Style Stratigi

A Life, Style & Beauty Blog

Categories: Beauty, Life, Style, Wellness

Style Stratigi Turns 1 🎉

Today we are celebrating a big milestone at Style Strat because we are turning ONE!!

It’s been a long year of learning, growing & glowing; in many ways unexpected when I started this blog and Youtube channel last year.

I knew there would be challenges, but as I took this creative pursuit more seriously, insecurities and limiting beliefs from my past started coming up. In 2021, I was finally fed up with being the only thing holding me back in this life! I was tired of being too afraid to show up consistently and tired of letting my emotions get in the way.

I learned that I was so focused on the one person that might throw tomatoes at me rather than enjoy the applause from the rest of the crowd. I couldn’t hear the many actually cheering on & admiring because I was too afraid of hearing the boos.

I learned that the worst scenarios, for my life & my brand, are mostly made up in my head! And I realized that I was so used to believing the lies from this coping mechanism learned from traumatic experiences of the past.

I learned to remind myself – daily – of all the reasons why I am SO worthy, enough & deserving!
I learned to show up for myself consistently, even if I was feeling insecure or tired that day.

I learned to start counting the things that I DID accomplish versus getting hung up on what I didn’t do.
For example, in the last year, I didn’t post any videos to my Youtube channel… but I DID :

  • Start my Channel
  • Start my blog
    • Create & install custom template on my own
  • Create my own logo
  • Learn how to create graphics on Canva
  • Start writing consistently
  • Become more comfortable with taking & editing short video content

I learned to start trusting my intuition for what I want to share and how I want to show up for my brand, my community, and my LIFE! I realized that I was afraid to do things if they weren’t perfect and started giving myself more grace for not knowing and gave myself permission to just DO.

This was a BIG year for my brand, my business, my site and my channel – but most especially for me. There were lots of hard days, LOTS of uncertain days, and tons of messy action. I am so grateful for this journey the past year, and I can’t wait to see where we go!

Happy Birthday, Style Strat 💗

Categories: Life, Wellness

10 Things To Do To Start Your Year

The first of the year is an extremely exciting time, full of hope and anticipation for the next 12 months. It’s also full of everything wanting your attention all at once! New Year’s Resolutions, Goals, Visions, Hopes, Dreams, etc!

I would be bold-face lying to you right here if I didn’t say it overwhelms the heck out of me each year. Which I had no idea til last year. I know so many of us woke up to a lot of things in 2020. Personally, I realized that just because it’s a new year on the calendar, doesn’t mean there won’t be more challenges. It means there will be new ones, and with that, new opportunities to level up. I realized that there were 12 more months ahead of me; and I didn’t have to do everything all at once as soon as the clock strikes 12:01 on January 1st.

I know the feeling of writing down your resolutions and hitting the ground running, pushing hard into your goals and by day 6, I’m reconsidering the entire year! I was tired of feeling like a failure before the year even started. Rest assured, this doesn’t mean you have to completely throw January to the wayside. Here are some small things you can do to start your year off on the right foot, for whenever you want to ‘officially’ start the year.

