Unfolding with KK

How A Health Crisis Rewrote A College Plan And Built A Stronger Mindset

• Kristin Beran Krupp • Season 1 • Episode 4

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0:00 | 56:21

Aiden’s story doesn’t start with triumph. It starts with a summer job, a gym routine, and a sudden wave of exhaustion that made a reading passage feel impossible and a workout unbearable. What followed was a maze of appointments, conflicting opinions, and the kind of uncertainty that can swallow a high-achieving teenager whole. Naming it—dysautonomia likely triggered by mono and COVID—offered clarity but no shortcuts. So Aiden built a new playbook: protect his mind, listen to his body, and move forward an inch at a time.

We get real about what “lay low” looks like in college and how to turn that constraint into strategy. Aiden shares how positivity became more than a slogan; it became a lever for energy, focus, and resilience. Faith and family anchored him when effort alone wasn’t enough, and honest friendships helped rewrite social norms without resentment. We also talk about his choice to stay sober in college: why it aligned with health and values, how it filtered his circle, and what it changed about weekends, mornings, and long-term goals.

Beyond health, we dig into work ethic, generational stereotypes, and the practical side of ambition. Aiden’s lens on money is simple and sharp: it’s a tool that expands options, not a ticket to meaning. Raised on sacrifice and delayed gratification, he chose finance and accounting to build a durable skill set—useful for real estate, entrepreneurship, and any career that rewards clear thinking. Along the way, we explore how comparison drains joy, gratitude restores it, and why small wins compound into a life you’re proud to live.

If you’ve felt derailed by illness, pressure, or the noise of expectations, this conversation offers a grounded path back to yourself. Listen to learn how mindset, values, and honest community can carry you through uncertainty—and why committing to the next right step can open doors you didn’t know existed. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review to help others find it.

Setting The Table For Stories

SPEAKER_00

Kristen Krupp, welcome to Unfolding with KK. For over 20 years, I have sat across from dining room and kitchen room tables with clients, hundreds and hundreds of people. And over the years, I have learned so many lessons as to how people's lives unfold. It was changing me client by client as I met different people. And I wanted to share the stories that I have learned throughout my career in my life. Welcome to Unfolding. I'm excited that we're sitting down to talk about this. I know you and I have um talked endlessly probably this summer, a lot, not last summer, but summer before last. And um, you know, it's kind of a um I I don't know if I can like really put it into words, which is gonna be a problem because this is a podcast, so I gotta put it into words, but um there's something I think so important that you know it's important to me to connect with people in every different generation because it's a reminder, right? That we have a lot to learn from each other. And I learned a lot from you, sir. So you might have thought you came in to do an internship to learn from me, but I think I'm the one who benefited the most, truly, not just to stroke your ego. It is it is something when I reflect upon, something um I definitely uh feel passionate about. All right, so tell us like you are um I'm attracted to people that have um I think experienced things in life that I haven't, that have like it's it's not like I'm looking for drama. That's a different that's a different look. But I am always attracted to people that have a story to tell, like they've overcome something um really difficult. And so, you know, it is not very um often that I have someone who follows up so much like you did with me, which is uh, as a real estate agent, I applaud. Um but there's something about your story that I knew nothing about until you and I got got to work together, and obviously um I knew you were gonna be extremely bright. So let's kind of take it back. Um so and some of the conversations we had we're just gonna clarify because I can't remember all the details. But um tell us what life was like for you in high school. Yes, like what trajectory were you on before you got sick?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so in high school I was really ambitious and I was kind of looking at all the different paths that I wanted to take, but also I was young, so I wasn't putting too much pressure on it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um and I put a really big focus on just how can I improve myself to become the best version of myself. So I was kind of doing all the little things to do that, whether it was like dieting or certain exercise or certain hobby hobbies that can improve me as a person. Um so I was kind of doing all that through high school, just enjoying my life, prioritizing people that are gonna put the same energy into me that I'm putting into them, and just focusing in good relationships. And that was kind of how I guess freshman, sophomore, junior year went.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um, and then there's the you know the change my junior year summer, but that's kind of how things were um through high school and what life was like.

