I AM HERE (NOW)

Photos from Cincinnati, OH

Photos from San Francisco, CA

Clarify Myself

1. I am naturally I stubborn person who is going to do things my way or the highway, and I believe that meeting with these women made me feel empowered and secure to do just that!

2. I can fully trust my intuition, because at the end of the day that is what we are all doing.

3. I am naturally very independent, and I don't mind breaking away from the group to do my own thing. I enjoy getting dinner alone, or sight-seeing alone. I am very comfortable with myself.

4. I am self-confident. I am very secure in the decisions I make. I don't often need five people to review my decisions before I take action. At most, I will ask one friend their opinion, but I will ultimately settle with what I believe is the best choice.

New Perceptions of Myself

1. I am very creative! I can find endless ways to entertain myself. I really enjoyed the nature of this class. I had the free time to reflect on my future, and I had free time to explore my passions in a big city full of opportunity. I found creative mindsets that I have never really had before.

2. It is ok for me to rest in uncertainty. I have become more comfortable with telling people that I don't know what I am doing. Or, I can tell people I don't know what I want to do.

3. I feel empowered when I follow my intuition. I feel like I am taking control of my life instead of doing what somebody else wants me to do.

New Understandings of Business and Entrepreneurship

1. Age is just a number!! (Shout out to Diane). There is no age when you should be doing anything. We are all on our own paths of life and our major events happen at different ages. There is no

right time to get a promotion, change careers, or have children. There is ALSO no right age to retire or pursue old hobbies.

1. "No" is simply a new door opening or a new opportunity. So what that your Plan A did not work out, you didn't even know how much you could love Plan B, C, D, or even Z.

2. Mindfulness will serve you in business and life. It is important to have some routine or practice of mindfulness. Maria Sipka pointed out that mindfulness takes away your desires and wants for materials or accolades. Mindfulness helps you create peace with yourself! So, pick up a yoga routine, meditation practice, or journaling.

3. Surround yourself with people who lift you up. Be careful about who you bring into your inner circle. In addition, be picky about who you choose as your romantic partner because they can make or break your career.

4. Define success in your own words, and it may look different than what other people want your version of success to look like. For example, a lady told us she never wanted to open a storefront for her cookie business, but her friends wanted her to open one. In that case, she needed to redefine what success meant to her.

How I am Now Preparing for my Future

1. Going into my future, I am going to follow my intuition.

2. I am going to say no to what doesn’t serve me, and I am going to say yes to what brings me joy.

3. I am going to prioritize my mental health and wellness. It is more important what my life feels like than what it looks like.

4. I am going to find a way to make my life at work correlate with my life at home. I don’t want to be two different people in two different places (work and home). So, I am going to be authentically me regardless of the circumstance, and I will trust in life to lead me in the right direction.

5. Last, but not least I will talk to anyone and everyone. I never know where my next connection will come from!

Here's to the Future!