How I like to start my year in Alignment

  1. Declutter, Detox & Clean
    • I’m talking mind, body, soul!
    • Take a trash bag around the house (*and your car!*) and get rid of stuff taking up your precious space – junk, papers, receipts, water bottles, etc.
    • Clean out expired products from your pantry, fridge, medicine cabinets, beauty, makeup & skincare stash.
    • Clear out items from your home & closet that no longer fit the energy of who you are, who you’ve become or where you are going.
    • Unfollow people on social media that no longer align with you. Unfollow accounts that don’t make you feel like the best version of you.
    • Unsubscribe from mailing lists
    • Drink lemon water each day (also helps with overindulgence from the holidays)
  2. Reflect on the past year
    • How did I grow? How can I tell?
  3. Write down goals & visions for the new year
  4. Create a good morning & evening routine
  5. Hack your life
    • What are areas you want to grow in for the new year? Examples : Spiritually, Financially, Creatively, Mentally, Physically?
    • Pick out podcasts & books (hardcopy or audio) to tap into each day!
  6. Schedule a Vacation/Staycation for Sometime this Year
  7. Quit Something. Just Say No.
    • This is the year we start boundaries! Are there commitments you made last year that you didn’t really want to do? Are there things you said yes to last year that no longer align with who you are now?
  8. Simplify Meals & Snacktime
    • Write down a list of at least 10 easy meals that you and your family enjoy.
    • What are some food products & items that you and your family always like to have on hand for meals & snacks?
    • this will help when it comes time to write down grocery lists & for having items on hand when you don’t know what to cook.
  9. Create a weekly prep list to create consistency each week
    • This goes for keeping the house clean & your mental state clear
      • Maybe Saturdays are sheet & linen days where you wash all linens
      • Every Tuesday & Thursday, you set a timer and clear for one hour
  10. REST
    • The holidays were a busy time, take this month to slowly move towards your new year goals
    • Work & Progress you are proud of can only come from a place of rest

✨Clear energy for your goals to become reality✨

You don’t have to do it all and you don’t have to do it all at once! January is a long month, with 11 months left after, to achieve everything you want in the new year.

Perhaps consider January a trial run month to give each of your goals or resolutions some practice? You can start over in February, or March, or next week.. Each new day is a new opportunity to write a new page. Choose you, choose to stay consistent.

xo, Maria

Categories: Life

Happy New Year 2022

Welcome back to Style Stratigi for a brand new year! 2021 already feels far away, but time feels relative when living in the moment.

The first of this year is feeling energetic and magnetic for what’s to come. A rather nice way to feel considering how last year started. Coming off collectively the worst year in recent human history, we knew that lots of healing needed to be done.

Last year was the most transformative year I’ve ever had. I decided to make an effort to meet the root of my emotional triggers and self-sabotaging tendencies and I know so many others decided to do the same and start their own healing journeys. If you are one of them, I hope you are SO proud of yourself because I’m proud of you.

Life doesn’t get easier, you get stronger!

If the last couple of years taught us anything, it’s that adverse situations are a part of life. There will never be a shortage of challenges. Improving your life by simply improving your mindset may sound incredulous, but perhaps if you believe so, your mindset could use improving to believe in the God-created power within you! It’s a simple answer, but very difficult to implement and – if the inner work isn’t done – difficult to maintain.

2021 brought the best memories to my life, but the highs wouldn’t have felt so high without feeling lows. I learned that sitting with the ugly, yucky, low feelings help sitting with the high, fuzzy, exhilarating feelings for much, much longer. I learned that if you don’t give the ‘bad’ feelings the attention they need from you, you won’t be able to feel the ‘good’ feelings as long because all emotions want to be seen and heard.

In 2022,

I’m continuing to cultivate the safe space I learned to create for myself this past year and expand that here on Style Stratigi – a safe space to be yourself, to be authentic, to curate your personal style, to be comfortable expressing yourself through beauty, to care for yourself without guilt or shame.

I look forward to bringing more love and light into the new year, and seeing you around for the ride.

Happy New Year 💗 xo

Categories: Life

Last Minute Gift Guide

This isn’t your typical last minute gift guide. In all honesty – this isn’t your ‘typical BLOGGER/Influencer’ Gift Guide. You’re not going to find a bunch of links to the things you want to buy, because let’s be real – you’re a last minute shopper.

Maybe waiting til the last minute makes you feel alive or perhaps you’re an extremely busy person, all reasons are valid here at the Style Stratigi. Regardless of why you’re just a few days away from Christmas and still have people to check off your list, here are some ways to get your brain jogging on those last minute gifts :

Give an Experience

  • Popcorn, candies & an Amazon Prime gift card for a movie night at home

Give a Pat on the Back

  • a Coffee gift card says “You’re amazing & doing great!”