SPEAKER_00

So I have a feeling which is normal, you're being a little bit um, you're not you're not coming in here bragging about yourself, which most people don't do. Some do, but that's usually not who I am attracted to. Um so I know you were doing extremely well in school, extremely well in sports. And where do you think so and then you got sick?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um and you had to kind of re-calibrate and think about things differently. So here you are, like you've built, you've built, you've built, you're in high school, you are I don't want to put words in your mouth, so correct me if I'm wrong, but you're probably building towards getting into certain colleges, doing certain things you want to do, and at a very young age, you got derailed.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_00

So walk us through what happened.

The Symptoms No One Could Explain

SPEAKER_01

So my plan was uh like just like being a junior in college, is when most kids are looking at colleges. Um and I really thought I was like, oh, I was a kid there. I was like, I don't really need this, I don't need to go to school, but my parents sacrificed for me to go, so I was like, I'll definitely go. Um when I was looking at schools, I wanted to go to all the big schools. I was looking at Penn State, Tennessee, um the grades to back it up. Yeah, Chapel Hill, like all those. Um I didn't really like UVA, but that's yeah, personal preference. Um but I liked a lot of the out-of-state schools. Um and I was like, oh, like how am I my my thought process of going to school was or how can I maximize my network while I'm there? I was like, that like doing that, how can that relate to real estate? And then um so all this is all my mindset, my junior year summer junior year of high school, yes, summer. I'm working as a lifeguard, and you know, just normal high school job, having a blast, doing whatever. Um and I remember working and I was like, oh like pretty tired. This isn't like me. I'm I was working like 10 hours a day because I loved my job. Like I had a I had a really good time with all the way I worked with. And I was like, I'm getting really tired, something, something's up.

unknown

Yeah.

Naming It: Long COVID And Dysautonomia

SPEAKER_01

And then I was getting headaches, and I was like, oh like, maybe I'm just not sleeping, or I've been out in the sun too much, and yeah, it's in the cool down. Um then when I was going to the gym a lot, like I was like really big into it, like it was like my like complete lifestyle of like like my days, like what I ate and everything when going to the gym, like it was all a strategy and my life. But I couldn't like I was struggling in there too. I was like, oh, why am I tired? I've only been here 10, 15 minutes, and my heart rate was getting really high. And then at the time too, I was like, oh, I'll take the SAT one more time to try and um I don't know, maybe get a better school. Sure. It was never a good like standardized test taker, but I was like, I'll try it. So I remember reading, there's like a reading portion, and I'm doing the reading portion, and I kept rereading the same thing. I'm like, nothing's looking. I was like, I can barely read. I was like, what is going on? And I was like, oh man, I've just been in the sun too much. Maybe I I don't know, sun poisoning, something. Um and then so I basically had symptoms of fatigue, it was really bad brain frog, um, elevated heart rate, it was getting dizzy, so like the dizziness was affecting me if I wanted to like exercise or do like a hobby, like a sport, and trying to think what else. I couldn't go out in the sun that much. I was very sensitive to the heat, so I had to be careful of that. That would kind of add to the dizziness. And all these symptoms were going on, and my dad was like, I don't know what's talking to him, and he was like, Are you like are you depressed? And I was like, No, like life's great. Uh there's nothing to, you know, feel that way. There's no reason to. And so like there was some sort of health thing going on, but we didn't know what it was. And then I was going to doctors left, right, left, right, left, right, in my senior year of high school. Remember, like the first doctor told me it's like because I was taking creatine, and that's why I'm feeling like this, and it's funny because like I have a doctor for what I have now, and he's telling me to take it. Um it's funny how the medical world works. But I probably went to 30, 40 appointments my senior year of high school, and everyone had like a different thing. The consensus of each person was at, we don't really know. Um I told him the story of like I had mono, my freshman year of high school, and then my junior year I got COVID, healed from that completely, and then that's when all these things happened in the summer, so it's weird because I healed completely fine from it. But eventually I went to a doctor and he said, Yeah, there's this thing going around, it's called, you know, long COVID, and um, you know, you had mono your freshman year, and that can kind of tank your nervous system a little bit. And then you had COVID, which tanked it even more, and these viruses stay within your system, and then you know, you're out in the sun every single day, you're dehydrated, and then they just created a spike. And so then it couldn't get back to that balance. Um I was like, okay, like that's good to know. Like this is good, you know. I'm about to go into college, we got this figured out now, so like what do I do about it? He's like, ah, that's the you know, that's the thing. It's not really he's like just lay low. And I was like, what do you mean lay low?

