Christine Hassler
Northwestern University
Class of 1998

Age: Thirty-something
First Job After Graduation: Assistant at William Morris, a Hollywood Agency.
Number of Jobs since graduation: At least ten
Current Job: Life coach, counselor, author, professional speaker, spokesperson, consultant, and
champion of Gen Y! (www.christinehassler.com)
Marital Status: Single

When I was preparing to graduate from college I felt…
Stressed out. I was excited to get my career started but overwhelmed in terms of how to do it. When I graduated, I didn’t have a job. I knew I wanted to work in the entertainment industry and the rule of thumb was that you needed to move to LA before applying for positions. Making a move without secured employment was exciting but also nerve racking.

My biggest fear about graduating was…
Picking the wrong job or not getting the right job.

I conquered this fear by…
I don’t know that I did conquer that fear. In my life coaching practice, I say that courage isn’t about getting over fear, it is about moving forward even if fear is present. Although I felt fear, I didn’t allow the fear to paralyze me. I kept moving, putting one foot in front of the other and taking action steps. Anxiety is only possible when we’re thinking about the future. I was so conditioned to thinking about the future – sticking to a preconceived timeline of when I would get married and have kids or how my career would develop – that my vision stressed me out more than the reality of my day to day life. I had to teach myself to focus, be present, and take one step at a time.

My best piece of romantic advice is…
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