Give some Alone Time

  • A gift certificate to a Spa or a nice restaurant

Give Self Care

  • slippers, a mug, relaxing tea & an aromatherapy candle

Give Growth

  • A really nice journal & pens that write really well can get anyone to make journaling a daily habit
  • **Bonus : Add a nice note inside the journal to get them started!

Give Festive Wishes

  • Anything Christmas, Holiday or Winter related is always a warm token of the season

Any gift you spend intentional time & thought towards is worthy of your recipient! Don’t create too much of a struggle when trying to find the ‘PERFECT’ gift. I can assure you that perfection doesn’t exist, and it certainly cannot be found within some material object. Instead, spend time considering how you can help someone this season or how your gift can improve their life, not just clutter it.

I also posted a last minute beauty gift idea guide on my Instagram, hope you check it out 😊

xoxo

Categories: Life

Happy Holidays from Style Strat

Hello dears, it’s the holiday season again and pretty soon a BRAND NEW year! Can you believe it? Because I hardly can!

It feels just like a few short months ago we were preparing for a different kind of holiday season, one we had never seen before and yet a full 12 months have gone by. While things feel like they’re back to normal, which is amazing and such a different feeling from what we had last year – it’s also INCREDIBLY EXHAUSTING!

Holiday Season 2020 was spent at HOME. No one was going anywhere! In fact, this time last year half of the world was still in lockdown. Holiday Season 2021 has seen a return of events, parties, festivities and crowds are back in the malls and stores as if we aren’t technically still in a pandemic. It makes me so happy that we are choosing to continue living life even with the circumstances.

However, taking a year off has me rusty. And not just rusty, it takes way more energy for holiday parties, dinners, events and festivities after having NOTHING at all this time last year.

Important reminders for Holiday Season 2021:

  • Perfection does not exist! Always strive to try YOUR best
  • How much I can complete or check off my to-do list does not determine my worth
  • Be intentional! With your time, who you spend it with & when giving gifts
  • Not everyone deserves access to you, be protective of your energy
  • Take time to slow down and enjoy the festive spirit around you

This year, if it feels REALLY hard even if you’re SO thankful for a ‘normal’ holiday season and being able to spend it with family & friends – please don’t be hard on yourself! And at the same time, if you’re anxious (since we’re still in a pandemic) and it exhausts you to decide what you should do – remember to honor yourself & don’t be hard on yourself whatever your decision!

And the best Present for under your tree this year –

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a Gift, which is why we call it the Present ❤️🎁

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from my family to yours,
xoxo Maria

Categories: Life

It’s 11/11, you know what to do!

Seeing multiple numbers, especially repeating 1’s, is a special sign in astrology and numerology. You might not believe in all that, but something about 11/11 feels pretty powerful & magnetic to me.

November is almost halfway through and then only one month left of 2021. By the end of last year, we were giving ourselves a ton of slack for surviving it all. This year feels all sorts of crazy – we’re trying to process last year’s trauma while still in the middle of a pandemic, all while learning to figure out and re-navigate this ‘new’ normal.

I know with the return of normalcy, I’m already seeing a lot of content floating around that this is the time to realign, focus on your goals and to make the most of these last few weeks. But you know what? After the dumpster fire that was 2020, we should really carry over that same energy we had there at the end. Just because we’re ‘back to normal’ come 2022, doesn’t mean you have to burn yourself out around the holidays to accomplish everything before the year’s over! Those patterns are so 2019. There is no rush to accomplish anything before midnight on December 31st. It is also completely valid to use this time for rest, relaxation, reflection & recharge so that you can start 2022 ready to make progress on your goals.

There really is no wrong way. However, no matter how you choose to finish off the year, BE intentional with this time!

