Do not judge people, but seek a way to them with kindness

Introduce yourself in a few sentences..

I am Eli Alexandrova – a woman, curious about life, charged with creative energy. I have a doctorate in public communications and I am the author of the project Consciousness and Meaning – a podcast and events for the soul.

What did you dream of becoming in your childhood years?

I remember how once my grandmother took me with her to the bank. I liked everything there so much – the beautiful desks, the elegant people, the serious atmosphere… I said that when I grow up, I want to work in a bank. This came true, like most things we wish for. It was a little different than it seemed 😊

At what age did you earn your first money? Tell us an interesting story?

During the summer vacation between 8th and 9th grade, I worked with my friend at her father's egg farm – we sorted the eggs from large trays into small packages for the retail network. We spent our first “salaries” on ice cream.

What are the main factors and examples that shape us as individuals at an earlier age and form our interests? What is your recipe for curiosity, sources and wells of information and inspiration at this stage of our human development?

The factors are always the people around us – those with whose care and around whom we grow and become independent individuals: family, teachers, friends… I don’t have a recipe for curiosity because it is innate to me and rather sometimes I make efforts to limit it, because too many things interest me. Sources of information and inspiration are podcasts, of course! 😊

Has there been any significant change in your perceptions in more mature age regarding what motivates you to do or not do something?

Definitely. The perception changed from what I “should” to what I want.

Whose decision was it where to pursue higher education and what to study? Was this decision correct, looking at it from today’s perspective?

The decision was entirely mine and supported by my parents. I really wanted to study Public Relations at Sofia University and I remember how happy I was when I was accepted. Later, I upgraded to a doctorate in public communications – every decision was right, part of my personal path.

Share with us more about your interests, knowledge, skills, and hobbies?

As I shared, I try to limit them because I can’t keep up with them. The intersection of my interests, knowledge, skills, and hobbies is definitely Consciousness and Meaning. Everything I love: psychology, philosophy, spirituality, art, health, business – all areas of life that excite me.

Would you change your profession today and which fields of activity capture your interest?

I would upgrade with a specialization in psychology – that is my plan and I believe that these skills will become increasingly valuable with the development of technologies. In my opinion, it will give us the opportunity to return to our human essence and nature, which we know too little and have not particularly developed.

They say that the personal brand is everything that people say about you when you are not in the same room with them. What would you like to hear today?

Recently, a close friend asked me to write a post on social media about her new business venture. She said: “write something from your things there about meaning and love”. That is what I would like to hear – Eli, with her things there about meaning and love. Nothing else excites me.

Emotional intelligence, adaptability, and flexibility, as well as our soft skills are key conditions for success in the last few years. How do you cope with the daily challenges of life to stay in good shape and mood?

In the context of what has been written so far, these are my topics and my nature is such that they do not represent a challenge for me. Rather, my cause is to spread them, teach them, pass them on. My recipe for good shape and mood in everyday life is movement – I love to walk and listen to music, a podcast, or a book. This relaxes and energizes me at the same time.

What are the most important conclusions you have drawn so far about maintaining the right communication considering the different characters of the people you meet every day – colleagues, friends, close ones?

I have said it before, and I will continue to repeat it: I try not to allow myself to judge people because I do not know what personal battle each one is fighting behind the mask they often wear out of necessity. There is a path to absolutely every person that begins with kindness.

What do you think about money? What is their influence on your life? What is your advice to people who often ask themselves questions related to money and how sufficient they are?

My personal aspiration is to have enough money to afford what I want. Not too much, so that it doesn’t engage my attention too much, and not less than I need. Money is a means and would never be my goal. I wouldn’t give advice on the matter because each of our individual attitudes towards money is determined by various subjective factors.

What is the most valuable career advice you would give to people?

To do what makes them wake up in the morning with a smile and eagerness to get to work, without feeling like work. For some, it may be trading on the financial markets, for others to sew clothes, work in the field, shoot podcasts… as long as we are in good health, living in peaceful times and without natural disasters – everything else depends only on us and is our personal responsibility.