SPEAKER_00

Not good timing.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, not good timing at all. Like, told me to stop exercising, couldn't like like don't be out walking around a bunch, standing up a bunch, and I was like, what can I do with my sitting in a chair the whole day?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um so I think that summer, my s so uh preface this. So then I was like, this is all going down. I was like, I need to choose a college. Um and then I was like, alright, I'll just go in state, um, be close to home with all this going on. Both my brothers went to JMU, James Madison University. Yes. And they loved it, I liked it a lot. I was like, if I go in-state, that's where I'll go. So I went there. Um and then so I went there, started off the first semester out, and I was like, oh geez, I don't know how I'm gonna do this. Because he told me like lay low, so I'm like, couldn't enjoy myself really while I'm at school. Um and I remember talking to my advisor, and she was like, Yeah, like you have the credits, I came in with a bunch of credits from high school.

SPEAKER_02

Sure.

SPEAKER_01

She's like, if you want, you can take a semester off and just you know go back home. And then like that phone call home wasn't, you know, parents didn't love to hear that.

SPEAKER_00

Um did you stay? Or did you come back?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, no, no, no. I ended up staying in school because I was like, I don't I was at because what if I don't heal, you know? Yeah. Could have just stayed in school. So, which I'm really glad I just stayed because it would have just been a waste of just being at home. Um So yeah, I stayed, and then I guess I kind of learned what works, what doesn't work, strengths, weaknesses. I still have the same exact symptoms today, and I'm a senior in college. Um, but I've learned what works, what doesn't. I've finally, like in the last couple weeks, seen a doctor for exactly what I have. Um and I'm on like a kind of like a game plan with them, so things are looking optimistic to to treatment and recovery. So that's kind of the whole uh spiel.

Choosing College Amid Uncertainty

SPEAKER_00

I don't know if I forgot anything, but I think that's it'll be well no, I I thank you for that because it helps it recaps a lot of what we talked about two summers ago. So take it back, real quick. So high school, you COVID hit while you were in high school. So there's a massive disruptor, right, in itself. Yep. And this is not a podcast on COVID, so no one needs to worry about that. That's not a political conversation in any way, shape, or form, but it's the reality of the world that we're living in. So, you know, I'm just curious too, because oftentimes like these big disruptors, I think we think about happening to us later in life. But you had two very big disruptors happening to you earlier in your life, and that would be COVID itself happening while you were in high school. Were you in middle school or high school?

SPEAKER_01

Oh right, COVID? Yeah. That was high school, that was my junior, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And then as a result of of that, you then went through and are still going through a health battle. Would you say battle is the right word?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's fine, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. I don't want to say what it's not.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

But these are, you know, these are like really in incredibly formative years. You know, it's not like I think back to high school for me, which was a long time ago, my father's over 20 years. And uh, it really was. And um it was such an important time in my life, such a social time, but it was also a very stressful time, a time of like really focusing on academics, lots and lots of pressure. And you're doing incredibly I mean, you're doing everything right to hit these metrics in order to go on and do you know higher education and it the brakes are hit for you.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Alright, so I want to go back to so there's a couple points there. One, where did this like positivity, this like, I'm not gonna let this take me down? Where does that come from?

