Justina Gimbutiene was a Speaker at TEDxEspoo Youth 2025!In this TEDx Talk, Justina Gimbutiene takes us on a personal journey that is all about the power of saying “yes” to life's opportunities, no matter what they lead. Justina starts her Talk by asking a question: What if I had been born in Monaco, instead of Lithuania? She uses the help of AI to paint this picture. The AI shows her a glamorous life, full of travel, villas, and endless adventures. But then she asks a big question - “Would I be happy?” The answer is more complicated than she expected. The AI tells her that, while living in luxury might bring comfort, real happiness is about more than just money or status.So, she asks another question: What If she had stayed in Lithuania? What if she had grown up in a small town, surrounded by her family and a tight-knit community? The answer, surprisingly, reflects her actual life - one rooted in education, social work, and traveling the world to make a difference. Justina realizes that the life she has been living aligns with her values of connection and helping others.Through the story of her own life, Justina shares how her experiences have shaped her sense of purpose. From volunteering with the Red Cross to travelling through Europe on the Erasmus Plus project, she always said “yes” to new experiences and the people she has met along the way. Each opportunity led her to more meaningful connections and life-changing moments, life working with young people in Finland, supporting refugees in Malaysia, and making a real difference in communities around the world.Justina’s message is simple but powerful: we all have the power to shape our own journey. Whether we are born in a small town or a luxurious villa, the real question is, what will we choose to do with the life we have been given? Will we say “yes” to the people who make us better, to the opportunities that scare us, and to the experiences that will change us forever?At the end of Justina’s Talk she says: “I don't want to disappoint you or to present that we have approximately 73-75 summers if we are lucky. You can count how many of those have already passed, and how many are still remaining to do. Make the best out of them. We unfortunately do not live eternity. So, what if you said yes to the people and to the opportunities, and it doesn't matter if I was born in Lithuania or if I was born in Monaco, the decision is mine, the decision is your what if you say yes.”This TEDx Talk will leave you inspired, ready to say “yes” to more in your own life, and maybe even a little bit more open to the unexpected paths life has in store.#TEDxEspooYouth #TEDxTalk #TEDxEspooYouth2025 Justina is a Lithuanian national living in Finland for 15 years already. She came to Finland to do EVS and thought that she would leave after 12 months, but apparently Finland never thought the same way! Justina has studied social work, did internships in Malaysia and South Africa, worked in child protection services and for the past two years at Espoo International School as a community counselor! Multicultural work has always been big part of her life. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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