1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,000 Smaller picture, find things that you enjoy in your everyday life. 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:15,000 And then bigger picture, find some key things that you want to experience, whether that's 3 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,320 a travel or a big purchase you want to make or some other experience that you want to 4 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:27,120 have and what steps can you take towards experiencing that as soon as you can. 5 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:32,200 What happens when a high school robotics student, a spontaneous challenge and an unshakable 6 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,360 drive collide? 7 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:40,440 You get Reagan Zimmerman-Tresta, an MIT graduate and Ford Motor Company engineer who has never 8 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:46,400 been afraid to take the road less traveled, sometimes quite literally, as a race car driver. 9 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:51,040 In today's episode, Reagan shares how a bold decision led her to one of the most prestigious 10 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:56,800 universities in the world, how she navigates a male-dominated industry, and why work-life 11 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,640 balance is just as important as career success. 12 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:05,400 Whether you're an aspiring engineer, someone passionate about STEM, or just looking for 13 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:10,840 inspiration to take your next big leap, this episode is packed with valuable lessons on 14 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,720 resilience, mentorship, and making bold decisions. 15 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:20,880 Let's dive in. 16 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:26,880 100% of men and women have hormones, and with the increased presence of processed foods 17 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:32,240 and environmental toxins, it's more important than ever to make mindful choices in the products 18 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:33,960 we use every day. 19 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:39,680 That's why I trust Q&G, high-performing, clean products designed to support hormone 20 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:44,200 health while reducing exposure to harmful chemicals. 21 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:50,600 Because this topic has been my primary focus since ending birth control in 2024 in an attempt 22 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:56,360 to regulate my changing midlife hormones, after making healthy swaps in my diet, personal 23 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:02,280 care products, and exercise routine, I've been able to lower my dose of anxiety medication 24 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:08,520 I once relied very heavily on, and have restored balance to my nervous system and cleared up 25 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,400 the brain fog I was experiencing in perimenopause. 26 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:19,520 Q&G has played a key role in this transformation, offering safe, effective, non-toxic solutions 27 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:22,080 that support my wellness journey. 28 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:27,560 If you listened to episode 16 with certified Mayo Clinic health and wellness coach Tracy 29 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:32,880 Danielsson Mitchell, you heard our talk about the importance of hormone health. 30 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,400 Coming in March, I'll be doing a deep dive into heart and hormone health on my Live and 31 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:43,560 Learn Patreon, where I'll list all the tests, supplements, and product swaps that have helped 32 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,040 me balance my hormones in my 50s. 33 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:51,160 Plus, Tracy will be back to answer all your heart and hormone health questions at the end 34 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:52,640 of the month. 35 00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:57,400 If you're on this journey with me and are interested in exploring Hew and Grace's trusted, 36 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:06,240 non-toxic products, visit my link at HewAndGrace.com slash lessonplan to receive 10% off and free 37 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:07,360 shipping. 38 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:13,600 You can also reach out to me at any time with questions at nextlessonplan.com. 39 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:18,040 Live and learn with me as we focus on living fully and feeling our best. 40 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:23,480 Visit HewAndGrace.com slash lessonplan to see how easy it is to start making some healthy 41 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:33,320 swaps on the way to non-toxic living. 42 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:38,840 I'm so excited to bring to you today Reagan Zimmerman Shrestha. 43 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:44,840 We actually have a fun family connection, which is how we know each other. 44 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:52,600 We're technically second cousins, and definitely we cannot get into the stories of all the 45 00:03:52,600 --> 00:04:00,320 many hours I spent with her father, one of my favorite cousins growing up, but definitely 46 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,880 I have a lot of great and fond memories there. 47 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:10,400 And I have to say that attending Reagan's wedding last summer definitely falls in the 48 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:15,560 top five most fun weddings that I have been to. 49 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:21,080 So that's a fun little backstory of how we know each other. 50 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,920 And Reagan has an amazing path. 51 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:30,120 So I'm going to let her share a little bit of her background before we launch into our 52 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:31,320 episode today. 53 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:32,760 So welcome, Reagan. 54 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,040 Thanks, Rachel, for having me on. 55 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:40,760 Yeah, as you said, connection is through being second cousins. 56 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:46,120 But yeah, I'm excited to be here and tell a little bit about my story. 57 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:53,160 So I graduated from Arrowhead High School in Wisconsin in 2018 and then went to MIT for 58 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:57,640 undergraduate, where I studied electrical engineering and also got a second degree in 59 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:03,320 political science, fun fact, not many people know that one about me. 60 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,320 And then my career took me to Michigan, where I live now. 61 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:11,080 And I've been working for Ford Motor Company for about two and a half years now. 62 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:13,200 Wow, it's been that long already. 63 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:15,360 I would have guessed that. 64 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:21,520 Okay, so because this is somewhat an education related podcast, we always start off with 65 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,840 either a funny or memorable high school or college memory. 