SPEAKER_01

That stemmed from probably my sophomore junior year uh of college. So that was right actually the COVID time. I I loved Corinth, I think it made me the best version of myself. I'm I don't know if everyone can agree on that, but that's when I you know I can agree. Yeah, we've talked about this a lot. But just like having that time to really focus on yourself, and you can either choose to, okay, this is the situation, we're gonna make the best of it and have a positive outcome, or you can be like, oh, I'm gonna sit and rot, and I'm not gonna choose that. So then that I that was where did that come from? Like, where did I I honestly don't know. I mean, I don't I wasn't always that way throughout my life.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Um and then during that time when I was like, all right, what are some good hobbies to do? Okay, like this exercise, this journaling, that's you know, read these books, that's good. And then you see like the habits of these people that are telling you to do this, and the no one's really saying positivity is bad. Like everything else, no one no one's ever gonna say positivity is bad. Um and so you see that and say, okay, let me try. Let me just be a really positive person. You're like, this is great. Um so I think that time of trying to improve myself, and you're seeing that all these people are like talking about how important positivity and mindset is, and it really it's crazy what your brain can do to the rest of your body and just how you feel. So kind of just trying that. And then once it would like got really hard again, once all these symptoms started to happen, I was like, okay, like what can I do? I can control my mind as much as I possibly can. So this stinks right now, like this sucks. Am I gonna think that it really sucks and then make it even worse?

SPEAKER_02

Sure.

Mindset As Medicine

SPEAKER_01

So it's like, okay, well, doctors might not be telling me what to do, but let me just try being a little positive with the whole situation. And it made it better. And you know, if I'm sitting here like, oh my gosh, you know, I'm sick, no, I can't do this, I can't do that. I mean, it really is true, like the type of like comparison is the thief of joy. Oh, and the biggest thing is like like when it was first happening, is I was comparing my old self, like, oh, I was able to do this, this, this, and this, and then like things like that for a while, then just being able to catch yourself and be like, whoa, that I don't feel that great now thinking like that. So just having that as a foundation, I think it's made all the difference. Just the mindset.

SPEAKER_00

It it oh it is. It's um you know, a big David Goggins fan. And um I'm not packaged like David Goggins is, and I probably don't always I don't I'm not as hardcore as he is. Sometimes on the inside I'm screaming to be that hardcore on the outside. But like I think that's a that's a commonality you and I have is that you are it's like so what? Like this is where I am, so what? Like I've got a big life to lead. Um so I know like when you are in these situations, I say I know, but I I I don't know, I want to hear, I I have a pr I have a pretty good guess as to what you're gonna say, but so you're um incredibly grounded, and your family is incredibly important to you in your faith. But when so when you were put in moments of okay, I'm not I'm failing at this, what is it that keeps you like where do you lean?

SPEAKER_01

Um yeah, it definitely takes reflection because like when it initially, like because it was like there's a lot of trials and it doesn't feel the best when it doesn't go how you want to.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So at first it was like, okay, let me try and figure this out on my own. So which I was always able to do my entire life. It's just let me figure this out on my own. And then it wasn't always working. And that's where I became so open about it to my friends and my family, because if I wasn't, then they would just have all these questions, and then that would just make it worse for me, I think. So I just became really open to my my friends and my family, and they just ended up becoming really supportive of it and just really understanding, and that was just a true blessing, just to just to have those people in your life, and I don't think like not everybody has it. I'm just so lucky and grateful to have people like that. So I was just saying, like kind of owning it and being like, yeah, you know, this is what's going on. I can't do this, I can't do that, or hey, like I'm struggling with this, and then just having that support system of leaning onto them, and then like you mentioned my faith too. That's why I think all this has happened. Um I think it led me on the the best path for me. And I I don't even want to know what I would have done if I would have gone to one of those big schools. I I don't know.

SPEAKER_00

Would I have liked the Aiden before long COVID as much as I like the Aiden after?

SPEAKER_01

I think you would have liked him a lot. I would too. I think he would have thought he was a little crazy and like more in that Goggins kind of world. Um I don't know if I'd be doing I think I don't know. I think he would have been a lot more egotistical. Um I think talking about grounded, this is definitely grounded Aiden a little more. Um yeah, no, I think you would have. I think you would have. I think I would have, too.

