My Story
CHRISTINA'S STORY
Hello
I'M CHRISTINA DEMETRIADES
You can lead yourself into a better life ...
I remember knowing only Love, Unconditional Love for Life. I remember being joyful, creative, free… That's what 'not being in the box' feels like, for me. The years following my happy childhood and my inquisitive teen years led me to intellectual thrive in my twenties, which were packed with a richness of experiences and travels. I gained a BA in Philosophy with Honours at the University of Bristol and then a scholarship for a MSc in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. From adept scholar in England to fascinated intern in France, I came back to Cyprus to work for the United Nations and then I landed a job in the public sector, before I was 25. While working for the government for the decade that followed, I mainly focused on managing recruitment procedures and on guiding candidates regarding their applications for first entry positions or for promotion.
My daily contact with many hundreds of applicants over the years made me realise that there was a pressing need for guidance, empowerment and motivation. A lot of people applied for dozens of positions, widely varying in duties and responsibilities, just to get ‘a place in the sun’. The quest for the feeling of security in the post-war society of Cyprus didn’t surprise me, yet it gave me an insight into how I could add more value to the world I was living in. I started steadily investing in my learning and education, attending many, many workshops, seminars, training programmes and conferences. I left my comfort zone and went back to university for a Master’s in Guidance and a professional qualification in Careers Guidance.
I returned from my studies, only to find Cyprus amidst a severe financial crisis, with unprecedented rates of unemployment across the board of job sectors. I cultivated my patience and my perseverance; I focused on finishing my thesis while working full-time and while building a professional network from scratch. I equipped myself with the knowledge, skills and competences that would enable me to establish my own practice when the time was right.
The time came, and I took that Leap of Faith - the one I had read about in empowerment books, the one that had urged me to imagine and to claim for myself what it truly felt like to be Free… Free to be Me. I remembered what living ‘outside the box’ felt like, and I was tired of longing for that feeling. I had to be there. True to my Self, I left my job, as I was now in a position to pinpoint to a desired meaning
in my life. I was now ready to embark on a new professional (and existential) journey and to fully launch my own professional practice.
I’m strong on values. Inquisitive by nature and by choice, my interests and activities widely vary. All that I engage with or create is based on my values which, at the core, reflect Who I Am:
Authenticity
Courage
Creativity
Empathy
Excellence
Equality
Freedom
Humility
Impact
Inclusiveness
Integrity
Justice
Lifelong learning
Peace
Professionalism
Resilience
Respect
Responsibility
Trust
Sustainability
In the past decade or so, I became very active in civil society, collaborating with many organizations in a wealth of projects, both as a professional and as a volunteer. I choose to live according to my values, investing the effort to apply these values in practice, both towards myself (inwards) and to others (outwards). I choose to be a Leader
in any role I undertake, no matter how ‘big’ or ‘small’. For example, I take my ‘portion’ of communal and societal responsibility and I strive to be civically engaged, to be an active citizen, both where I’m currently living yet also globally – for I believe that we are global citizens of this planet that we all co-habit and share.
One ‘contribution to society’ that I particularly enjoyed as an active citizen was the ‘Emerging Voices’ radio show, a show that amplifies the voices marginalized by mass media. I ran this radio show for 5 years on 'MYCY' radio, a multilingual and multi-communal online radio on a voluntary basis. The station was situated in the Ledra Palace Buffer zone (which runs across Cyprus and separates Nicosia, the last divided capital), which holds great symbolism for me as a peace activist. My guests' expertise and topics of interest were very widely varied, all but with one common element: a message for positive change ~ whether on the personal, on the communal, on the societal, and/or on the global level, with a voice that sadly wasn't heard on mass media. I feel immensely grateful to have had this opportunity to facilitate the spreading of so many positive messages and, of course, to have learnt so much.
Today I live my life according to my own conscious choices. I strive to take responsibility for my mistakes and failures and learn from them, as well as for my successes, and learn from them too. I love connecting with people and celebrating Life whether by engaging in coaching, training, or merely co-existing creatively and constructively. I love Nature and I hold it as one of our great teachers in Life; its wonders, ubiquitous on our planet, inspire lessons of patience, perseverance, dedication, humility, effort, and balance. As a great nature lover, I treasure Nature as a source of serenity and peace, yet also as a source of wisdom through its harmonious ecosystems.
I am an avid lifelong learner and, as such, I continue to steadily participate in numerous training programmes, workshops and conferences, aside from delivering trainings, talks, and workshops myself. I continue to invest in my learning, starting from self-knowledge and expanding out towards humanity and the environment that hosts us. I place immense value on wisdom and my effort is to attain it on every new level which Life unfolds.
Life itself is a learning journey
I love learning, therefore, I love Life!
If you’re interested in my qualifications, competences and professional experiences, feel free to have a look at my Linkedin profile.
WHAT PAST CLIENTS SAY ABOUT THE COACH
Christina is an open-minded individual with the innate ability to personalize every interaction, making her one of the most approachable people I have ever had the luck to interact with. All advice is concisely presented and individualized in an easy to understand manner. In short, she has the combined gift of communicating to and advising others. The combination of the two has provided me with more clarity and direction than I have had from any adviser with regard to study and career options, something that is a requisite for all job seekers in the current economy. I highly recommend Christina to anyone and everyone.
Michelle Leivaditaki
Area Performance Coordinator, GE Renewable Energy
“There came a point where everything was turned upside down and it felt like my life had no meaning, through breakups, divorce, stress, confusion about what would come next, if that was the right way to face life, worries, anxiety, etc. At that time, like a fairytale, Christina appeared in my life, motivating me, being next to me, uplifting me and helping me take all those steps for a new chapter in my life’s book... Words are too small in view of what happened in my life when I used Christina' s skills and coaching services. I was motivated, I rose like a Phoenix from my ashes, I found true unconditional love and, most of all, I found my own worthiness and value. Now is the time to take your life to the next level, to experience coaching; at any given moment, you have the power to say ‘This is now how the story is going to end!’ All the positive changes I have experienced are because of Christina!
Charis Alexandrou
Chief Accounting Officer
Executive-Life-Relationships Coach
When Colombo set out on his journey, he did not know he would reach America. So too I, embarking on my journey with Christina, did not know I would get to know me. ME, so as to love myself and offer, as always, with value and meaning for the present and for the future. With Christina’s guidance, my self-confidence has increased, with positive results in all areas of my life – myself, my family, work, wider family, friends… Now I smile and I love unconditionally, I can communicate more effectively, I can respond in a way which is lucid and coherent; my perception, my self-knowledge, my communication skills… everything has improved and has ‘taken off’, and sky is the limit. Without any thought, any reservation, I recommend Christina as a Coach, as a leader, as a guide in any area. Christina is a champion in her field as a Coach, and as a person. Life is a sum of our choices and I choose Christina!
Rea Kourtelli
Chief Administrative Officer, Republic of Cyprus
