Turn Off Your Survival Mode: Lessons from my own mistakes and growth.

I have made countless mistakes in my career by not minding my behavior, by speaking without thinking, and by failing to understand the impact of my words. I have hurt people without meaning to, and I have also been on the receiving end of careless words.

Communication is powerful, and I have learned this the hard way.

Coming from the Greek market, where people work hard but often without filtering their behavior, I learned to survive. But I left my survival mode on for too long. When kind people came my way, I struggled to respond properly.

Moving to Belgium was a turning point. I arrived crushed after a terrible year, but by removing myself from that old setting, I gained clarity. Through over two years of CBT therapy, I realized the importance of maturing in my collaborations.

We don’t just work together we inspire each other and build relationships. I learned to make friends, not just business connections.

I learned to hold back when necessary, to stop talking when it wasn’t needed, and to speak up without fear when it mattered. I learned to stand my ground, negotiate, compromise, and, most importantly, to never offend anyone, to not take things personally, and to leave work discussions at work.

I strongly believe in being straightforward never implying, never playing games, and never accepting rudeness.

I still remember a manager once implying that I was exhausting because I was being overanalytical about a project. I had a choice call him out or let him continue joking around about my professional style in front of my teammates. Those moments are defining.

I have taken the hard road, and I have apologized for my mistakes, even years after a collaboration ended. For those who hurt me, I have been waiting for a call or a message, but I’m happy to forgive even without it.

The phrase ‘business is business’ is pointless to me.

What does it really mean?

How do we measure courtesy and good manners in the professional world? I have been binge-watching Poirot for over two years now, and I love the elegant manners and refined politeness of that era. It’s so charming.

Have you heard of Dr. Emoto’s experiment? His research suggested that positive words create harmonious water crystal structures, while negative words lead to chaotic patterns. Whether or not one fully subscribes to his findings, the metaphor is clearwords have power. They shape our experiences, our relationships, and our careers.

Words, like water, shape our world. They can build or destroy. In business and in life, we should choose them wisely.

What do you think? Have you ever experienced the impact of words in your professional life?