“Personalities among us” is the latest kARTu project that you will be seeing through the upcoming months for a whole year. We’ll be sharing short, friendly, intellectual conversations with the strong, inspiring personalities that surround each and every of us every day. Each month we will meet people from very different backgrounds to talk about their lifestyle, career, piece of mind, interests and style choices. By developing this project we aim to reveal these very special, but close to us people through the perspective that they don’t really see themsleves through. Every one of us is a unique everyday hero – rushing, pursuing, creating. We just need to stop for a moment and notice how special we actually are.
Did you resolutely promise yourself to start exercising but the next morning started with stress oversleeping not the stretches? This wouldn’t happen if you follow basketball fan, sport enthusiast and soon to be personal coach Martyna Marmaite on social media. However, the described morning scenario shouldn’t happen after reading this interview too. We invite you to meet Martyna – true load of energy and positivity. Whatever the time of the year, weather or her agenda for the day Martyna is always trying to find some time for the thing she loves the most – exercise. Being inlove with basketball since her early days Martyna has always knew what path in life to follow and she sticked to the plan. Big dreams are destined to come true!
Martyna, tell us what was the start of your current work?
Everything started with my passion for basketball. Being 12 years old I started playing it myself, collecting basketball themed magazines, going to “Zalgiris” games. Watching it I was thinking – my future job has to be basketball related. Basketball and watching teams playing gave me so much joy! However, due to personal injuries and other reasons I wasn’t able to play basketball myself anymore. Then I realised – I want to go study, study anything sport related, for example, sports psychology or sports business. I chose sports business and moved to Denmark after finishing 8th grade. Basketball is not that popular there as it is in Lithuania but I was going towards it anyway. At school my classmates were always asking “Who do you want to be?” and I always knew the exact answer. They kept telling me that it’s going to change, I will be thinking different after finishing school. But I am 27 now and I still love basketball the most.
It’s such a gift – to know exactly what you’re going to aim for at such a young age. Others are figuring out which path to choose for so long usually.
Yes, it’s a gift in some way but I’ve been going towards my aim so assure knowing just one and only plan A that it became monotonic. At this moment of my life I even think that it was too early for me to get my dream job. I was thinking positively, imagining everything each and every day. And somehow it all just went into places and now I am thinking, did I really work that much to achieve it. But actually I did work a lot. After finishing my master studies I had to choose some place for a mandatory internship to do. After talking with a member from “Eurolyga” I’ve met “Zalgiris” representative for the first time then. He told me “See you in Kaunas” just after I only managed to say hello. Maybe it happened because I was truly living that idea, dedicating my whole time to pursue it. It just couldn’t have happened any other way. So we, as planned, met in Kaunas, internship grew into work. There was so much to do – with marketing, communications and “Zalgiris TV”. People started recognizing me from my haircut. It was fun! I was glad I studied business before as it gave me needed knowledge after I unexpectedly started focusing on developing “Zalgiris TV”. My occupation area became very wide, I worked in three different departments and after leaving they hired three different specialists instead.
So what do you do know? Is your current work somehow different?
Now I have really turned other way from myself and everything I was doing before. I thought I was absolutely independent and I didn’t ever feel love for anyone rather than basketball, didn’t think I would do a drastic step for a man. But so it happened – I am married now. Again, everything happened all of a sudden. I met my husband after coming back to Lithuania for an internship after spending 10 years in Denmark and he had just moved here at the time. Before coming here he didn’t even know such country existed. But sport is not leaving me alone – I am currently studying and will soon become a personal trainer.
How does your morning start?
Of course it starts with coffee – “black gold”. But I also tend to start it with some exercises, try to wake up my body.
What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
I don’t have an answer to this question because it was never a problem for me to get out of bed. I don’t know where that motivation to get up and go exercising comes from. I just want to be productive and it won’t happen laying in bed. But, of course, there are mornings when I’m not in a mood so I let myself to stay in bed for a little longer, read a book, those times I could do it all day.
What is your favorite thing to do?
I has to be some sports, something active. Maybe I’m that kind of person that just can’t stay in bed for too long. Even now, not having a job I plan my daily routine because it’s too easy to get stuck in that trap when you realise that time is running and you’re doing nothing useful. It both intimidates and pushes me forward. So I would say my favorite thing to do is to stay active.
What helps you to run away from everyday routine? Maybe there is no such thing as routine in your life?
There is and there isn’t. Maybe that’s me that tries to create it, I don’t have a steady job but life can become monotonic anyway. That’s why while drinking coffee in the morning I try to think of some things to do so that day wouldn’t become empty, same as others. Exercise is a must or going for a walk at least. I study and read a lot, I also have my own Youtube channel (@MMFitLife) where I share my adventures and experiences. I am also quite active on Instagram where I publish my workouts and personal life details (@Mrs.Motum). And of course I help my husband and take care of our home.
How do you understand the notion of “career”? How would you describe its part in your own life?
It means a lot to me. I think it helps to grow a personality. It’s easy to create your career and follow that path if that’s something you’re passionate about.
Is there a particular detail from your look that you don’t feel yourself without?
Currently it’s an engagement ring. I wear it almost everyday. We have a tradition, when I take the ring off and want to put in on again my husband asks me “Will you marry me?” again. So he proposed me like 300 times already. I am also attached to one pair of earrings which I always wear to my husbands basketball game.
During your everyday rituals, what handbag/backpack is your most trusted companion? Maybe you have few different ones for work, weekend, traveling?
When traveling I usually choose a backpack because it’s more comfortable to carry things that way. I also have a handbag which is more like a stylish detail and simpler, everyday one. I really want to get a belly bag now, it will definitely be my next purchase!
Which famous woman is an inspiration to you?
There are few women who inspire me. One of them is Serena Williams who always had a mindset of a champion. And after she gave birth to a newborn it’s also lovely to see her as a mother too. Another would be Sheryl Sandberg, “Facebook” COO and author of a book “Lean in: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead”.
When working in an area of basketball business, did you face discrimination? Had to fight for your spot under the sun? Or, vice versa, was honoured among men?
Both. Somedays I had to fight, some days I didn’t. Some days I am honoured, but, for example, when I tell my opinion about some basketball match they seem surprised and hardly let me join the conversation. But it changes with time I am sure.
Who would you like to sit down and have dinner with? It could be anyone, from future or past, dead or alive.
It could be Barack and Michelle Obamas. They’re my family ideal and it would be very interesting to find out what actually happens inside of it each and every day. They both seem very educated but ordinary people. I think dinner with them would be fun.
Follow Martyna’s healthy lifestyle journey on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_Z8PLsJP2wdeLGTlPbHkbQ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mrs.motum/