When did introducing yourself become the most anxiety-filled, shameful experience?

Remember when we were little and we couldn’t wait to say, “Hi! I’m Erica and my favorite color is blue!”

Or if you were really cool like me, it went more like this…..

“Hi! I’m Erica! That’s like ‘America’ without the ‘a’ and the ‘m’!”

I know, I know. My cleverness was seriously mind-blowing!

Introducing yourself used to be so fun. And then LA had to poop all over it.

Because now, we introduce ourselves as our job. And when your current job is nowhere near what you really want to be doing, it can make you cringe at the question, “So what do you do?”

When you've been in LA for at least a year, you're officially "in". 

LA is like this weird club that everyone wants to be a part of, but it takes time to really feel welcome and comfortable. There are some things that take you out of "tourist" mode quickly, like learning never to take the 405 from the westside to Glendale in Friday rush hour. (Or finally laughing at The Californians on SNL).

Success can be described in many different ways, depending on the person you ask. When defining success in one’s career, some may say it is the acquisition of wealth or recognition. But truthfully, there is no amount of money or recognition alone that can make you feel successful. Once you have acquired those things, you will need more and more, perpetuating the endless quest for deeper satisfaction and fulfillment. I believe that success is not about the attaining of things or opportunities, but the reward of living a life that is on purpose, that is meaningful, and that is filled with joy.