Ted Talks for years, but only this experience made me realize how much work my favorite speakers must have put into their talks.
Delivering my Ted Talk in Aachen at TedxRWTHAachen. photo by Devashish Gaikwad
It was an amazing day connecting with the other speakers, who also had great ideas and delivered amazing talks. The speakers were very diverse and included everything from a physicist to a singer to a cancer researcher to a hospital clown - all with their very own unique and inspiring stories. The team in Aachen did an amazing job, and it was a pleasure to experience the whole event; the speeches, networking opportunities, lunch, music and much more.
And all of a sudden, the next day I was catching a plane to El Salvador in order to report on the World Surf League’s Surf City El Salvador Pro Presented by Corona event for Corona. I barely had time to think about what just happened and what I just achieved before I was on to my next big adventure, something that has also been my goal since I was a little girl: to report from a major sports event.
It was very special to have my mum and my friends Theresa and Jason with me in Aachen. Photo by Devashish Gaikwad
Sport has always been a big part of my life, and not just as a former professional horse rider and competitive surfer.
I remember being a little girl on holiday in Italy with my family. My Dad would take me to the bar every afternoon for an iced tea and to watch the last hour of the Tour de France. I absolutely loved it. I loved seeing how hard the athletes were fighting, I loved seeing all the emotions that the sport brought up in people and I loved the competitive aspect. This was where the dream started: the dream to follow big sporting events such as the Tour the France as a journalist.
Fast forward 20 years and I never forgot this dream, even though life sometimes turned out differently, I always kept my passion for sport. I completed a Master’s Degree in Marketing; I worked within the travel and surfing business for years; I made a few films about my story. And then, suddenly, I found myself in El Salvador interviewing the world's number one surfer, Filipe Toledo. It was an incredible experience to be part of such a big event and team up with Corona, an amazing, creative and innovative brand. El Salvador also surprised me positively in so many ways; great waves, welcoming locals and amazing food!
Interviewing Filipe Toledo after his heat win in El Salvador for Corona.
It was one of my first experiences speaking directly to the camera and, at first, it made me a little nervous. As the days went by, I felt more and more comfortable and now, as I reflect on this incredible week that I’ve just had, it was my absolute honor and privilege to interview the world's best surfers, connect with amazing people and, of course, catch a few waves for myself.
I said it before and I am going to say it again: I believe setting goals is one of the most powerful tools to gain clarity about what you want, how to get there and to keep motivation high. At the end of last year, I wrote a list of goals I wanted to accomplish this year. On top of that list was; give a Ted Talk and work at a WSL event. I looked at that list every day, made a plan and worked hard to reach it. And now, looking back I feel very grateful for this amazing experience and all the hard work I put into it.
As we near the end of June and hit the halfway point of 2022, I want to know: what are your goals for the rest of the year? What could you accomplish if you started today?
