Growth Mindset ON with Cristina Crucianu

Have you ever considered that your "system"—the mental framework shaping your reality—might need a closer look to unlock new possibilities? What if unpacking it could reveal hidden parts of yourself—playful, untapped, and essential?

I vividly recall my sessions with Mark, whose unique approach shook me out of my bubble during a dark chapter in my life. His ability to challenge my perspective opened doors I didn’t even know existed, helping me see myself in new and transformative ways.

In this episode, Mark dives deeper into his method, sharing how he not only guides others but also continues to evolve through his work with clients. Stick around until the end for a hands-on exercise that might reveal which system is truly shaping your experience.

Cristina Crucianu is also the author of "Diary of a Transformation: Loss, Love and Finding a Way Forward" available on Amazon at https://amzn.eu/d/01TZvcXS

Have you ever wondered why people write memoirs?

In my case, I wanted to tell my story to find healing. Thanks to it, I've outgrown the pain I felt as an underprivileged kid.

Flavia who is an immigrant just like me shared her experience of coming to Spain, and her growth journey. A podcast that will inspire you to be kinder, and more open-minded about other's issues, and struggles.

Anna is originally from Ukraine, and she's had to leave her home, her possessions, and her country as she knew it when war struck in her country.

Her personal story of leaving Ukraine through my native Romania from where she eventually got into a plane, is harrowing, and difficult to digest.

Nonetheless, Anna always has a smile on, and takes life as it comes her way, accepting the best, and the worst with toughness, and grace.

Her strength, and resilience is an inspiration to me but I only wish that we lived in a world where people didn't have to go through similar experiences as her's, and we stopped unnecessary wars leading to generational trauma, and loss at so many levels.

It is worth mentioning that according to the United Nations, Russia’s three years of mass attacks on Ukraine are having a devastating effect on women and girls, with 1,869,000 internally displaced, almost 6.7 million women in need of humanitarian assistance, and more than 3,799 women and 289 girls killed, with the actual number of deaths likely much higher.

This episode is for those who have lived in survival mode for too long and are now ready to let go, heal, and turn Awareness Mode On.

Our guest, Hristina Racheva, is a career coach, somatics and nervous system facilitator, and the author of a Gratitude Journal designed to help people cultivate mindfulness and inner peace. With a long career in tech as a localization head and product manager, she is now on a sabbatical year traveling through Asia.

In this episode, we explore the deep connection between financial stability, creativity, and the nervous system’s response to adversity.

We discuss how growing up in adversity wires our nervous system to be constantly on high alert, and how somatics can help reduce this constant alertness to lead a more satisfying life.

As two women with similar backgrounds, we explore the challenges of meeting our fundamental needs, reclaiming a sense of safety, and learning to move beyond survival into well being.

Stay until the end for a special somatics session with Hristina—an empowering practice to reconnect with your body and inner strength.

If you want, you can connect with her on LinkedIn or find her Gratitude Journal on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/ezunfv4

In this episode, I interview a fellow Romanian, and she explains her story and the impact of immigration, and how being #underprivileged impacted her adult life.

She talks about the limitations and the emotional #shrinking that occurs when you experience #bullying because of your background.

She talk about the negative impact that it has had on her, and her family throughout the years.

Overcoming those limitations, and navigating the cultural differences, and shocks has been a struggle.

Proud to see that "Born to leave" has helped her to better understand how herself and grow aware of her own struggles.

We talk about my book "Born to leave" and how reading it has helped her to put into words her own story and suffering, understanding where her vulnerability comes from.

Buy my book https://a.co/d/hME1ldY

Este episodio es uno de los episodios más personales ya que hablo del origen del feminismo y porque para mí la igualdad de género es equivalente a la justicia social.

Es un episodio personal gracias a una charla que dí en una de las empresas que me invitaron a compartir mi historia personal y mi ímpetu para erradicar la desigualdad de género.

Además de ello, hablo sobre mi libro que saldrá a la venta este Abril y ya está en preventa en Amazon https://a.co/d/hME1ldY

De momento, sólo está disponible en inglés.

"Born to leave" is a poignant and evocative tale of a family's journey from the rustic simplicity of rural Romania to the uncharted territories of Spain. Set against the backdrop of the early 2000s, this narrative is a profound exploration of displacement, resilience, and the bittersweet pang of nostalgia.

The story begins with the family in Romania, where life is a tapestry of simple joys and the bonds of community, yet overshadowed by poverty and the remnants of a post-communist society. The mother, a pillar of strength and sacrifice, makes the heart-wrenching decision to relocate to Spain, driven by the hope of a better future for her children. This choice marks the beginning of a transformative journey for the entire family.

Told through the eyes of one of the children, the narrative dives deep into the emotional turmoil the protagonist faces as she adapts to a foreign culture. The shock of a new language, the struggle to preserve her identity, and the quest for belonging in a strange land are vividly depicted, interwoven with nostalgic recollections of her past life in Romania.

The story takes a poignant turn with the mother's untimely death from cancer, prompting the protagonist to re-examine her mother's life and decisions. This loss becomes a catalyst for a deeper understanding of the past, inviting a reflective journey into the sacrifices and choices that shaped her life and her family’s. The protagonist grapples with the complexities of memory and legacy, finding new meaning in the actions and dreams of their late mother.

"Born to leave" transcends the narrative of migration; it is a meditation on the endurance of the human spirit, the nuances of memory, and the unyielding bonds of family. More than a family's physical journey, this book is an introspective voyage through the landscapes of loss, hope, and the eternal quest for a place to call home.

While it has brought me to reassess my values, and took me to travel the world, here I explain what took me to take the harsh decision of quitting my job.

Megan Murphy is a former VP of Product at Hotjar

Her product career has developed at big players like Microsoft, Skyscanner, and N26, as well as early-stage startups and a boutique mobile app design studio. Originally from New York, Megan has spent the last 10 years building products and teams in San Francisco, Brazil, and now Barcelona.

She is currently leaping into an entrepreneur.  In this new journey, she will be focusing on finding the right people for the right teams, and the right teams for the right problems.

She will be talking about how she led product management while at Hotjar (currently part of ContentSquare) and tackles some of the points below, but not only. 

Do you want to connect with me?

 Leadership: 

 - is genuine and it is not meant to favor any side. 

 - is something transparent, it is something in the air that impacts everyone at the same level. 

- Leadership happens because that’s what feels right and does not know about economic benefits and growth.

- Leadership is about personal development in companies. Leadership is the love that our parents have for us without asking for anything in exchange. 

That’s the lesson I’ve learned from someone who doesn’t have an MBA from an Ivy League school but works countless hours in order to make his workplace more human-friendly. 

Because that’s what leadership is about. 

Do you want to have my last book which describes my story's family, and how we've grown to be resilient, natural leaders?  

In this week's episode, I interviewed Jeff Gardner- Head of Platform Partnerships at Intercom He’s been part of the company since its early days and went through all the changes that hyper-growth startups go through. In this episode, you will learn about: How to effectively work remotely and attain a work-life balance How to build successful partnerships How to build a long-term relationship with your company’s management that fosters career growth. Some other subjects we've touched on are mental health, career-second and personal life first, climbing, and what is the best way to define life on your own terms. 

Do you want to read my first book ?