#376. swells of emotion, WWOOFing, & enjoying a nice glass of wine

Age: 36

Relationship Status: Single (my heart needs some breathing room)

Occupation: Writer

Income: 0! (I’m on a career break exploring my next options as to what aligns most truly for me.)

Astrological Sign: Pisces

If you had an extra hour each day, what would you do with it?

Some gardening, or maybe get back into photography.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Minimize the catastrophic thought and look at it logically.

What is the worst piece of advice you have ever received?

Go to art school!

(This hugely impacted my scientific career, although I actually don’t regret it at this stage of my life).

When have you felt most accepted?

In art school :)

When have you felt most supported?

When I went and did some WWOOFing in France before moving (it stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, a volunteer initiative). I went to have an adventure, but the ways of life I encountered really changed my whole perspective on what success really means.

Is there anything you are avoiding?

My parents! They can be very critical, so I try to keep my life separate from their knowledge; otherwise, I wind up feeling defeated instead of inspired to continue pursuing my dreams.

Have you ever confronted a fear? How did it go?

Moving to a new country was a big fear: having my own apartment for the first time and being responsible for myself without knowing anyone in the country to use as a resource for everything (relocation includes registering, taxes, transport, languages).

What is one promise that you have kept to yourself?

Follow your passions. This has brought me on an interesting journey from astrophysics to art school to nanotechnology to patent law to NFT artwork and now to writing books. When I am passionate and feeling fueled, I have big success, so luckily, I have never had to compromise on the basis.

What is one promise that you have kept to someone else?

I completed my PhD. It was grueling, I’ll admit, but I promised a friend I would finish it, despite struggling to avoid burnout or boredom overdosing. It was three years of ups and downs, with hectic intermingling of slaving in the lab.

How do you cope with stress?

Quite well, it serves a purpose in my life of telling me to slow down or find a workaround. I can handle stress but prefer to avoid it. Work should feel natural and easy to approach.

What is a moment you are most proud of?

Passing a rigorous recruitment test for becoming an attorney, it involved a theatrical enactment of a difficult client interaction where I had to offer advice to a very angry actor, under observation!

How do you celebrate yourself?

I like to reward myself by going to the bar and enjoying a glass of wine.

What is something that you feel like you have to earn?

Friendship, I’ve travelled extensively and lived abroad in four different countries, and find and make friends easily, but because I’m always new on the block, I have to put in the legwork to get a friendship up and running.

What is something you feel like you are inherently worthy of?

Respect :)

When was the last time you changed your mind?

Recently, I decided to stop using a pen name and to use my legal name as my author name. Previously, I was shy to admit I was writing books, but now I’m proud of it.

Is there anything you wish you could take back?

My teenage years. I was a wild child, so I didn’t think to build a solid foundation for life; instead, I partied those years away.

What does being true to yourself mean?

It means fundamentally, stay creative, stay curious.

When do you feel in control?

When I am working with a team, I feel very in control, and I usually take the lead.

When do you feel out of control?

When I’m emotional, as a Pisces, my emotions swell up with certain moments, and I have to pause what I’m doing and really give myself some firm words.

Finish this sentence: It’s my life and…

I’ll live how I choose to live.

BONUS: Tell me something good.

Life is for the living! Don’t get stuck living in someone else’s expectation!