Here are my end of 2021 Goals & Intentions :

  • GRATITUDE – thankful for each day to live, enjoy & experience in 2021
  • Hydrate & NOURISH – the drinks pour easy and the sugar intake is high this time of year, but it’s not about how my body looks, this is for how my body FEELS
  • Be Present – enjoy every moment remaining this year
  • Go with the Flow – things tend to not go according to plan around the holidays, know that it’s only temporary
  • Caring for your space is SELF CARE – make space, clear things up, clean, dust, decorate. Taking care of the space you live in will help you take care of the space that you live your entire life in – your body.
  • Prioritize Stillness & Rest – after celebrating the holidays over Zoom, we are ready for in-person festivities. But you don’t have to do it all.
  • Fill your cup first – the more I give, the more I receive.

Reality is yours to create. The holidays and end of year doesn’t have to be a crazy, overwhelming time. In fact, in can be a very enjoyable, peaceful, reflective time. It’s all up to you!

How do you want to finish off this year?

xoxo, Maria

Categories: Life

Just Getting Started

I feel both unfazed & like I’m jolted to reality each time I look at the date. October. Already! A whole quarter of a year passed by and I mostly struggled with allowing myself rest and paid the price of emotional burnout. Finally I woke up one morning after thanking my mind, body & spirit with some peace and was ready to just get started.

This isn’t another ‘Life Update’ post, because I’m at a point where every ‘reason’ as to why I haven’t gotten started yet is actually just an excuse.

Okay, to be honest, I don’t believe that to be entirely true. Whatever happens in your life that throws you off balance is a completely valid reason . Since the last Quarter Update, my life (OUR lives, since I’m a married betch now 🥰) has been a W H I R L W I N D!

Wedding

Having the most amazing time of my life after the most anxious time of my life truly felt like being woken up to a reality better than your wildest dream after being stuck in your worst nightmare.

All of July was chaos – the first two weeks were crazy finalizing our wedding and preparing for our trip. The first week in Greece was jam packed with last minute things to do before our wedding day (many meetings with our priest & even getting chastised! It was a very authentic experience) and just trying to enjoy the fleeting moments.

Our second week, after the wedding, was complete, ABSOLUTE BLISS. I was on such a high. My dopamine & serotonin levels were so overwhelming, I didn’t sleep for like 5 days straight.

First Month as Newly Weds

Anxious thoughts before a wedding are normal. However, I think 2020Pandemic brides developed their own kind of anxiety – the fear of throwing the biggest party of your life & everyone getting sick. We were dead set on our destination wedding in Greece, so the fear of getting it while traveling/there/at the wedding/traveling home was HIGH. By God’s grace, no one got sick and we had the best trip of our lives.

We got back Stateside and had lots of people to celebrate our nuptials with. We had a celebratory dinner at a friend’s house a week after our return and by the following evening, my new husband was running a fever and had chills + body aches. In sickness and in health, indeed.

To add insult to injury, we visited my new in-laws the day after that fateful dinner, and unknowingly spread it to them. Details aside, while it got us down bad for a good few days; it took them a long time to overcome the illness. At one point, both ended up in the Emergency Room and the newly-wed couple moved in for a week to take care of them… It was a crash course in Married Life.

August2021 Never Happened

Honestly… this isn’t the worst thing, because August 2021 would’ve been our first wedding anniversary, thankfully we were too busy on our wedding high & recovering from Covid to notice that the entire month slipped away into a moment of time.

All very valid reasons for a break! Here’s the thing though, burnout can result from many different things. It’s not just from doing too much. It can be from thinking or even feeling too much. And I very much needed rest from all 3 when I returned home. While my mind and body knew it, my spirit was in a state of unrest! I didn’t want to feel the yucky feelings of being somewhere in between. I wanted to know what the next step was. I wanted more but didn’t know which direction to start. And then something happened where we were FORCED to sit and be still.

Just sit & be still.

Rest is scary because the last thing you want is momentum lost just as you start to feel great. But don’t let that hold you back from gifting yourself the rest you crave. Sometimes the hardest part of falling off a routine or losing motivation is the fear of how you’re going to get it back. You’ll never know until you just get started.

