Finding your purpose

Saasha Mor

A bit of background about me: I attended high school in India, in largest public school in the country, with nearly 7,000 students. It all began in the 8th grade when teachers and parents began nudging me to choose a life path early to sculpt the perfect college application. I couldn't help but wonder how I could make such a life-altering decision at 13 years old. The advice I received was simple: "Select your favorite subject, and you'll be on the right track." So, I chose Computer Science, a subject in which I excelled, and for the next six years, I juggled classes, tutoring, music, and dance to create what I believed to be the perfect application. The weight lifted when I received an acceptance letter from the University of Washington.

Little did I know I had to get into my major and CS is a ball game you all know about so eventually I enrolled in Informatics and immediately began my quest for internships to ensure a job down the road. It involved sending out over 300 job applications and only receiving three callbacks. Somehow I landed an internship at Adobe. Upon graduating, I had a return job offer lined up, and I thought to myself, "Finally, I'm sorted."

For the first six months on the job, I would work from 9AM to 5PM, maybe hang out with my friends sometimes and then I'd find myself empty. PAUSE. I realized that for so many years, I'd had virtually no time for myself. I had been so caught up in the relentless pursuit of success that I hadn't paused to reflect on the bigger picture. Who am I, really? Am I meant to do this for the rest of my life? It was like the universe had handed me my very own mid-life crisis two decades early.

Our society often pressures young people into making life-defining decisions very early on. We're told to choose a path, stick to it, and craft the perfect résumé. At every stage we have to prove we are better than and it’s exhausting. But in the process, we often forget to pause, to explore, and to discover who we truly are and what we genuinely love. The journey of discovering your passion and purpose is not a race. It's a marathon, a gradual unfolding. It's about allowing yourself to make mistakes, to pivot, and to evolve. It’s literally just about being you.

For me, the answer was actually really simple: pursuing my desires unapologetically. This meant traveling every two months, learning to scuba dive, and volunteering at animal shelters. These desires had always existed within me; it was just a matter of granting myself the permission to chase them. I also learned so much which helped me grow as a person – which unexpectedly made me better at my job.

For you the answer could be completely different but the important part here is to ask yourself those questions. Allow yourself to discover where your strengths and passions lie, There is a QR code up on the screen – it will help you ask yourself the right questions, the questions I should’ve asked myself a long time ago. It is based on Marcus Buckingham’s book called Love + Work which defines a “red thread” as something you love to do, that puts you in “the zone”— an almost spiritual state. I highly suggest setting aside time to really think about these questions – it may or may not change your life.

The key takeaway I'd like to leave with you today is this - finding your purpose is a process, not a deadline. There's no one-size-fits-all answer — It's entails self-discovery, self-acceptance, and growth. I know this sounds like one of those sappy self help books but I promise you once you look at your purpose and identity as a wholistic idea you will not only start to feel happier but also be have so much mental clarity about your short term and long term goals. So be patient with yourself, stay open to new opportunities, and above all, follow your heart. You are all beautiful people and I bet you will grow into the wonderful human beings you all envision yourself to be.

Self-care and uncertaintly
Tanisha Sabhaney

Before we dive in, let me introduce myself. I'm Tanisha. In 2018, I graduated with a major in Economics. After school, I found myself working in San Francisco for a food startup, much like a factor or Thistle. Mine was called LeCupboard. However, after an extensive interview process and 3 months of working remotely with the CEO. On my first day on-site in SF, the operations manager comes up to me and tells that everyone who interviewed me had quit, and the CEO I'd been working for all this while had to leave the country due to visa issues. I had a choice: stay or leave. I was an international student who just ran out 6 months of her 12 months to stay in the US.. So I chose to stay and worked that role for six months, running the company with my boss over the phone. No, she didn't apply for my work-visa and once I left the company she had to close shop. But hey, I had a great story to tell and I learned what my next step would look like - A Master's in Marketing Analytics - a field I wanted to grow in, a STEM degree, a highly coveted skillset. But just as I was about to graduate, in the middle of a pandemic, I had gotten seriously ill and was diagnosed with a series of severe health conditions - a few falls, some surgeries later. I stand here in front of you today, still in the US, with a job which will be affected by layoffs. But hey, Im here.

