Making $23,000 a year just out of school, Sarah Catherine (SC) Gutierrez was approached by mortgage brokers about buying a $250,000 house. She almost fell for it. This was 2008 😳, and luckily her dad talked some sense into her. This experience, among others during that tumultuous time, …
My Anti-Resolution Word of the Year
I'm done with New Year's Resolutions. While the new year is a great time to be inspired by change and rebirth, resolutions can be a source of unnecessary stress. What? By when? How? Etc. The older I get and the more I study and teach self-development, the more I realize that this is a long game. A …
Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend?
Dear Daughter, It’s coming up on 25 years since I first went on a date with your dad, and it's been 21 years since he gave me a diamond engagement ring. I still have it, but I don’t wear it all the time, now that my knuckles swell past its size. And that’s the thing: it’s just a symbol, something …
My Money Makeover
Like the "before and after" pictures in a glossy magazine, the way I view money has recently undergone a makeover. Growing up, my family spent money on experiences such as eating out, music concerts, and vacations, but we also loved shopping for stuff. It was an expression of love, success, and …
Lessons From My Daughter: Loving Without Judgement
She has a decent amount of toys, some from us and some from generous grandparents and other loving friends and family. These toys seem to go through a rotation of popularity, and right now she’s very into stuffed animals. She cares for them and treats them like her own babies. Care giving and …
Dear Dawn: How do you decide on a specialty?
I got this comment on one of my blog posts and decided to turn it into a "Dear Dawn" post: "Thank you for your wonderful weblog and wise words! Sorry if I'm commenting where I shouldn't be, but I wasn't sure where to ask this question. I'm just a med student but I noticed you're an …