66 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:29,120 I'm sure you have money and it was hard to pick. 67 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:35,400 Yeah, I think honestly, my favorite memories from MIT are the times when we didn't have 68 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:36,600 classes. 69 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:41,320 So the first two weeks on campus freshman year during orientation before any classes 70 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:47,040 started and then every January, there's an independent activities period. 71 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,160 So we would have all of January off and four weeks where you would do whatever you want. 72 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:57,080 It was a really popular time for students to go abroad to do mini little internships. 73 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:01,840 But my senior year, so this was the first year back on campus after COVID interrupted 74 00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:02,840 everything. 75 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:06,080 So this was January of 2022. 76 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:11,520 We had a huge snowstorm on campus like the week before classes were going to start up 77 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,520 again for the spring semester. 78 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:22,600 We got feet of snow and we just got snowed in a bunch of my friends and I built a giant 79 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:23,600 fort. 80 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:29,400 One of my friends had a Toyota 4Runner and he's like a big car guy and he had a ratchet 81 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,880 strap tied to the back and we went like sledding on huge sheet pans. 82 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,640 He would pull us down the street and we would just go flying. 83 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:43,120 And that's probably one of my favorite memories, not really classes related, but definitely 84 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:50,720 a time that I look back on fondly with a group of people that I look back on fondly also. 85 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:55,400 He became one of my roommates when I moved to Michigan, was a groomsman in our wedding. 86 00:06:55,400 --> 00:07:01,880 So really just the people that I met at MIT, it's probably been two of my favorite memories. 87 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:02,880 Absolutely. 88 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:03,880 I love that. 89 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:08,160 And that is one of the things that you could definitely see at your wedding, just how close 90 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,760 your whole group was and how much they supported each other. 91 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:13,920 And that just made it the speeches. 92 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:19,000 You could hear it in that and just watching everybody get along so well is so fun. 93 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:23,280 But yeah, those simple memories are the best memories, definitely. 94 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:29,960 So when you were in high school, I'm sure you had kind of a certain path mapped out 95 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,120 that led you to MIT. 96 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:38,240 So if you could talk to us a little bit about that and then the post college plans too. 97 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:45,040 Yeah, so I think my high school story is a bit unique. 98 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:48,560 When I was in high school, I really wanted to go to Purdue. 99 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,520 That was my dream school. 100 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:55,960 Did summer programs there, had applied, got accepted. 101 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,320 Like even had a roommate, paid my deposit and everything. 102 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:04,240 But I was in physics class one day in high school and some people were talking about 103 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,320 applying to MIT. 104 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,800 And I made a comment, I wonder if I could get in there. 105 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,000 And some of the people in my class said, oh no, you couldn't. 106 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:19,960 So at that point, I just applied for fun and ended up being the only one to get in. 107 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:28,000 So even once I got in, I wasn't really sure if I wanted to go, went back and forth on it, 108 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,160 which to an outside perspective, it's probably like, how could you go back and forth? 109 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:36,960 Because schools are on such different levels, but I think I was a lot more sheltered back 110 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:41,800 then and the idea of still being in the Midwest was very appealing to me. 111 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:47,560 And there was a level of comfort associated with Purdue, even if it was a new environment, 112 00:08:47,560 --> 00:08:53,120 it was closer to home, more of like that Midwest, big 10 school vibe that I thought I was looking 113 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:54,120 for. 114 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:59,440 But once I toured MIT, I was still very unsure. 115 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,960 I thought everyone there would be weird, I would be the only normal person, and like, 116 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,680 did I really want to go to nerd school? 117 00:09:07,680 --> 00:09:11,800 But it was really just kind of like a butterfly effect moment, talking to the different people 118 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:12,800 in my life. 119 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:17,000 Like, I know Rachel, I went to you for a lot of college advice, went to some other cousins 120 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,960 that are older and like have done well for themselves too. 121 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:26,040 And just like other people in my life that really convinced me I couldn't pass up on 122 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:27,520 the opportunity. 123 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:31,960 So I remember coming home from like school or work one day in high school, like right 124 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:35,320 before that May 1st decision day deadline. 125 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:40,600 And I told my parents, I'm going to MIT, don't ask me any other questions about it, or I 126 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:42,120 might change my mind again. 127 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,600 And I was just crying about it because I really wasn't sure. 128 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:46,920 But it was a huge leap of faith. 