Categories: Life, Wellness

How Postponing a Wedding Led me on a Healing Journey

The last 12 months have not been easy for anyone. Think about where you were this time last year. We were in the middle of a pandemic! We still are, but a completely different stage. This time last year, I was in a daily tizzy on what to do about our wedding. The cases here in Texas were on the rise and climbing fast. It was to the point where my family in Greece was concerned about us visiting, let alone the concerns of our traveling guests. We held the faith as best we could and kept on with planning. We still had to get my fiance baptized and gather wedding documents, we didn’t want to stop for something we weren’t really sure of. Then, on July 1st, the European Union closed its borders to American travelers. And well, only a handful of us would’ve been able to get Greek travel papers and we couldn’t have a wedding without the groom!

On July 1st, 2020 we decided to finally pull the plug on the whole thing.

That morning was rough. We had to update everyone and get with our planners for a new game plan. Sure, it was easy, simple – they gave us a couple dates to choose from and we decided on July 24, 2021. Everything was already planned and set for the original August 21st wedding date by the time we decided to postpone. All we had to do was roll everything over to the new date, and wait 11 months. No big deal.

So then why the hell was I SO sad? Like, really, really sad. It was already a tough year, everyone was already going through so much, I had already been crying for 6 weeks straight at that point.

"People are dying from a new illness, the entire world is trying to navigate a pandemic, so many have lost their jobs, people still have their eyes shut to all sorts of systemic injustices in the Land of the Free and you're sad about having to postpone your wedding???"
"Boo hoo. Little Princess is upset because she can't have her little destination wedding. Oh, too good to have your wedding here? You postponed it! You're still having a wedding, what are you crying about?!"

I was so mean to myself and wouldn’t allow myself to feel what I was really feeling. I told myself, “We have a new date, no big deal.” But it was a big deal. “Everything’s planned, we just have to sit back and wait. No worries.” But I was upset! I told myself everything was okay when it actually wasn’t.

After several of my relationships started to implode, I knew that my sadness was not just from postponing the wedding. There were deep wounds that postponing our wedding only poured vinegar on. And I wanted to see where they came from, so I started digging. I decided to go deep and started peeling back layer after layer after layer til I reached the core.

2021 is the year we grow, glow and heal ✨

And I took that sh*t seriously. We quickly learned that just because the calendar has a new date doesn’t mean bad things stop happening. I wanted to take what we learned from our trauma as collective and apply it to my life on a personal level. Mental Wellness became top priority for me – I started meditating, praying and doing yoga immediately upon waking up, created healthy routines and started seeing a therapist.

I made self-love a non-negotiable, daily practice.

As I started being kinder to myself, I started to feel and honor each and every emotion. After invalidating my feelings all my life and learning to deconstruct 3 decades of conditioning, my healing journey was NOT pretty. But it has been the most beautiful experience. I went really deep and found an abundance of love and gratitude for myself and this precious life!

Postponing a wedding is never easy, and certainly not fun. Add in a pandemic, failing relationships and systemic injustice, and I started unraveling at my seams. I knew the sadness wasn’t superficial. I could keep denying how I actually felt or make some changes. No one really talks about the ugly parts of healing, and we can get into that, but let me tell you – it is SO worth it.

xoxo

Categories: Life

LIFE UPDATE

HELLO JUNE ☀️

Christos Anesti! Pasxa seriously feels like 2 weeks ago and only a month since Western Easter, yet here halfway through the year. It’s incredible how fast time is going; I think coming off 2020, “getting back to normal” feels strange and the new concept of time doesn’t make any sense! Yet, time stops for no one and we leave in (less than!) 6 weeks for Greece to FINALLY get married!!
I’m kind of freaking out – like, feeling ALL the emotions at once, but it’s kind of amazing..

