I wake up to my alarm with the rise of the bright, morning sun. As I lay on my impeccably white comforter, I glance outside my apartment window at the Potomac River, which is glistening in the spring sunlight. This striking view pulls me out of my bed and I begin to get ready for my day. I slip on plaid pants with a black blouse and a fashionable blazer and head outside to take the Metro to my work. 

I am twenty-eight, and an established forensic psychologist residing in Washington D.C. After graduating from the University of Delaware in 2023 with two Bachelor’s Degrees in criminal justice and psychology and a minor in Forensic Science, I moved to D.C. to earn my masters in forensic psychology at George Washington University, and then my PhD in psychology. After this, I obtained my dream job at a prominent forensic psychology firm. Within this one occupation, I do a multitude of work in the criminal justice system, such as evaluating criminals for both defense lawyers and the state, assisting the police in profiling, and testifying in court as an expert on criminal behavior. The most important and most fascinating part of my job, however, is participating in a research study in which a team and I travel to prisons to interview the inmates who have committed some of the most heinous crimes known to man in order to find a way to prevent those at risk of violent behavior from becoming offenders. 

In my leisure time, I choreograph for multiple studios in the D.C. area and at my old studio in my frigid and snowy hometown of Rochester, NY. I attend classy events as a socialite in D.C. with my friends, and I live with my very best friend in our riverfront apartment. I workout every weekday, and do hot yoga on the weekends, and maintain the healthy, vegan lifestyle I adopted when I was fourteen. 

This is the life that I so desperately want to build for myself. In ten years I want to be thriving, in most, if not all of these ways. In order to conquer these formidable dreams, I must work towards possessing a positive attitude and healthy self esteem levels. As a person who is extremely hard on herself, this is often difficult for me. I have an optimistic outlook when it comes to my near future, however, when thinking about ten years ahead, it is difficult to overcome the thought that I will inevitably fail. Due to the fact that I have this pessimistic outlook and a damaging view of myself, I am already taking steps to learn to appreciate and love myself, so that I have the motivation and confidence to turn my daydreams of success into a reality. I do one written exercise each week that focuses on positive self reflection, and I live a healthy lifestyle in order to maintain a regular routine of self care. I know that overtime, I will build up my confidence more and more, allowing myself to achieve this remarkable dream life, which may not be as out of reach as it seems to be at the moment.