Every good villain….wait hero…..wait….every impactful character in any story has experienced an “origin”. Not their first entrance into the world, but their “re-birth”. I think many of us have probably had multiple origins throughout our lives, I am sure that I have. However, the origin that sends someone off into their idea of success is the one that initiates a positive trajectory towards their dream life. I may be premature in writing this, but yolo (“you only live once”, for my non-millenial readers), I am quite sure I am ready to share my origin story.

As some of you who have followed this blog may know, I am a research scientist. A Colorado girl who moved across the pond to obtain a PhD in Italy and who now works as a research scientist in Norway. When I started posting on my site “The Science of Working Together”, I focused on the glass always being half full. I turned challenges into positive learnings. I always seemed to find a way to find a positive lesson to take from the experiences that tested me. Then, a really bad thing happened to me and a cynical version of myself not only took over my internal thoughts, but also the thoughts I shared on the internet. I stopped writing consistently, I didn’t see the point. I was spiralling down a self-fulfilling negative prophecy slide into oblivion. I was writing a victim story. This was not my origin, though.

I don’t know the exact date that my persona started shifting into whatever version of Val I am now, but a relevant moment did occur on November 26th, 2025. I had finally “had it” with my life as a research scientist. At the time, I told myself and others that it was because I didn’t agree with the direction the research institute was going, this was partly true. I told myself that my depression was to blame for the hard months or that I most likely have ADHD. However, the real and uncomfortable and annoying truth of the matter is that I simply do not find joy in my life as a researcher. I love to research and I love to find solutions to problems, but this aspect is clouded by the other obligations that come with my role. At the end of the day, I am not, and have not been for a very long time, in an environment that supports my individual growth. It is noone’s fault, it just is what it is.

I have taken steps to address this situation without blowing up my life. If you want advice from someone who still doesn’t manage to save money in a responsible way, it is this: DO NOT JUST QUIT YOUR JOB. I know a lot of people say you have to give 100% of your mind and soul to your future if you want it to work out, but genuinely, many of us do not have the ability to do this. I would rather be miserable at work for a little while longer than live in a cardbord box. That being said, I have reduced my work hours to allow myself the time I need to chase, what I hope, will lead to my dream career.

Since before my journey down higher education road, I made myself a promise/plan. Plan A: get a high-level degree in STEM. Plan B: get a personal training certification. For some reason, I had decided at 18 years old that being a personal trainer or a coach or someone in the fitness industry was not enough. “What would I contribute?” “How can I save the world as a personal trainer?” Oh sweet, young, stubborn Valentina. She did not yet know that the surest way to change the world is by doing the thing you feel called to do (I shouldn’t have to say this, but this excludes things that cause other beings harm). Anyway, I knew I loved movement and I knew I had an affinity for coaching and encouraging others so I did not ignore this, I simply said, let’s try the more socially acceptable path to success first. And so I did. And so I became a miserable 32 year old who wasn’t getting paid nearly enough to sacrifice her happiness for a paycheck.

Now, I do not have any answers or fully developed discoveries yet, but I do want to document this journey. I see a lot of origin stories posted after the success is achieved, but I see few origin stories shared right at the start. At that moment when the person just feels like “this is right, I feel it in my gut”. I don’t want to forget the feelings I feel and the little achievements. I want to remember every single phase of my journey to my dream life. What I feel today is a mix of peace and excitement and most importantly it feels RIGHT. I feel at peace with my decision to no longer call myself a full-time senior research scientist and I feel excitement for the the journey ahead! I cannot remember the last time I could actually say that I was excited to see what tomorrow would bring, I really cannot (aside from the night before my ultra-marathons or pole vault competitions :D).

I hope you, my readers, are as eager as I am to see what this journey holds. As the title says, this is just page 1 of chapter 1 of my origin story. I can’t wait to share, even if just with myself, the experiences that are waiting ahead of me!

Much Love,

Val