It’s been hard to focus on my wedding the last few of months, and if you asked me back in March – I was STILL processing the whole ordeal! Covid, the pandemic, lockdown, postponing our wedding, all of it! Heck – I think most of the entire world’s population was still in the middle of processing March2020 this past March. But now that summer is here, life feels great!!

my life in the last few months:

Lent, Pasxa and LOTS of Spiritual/Inner Reflection

  • Another Lent and beautiful Holy Week has come and gone. This time of year always brings more meaning, intention and clarity into my life, but this was the most reflective Pasxa season I have ever experienced. After spending Easter2020 in lockdown during a global pandemic, my eyes were opened to parts of me that seriously needed God’s healing! Last year was hard for so many, and likewise found myself in a very, very dark, deep void. My foundation never broke, but I knew that the soil on which I was being planted would need constant watering. I started each day with prayer and meditation, grounded myself in the Word daily and kept my thoughts centered on constant gratitude. By Palm Sunday, I was ready to spend every single moment in church, experiencing the greatest sacrifice and blessing of God’s LOVE! I must commend my fiance for going to church every single day of his first Easter season as an Orthodox Christian.
    • It wasn’t a “normal” Easter – we had a very small gathering versus our large Stratigis Greek Easter celebration, but we got to spend it in church, together with family, and there was still lots of lamb, wine & dancing!

Super ‘Busy Season‘

  • If you haven’t read my first post yet, it’s a quick read and I go into detail about what I do for a living!
    The Atlantic Hurricane Season started June 1st, and until the start of the season, work life is chaotic and depleting! Everyone is making sure to have insurance coverage in place and the current state of the market is absolute bananas. I’ll spare boring details, but my fiance and I are just glad we’re finally on the other side of 6/1. Time to breathe a little.

Self Love Practice & Processing Wedding Grief

  • Last fall, prompted by many catalysts – my postponed wedding included – I started to dig deep into my shadows. I peeled back layers and layers of badly bandaged wounds caused by traumas from my youth. I made mental health a priority and started seeing a therapist. I made self love a daily practice, a ritual and unbreakable promise to myself. I made it a habit to pour love & forgiveness into my own cup each and every day. And I started healing.
  • For the longest, I wouldn’t allow myself to process any wedding grief. How could I feel sorry for having to push back my wedding by a year when people were dying from an unknown virus? How could I be upset about my destination wedding not going as planned when people were losing jobs and unsure of where their next meal would come from? How could I be sad about something so silly and frivolous? And I felt that way up until April! As I started to love myself more and step into my light, I created a safe space for myself to feel and honor each and every emotion. I was upset about my wedding, and that’s OKAY!
  • This probably deserves a much longer post, more details to come!

Wedding Documents

  • Short of having to promise my first born child, the hardest thing about getting married in Greece has to be the paperwork. Add in trying to get married in Greek Orthodox Church in Greece and the hoops you have to jump through now have fire. Then, combined with the fact that documents cannot be dated PRIOR to 90 days before the wedding, 3 months to get foreign papers certified, translated, Apostilled and sent via courier service is barely possible in a perfect world. We’re currently trying figure out how this works in a post-Covid world.
  • Another topic deserving of a much longer post, so more details to come!

Birthdays, Holidays & My Parents’ Wedding

  • Western Easter, or as we Greeks affectionately call it – “American Easter”, is always a good opportunity to let everyone know when Orthodox Easter is. This year, the two holidays were a whole month apart – Easter beginning of April and Pasxa beginning of May!! We still celebrate both and between the two, we had a couple crawfish boils, celebrated a couple birthdays and Mother’s Day. Then, the event of the Spring – 43 years after being married at City Hall, 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren later, my parents got married in the Greek Orthodox Church!
    • My mom is Catholic and my dad is Greek Orthodox, in both religions, marriage is a sacrament! In 1978, my parents decided to get married by Justice of the Peace and do make their sacrament of marriage later. Doesn’t matter that it took 4 decades, they did it and I am so proud of my mom & dad!!! They are a true testament to sticking through, showing up every single freaking day, and making it work even when you really just want to walk away from it all. It was such a special occasion and to be able to witness the union of the two beautiful souls that created me, brought me into this world and protected me since birth, alongside my siblings and niece and nephew was absolutely priceless. And, it’s made me excited for my own wedding!

