Develop your unique handwriting and write your story sincerely and boldly

Introduce yourself in a few sentences..

Hello, I am Velizara Surchadzhieva. First of all, I am an adventurer. My most valuable qualities are childlike curiosity and a clear view of the world.

Otherwise, I am a freelance actress and I have to be an initiator of projects of which I am a part. Therefore, I developed skills as a theater manager. “Duende 14” is the theater organization through which we create and distribute performances with like-minded people. “Duende” means higher inspiration, which represents an inexplicable feeling of creation, it happens only during a live performance in front of an audience.

Theater is my passion, sound design also attracts me, although I have only tasted it a little at this stage. Besides my acting role, I recently discovered that I have the need to express myself in writing.

I enrolled in a master's program in journalism and destiny led me to our national radio. I rediscovered its magic, and now I am part of its world.

What did you dream of becoming in your childhood?

I wanted to be a veterinarian for quite a long time, I love animals, I grew up among them. My husband would say about this sentence, “it shows,” but yes, it’s a fact.

But the subject of chemistry in school troubled me a lot, and my spontaneity and constant search for adrenaline and challenges turned out to be more important to me.

At what age did you earn your first money? Tell us some curious incident?

At 16, I went to work at a campsite by the sea, making pancakes. It was for a short time, my boss was not particularly decent and I returned home defeated.  

The next year I worked as a waitress for an acquaintance. My family has always had financial means, but I really wanted to be independent, and I couldn't stay in one place. My mother suffered a lot from my ambitions because I was always in a fatal situation.

I remember that when I worked as a waitress and bartender for an acquaintance, I was placed at the “Lobby Bar” of the hotel. They claimed that hardly anyone comes there and it is calm. The first few days it was like that, but then it became chaotic. I could barely manage to prepare drinks and serve them. Once while making a frappe for a girl, I splashed her with coffee. She was wearing a pure white dress, which became stained with brown spots. I felt guilty for ruining her outfit and apologized to her multiple times. Despite this, she accused me of doing it on purpose, because I was jealous of her. That’s when I realized that there’s no point in convincing people of your correctness. We all look through the limitation of our own prisms.

The clash with reality far from the capsule of home developed me a lot. Besides discipline and character, it built my empathy towards others. In my opinion, this is the most valuable human quality.

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

Every person is born with a certain soulfulness that pushes them to experience certain situations and create them.

Another thing that shapes us are the traumas we carry and develop, and if they remain unresolved, they may be our brake towards realization. Of course, the environment in which we grow up: our parents, our relatives, our teachers are important for our interests. To open a new page, often someone has flipped it beforehand.

My source of inspiration and information has always been books. Through them, I not only developed my imagination, but many times they have guided me. I have often been enthusiastic about what happens in their lines and have set new goals or experiences that I want to happen to me.

Of course, the media and social networks are another source of information that we cannot do without. Communicating with different people also inspires me and gives me room for reflection in unexpected directions. 

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

Sometimes I overthink certain opportunities more than necessary. But it is necessary to rather dive in boldly, so as not to limit ourselves. The difference from before is that now I appreciate more the chances I have, I am more grateful. Impulsiveness and impatience were part of my role, but I no longer allow them to weigh me down.

My desire to do things has always been based on my interest in them, on the challenge I discover. I love provocations, which is why I prefer dynamics, tension, and lack of comfort. I believe that this is how I develop and accordingly I could be useful.

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 mine, my parents are far from artistic circles. After I graduated from high school, I was confused, I didn't know what attracted me, I liked literature and the Bulgarian language and biology in school. But I applied for psychology, but my grades were not high enough to get in. After that, I worked for a year. At that time, I had the feeling that out of nowhere I thought of applying to NATFIZ.

Later, I realized that in my school years I loved going to the Sliven theater and watched the same performances many times. My closest friend attended an acting school, which I was too embarrassed to enroll in. I was extremely insecure, to the point that I felt uncomfortable looking a stranger in the eye or buying coffee.

I did not succumb to my feelings of inferiority and applied to the National Academy for Theater and Film Arts. Thanks to the teachers who predisposed me during the exams, I was able to come out of my shell and show a little of what I carry. It was enough to get into “Acting for Puppet Theater.” This was also my first wish, I listened to my intuition back then, I had no idea about either of the two schools. I can now categorically state that from the puppet school an actor can become more multi-layered, bright, extreme, reflective, surprising. Puppet theater is much more difficult than dramatic. When done well, it requires much more skills.

So far, I have only had dramatic roles professionally. I would like to participate in a puppet performance, I am also interested in the children’s audience. The attention of children is harder to capture, but once you do, you feel their unconditional faith and love.

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

I am excited about theater and artistic literature. Psychology and human relationships are also curious to me. I like to work with myself as an instrument through which to express myself and send messages. I mean with my voice, as well as my psycho-physics. The provocation to immerse yourself in the thought process of another person, to build a foreign image, energizes and enriches me. The stage attracts me a lot, as does connecting with the audience.

Currently, my hobbies are painting, specifically on textiles, I often gift hand-painted t-shirts to my loved ones. In my free time, I read, walk on eco trails and mountain routes, practice yoga, pilates, and contemporary dance.

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

I would not change my professions. Both activities that I perform—acting and journalism—are vast. You can search, create, study, find more in both. Innovation, bright presence, and a characteristic handwriting are essential.

What I might add to my activities in the future is creative writing. But I want to have sufficient knowledge, skills, and a stable foundation to take this on as well.

I am one of those people who value preparation. Of course, practice teaches the most, but when you have a clear direction and know what you are doing.

They say that your 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?

I would like to leave a positive impact on people. Smiles or something like “Oh, that Velizara!”, with an undertone of surprise at my specific character, would make me happy.

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?

 I focus my attention on things that energize me.

Taking care of our two dogs, as well as training, helps me relax. But the stage is the biggest outlet for me. After a performance, I feel recharged and inspired!

What are the most important conclusions you have made so far about maintaining proper communication considering the different characters of the people you meet daily – colleagues, friends, relatives?

I try not to take anything personally. I am often completely open, I don’t wear masks, but I also separate my personal from my professional life.

If I happen to enter into a confrontation, I insist that we clarify what happened with the other party, so that there are no hard feelings. But the most important lesson I have learned is not to take anything too deeply.

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?

Money is energy, a necessity. In our material world, they are a medium of exchange for our efforts.

 I don’t like it when they become an end in themselves for a person, “no matter how, just to make money from somewhere.” Often this is a sign that the person is lost in life.

It used to be hard for me to appreciate my efforts and accordingly to receive rewards for them.  Let’s not forget that the emotional reward is no less valuable than the material one.

My advice is to value our work and not be afraid to ask for higher pay. In freelance professions, I notice that the older generation does not value their work, they are afraid of being replaced by someone who will work for less money. I mean the artistic circles. It would be wonderful to fight for higher rewards, not to settle and strive to be comfortable.

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

Develop your unique handwriting and write your story sincerely and boldly!