Moxie

By Jamie Schafer – White Hall, MD

I, Jamie Schafer, with a bachelor’s of science in communication and an urge to get my masters, want to be a trophy wife. I never felt this way until, ironically, I starting working full time. Let me explain.

I’m 24-years-old and have already spent two years working full time. I have transitioned from one employer to another, negotiated my salary, opened a 401k and looked down the long line of what everyone states “is the rest of [my] life.”

I’m over it.

I love my job, I really do. The experience I am gaining here and the contacts I am making are beyond what I could have expected. I enjoy going to the office and love my co-workers. But at the end of the day, I don’t want to work until I’m 65 and missed living my life.

My generation will not have social security, and unless we make our money now and invest wisely we will not be retiring at a predetermined age. There are exceptions to this: a rich uncle who leaves you tons of cash, a government job or striking it rich in the next “best thing.” Let’s be honest here – none of those options look promising.

My generation is also shocking our predecessors with how important we find the “work/life balance.” Where our employers’ generation spent their lives focusing on the job, we are focusing on enjoying our lives. We don’t want to work late hours or weekends; we want comfortable work environments; and we are flipping the tables on dress code and how we accomplish tasks. The vision for our lives is much more focused on things that happen outside of the office.

Now let me throw you a curveball. I want to work. So how can I say I want to be a trophy wife? Easy – I want my own event planning business. This has been my thing since I realized in high school that I can turn something I love doing into my career.

ButI don’t want to have this career and ruin it by obsessing over making a profit just so I can live paycheck to paycheck. I want to work, not because I have to, but because I enjoy it and can do so freely without the stresses of bills, etc. I used to look oddly upon people who were out hunting for a Sugar Daddy or who had no interest in making money on their own. Now that I’m out here, I get it in a way. And hey – if you find a man who wants to be your sugar daddy, you do you girl. I want to focus on enjoying my life now, not being stressed out about work.

That, my friends, is how I want to live. You can call me delusional or say I’ll never make it. Fine, we’ll see. I cannot tell you how many times I have had experienced (read “older”) coworkers tell me they don’t want to see me working for the rest of my life. If established business men and women are pushing me to get out from behind a desk then I know I’m heading in the right direction.

We need to get smart about how we work – work smarter not harder. I’m applying that to my life.

I plan to make my money now; invest wisely; fall madly in love; have a marriage more beautiful than my wedding; and be able to drop that 9-to-5. With the support of my partner, I will build a life where sleeping in happens more and my event planning business is booming!

I want a cozy home office where I can sit behind my desk with a hot cup of coffee and read emails about my next ventures. Where I can play tennis at 8 a.m. with other plastic moms and go grocery shopping at Whole Foods at 2 p.m. in my yoga pants. Where getting dressed up to go to galas or banquets as my husband’s arm candy is a thing. And where I can greet my husband at the end of the day with a hot meal and some sexy lingerie, knowing I’ve done something with my day, and that I am contributing to our life together. I want to be a trophy wife and I’m going to make it happen – watch me.