Visul, drumul și metamorfoza | Anda Suman | TEDxCopouWomen

Discovering My Dream

• The speaker had a different speech prepared but changed it after connecting with people who inspired her, and she is now a cocktail of emotions, wanting to share her journey of discovering her dream and what she learned along the way (23s).
• Before becoming an artist, she worked in the agro-industrial European sector, equipping wine and dairy factories with equipment, from storage tanks to bottling lines, and learned from many people she met in the process (1m7s).
• She interacted with various individuals, including businesspeople, simple people, and investors, who taught her valuable lessons and helped shape her into the person she is today (1m50s).
• Her life at that time was connected to the Romanian legislation, which required all factories to operate according to a specific European standard, and she had to equip factories in the Vrancea and Galati region with the required equipment (2m23s).

Journey in the Agro-Industrial Sector

• Working in a male-dominated industry taught her what it means to live in a man's world, and she had to learn to navigate this environment, often pretending to know more than she did to avoid being discovered as a non-professional (3m8s).
• She developed her communication skills, learning to connect with people directly and professionally, which helped her in sales and taught her how to manage her emotions when needed (3m50s).
• She learned to select clients who shared her vision, specifically those who wanted to produce a certain type of wine through financing, and those who inherited traditions and vineyards, and she built a portfolio of clients who were inheritors (4m18s).
• A business venture initially received funding, which led to the realization that the work, although not initially enjoyable, had become the most beautiful experience, as it involved traveling to different counties, listening to people's stories, and equipping factories to the highest standards, ensuring the family's legacy would continue (4m50s).
• This experience taught that nothing is too difficult and that it was a challenge, as life was put on hold while being caught up in the story, and the desire was to get back to personal life, but the car's trunk was full of items, like a French platter, yet there was no one to share it with (5m36s).
• The desire to master the domain and balance life led to working from Monday to Sunday, resulting in exhaustion, and the realization that this path was not the right one, despite meeting successful people with great stories (6m22s).

Transition and Self-Discovery

• Being part of organizing Agro-Industry exhibitions at Romexpo made it clear that it was not the right place, and it was just a step towards something else, leading to a return to what was truly enjoyed (6m48s).
• A new path was found in embracing a part of Psychology, specifically psycho-pedagogy, and finding peace while working with two wonderful children, which was about real connection with oneself, knowing emotions, and connecting with the inner child (7m26s).
• This experience led to a deeper understanding of emotions and connection with oneself, which was lacking in the past, and eventually, it led to a new path, finding peace and calm for two years (7m51s).

Embracing the Art of Sewing

• During this time, a new passion was discovered – the art of sewing with a needle, which led to closing all doors to open one gate, the gate to oneself and freedom, and finding the courage to take out an old profession from the treasure chest, a profession passed down from grandmothers (8m17s).
• Today, the focus is on being close to the needle and thread, sewing, creating traditional shirts, and painting with the needle, which brings the freedom to be oneself, although challenges were also encountered on this path (9m0s).

Connecting with the Art World

• A connection was made with a world of artists, which initially was not known how to be done, but was achieved by searching for passionate people about art and working under the guidance of a mentor, who was also a mother figure, for nine years (9m23s).
• The desire was to live a simple and beautiful life, enjoying what was being done, but the world of artists was created through connections with people, which led to creating, receiving interviews, and having an online handmade store (10m20s).
• After the first interview, a lady contacted, and the store was the only handmade portal at that time, which led to creating a marketing strategy without a team, models, or paid photographers, and becoming the brand's image due to financial limitations (10m36s).
• The desire was to sew and have time to sew, and a lesson was learned that to be free means to be worthy, to keep the back and shoulders straight, and warm (11m51s).
• The story continued by sewing flowers, connecting with people, and creating a community that carries the creations and stories, not just being clients (12m10s).

Overcoming Challenges and New Techniques

• The art of sewing and creating embroidery was paused due to vision loss, but a new tactile technique was created to continue creating, using the sense of touch to feel the contours (12m47s).
• The new technique allowed for painting with a needle, using real painting techniques, but not the cross-stitch technique, which required too much eye strain (13m2s).
• Despite two diagnoses from an ophthalmologist, the creation of real embroidery continued, and surprisingly, the ability to sew cross-stitch again was regained (13m35s).

Self-Reflection and Metamorphosis

• There's something that needs to stop us in order to see our evolution, to look at ourselves, and to listen to ourselves; it's about slowing down and moving forward with our own art, which serves as therapy (14m20s).
• The journey of self-discovery and growth can be divided into three stages: the dream, the path, and the metamorphosis, with the latter being the current stage, as it involves building neural networks by focusing on something that takes us out of our usual thought patterns (14m34s).
• The metamorphosis stage is about creating art that brings joy and connects us with others, as every creation that reaches people is a part of our story and a part of who we are meant to become (15m26s).

The Importance of Human Connection

• Each person who comes into our lives is a mirror and a part of us, and if we are here now, it's not by chance, but because of an invisible thread that brings us closer together (15m59s).
• Learning to love people is essential, as they help us become who we are, and it's possible to love them because they love us back (16m10s).
• The art of being is about embracing our true selves and sharing our stories with others, and it's essential to connect with people and bring out the best in ourselves to create the world we desire (18m29s).
• The key to a better world is to start with ourselves, and by doing so, we can create a world that is good and beautiful, as it begins with each individual (18m32s).

Sharing My Story and Connecting with Others

• A story about people who truly love and believe that each person was sent by God to create what they desire, which was a very short story, and an attempt was made to be concise (18m38s).
• The speech was initially different, but after being contacted by the TEDx team to share the story of Ana Maria, it was realized that it's challenging to archive an entire life in 18 minutes (19m10s).
• The message is to stay close to people, and having the courage to do so, and being open to answering questions and providing encouragement to those who desire it (19m35s).
• It's possible to find and connect with people online without spending money, and the goal is to remain a source of inspiration and to reach the value of being content, as taught by grandparents (19m57s).
• The importance of staying true to oneself and finding value in being, rather than just existing, is emphasized, and gratitude is expressed (20m12s).