129 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:51,440 And I'm really glad that I did it because it's such like a butterfly effect moment because 130 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:57,320 like everything that has happened into my life like wouldn't have happened without MIT. 131 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:04,240 Like I want to met so many of my closest friends, I probably wouldn't be working in this job. 132 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:08,600 So yeah, I took the leap of faith and I'm very happy that I did it. 133 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:12,360 And then when it was time to decide what I wanted to do after college, I always kind 134 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:17,080 of knew I wanted to go the electrical engineering route because I took some engineering classes 135 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:18,240 in high school. 136 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:22,200 One was more like mechanical focused, one was more electrical focused, and one was more 137 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,040 about like the design process. 138 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,480 And I really enjoyed that electrical one the most. 139 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:30,680 So I knew that that was the route I wanted to take within engineering. 140 00:10:30,680 --> 00:10:36,240 And then once it was time to figure out where I wanted to work afterwards, I had kind of 141 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,320 lost my passion for engineering. 142 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:43,080 So I wasn't, there wasn't like a specific field that I was super excited to go into. 143 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:48,440 Like I'd seen for some of my classmates, but I had just started dating my now husband at 144 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:49,760 the time. 145 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:54,040 And he was a year older than me, so he was already out of school and working. 146 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:59,520 And maybe this isn't the route that I would suggest everyone take, but I did choose Michigan 147 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:03,840 because he was here and a couple other friends were here. 148 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,000 And I had always kind of had like an automotive connection growing up. 149 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:12,280 My dad has always been into race cars and has always been working on cars. 150 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,800 I raced for a couple years in middle and high school. 151 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:20,240 So it seemed like a natural fit to go into something automotive. 152 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:24,200 And now that I'm in the industry, I'm very happy with that decision that I made. 153 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:29,160 So now I am an engineer at Ford Motor Company and I work on battery warranty issues. 154 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:30,560 Oh, interesting. 155 00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:31,560 Okay. 156 00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:37,760 So everybody always asks when you're a female in STEM, were you one of the only girls in 157 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,320 your class or how did that look? 158 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:41,320 Yeah. 159 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:47,560 So in high school, the first engineering class I took, I was the only girl. 160 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:51,840 And I really wasn't sure what engineering was or if I wanted to do it, but I knew I 161 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:53,960 was good at math and science. 162 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,720 So I just kind of signed up on a whim and then show up for class on the first day and I'm 163 00:11:57,720 --> 00:11:59,840 the only girl there. 164 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:03,960 And it was at that point that I was considering, oh, maybe I should drop this and take like 165 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:07,880 a marketing class or something else because I don't want to be the only girl in class. 166 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:12,320 But one of the teachers spoke to me and like told me to stick with it. 167 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:16,360 And if I didn't like it, like I could always drop it at semester or drop it later. 168 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:21,560 And I'm happy that I stuck with it because I did end up enjoying it a lot, like the hands 169 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:24,880 on side of things. 170 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:29,640 And continued to be one of, I think the most there were ever in high school in a class 171 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:31,880 when there was three girls at a time. 172 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:35,400 But I have gone back and visited Arrowhead at alumni days and stuff. 173 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,280 And they definitely have a closer to even split now. 174 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:44,680 And I think I might be wrong, but I think they do offer some like girls only sections 175 00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:48,760 of engineering classes to try and make it like a more welcoming environment. 176 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:53,560 At MIT, it wasn't anything that I noticed at all. 177 00:12:53,560 --> 00:12:58,680 A lot of people are surprised to hear that MIT is actually 50-50 gender split. 178 00:12:58,680 --> 00:13:02,120 So there it felt like my classes were completely even. 179 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:07,240 I never thought about like the gender differences at all. 180 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:13,060 At Ford, it's a bit more noticeable, but I feel like I've always kind of been on teams 181 00:13:13,060 --> 00:13:15,440 that are more evenly split. 182 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:19,800 And like the women on my teams have been very strong in their roles. 183 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:25,240 So maybe like company culture wise, it's a little bit noticeable, but I would say for 184 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:31,520 the most part in high school, I haven't really noticed being the only girl in the room ever. 185 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:37,080 So you talked a little bit about taking that path because you were good at math and science. 186 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,600 You liked hands on things. 187 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:45,520 Obviously, the side of you, I think you were in robotics, you raced like you said with 188 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,560 your dad. 189 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:52,480 Is that primarily why you chose that path or is there anything else that you liked about 190 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:53,480 it? 191 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:59,360 I think not really knowing what I wanted to do and knowing that like these are where 192 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,160 my strengths are in math and science. 193 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,920 I think that was part of what sparked it. 194 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,680 But then once I actually got to those classes in high school and got to tinker on little 195 00:14:07,680 --> 00:14:12,640 projects and stuff, I realized like that was definitely the right place for me. 196 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:18,040 And yeah, I think, I don't know, going back to your last question, I don't think I was 197 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:23,440 super daunted about necessarily like being the only girl in the room because when I did 198 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:25,960 robotics, I was the only girl on the team. 199 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,800 When I was racing, I was one of very few girls. 