I'm so excited for you all to hear from S today. She has the kindest heart, is extremely thoughtful, and is a fun and uplifting person all around.
S and I met at work and we quickly joined up with a few other wonderful ladies to host girl's nights. We drank wine and commiserated over taking exams, figured out Corporate America (or started to), and navigated being many miles away from our families. Over the last few years we've celebrated many engagements, weddings, houses, promotions, and even new babies together. It's been a really fun and exciting journey!
I have always been encouraged by S's perspective. It doesn't matter what she is going through, she consistently has a positive spin to put on it. When many of us would hold a grudge or lose our cool, S has a very graceful way of letting things come and go. She knows who she is and what matters to her and she doesn't let little things rock the boat. (make sure you read her response to question 12 for how she does that). She's the kind of person that you could trust with your life.
To you, S: I'm sure you are going to read this and think that it isn't an accurate representation of you. It is. Even when you feel like things are going a million miles and hour and maybe even falling a part, I am always amazed and encouraged by your poise and resilience. You are amazing, thanks for sharing your story with us!
1. Name: S
2. Hometown: Merrick, NY
3. Current town: West Hartford, CT
4. Favorite song? Current favorite is “Jubel” by Klingande. Love working out to it or blasting it in the shower!
5. Favorite book? Educated by Tara Westover is still my favorite read so far. Hoping to find more good ones this year!
6. Favorite recipe? I have lots of favorites, but a timely one is my mom’s Irish soda bread – it’s super simple but SO good.
7. What does resilience mean to you? One of my favorite cycling instructors has a saying, “They can knock you down, but they can’t knock you out” and I’ve grown to love that as a personal mantra. We’re all dealt many punches (both big and small) throughout our day/week/year, but it’s our choice to decide how we let those punches affect our wellbeing and go-forward outlook. We can choose to stay knocked down and dwell on the punch, or we can get up and get back in the fight.
8. Describe a time when you were so happy you felt like singing out loud: Finishing my first (and hopefully only virtual!) half marathon last year. This had been a goal of mine for a little while and I was so proud to see my training plan pay off. I got to share the first 5 miles with my fiancé and then cranked up my music for the last 8 – ended with a strong, fast finish!
9. Share a story about something you regret or the hardest thing you've ever had to go through: Being away from family is something that I still find really difficult, even though it's been a few years. I'm grateful that we are just a two-hour drive away, but it's tough to not have the option for a mid-week dinner with my siblings or parents.
10. What do you do to get through the hard times? Exercise has always been therapeutic to me. I love starting my day with a workout – it sets my mood for the whole day (and makes me feel less bad about having ice cream or wine later on :).
11. What is one thing you can't live without? My puppy!
12. Describe what you are going through now in one word, and then explain: Centering. I’ve found myself lately getting so caught up in the anxieties of life – the what-if’s of the past and the anxiety of what’s ahead (wedding planning in a pandemic…lol) – that I can forget about what’s right in front of me. So I’ve been doing my best to focus more on enjoying the present moment by stepping away from social media, getting plenty of time outdoors, finding good books/podcasts and connecting with friends/family.
13. What is the one thing that you are most proud of? I am extremely proud of the life my fiancé and I have built in CT. I moved here almost 7 years ago with a new job and without any friends or family in the area; my fiancé was still also about an hour away as well. Fast forward to today, I am so grateful for what we have – friends that are as close as family, a flexible and rewarding job, membership on a locally impactful non-profit Board and a perfect first home in a great community.
14. If you were to offer one piece of advice to other women, what would it be? “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” There are days when this is so much easier said than done and it can be especially tough to keep this mentality when social media makes it so easy for us to make snap judgments or comparisons. But I'm a big believer that the energy you give off to others starts from within. If we focus on seeing the good in people and the good in the world, good things will start coming our way.
15. If you got to be Oprah for a day and give everyone one product, what would you choose? I hate to say it…but a Peloton. My favorite quarantine purchase so far!
I hope you found this as encouraging as I did.
I'm going to be adding her mantra to my own morning pep talk: "They can knock you down, but they can’t knock you out”
What is your favorite part of S's story??
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