Not to mention nursing my sinuses back to health after a severe sinus infection, I’ve been a VERY busy bee protecting my energies and wellbeing. The last few months were necessary for my growth. I am SO excited for what’s to come. And now that work is less hectic, I’m excited to bring you more content.

Stay tuned! xoxo

Categories: Life

Get to know me – ‘What I Do’

2021 has taken some getting used to, but I’d say halfway through March – I can feel the winter blues melting away with the longer days, sunshine and warmer weather, and it makes all the collective trauma a little easier to process. It’s crazy to think that this time last year, the Coronavirus was shutting the whole world down and we were convinced that it would only be a 4-6 week ordeal; not to mention processing a dangerous and crippling winter storm that caught us Texans off guard a month ago. The biggest adjustment has been working from home through natural disasters and pandemic fatigue. I went from thinking we’d be work-from-home for just a few weeks to a permanent situation! Even working from home, I still get the ‘Sunday Scaries‘ and Mondays still feel like Mondays. Especially considering we are currently in the middle of Busy Season and it’ll only get busier from here til June – Sundays feel scarier.

I started this blog at the end of January with high hopes for consistent posting, and it feels like just another excuse of mine to not post or share, but my stress & workload has really ramped up, as I knew it would given the time of year. I have to commend myself for what I’ve been able to do and get done in spite of long, extra hours at work and on top of long work to-do lists.  

If you’re curious to know more on ‘What I Do’, keep reading

Underwriting Analyst – Commercial Property Insurance

When you think of Insurance, maybe you think of ‘Flo’ from Progressive or ‘Jake’ from State Farm. Maybe you think of health insurance, car insurance, home insurance, or maybe you think of insurance claims. I do neither and none of these things.

How I got into the field I’m in

In 2014, I was working at M.A.C. Cosmetics and to appease my parents who were horrified that my degree was wasting away, I interviewed at this insurance company my sister worked at and was loving. I didn’t even really know what to expect or anything about what I would be doing, but I knew that it would be a ‘good, stable, job’ with ‘benefits’ and was even able to keep up with freelancing for the first couple of years. Since then, I have moved around companies twice and am back at the original place that started it all and where I met my fiance.

What field am I in

When you think of Jake from State Farm, let’s say the man on the phone asking Jake what he’s wearing owns an apartment complex or a bunch of condos along the Gulf Coast and needs wind coverage for hurricane season. Only Jake isn’t with State Farm, he’s an insurance agent or broker that has access to markets that can provide coverage in the event of a loss from a hurricane or tropical storm. On the back end of an insurance policy are underwriters – who assess, assume and evaluate the risk of the property for a fee, which is where we come in 🙂

What my job entails

I manage and service accounts from when they are submitted and assigned to me and during the policy term. We take the information given with a submission for our services and format for an underwriter to evaluate, determine if the property is a good risk to assume, and provide a quote!
Once it ‘binds’, my job is to get it in the books, help maintain the file, answer any questions during the policy term and ensure any changes to the policy are made correctly. Considering my ‘tenure’, I am also very active in a training and resource role, teaching newcomers to my team ‘the ropes‘ and as an aid for those who have been there for a short amount of time.

Corporate/Business/Office jobs aren’t for the faint of heart – I also used to the think it was absolutely NOT FOR ME. All jobs are necessary and so many people thrive in this environment, and especially in the industry I work in! Even for a creative person like me who thought the idea of a ‘cubicle, 9-5’ type gig would completely crush my spirit, I’m lucky to have found a great job that I not only am able to excel and use my talents in but also cultivate a very attainable work-life balance – which is an incredibly important part, if not THE most important part in finding a job that suits you.

Although it’s a crazy time of year, I hope to get more posts in soon. In the meantime, this post will help make sense as to why I might be a little M.I.A. the first half of the year.

xoxo

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