200 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:34,600 So I think I just, I never wanted to go into something and just be the best girl there. 201 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:36,880 I wanted to be the best person there. 202 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:42,280 And I think that helps me break through a lot of kind of like those mental barriers of 203 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:43,280 am I good enough? 204 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:44,280 Am I not good enough? 205 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:45,680 How am I going to compete with the boys? 206 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:50,840 Yeah, that's so interesting that those other outside experiences helped you in the career 207 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:52,280 path definitely. 208 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:56,560 And people who don't know you, I know are going to want to know a little bit more about 209 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,080 what you did when you raced. 210 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,160 Like what does that actually mean? 211 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:04,080 So I think you got to clarify and talk about that briefly for them. 212 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:11,920 Yeah, so I raced to dirt legend cars on short tracks, like a third mile dirt track in Wisconsin 213 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:13,800 and Beaver Dam. 214 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:18,760 They kind of look like old cars from like the twenties and thirties and it's a motorcycle 215 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,920 engine in the vehicle. 216 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:26,160 My dad hears this, he's probably disappointed that I don't know more of the specs on it, 217 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:27,840 but it's been a while. 218 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:33,640 But yeah, I was just a great group of people to kind of grow up racing with. 219 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:38,800 I was the 14 year old girl doing it, but it was ages 14 and up. 220 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:42,440 So I was racing against like grown men with families. 221 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,200 I think the oldest guy was in his seventies. 222 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:50,280 So I got to interact with like a wide range of people. 223 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:55,960 So oh my gosh, I did not know that there was an X cap like that. 224 00:15:55,960 --> 00:16:02,880 So your dad has definitely influenced a few of you to partake in racing. 225 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:09,040 So your younger sister and then definitely is your youngest brother still racing? 226 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:15,000 Yeah, so my sister raced for a couple of summers, usually in the same division as my 227 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:16,000 brother also. 228 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:21,160 So there was always some head to head there, but my brother still races now. 229 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:25,760 I think the season will be starting up pretty soon and they go all over to Indiana, Northern 230 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:30,960 Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois. 231 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,000 So they're very busy with it in the summer. 232 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,120 Yeah, I wonder what your dad's going to do when he has no more racers. 233 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,440 He should get out there. 234 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:39,440 Maybe some men. 235 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:40,440 That's so funny. 236 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:45,040 Okay, I knew people were going to want to know a little bit more about that because 237 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,200 that is such a great story. 238 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:55,480 Okay, looking back now that you are a career woman for two and a half years, are you happy 239 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:56,480 with the path? 240 00:16:56,480 --> 00:17:02,000 I know you wavered a little bit there like you talked about in your journey and if so, 241 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,760 what have some career highlights been for you in this time? 242 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,800 Yeah, I think I'm very happy with the path that I took. 243 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:16,200 I don't want to say that any other path that I would have taken would have not been good 244 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:21,200 because I think regardless of whichever decision I would have made, I would have made the most 245 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:22,200 of it. 246 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:29,280 I'm making the most of the decision that I made to move to Michigan and work out forward. 247 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:30,760 I have really enjoyed it. 248 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,240 I was part of a two-year rotational program to start out. 249 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:40,040 So I got to experience a couple of different roles within the company, all within engineering, 250 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,080 but different types of engineers. 251 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:47,040 And one of the highlights was probably launching the 2024 F-150. 252 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:52,520 So I got to be very hands-on with that program, testing all the vehicles as they would come 253 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:55,720 off the assembly line in the pre-launch phase. 254 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,920 So I would go through and make sure all of the different electrical components would 255 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:02,920 work and I was on a team of about 10 or 12 people that would do that. 256 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:08,080 And the vehicles are all assembled here in Michigan and Dearborn, but there's also a 257 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:09,480 plant in Kansas City. 258 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:13,480 So there were a few times where I would get to go to Kansas City also. 259 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:19,360 And when I was there, I was like one of only one or two engineers there in my specific 260 00:18:19,360 --> 00:18:20,360 role. 261 00:18:20,360 --> 00:18:22,200 So I had a lot more responsibility. 262 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,800 So it was very cool to be able to test my skills and become a lot more confident in 263 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,080 myself while I was on those trips. 264 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:32,800 And Kansas City was also a very fun city to get to visit. 