SPEAKER_00

You would have thought I was a little crazy, but it doesn't matter what I think, it's matter it really matters what you think.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

Faith, Family, And Owning The Struggle

SPEAKER_00

I think it's a rare person that that can see something as a set that could be a setback or perceived as a setback to then see it as a blessing and to see it as something that, oh, I can see why this was put in my path. I don't think um I think it's a rare person that can see that. A lot of us get stopped in our tracks when we hit a speed bump, or some of us hit a concrete wall, right? It just depends on what how you know how big of a of a hurdle it is that that hits us. And I'm such a big believer in continuing to move, like no matter what. It doesn't matter if it's an inch, if it's a foot, if it's a mile, like keeping that yourself in movement. But there have been many times in my life where I get stuck, but I know, and that's when the anxiety sets in. And for me, the quickest way to like calm that anxiety is to move. And I think for me at least, that's where um and even if that's in my mind, right? It's how to how to keep going and look for the positive things. You know, when you um I'm sure people can quickly see and hear why I was uh very, very excited to have you work beside me, you know. Um I wanna I want to kind of talk about um in our society for better or for worse, we're kind of in a position whether the media is selling us this or it is the reality, where people are kind of picking sides, right? That I'm this or I'm that, and lots of judgment is being cast, and um you you know came in as an intern onto into my company. However, um you were not an average young person, you already had taken your real estate class and had gotten you got your real estate license while you were working with us, which A is completely mind blowing that you were a sophomore in college doing this already. But I think that it's real easy for us to go in and have preconceived notions about each other and to think you're young. I'm middle-aged, you know, I know more, you don't know. Um and I try really hard to not be that person and to say I don't know everything, let me expose myself to other people. You um I'm a I despise labels. I personally don't like labels. I completely agree. I cannot stand it. Um but there's this big um wanting to like categorize people as you're this generation and you're that generation show you you're this generation. I'm like an exenial, like I'm in between two. Just I was born in 1980, and there's all sorts of um stereotypes about my generation that when I was doing some research before our talk today, oddly enough, have a lot of parallels with the stereotypes about your generation, and you blow that out of you you blow the stereotype. You you say I I mean working with you for a summer, there's nothing about your generation stereotypes that you represent. Has or have you experienced people, especially those of us who are older than you, trying to categorize you into a certain you're this?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. I think I'm sure most kids my age can uh agree on that, and that I guess older generations, yeah, the biggest thing is is work ethic. Yeah, and how like my generation's work ethic is.

SPEAKER_00

And you're soft.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're soft. Um and so not fair, not true. I think it's uh I think just with how technology has gone, it's like it's made processes easier for my generation. Um like you know, we're not doing it the old-fashioned way anymore.

SPEAKER_00

Or the right way.

Breaking Generational Stereotypes

SPEAKER_01

Right, or the right way. Um when a lot of times it's the same end result. Um so maybe their process might have been a little longer, harder. Um we've simplified that. Um I don't completely disagree, um, but I think there's a big thing of like like work ethic. Um I think my generation just with I think uh it's like entitlement to is really big in my generation. That one I kind of I can kind of agree with. Um I think just I think it's been caused through social media and I should have this because everyone else my age has this. And it's like, well, that's not everyone else.

SPEAKER_00

That comes back to comparison is the eat of joy.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly. Um and that's where I think like just groundedness is really important and trying not to fall into that um and like needing all these things or trying trying to live a simple, simple life.

SPEAKER_00

Do you think entitlement is just reserved for your generation? Because I see it in my generation too.

SPEAKER_01

No, I don't think it is at all.