So, what's the connection between my journey, life? And how does it all relate to self-care?

After graduation, one of the most significant truths I've learned is that life is uncertain. And uncertainty is a challenge that every adult faces daily in various forms - work, social situations, personal relationships, health, and sometimes, all at once. So, how are we suppose to hack this so called life if its filled with so many unknowns?

Well that's where self-care comes in. What is self-care? While I'm no expert, I can tell you it's more than just a spa day or journaling, as we're often led to believe. Self-care is a deliberate practice of actions to maintain and improve your well-being in all physically, mentally, emotionally, and, if you lean that way, spiritually. We're all resilient beings, but we need tools to embrace our resilience and face uncertainty.

Your self-care actions are those tools.

Here are some key lessons I've learned about self-care through my journey with uncertainty and I want to share them with you.

First and foremost, there is no one-size-fits-all. What recharges my batteries might not work for you. At one point, I could not move, so binge watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians, helped me keep things light-hearted. I’m now regularly judged for it but hey the key is to embrace what makes you feel good.

Next, what works one day might not work the next, even for you. Remember that your self-care routine changes based on the day's needs. Some days, I found my biggest source of anxiety was a task I was avoiding and being productive was self care. On other days, it looked like making a tub of ice-cream my best friend. And that was perfectly okay! Adaptability is key when life throws curveballs, so learn to listen to yourself and adapt as needed.

Third, Think of self-care as a muscle you exercise. Self-care is a habit that requires discipline. It's about making a conscious effort to prioritize yourself amidst the chaos of adulting. There are days, and will always be days that I do not want to wake up and hit the gym. But I know if I don’t do it, I’m going to feel miserable so you show up.

Here’s the kicker: self-care requires patience and immense trust in the process. It's not a quick fix; it's a lifelong journey. But that effort you put in will be worth it in the end. It's about acknowledging that life can be a beautiful, messy adventure, and taking care of yourself is a crucial part of that adventure.

As you embark on this uncertain journey, remember that self-care isn't selfish; it's survival.

Work - Life Balance

Amrita Anand

Personal Finance

Girisha Kodnani

I wanna pivot a little and talk more about this boring but very important topic, finance, since there is no work life or balance without it. I wanted to start off by shedding some light on my story and why I chose to study/work in finance.

I was born and brought up in India where underprivileged communities and minorities were exploited by the rich and scammed into money making schemes. This is especially true for women since they are not exposed to education in particular financial literacy. I was lucky enough to be born in a household where both my parents were working and shared equal financial responsibility. This gave me the platform to explore my strengths and interests in this field and eventually give back to the society. Ironically, even though I pursued finance in college, personal finance was never talked about. We did not have any classes on it and the whole experience felt very male dominated be it the class gender ratio or even our professors.

So, I took it upon myself, and life forced me too lol, to learn and develop more skills in this area. I want to talk about 3 main buckets that helped me get a good hold over this subject. The first one is learning. Like I said, since there were no classes or workshops that talked about this topic, I started reading books, listening podcasts, and watching youtube videos on it. Through that, I was able to build a blueprint of how I could implement some of this knowledge. I have linked some resources in the appendix that you guys can use to gain more perspective.

I have realized that one can understand something deeply but unless we experiment with it or practically apply it, it is of no use. So, I started investing, as small as $100 initially since I am very risk averse individual and these were like hot waters for me. There are multiple platforms to invest but the easiest and simplest for me has been fidelity. Once you start working, you probably will have a fidelity account to manage your 401(k) fund so it’s an easy add-on to that. This might sound like financial jargon but investing in an ETF or index fund like S&P, Nasdaq is the safest way to grow your money passively with minimal market risk. A high yield savings account is another channel to explore if you want maximum safety and no risk.