265 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:38,600 So I would say launching the F-150 was probably the highlight, but also just when my family 266 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,560 members buy a new Ford vehicle and they're telling me about it, like there's a sense 267 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:49,600 of pride that I have now knowing that I work on battery issues from all different vehicles 268 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:54,560 and knowing that I need to do my job well so that my family members and the people that 269 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:58,480 I care about have reliable vehicles to drive. 270 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,880 Yeah, that is a really cool connection. 271 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:04,080 So I want to go back to something you said. 272 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,600 I was just thinking about it as you were talking about your career. 273 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:12,600 When you said, obviously, when you first started out in this path, you were the only girl in 274 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:13,840 the classes. 275 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:18,320 And now that you've gone back, you see the uptick of girls. 276 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:21,720 What do you think accounts for that mostly? 277 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:27,720 I mean, it's probably many factors, but why for so long was it a male dominated field and 278 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,840 why now is it becoming more even, do you think? 279 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:37,200 I think there's a lot more encouragement for girls to take those paths now. 280 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,840 And I think it's starting at younger and younger ages. 281 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:47,200 Robotics programs are starting out in earlier in schools and elementary schools, not just 282 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:48,200 high school. 283 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:56,680 And I think it's kind of easier to have kids do the same activities like repuberty and 284 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:05,360 stuff before the differences become more apparent partially and before you kind of get into 285 00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:12,760 the drama of middle and high school and boys are icky and then boys are exciting again. 286 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:14,440 So I think that might be part of it. 287 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:21,040 But I also think as women kind of enter into these roles, there's a sense of wanting to 288 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:27,960 give back and like making, like paying it forward, I guess. 289 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:32,920 I think there's a sense of wanting to pay it forward because those opportunities that 290 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:39,080 didn't necessarily exist when you were younger, you can help them be created for younger students 291 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:40,080 now. 292 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:45,640 And I think one of the ways that I try and help do that is I'm a volunteer for MIT's 293 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:47,520 educational council. 294 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:51,560 So I interview students as part of their application process. 295 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:58,760 And that's one way that I feel like I can inspire more women to go into STEM or help 296 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:04,240 the women that were already considering STEM and considering MIT feel more comfortable 297 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:07,120 and more at ease with making that decision. 298 00:21:07,120 --> 00:21:13,520 And I think my interviewer when I was applying to MIT is also one of the reasons that I felt 299 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:18,600 comfortable going there because I was able to see someone from the area that I grew up 300 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:22,080 in seemed like a very normal young girl. 301 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:26,240 Be successful at MIT and make her way back to Wisconsin. 302 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:30,040 And that was something that I knew I probably wanted to do also. 303 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:31,040 Yeah. 304 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,520 And that leads into a question I always ask people. 305 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:39,080 I know you mentioned in high school when you were the only girl in the STEM class, you 306 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:46,040 had a teacher encourage you and want you to see you succeed and continue on. 307 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:51,640 Have you had, you're providing that now as a mentor to these students applying to MIT. 308 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:57,000 Have you had other instances like that of an impactful mentors along the way? 309 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,000 Yeah. 310 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:03,560 I don't think I've had like one specific person that I would pinpoint as my mentor. 311 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:10,380 But I think I've taken the advice of a multitude of different people like from the very engineering 312 00:22:10,380 --> 00:22:15,840 in STEM teachers that I had in high school to different professors or TAs that I connected 313 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:17,720 with in college. 314 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:23,920 And then just in my job now, I don't have a specific mentor per se, but I do have like 315 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:28,520 those couple of coworkers that I've kind of gravitated towards that when I want advice 316 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:33,080 on things like those are the people that I go and talk to. 317 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:37,320 I think it's helpful to have a mentor and that's definitely something that I want to 318 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:42,280 work on more is having like more of a designated this person is my mentor. 319 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:47,640 But I think I've made the most of kind of like the patchwork group of mentors that kind 320 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:49,680 of assembled for myself. 321 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:50,680 That makes sense. 322 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:51,680 Okay. 323 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:54,240 We're going to stop here and take a little break. 324 00:22:54,240 --> 00:23:05,800 And when we come back, Reagan will have a lesson for us. 325 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:10,560 To those of you who have followed me for a while, you know that I value mental and physical 326 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:11,560 wellness. 327 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:16,840 Personally, I've worked with a few different coaches over the years and even been one myself. 328 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:21,200 If you are looking for education and support in your own wellness journey, I would love 329 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:25,360 to invite you to the wellness community I am currently in that keeps me accountable 330 00:23:25,360 --> 00:23:27,680 daily with my nutrition and movement. 331 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:34,400 If you are a Facebook user, you can search for our free group called team MG. 332 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:40,280 This group is led by my coach, Megan Grimord, who is a certified trainer and nutrition coach. 