Plans, Options, And Early Career Choices

SPEAKER_00

And I think that um social media is an incredible vehicle for connection. It is if if it's not used with care like anything else, it can become, I think, a prison and create further it can it can create excuses and um that person is luckier or they're more or they're more attractive or they're this or they're that when in reality we're just seeing the highlight reels. And that's what this podcast really is about for me, is about everyone's life is unfolding. And we all go through trials and and setbacks, and it's it's it's about I think embracing that in a lot of ways and reframing it and using something that's happened to you. And and look, there's things that happen to people that are you know so on you just cannot even comprehend, and that is I'm certainly not saying that, but I think there are varying levels of setbacks. I love that um but you are somebody that's uh in my opinion, you're you're an old soul. Like you're I I don't ever feel like I'm sitting across from someone that's 20, 19, however old you are now, because age really doesn't matter. You are a a wonderful reminder of that to me for sure. Because just so you know, when Aiden was in an interning with me, I was still Googling things, and not that I don't still Google, but I do use Chat GPT, I do use AI now. I am I am I am able to be taught things and moving beyond it. Um but so one thing about um you know one thing about your generation that drives me nuts when people start talking about people as generations is that you know well your generation is not good at communicating, and I just completely disagree with that. So, you know, I can be tough to to reach. I have a lot of demands, I have clients that I serve, I have other I have agents that I serve, and you wanted an intern with someone, right? Someone and you have incredible follow-up game. You do too. When you're texting me to get answers, sometimes I'm just self-admittedly not answering as fast as I should. You know, that is another it just shows you that it doesn't matter what generation you're from that you know how to communicate. You do. And it's a good thing. Yeah, nothing but a good thing. Um, so obviously you know I'm a mom, and my son was gosh, Anders was probably eight, getting ready to be nine when we were working together that summer. And um I asked how old your parents were and kind of slapped me on my face that they're my exact same age because I waited a long time to have my son. You um I know that they're gonna probably watch this or listen to this, and so that's not why I'm saying this, but it's you know, it it is an incredible responsibility when we have people, it doesn't matter how old they are, but you were asking me, and we were talking about a lot of things that weren't just about real estate, they were really about building a life with intention. And going in and becoming an entrepreneur is not oftentimes the most sexiest or the most popular choice for a young person, and especially a young person like yourself, who from my point of view is incredibly accomplished. You have everything that an big employer would be looking for, and yet you have this itch as well to explore all of your opportunities, and some of that includes being an entrepreneur in real estate. Um, so I just want you to know that um AI was giving you advice with a lot of with 100% honesty, but always winning the benefit of you were in my care for a while, and how would I feel if your parents were guiding my son on such a huge life decision? So I need to sit down and thank them for that, for trusting me. Uh it was a it was all it made me really think about things. That's the point. It gave me some clarity on um because I wanted to go to law school. And um, and then and now I've sold real estate for 21 years, and so you know, if you look at being an attorney and being a realtor, being an attorney has a much higher status um and probably is far more um bragworthy as a parent, and maybe something you would really hope your child goes for, but and living in my shoes for 21 years, I'm like, oh, I I totally picked the right thing. So where has this like tell us a little bit about this like desire because you're you're graduating, you're a double major, you're business and finance, correct?

SPEAKER_01

It's finance and accounting.

SPEAKER_00

Finance and accounting, see, I still don't know. Um you've accepted an accounting job, which is amazing, congratulations. Um and you still you're gonna follow that with passion, but you still have this interest. So how are you going about what are you how are you gonna go about your next chapter in life?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Well the first off, when you mentioned the uh like us talking, how like we weren't just talking about real estate. I'd say real estate was a fraction of what we talked about. I'm sure um I I enjoyed all the all the other conversations that we had. Um the next steps, um what was the question again?

SPEAKER_00

So So it's okay because this is how I have 80 day conversations. Welcome to my world again, remember what it's like. So I think life is full of chapters.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

You are staring down your college graduation in May.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

You've already accepted a job in an accounting firm, correct?

SPEAKER_02

Yep.

SPEAKER_00

You've got your CPA exam ahead of you as a possibility. You also have your real estate license hanging on inactive status. How are you approaching this next chapter?

Choosing Sobriety In College

SPEAKER_01

I um it's a good question. So I'm trying to not think too far, but um it does matter to that I think I do think having a plan is important.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Um I think controlling what I can control through this next chapter, so like like effort, mindset, and it's like when I was talking to you a couple weeks or so ago about like, oh, what am I gonna do this summer?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And it's like, oh I don't really know what I'm gonna do, but just try and do something and put a good effort at it. Um so I I think this chapter is like say you like set up you're starting uh a job and putting my best effort into that, and the reason I chose that is that in history is just I I've seen a lot of people that start out there and then a lot of them go in completely different places and yeah, or just like having that that you know numbers background and then applying it to business, I think I think uh it's important and I see the skill in it. Um so kind of just doing that, putting a good effort into it. Um if something else happens, a setback or something pushes me forward, it happens and you know we adjust. Um but I think I think it's more of just seeing the experience I get, and then if that experience brings me into a different path, then it brings me into a different path, and then trying to just stay ambitious throughout it all.

