Self Develop Shop

About Me

Life is like paintings. As much as I'd like to show you a gallery of beautiful paintings, I can't. The truth is, behind each painting are countless sheets with blotches, rather than art. If life is a journey, then the roads I have taken were not always straight. But you know what? The blotches and potholes made me who I am today, living and loving life.

The Art of Life

For the last 10 years, I worked for the US government as a human resources professional. I am grateful for everything I learned and new skills I acquired even as I continue to improve in other areas. From a career perspective, the valuable experience I gained has made me marketable. As proud as I am for receiving several prestigious recognitions, it came at a price too.

It is not always easy working with people. Each person is distinct. While I have met a lot of great people, there are others who could suck the air out of the room. Like a black dot on a sheet of blank paper, toxic people stands out and can make life miserable. As if the stress of the job was not enough, the negativity of my working environment made it worse.

Where has the beautiful world I envisioned as a child gone to?

Did the world around me change?

And then I had a realization. The world has not changed. Human nature has not changed. What changed was how I think and see the world. You and I, we both live in the same world, but we do not see it the same. Wouldn't it be great if we could both see how wonderful it is?

Painting a Beautiful World

I savor all the good things that happened to me. But I treasure all the negativities because that is how I started to change and grow. Instead of focusing on the externals, I looked inside myself. Who am I? What makes me happy? What is it that I desire? These are some of the questions I asked myself and thought about.

It may have taken a while but the more I understood myself, the more I was able to adapt to the world. It would not have been possible if I did not invest in growing myself. It's not about going philosophical and pondering on the questions and mysteries of life. What I learned is that personal development has changed my attitude. From the way I think, to the way I see the world, everything changed.

Painting Together

As the process of growing myself continued, I am blessed to have the opportunity to help. Clients and friends, it doesn't matter who. So as long as I could help people, I feel an immense sense of fulfillment. I care about people and my advocacies.

Being happy is important for me as I am sure it is for you. But being happy alone is not real happiness. It can only be so if I can share the happiness, the positive energy, and the wisdom.

When all is said and done, I’d like to be remembered as someone who has changed the lives of people positively. From the time I graduated with a degree in international law, to the years I spent working, the invaluable experience I gained prepared me well in my role as a situational mentor for the US Department of State.

Writing is a great way to impart knowledge. I am privileged to have contributed to several top personal development blogs including Pick theBrain, Just Be Real, Penelope Trunk, Steven Aitchison, and Thinking Minds. Writing can make me live for many centuries after my death. And I wanted to create a blog that will build a legacy that would outlive me.

So I created this blog to allow me to serve you, my friend. This is where I could take you on a journey to self-discovery. Let me share my experience with you as I experience them. Allow me to tell you the things I learned that changed the way I look at life and career.

I believe that you have greatness within. Begin your journey to the greatness just by subscribing to my newsletter.

Will we paint a beautiful world together? Connect with me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

My name is Ane Krstevska. It is my honor and privilege to have you as a reader of my blog and friend forever.

In parting, I’d like to leave you with the words of Oprah Winfrey, a remarkable woman I truly admire: “Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.”

Thank you for visiting.

As seen on: Pick The Brain Steven Aitchison Just Be Real Thinking Minds