333 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:44,560 She offers lots of education and support for your wellness journey. 334 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:49,040 If you want to get to know coach Megan more, you can follow her on Instagram at all lower 335 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:59,080 case Megan M E G A N underscore Grimord G R I M O R D or even listen to her on episode 336 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,520 10 of the podcast. 337 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:04,600 She has also created a discount code for my listeners. 338 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:15,120 Let's go to her website www.team-mg.com and enter code lesson plan 10 to get $10 off any 339 00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:19,040 of her premium coaching packages for the first month. 340 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:24,560 Coach Megan is a busy mom like me who works full time, so I appreciate her practicality 341 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:28,720 mixed with some tough love to keep me going. 342 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:36,400 We have come to the segment of the podcast where we ask the teacher anything. 343 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:38,480 This week's questions. 344 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:44,400 The first one, was it a difficult decision to walk away from teaching before being eligible 345 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,200 for pension and benefits? 346 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,040 Yes. 347 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:59,320 Agenizing decision for multiple years because I did not just all of a sudden wake up one 348 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,640 day this school year and decide that I wanted to leave. 349 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:08,920 I knew that I was feeling that pull more and more and I would say it's a huge reason why 350 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:12,800 people stay for their number of years. 351 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:16,760 They need to stay to be fully vested. 352 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:25,440 I just know that I'm done and I will figure out what to do. 353 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,440 And yes, I'm leaving money on the table. 354 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:30,760 Yes, I will eventually get my pension. 355 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:32,000 I've worked hard for that. 356 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:41,160 Yes, I have investments that I have been stocking away for 29 years. 357 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:46,360 But no, I won't have health insurance anymore and chances of me making the salary that I 358 00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:52,880 was making after 29 years and another position at 51 years old are not great. 359 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:56,800 It's just also not important to me right now. 360 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:01,400 And I know that is really hard for some people. 361 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:06,120 And I'm just in a position right now where I can do this. 362 00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:13,720 I have support emotionally to do this and I'm in a position in my life where, yeah, 363 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:18,200 I mean, I will have to work and it was not easy. 364 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:24,560 And everybody tried telling me like it's just this many years, it's just this many years, 365 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:30,960 but I know how I feel and there's just been a lot of things that have happened. 366 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:37,320 Signs, I would say, that make me feel like I just, this is the right thing. 367 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:44,880 And when I get a very strong pull, even though it's not a sure thing or automatic that it 368 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:50,680 will work out or immediate, you know, immediate relief, it usually in the end ends up being 369 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:52,760 the right thing. 370 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:54,960 Good question though. 371 00:26:54,960 --> 00:27:04,360 And second question, what has been the biggest challenge in launching the podcast? 372 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:09,000 You know, doing the podcast has been really fun. 373 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:16,800 And besides having to like learn a few new skills for editing and social media, it hasn't 374 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:18,240 been that difficult. 375 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:24,600 I would say, you know, I'm losing a bit of steam, probably because it's just coming 376 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:30,880 out of two very dark cold months and I'm tired, I'm teaching full time and I'm tired. 377 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:38,000 But you know, staying motivated, staying inspired and, you know, really trying to not overthink, 378 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:43,680 but then also keep in mind like, what would my audience want to hear? 379 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:48,960 And just finding the best ways to promote the podcast. 380 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:54,000 I'm, you know, an overthinker and I'm trying not to get too far ahead of myself and looking 381 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:58,120 down the road and saying like, you know, where is this leading and what are you going to 382 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:01,320 do with this and rather just enjoying the moment. 383 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,520 That is very out of character for me. 384 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:13,800 So right now it's staying motivated, finding content that I think will interest listeners 385 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:20,320 trying to grow the viewership so that I feel like it's worthwhile. 386 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:27,880 Thank you so much for continuing to send these questions either on social media. 387 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:34,160 You can contact me at Instagram or Facebook at Life's Next Lesson Plan or on my website, 388 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:39,240 there is a box to enter questions at life's next lesson plan.com. 389 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:44,360 Keep them coming. 390 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:52,000 We are back from break and we are ready to have Reagan share some wisdom with us. 391 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:57,000 So what have you prepared for us for your lesson today? 392 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:02,840 So my lesson today is to not wait to enjoy your life, find things that you enjoy and 393 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:09,760 start to prioritize them and cut waste from the areas that don't add joy to your life. 394 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:16,240 So there's multiple aspects to this, but I think smaller picture, find things that you 395 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:23,480 enjoy in your everyday life and then bigger picture, find some key things that you want 396 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:28,680 to experience, whether that's a travel or a big purchase you want to make or some other 397 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:33,680 experience that you want to have and what steps can you take towards experiencing that 398 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:35,320 as soon as you can. 399 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:41,000 I think life is way too short to wait until you retire to start enjoying things. 