Age: 28
Relationship Status: Happily married :)
Occupation: Medical Equipment Sales
Income: I have a salary but over half of my income comes from commission, so I usually end up with around $200K total.
Astrological Sign: Virgo
What is your first thought every morning?
Usually, it’s that I’m excited to hit snooze. I know it’s bad for you, but I set my alarm way earlier than I intend to get up so that I can snooze a few times...it’s like a little treat. But then my first cognitive thought is, “How long do I have to walk the dog before my first meeting?”.
What is something you do solely for you?
I am religious about getting my nails done every two weeks. I have struggled my whole life with nail-biting (anxious queen), and when I realized I could get tips put on, it boosted my confidence in a way that surprised me. I also love that in the salon, I can’t look at my phone or my computer - it’s a moment of disconnect that I appreciate more and more!
What is something you dread?
Starting over. My family moved states every few years until I was in high school, and I had to find new friends and constantly get used to new places. I ended up moving again to be with my husband a few years ago, and we are very fortunate that a lot of our friends from college ended up in the same place, but it’s inevitable that most of us will leave, and the thought of that is extremely bittersweet. I am ready for the next stage of life, but at the same time, I don’t want to let this one go.
What is something you are looking forward to?
Seeing what the rest of my life looks like, and hopefully becoming a mom and watching my husband become a dad. Oh - and owning a home that we get to make our own! My lifelong dream is to restore a historic home, but where we’re living right now, it’s not an option for us to buy a place we’ll stay in in the long term. I’m excited to have a place where we can host family and friends for holidays and visits without having to pull up the office chair if we have more than 4 guests (lol).
When do you feel most accomplished?
Honestly, I never feel accomplished in a big way. I always feel like I could be doing more, but I have a hard time patting myself on the back or receiving praise from others. I’ve always done well at work but never finished at #1, and at this point, I don’t think it would make a difference. I’m trying to get better at celebrating small wins, like going to a restaurant I like if I get a new contract signed or getting a treat if I make it to the gym on a tough day!
What is something you regret investing in financially?
This is so embarrassing, but...LV bag and wallet. I’d never owned a luxury item, and when I started my sales job, I wanted to treat myself with my first big commission check to show that I had “made it”. I didn’t research my purchase enough and just bought one I thought was cute, but I ended up hating the clasp, and the leather on the wallet started peeling right away. I may bring it out five times a year. I’m a lot more practical about where I spend my money now.
What is something you regret investing in emotionally?
Work. A lot of the time, I feel like where I work now has rewired my brain and turned me into someone who only thinks about how successful I can be and how much money I’m going to make. There is a lot of drama and gossip with my co-workers, and I have to stop myself from talking about it constantly. I feel like I’ve tied too much of my self-worth to my job and my income, and I’m exhausted but always go up and down about walking away.
What are three things you think are absolutely worth the investment?
(financially, emotionally, or time/energy-wise)
1. Relationships - not just your romantic relationships, but friendships too. It is SO important to have healthy female friendships, and they can truly last a lifetime if you respect each other and operate with honesty. Your friends will also be there through your life changes and it’s fun to grow up together! “Friends are forever, boys are whatever” lmao.
2. A Car - not a fancy car. Just some transportation on wheels. There is power in taking yourself where you need to go!
3. New experiences - I won’t say travel exclusively, because I know it’s not always financially or physically feasible for everyone, but having some kind of exposure to new things helps you grow as a person—travel, taking up a new hobby, trying new food, getting a pet...etc.
When do you feel most creative?
When I paint! I was getting a co-major in art until my senior year of college. I dropped it because it was too much to manage 12 hours a week of studio time in addition to my other coursework to graduate. I haven’t painted since COVID but I always loved painting portraits and live models. When I have a home with more room, I want to set aside some of the space for my easel.
How often do you compare yourself to others? When?
A lot less than I used to, or at least in a different way than I used to. When I was young and struggling to figure out who I was so I focused on how thin other girls were, how expensive their clothes were, or how many boys liked them, and I tried to figure out how I could be more like them. I’ve grown up and learned to love and be confident in myself, so now my comparison is more of a “what-if.” When I see other people I know, who chose to stay in my hometown, who already have children and own a home, I wonder what my life would be like if I had done that. There’s no wrong way to do life, only different ways, and I do think a lot about how I’ve chosen to do mine vs. how others have chosen to do theirs.
What is one thing you’d like to thank your past self for?
Choosing the job offer in college that was closer to the guy I was dating and not the job that was the one everyone else wanted and thought I should take - we still did long distance for a few years, but it was a drive vs. a flight...and that guy is my husband now! I would do it again a million times over.
What is one thing you believe about your future self?
I will be a good mom - like a really good mom!
What is one thing you learned in childhood that you have now had to unlearn in adulthood?
That you should always respect your elders, and your elders always know best. People who are older than you are just people also. Some of them are good people, and some of them are shitty people. You just can’t always tell the difference when you’re a kid.
Have you ever felt pure joy? When?
My husband and I wrote our own vows separately and didn’t discuss how to structure them or what we were going to write. On our wedding day, we read them out loud during the ceremony. I went first and when we read his, they were almost identical to mine. We even chose the same number of promises made to each other. It was incredible! We got married in a park that we love, close to where we live, and every time I walk through the park it is like reliving the best moment of my life.
What is something that would feel really good to get off your chest?
I have had pretty extreme anxiety for as long as I can remember, but I’m scared to go on medication because I’m afraid it will make me gain weight. I know that’s shallow of me, but I worry about that a lot.
When do you feel most in your feminine energy?
Chatting over a glass of wine with my friends - sometimes in full glam after a shopping day, sometimes in comfies on someone’s couch, sometimes over Facetime with my long-distance bestie. The power of a good female chat is unmatched!
What is one interaction that changed your life?
Meeting my in-laws. They are from another country and experienced awful things before they came to the US. They work extremely hard and are so giving of their time and energy to others. They are such good human beings. Having them in my life has taught me to always be kind and appreciative of what I have, and it also taught me that people express love in different ways. My family has always hugged and said, “I love you,” and my husband’s family expresses it through actions and food!
What is something you want to give up?
VAPING. Enough said. It’s so cringe and I wish I never picked it up.
What is something you want to take up?
Gardening - we have an indoor garden but we can only grow small plants like herbs and butter lettuce. I love plants, and I dream of a green garden with fruits and vegetables.
What do you believe is a universal truth?
You have to love yourself before you can truly love someone else.
BONUS: Tell me something good.
I’m going to be an aunt in a few months! I can’t wait.
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