SPEAKER_00

It's it's an interesting time in your life because the world is literally your oyster.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And I think people get overwhelmed by choice. Choice is a wonderful thing, that's what money gives you, right? It gives you choices.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um and it's a tool. It's not just a it's not a status, it's a tool. You've got a lot of choice ahead of you. And I think it's it takes discipline to it's like I've committed to this.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And how do you stay open to other possibilities at the same time?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Is always a fine balance.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So I don't I've never really talked about this um formally, but yeah, I've talked to you about it. Um another common bond that you and I have is, and if you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to. But we talk about a lot of stuff. Um so six years ago I, you know, made a decision to um cut alcohol out of my life. And um you are you're just not you're not the typical college student, sir. You are going and marching to the beat of your own drum. So talk to talk to me about your choice to not drink alcohol in a college setting. Yeah. And what has that meant for you?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Um I didn't think it was always gonna be that case. Um, originally just that choice was I would, you know, you just got you get when you're not the person you really are, um, when you're engaging in substances like that. Sure. And kind of just seeing that in myself and not becoming the best version of myself. Originally for me, it was like I saw like the pressure on it of getting like that. Um, it's kind of like against my religious beliefs.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

Friends, Loneliness, And Better Weekends

SPEAKER_01

And that's kind of what steered uh really grabbed up and grounded, that's what grounded me through and like with such a good bass, like the anchor. Um like that would help hold me down because it was a different level of accountability. So that was originally I tried and I was like, this is fine, you know. I like this, you know. I have energy. What the heck? You know, it's Saturday, it's Sunday, I have energy. This is great. Um and then it's had its, I mean, another benefit is my doctors are definitely happy that I because just how important it is for me, but some of the things they talk about is recovery and how awful it is for recovery, even just like because at first I was just like, oh like I'll just have like I can have like one or two.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

But then like even like the effects of the on the brain of just having like nothing, or having like a little bit of something, um, if you have nothing, it's just it's dramatic in the benefits it has for you. So it's kind of had there's just great, I guess, roots of why I'm not doing this in the sense of you know, my religious beliefs, and then it's like my health. So it's like I I don't and then another thing is like I think about like so I thought about you, and then there's a ton of other professionals and entrepreneurs I admire in the real world. Yeah, and a lot of them speak out about that, and I see how how much they're able to get done in their life, and it's like I want that too. So there's just so many different areas that keep me grounded through and help me make the decision.

SPEAKER_00

You uh talked about the anchor. Go back to that.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, uh that was one thing I uh I wanted to get Kristen something for when that whole uh internship, because I really did appreciate everything she taught me and gave me through that experience. You gave me more and one of the things I admired was how she would make decisions based on your values. Yes. And I believe like so you have like this anchor that holds you down, and it's almost like like a like a game plan throughout your life. Like, oh, I can try to make this decision now, okay. Let me go back to like what are my roots, what are my morals, what are my values? And I feel that having a good anchor is really important for everybody, and not have you know, you gotta have a well-maintained anchor. Everyone can have an anchor, but it might not be good things. Yes. So having a good anchor to get you throughout your life, I think it's important for everybody. Um I think it's just a cool, cool simple uh something to, you know, you can see it and then think back on.

SPEAKER_00

It's still in my office. It's still sitting in there. Um choosing to not, well, I will say this, um, because this is a you know, this is a a prickly conversation, alcohol, because I certainly don't want anyone to think that I'm shaming who chose who choose to drink because that's not there's no there's no judgment here truly. There really isn't. Um and I was going, I was not leading my best life with it for sure, and it took me a lot longer than it took you to realize. Now look, in our lives may look different as we progress through it, um, and you may make different choices, but at this moment in college, yeah, I just think it's such an it says so much about you and the way that you're intentionally living and you're building to choose a life in college, your senior year, with alcohol. It just blows my mind, even though I haven't drunk for six years. It just blows my mind. Has it been lonely?