400 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:46,760 I have a very long career ahead of me being that I'm only 24 and I don't want to wait 401 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:51,600 until I'm 65 or 70 to start traveling and experiencing the world. 402 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:57,760 So find the things that you enjoy and start prioritizing them now or at least take that 403 00:29:57,760 --> 00:29:59,240 toward prioritizing them. 404 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:04,520 Yeah, and obviously I know a little bit I'm able to follow what you do on your social 405 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:06,080 media, et cetera. 406 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:13,720 And so what are some ways that you've intentionally done this already early on in your career? 407 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:21,400 Yeah, so I have definitely tried to find work-life balance because my goal is not to be working 408 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:24,640 myself until I'm burnt out. 409 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:30,640 I want to get my job done and then enjoy the other 16 hours in my day. 410 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:35,920 So I think find what you enjoy, prioritize it and cut waste from the areas that don't 411 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:36,920 add joy. 412 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:39,960 So I get two weeks of vacation every year. 413 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:42,000 I have the option to buy more. 414 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:47,560 So I've been buying more vacation so that I can still go and travel and experience the 415 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:51,640 world while I'm young and not wait until I'm retired. 416 00:30:51,640 --> 00:31:00,200 When I get home, I have my gym time that prioritizes my health and wellness and that keeps me energized 417 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:03,120 to do the other things that I want to do. 418 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:07,800 And it's not that every moment of your life needs to be productive, but I think it should 419 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:11,080 be adding value to you. 420 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:16,480 So it's not to say, never go on your phone, never go on TikTok, never watch TV because 421 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:19,720 things in moderation can add a little value to your life. 422 00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:25,120 But when you're 90 years old, are you going to be happy that you spent two hours a day 423 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:26,520 on TikTok? 424 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:27,960 Probably not. 425 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:32,320 But on the same token, am I going to be happy spending two hours in traffic a day on my 426 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:34,360 way to and from work? 427 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:35,360 Also no. 428 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:40,400 So I want you to reflect on what you can do to try and make the most of your time so that 429 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:45,600 you're adding more value into your life and not wasting it away on things that aren't 430 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:47,360 going to matter to you long term. 431 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:48,360 Yeah. 432 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:53,840 I think this is a really interesting, obviously been in the workforce for three decades and 433 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:58,440 teaching older students and then staying in touch with them. 434 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:04,160 And that's a difference that I see in how these younger generations approach their career 435 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:07,920 work-life balance compared to when I started out. 436 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:14,560 I mean, we just are part of a hustle grind mentality culture, right? 437 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:20,320 And I think that's really a refreshing difference that I see with the younger generations of 438 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:24,440 them appreciating their time, that they're not at work. 439 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:30,000 And yes, there's always time to work overtime and make more money and have a side hustle 440 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:32,880 or whatever, but really valuing that time. 441 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:37,600 And that's something that I wish I would have learned earlier on. 442 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:41,760 So I always love seeing that perspective from these younger generations. 443 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:48,320 I think that's so important when you're looking at the end of a 30-year career. 444 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:49,320 How do you feel? 445 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:51,240 And I feel tired. 446 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:54,760 And it's because I didn't do some of those things, right? 447 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:59,200 That maybe would have helped the longevity of my career a little bit. 448 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:00,800 So thank you for sharing that. 449 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:03,320 I needed that advice as well. 450 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:04,440 Okay. 451 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:11,040 So we've had a little reflection prompt, right, of just how we can kind of think of 452 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:13,080 how we're spending our days. 453 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:18,400 And then do you have some homework or some action steps for us today? 454 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:19,640 Yeah. 455 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:27,440 So I want you to identify a few areas in your life that you feel like are wastes, are not 456 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:34,120 making you happy, not investing in your future, and start taking action to reduce those things. 457 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:38,040 So I have a couple examples that apply to my own life. 458 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:44,960 So the first one is my commute is at minimum an hour and a half of my day, sometimes closer 459 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:47,240 to two hours total. 460 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:52,160 So some steps that you might be able to take depending on your job are there opportunities 461 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:53,360 to work hybrid. 462 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:57,240 So I only have to go into the office three days a week now instead of five. 463 00:33:57,240 --> 00:34:02,040 And I'm planning to have more conversations with my boss in the future if I can even go 464 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:08,520 fully remote, and I think the worst that can happen is your boss tells you no. 465 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:12,680 Obviously, this can't work in every situation. 