Age: 26
Relationship Status: In a long-term relationship
Occupation: Occupational Therapist
Income: $60k
Astrological Sign: Virgo
What is your first thought every morning?
Most days, my first thought is how thankful I am for my life, the people in it, and the things that I get to do. Sometimes, if I am expecting a particularly stressful day (usually because of a work meeting), my first thought is, “Man, I wish I could sleep all day today!”
What is something you do solely for you?
I pray every day on the way to work. I have found that it can be very therapeutic for me to talk about things I am grateful for and things that I worry about with God. It has helped decrease my stress levels a lot.
What is something you dread?
I dread any kind of conflict. I am naturally a people pleaser, and conflict tends to bring me a lot of stress and anxiety.
What is something you are looking forward to?
I am really looking forward to a trip that I have planned for next year with my family and boyfriend. I moved out of state for college and stuck around after. As a result, I don’t get to spend as much time with my parents as I would like to, so I am excited about the quality of time that we will have.
When do you feel most accomplished?
I would say that I feel most accomplished when I am positively recognized at work. I usually am very hard on myself and still struggle with a bit of imposter syndrome, so hearing positive words can really make a big impact on my mood and sense of purpose.
What is something you regret investing in financially?
I try not to think in terms of regret as I believe that every little thing has gotten me to this point in life, and I am generally happy with how things are going. I will say, though, that it would have been financially smart of me to live with my parents after I graduated from college. I probably could have saved an extra $20k if I lived with them for a year.
What is something you regret investing in emotionally?
Like the last question, I try not to think in terms of regret, but I do think my first relationship drained me mentally and emotionally (thankfully, it was a long time ago). I put in a lot more effort into the relationship than I felt I received, and I would have been better off if I ended it sooner than I did.
What are three things you think are absolutely worth the investment?
(financially, emotionally, or time/energy-wise)
Making an effort to spend time with loved ones as much as I can.
I’ve found that taking the time as an adult to explore and pursue hobbies is so important to good mental health/emotional well-being.
Taking the time and effort to make (and stick with!) a budget is so important to be in a good financial state.
When do you feel most creative?
I feel most creative when I am cooking and/or baking a new recipe. I love making new and yummy creations that my family, boyfriend, and friends can enjoy.
How often do you compare yourself to others? When?
This has been something that I have struggled with for a while, but I am proud of how far I’ve come. I grew up in a very successful family and felt I was never good enough compared to my mom and brother. They are both very academically gifted, and my brother was also a much better athlete than I ever was. In high school, I probably compared myself to both of them every day. I realize now that this was/continues to be unfair to them as they have never made me feel less than. It’s unfortunately just been something I do to myself. My friend shared the quote “comparison is the thief of joy” with me when I was having a particularly bad day, and it really made me delve into how much I was letting it affect me. While I do still compare myself to them, particularly around Christmas and when they get their bonuses ( because they both make substantially more money than I do), I have gotten better at recognizing it, realizing that it is a me issue, and utilizing healthy coping strategies.
What is one thing you’d like to thank your past self for?
I would like to thank myself for realizing that my first job after college was very unethical and that the amount of anxiety I felt was not okay. It wasn’t easy for me to leave, but I am glad I advocated for myself and listened to how I was feeling. Everyone around me told me it would get better, and being the people pleaser I am, I had a huge internal battle with myself. It was probably the only time in my life when I made a decision that my parents knew about and didn’t agree with (they do now, though). A few months after leaving the job, they got fined by the state for their unethical practices. Leaving that job also led me to find the setting for me, and that is why I am where I am in my career now.
What is one thing you believe about your future self?
I believe that my future self will be living life the way it is supposed to be. I believe she will be happy and live her life to the fullest.
What is one thing you learned in childhood that you have now had to unlearn in adulthood?
Growing up, my parents made quite a bit of money, and I learned in childhood the benefits that money can bring. I took things for granted that I didn’t even realize most kids didn’t have. I now make a very average salary, and in my first year out of college, I really had to unlearn the lifestyle habits that I grew up with and learn how to budget my salary/live within my means. It was an adjustment period for sure, but I am well within my means now and am proud of how I manage my money.
Have you ever felt pure joy? When?
I am very blessed that I have. Some of them were time with loved ones, or when I studied abroad in college, and any time I ski on a bluebird day.
What is something that would feel really good to get off your chest?
I would really like to tell somebody how they have made me feel, but I work with them and am afraid that they won’t take it well.
When do you feel most in your feminine energy?
Girls nights with my friends & when I am wearing an outfit I know my boyfriend loves
What is one interaction that changed your life?
It’s hard to pick only one, but one that sticks out to me was when I went to a Christian conference with my youth group in high school. There was a speaker there who was sharing her life journey with us and talked a lot about people who seriously neglected and wronged her in life. She spoke a lot about forgiveness and how, after she started going to church and getting to know God, she was able to forgive everyone in her life. I figured, well, if she can forgive people who did that to her, I can forgive people who did much less to me. It’s really stuck with me throughout the years.
What is something you want to give up?
I would love to give up negative self-talk and getting defensive/overthinking every time somebody has constructive criticism for me.
What is something you want to take up?
I would love to re-take up running. I got into running during the Covid quarantine months in 2020. I felt amazing when I was in shape and could run 5 miles. Running was a great stress reliever, but it also made me feel good about what my body could do. Life got busy again, and I stopped running as much. Now, running a mile takes almost all of my effort, which discourages me.
What do you believe is a universal truth?
I believe that the world is a lot more gray than it is black and white.
BONUS: Tell me something good.
I feel like answering these questions helped me understand my strengths/weaknesses and gave me ideas on how to grow as a person. So, thank you for this.
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