Barrett, 30 from ValleyBrink Road
What would your 30 something self tell your 20 something self if you could?
Stop worrying so much about what others think. Focus. Make some long-term goals. If he just texts you, he’s not that into you.
What do you wish you took more seriously in your 20’s?
My career. Having healthy relationships and friendships.
What do you wish you took less seriously in your 20’s?
Going out.
Favorite memory from your 20’s?
Learning how to cook. I never cooked as a child and wasn’t really that interested in food at all when I was younger. My first year in college I was suffering from a broken heart, and turned to the food network for comfort. I watched show after show for weeks. One day, I decided to actually cook a recipe myself. Then another and another. This is how I discovered my love of cooking and my deep appreciation for good food.
In your early 20’s where did you think you would be (work, live etc) by 30?
I thought I would be a women’s clothing designer living and working in LA or NYC.
And where were you by 30? What did your life look like?
The year I turned 30, my husband and I made the hard decision to close the women’s handbag line we had started 2 years prior. While all of this was happening, I needed something that took my mind off of this loss and gave me some kind of creative satisfaction. So, after some helpful nudges from close friends, I started a food blog. It began as a place to share my hobby, recipes, and adventures. From there, everything just took off and before I knew what had happened I had a brand new career. I had always loved cooking, and now I realize it had been my passion for 10 years, but I just never thought of it as something I could do as a career.
Were you ever worried that it wouldn’t all fall into place?
Once I took the leap, the worry fell away. I felt much more anxiety and uncertainty when I was working in fashion. Everything with Valleybrink Road has happened in such an organic way and so fast, I haven’t had time to worry about things not falling into place. It just feels like this is what I was always supposed to be doing.
What is the greatest gift about being a woman in your 30’s?
The greatest gift about being a woman in her 30’s is the incredible women around me. In your 20’s relationships with women, at least for me, were filled with more jealously, manipulation, and competition. The women in my life now feel like an incredible support system, encouraging each step I take, inspiring me, and collaborating with me. It is a beautiful camaraderie I have never felt before.
When you look out onto the horizon. What do you hope your life looks like at 40?
I can only hope that the happiness, satisfaction, inspiration, and love I feel at this moment in time continues to grow and nurture, not only my being, but all of those around me. I love the life I have created, the people I share it with, and the work I am doing. I just hope that I continue to move forward on this path.
What’s a quote/ saying you try to live your life by?
Let the good times roll.
find barrett elsewhere: blog / twitter / facebook
365til30.com 
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