Last but not the least, budgeting. Planning is a very important part of life especially as we grow older and there are multiple things to do in a day. The same way, planning and organizing your money is crucial for financial wellbeing. The 50/30/20 rules says that you should spend 50% of your income on needs which include your rent, credit card bills, groceries,etc., 30% on wants which include hobbies, vacations, dining out, 20% towards your financial goals which includes savings in the form of a bank account or your 401(k), investments in the stock market or real estate or a business. I personally budget every month and revisit the past month to see if I am on track. I have linked a template in the appendix that will help you guys get started and thinking about your financial goals. Another caveat I want to touch on is credit scores. They are given a lot of importance as we grow older and start thinking about making major purchases like a car, house, and other assets. The golden rule to having a good credit score is to keep your credit utilization under 30% on each card and having multiple cards that offer you different cash backs to maximize your returns. Never miss a CC payment since interests are unrealistically high and they will impact your credit score. So before you decide to buy those jordans or take a trip to aritzia, make sure those credit cards have been paid!

With all that being said, I am no expert and this is all that I have learned from my personal experience and wish that I knew of before I started my journey. I am constantly learning and growing myself but this is a field that I am very passionate about and would recommend everyone to have some sort knowledge in since all our lives revolve around it and by managing our money better, we can make life easier for ourselves and our loved ones. Gonna pass it off to serah to wrap it up and talk more about what lies ahead.

Own your future

Serah Prakkat

Today, I’ll share my story, on how I harnessed new experiences, and introspection as an opportunity for future growth.

I was born in India, raised in the middle east, and came to the US back in 2017 to pursue my undergraduate degree. Having been nurtured in a city like Dubai, one dominated by a diverse expatriate population with over 200 nationalities, I have been wrapped in a multi-culturally competent world and “Survival of the fittest” is a phrase that echoes in every aspect of my life.

Growing up in Dubai, though I was an above average student, I was definitely a more naive, self-doubting personality, unsure of what I wanted to pursue in college, and for a career. The only thing I did know was I was passionate about people, the human psyche, and it’s versatility, hence decided to major in Psychology at UW.

Entering into the UW, everything seemed like a scrambled puzzle. However, entering into it with a growth mindset, and a determination to thrive, helped me take on each challenge I came across as an opportunity to grow into my future self. From stumbling upon classes in Informatics and HCDE (majors I wasn’t even aware of coming into UW), working with professors 1-1 on research projects, to leading student clubs on campus, I saw a more certain, confident and ambitious personality emerging. By asking myself meaningful questions, I uncovered what brings me excitement – people, technology and business.

Now that I had my majors figured out, next was breaking into my first internship (or job). As I began my recruiting journey, I learned how critical it is to create a “brand” that’s unique to yourself – asking myself what would I like to be known for, how can I share my authentic self while still being professional, what are my values, beliefs, etc. The importance of being visible, getting found, and growing your network. After building my LinkedIn profile early into my UW years (sometime late Freshman year) and around 200 job applications, I ended up with 3 interviews and 2 acceptances – My Microsoft internship being the one I accepted. Around mid-junior year, I started to feel like the scrambled jigsaw coming together.

Post-graduation in 2021, I kickstarted my role as a Account Manager at Microsoft. I work in a customer centric role, post-sales role, helping my customers see value in their investments with Microsoft. Happy to share more my role during Q&A. As some of the team already touched on, work-life gets monotonous and it’s easy when you’re young to get sucked into it, and forget about your career growth and development. After being in the role for a little over a year, I started thinking hey what’s next? Is this it? Do I get up everyday clock in and do my job, clock out? I knew it was time for another introspection, or else there’d be no growth. I started asking myself questions, what do I want my 5-3-1 plan to look like career wise, do I want to stay in the CSAM role and grow within it, or try different things? Do I want to go back into school? What do I study? I kept a goal to do at least 5 coffee chats with folks whose background interested me per month, and I tried sticking by this for a few months. Through a lot of networking, close mentoring and personal research, I figured I’d prefer to go back to school for a business management program (MBA, technology management, etc.) as career pause (or reset) to advance my career, with the goal of gaining foundations in fundamental practices of business (leadership, strategy, etc.). I am hoping that post business school, I end up in a different role, maybe something in pre-sales, corporate strategy, business development, or product. Currently, I am in the process of applying to graduate programs with the goal to begin matriculation next fall. Wish me luck!

I’d like to conclude by saying that think about carving your future path as an opportunity for growth, something exciting, a potential re-invention. At the end of it, you will gain clarity, and nurture your emotional intellect. Don’t be afraid to get out there, own your future self and create those opportunities.

Adulting 101 with the CareerWomin Team