Dear Millennial Women,

So you’re pushing 30 now? This is the make moment, the break moment, the what-the-hell-am-I-doing moment. Looking for that promotion? Daydreaming about your own business? Totally, bafflingly confused and need a U-turn? There’s always grad school. But what’s that ticking sound? Oh yes, your biological clock. And you can’t live in this apartment forever. Isn’t it time to be an adult and buy a condo or even—gasp, yard work—a house?

Go ahead and scream. We’ll wait. We screamed, too. Many, many times.

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OK, now. Here’s the playbook: There is no playbook. If someone gives you one, toss it out. Simply know your worth (it’s a lot). Keep your cool. If you want to have a baby, go for it. Be flexible. Try big things but appreciate the small ones. You will mess up. But you will also do things right. Very few of us ever say, “That was the single moment that made me!” Success is a series of moments, a succession of dominoes. It is a symphony, not a pop song. Above all else, work hard and keep at it. You do not need to “arrive” tomorrow. Arriving is not a singular place, anyway. Your next destination will always, always change. Treat people well, and remember you are a person, too. That’s what will make you happy. Success is something different for everyone. And that’s a good thing.

Sincerely,

Successful happy women who have been there

Their Stories:

Dear Millennial Women,

“I don’t believe that anything is a given right. It must be earned.”

Deborah Scott is the executive chef and partner in the Cohn Restaurant Group. Read More

Dear Millennial Women,

“It’s never been a better time to be a woman.”

Kerri Verbeke Kapich is the Senior Vice President of Marketing & Strategic Partnerships for the San Diego Tourism Authority. Read More

Dear Millennial Women,

“Believe in yourself. Stand proud and don’t let anyone give you grief.”

Brunhilde Felding, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the department of chemical physiology and the department of molecular and experimental medicine at The Scripps Research Institute. Read More