466 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:16,160 So another solution could be can you move? 467 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:17,400 Now that's more long term. 468 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:20,000 You can't just pick up and move overnight. 469 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:21,840 But are there steps that you can take now? 470 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:23,040 Can you start saving? 471 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:31,040 Can you start looking at new homes and stuff to try and make your commute more enjoyable 472 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:33,640 or shortening the length of time? 473 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:39,760 The next example that I have is do you feel like you just have no time to do things? 474 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:43,400 Or are you wasting your time on things that aren't important to you? 475 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,160 Can you take a look at your screen time? 476 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:50,440 You know, how much are you spending on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, stuff like that? 477 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:54,480 I'm not saying to cut it out completely, but can you start to implement time limits on 478 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:59,160 those apps so that you have more time to do those other things that you feel like you 479 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:01,280 don't have time for? 480 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:04,600 And the final thing is with saving money. 481 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:10,480 This is an area that I really try to implement in my life this year is stopping wasting money 482 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:12,040 on convenience. 483 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:18,600 So if I want to have dinner from a restaurant, I'm going to go and eat at that restaurant. 484 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:24,440 I'm not going to pay for the DoorDash or UberEatStriver to deliver it to me. 485 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:30,680 I'm not going to waste shipping money on something on Amazon when I could drive to the target 486 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:34,880 near me and buy it and have it right now. 487 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:40,520 So limiting convenience things, those things don't add to your life, but they're fees 488 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:41,880 that add up. 489 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:45,800 And that money that I'm saving now, I can spend on things that are more important to 490 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:50,920 me like saving for a hug or previously saving for my wedding. 491 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:57,680 Yeah, I think we especially since COVID have fallen into that convenience trap, haven't 492 00:35:57,680 --> 00:35:59,000 we? 493 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:02,720 And you get used to it and then you're like, oh, it's so much easier. 494 00:36:02,720 --> 00:36:05,480 People don't want to leave their homes, right? 495 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:09,480 And so we've kind of fallen into it and haven't gotten back out of it. 496 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:13,640 So that's a great point that we have to sort of consciously look at. 497 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:21,880 It's funny because the episode that's coming out this week when we're recording is about 498 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:25,640 energy management versus time management. 499 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:29,240 And that's a lot of, yeah, it's a lot of what you're talking about here. 500 00:36:29,240 --> 00:36:31,960 So that goes really well together. 501 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:32,960 Awesome. 502 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:34,840 Well, I love your story. 503 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:39,160 I know other people are going to be fascinated by it as well. 504 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:45,280 And I really appreciate your time today and sharing your wisdom for all. 505 00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:54,320 I'm thinking of my niece in North Carolina who is already at the young age of seven looking 506 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:57,600 at STEM and her dad has a STEM career. 507 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:02,680 And I just think about needing more role models like you for little girls like that. 508 00:37:02,680 --> 00:37:04,960 So I appreciate you being on today. 509 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:10,200 Yeah, thank you for having me. 510 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:13,640 What an incredible conversation today. 511 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:19,680 I think Reagan's journey is proof that sometimes the boldest decisions lead to the most rewarding 512 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:20,680 paths. 513 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:22,640 I know I've said that before. 514 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:28,440 I love her perspective on work-life balance, breaking barriers in STEM and embracing opportunities 515 00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:30,240 as they come. 516 00:37:30,240 --> 00:37:36,000 Today's episode resonated with you take Reagan's advice, do an audit of your time and find 517 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:39,480 ways to add more joy to your daily life. 518 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:48,040 We did talk about this kind of time and energy audit in the last Wednesday's episode. 519 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:51,400 If you missed it, you might want to check that out. 520 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:56,080 If you know someone who'd be inspired by Reagan's story, be sure to share this episode with 521 00:37:56,080 --> 00:37:57,320 them. 522 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:01,640 And if you're looking for more content, you can subscribe to my Live and Learn Patreon, 523 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:07,240 which is as simple as heading over to patreon.com slash live and learn. 524 00:38:07,240 --> 00:38:12,520 There you can absorb the free content, purchase single episodes, or become a subscriber for 525 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:15,040 just $5 a month. 526 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:19,760 Reagan is actually going to be joining me again in April as we talk more about her role 527 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:26,520 as an interviewer for MIT and how she prepared for her college and career path. 528 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:31,280 Don't forget in the meantime to follow Life's Next Lesson Plan on Instagram, Facebook, and 529 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:35,800 YouTube and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. 530 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:41,520 And if you have a topic or guest idea or more ask the teacher anything questions, head over 531 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:45,560 to life'snextlessonplan.com and let me know. 532 00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:57,920 Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep making bold choices.