SPEAKER_01

Um at first, yeah. Um but maybe there's a lot of other seniors in college that can agree with me, but like it was a lot of fun throughout the rest of our uh college journey.

SPEAKER_00

Wait a minute, there's more to do.

Money As A Tool, Not A Idol

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Um and yeah, it was you know, because it's like everyone your age wants to, you know, everyone's going to the bar tonight. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it's Friday night.

SPEAKER_01

And like when I mentioned before about like being open with my friends, like I'm very open, so I was like, oh, I'm just I'll go with you guys, I'll just have water, you know. Um feel great when I get home, you know. I can be the the driver for everybody, that's always a an added benefit. Um also so I do have like friends that are the same way, they don't like they either won't go out or won't drink.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And having them is just such a benefit because then I think it would be more lonely. I think I'd still be fine. Is it lonely? Yeah. I mean, if everyone's doing something and it's like, well that like what's you know, what's kind of activity is gonna go in there's like I was just drinking, you know. It's like it'll only be fun if you drink. So then like that, that can be lonely. Even like if you're there in person, surrounded by a lot of people, it could be lonely.

SPEAKER_00

Oh yes.

SPEAKER_01

Um but having those people where I can be like, oh, I don't wanna do that tonight, and I can go there. Um, it's important to me and it's it's really meaningful. Um I'm lucky to have people like that.

SPEAKER_00

You are. I I think the company we keep is so incredibly important, and it is it's so it's so incredible that you've recognized it at 20, 21. How old are you, Dad? 21. Yeah. I was like, I'm legal to drink. Yeah, yeah, I don't know. Oh gosh. No shaming. Let's be we're having a realistic conversation for sure. You know, Aiden, I would never uh what I have accomplished for myself. This is not about any not about just resume building, it's just about me. What I've accomplished in these six years since I've decided to take a different path um is head turning it and just very grateful for it. And my so my story arriving at not drinking looks very different than yours. You didn't have a problem, I did. Um but what I have been able to do and to honor for myself is incredibly different. But I have a feeling um that you've always done stuff a little different from people, perhaps haven't always gone with the norm. Would you say you're a leader or a follower?

SPEAKER_01

I would say most of my life I was a follower and then became a leader. Um I think a lot of it was just like I should do this because my peers are doing that, yeah. Or I shouldn't do this because what are they gonna think of me? Um and that was most of my life, I think. And that's where I think like that big change um in COVID really happened because it was like such a good reset where it's just you and yourself, and that's kind of where I was gonna I'm I'm not I don't need anyone else to help me feel as well. I don't want to be dependent on people to feel a certain way or have a certain thing. So let me just how can I do it myself? I was like, I can't you can't always count on everybody. Um it's like how can I be that person for myself, and that's where I think I developed more of like a like a leader mindset, and then wanting to see the people you care and love about have that also, so then like maybe show them you know how they can also develop that mindset, and not in the point where it's like, well, I want them to be a follower of me and I'm the leader, right? But like how to create a leader within themselves, um, it's important to me for like the people I care about. Just because then it's like I've seen how I was as a follower and the negative implications. I'm not saying like being a Power can be a bad thing. But I just saw within me it had like negative implications. So just trying to help people that are trying to get away from that, get to the point they want to be at.

Sacrifice, Gratitude, And Delayed Rewards

SPEAKER_00

That's a powerful statement for sure. To want to help inspire other people. Yes, I don't need people following me either. That's not that's so egotistical. It's more about maybe living, walking our walk and creating inspiration within it. Financial literacy. Can we pivot to this? Yeah. Okay. So you are um we've had lots of conversations about this too. Um another another strike against your generation uh that people want to so quickly put you all into, and that is uh entitlement. And perhaps I see lots of things about this generation and my generation doesn't know anything about money. Um talk to me how you view money. Um and where does that come from?

SPEAKER_01

I think like you said, money can it can help you make choices, and I think it can ease uh, you know, some hard decisions in life. Um I don't I don't really think it would it's gonna make you completely happy. I mean there's plenty of examples in that in the world. Yes. Um I do think like it can I think it can make things easier for sure, um having financial resources, but like for instance, like right now, like if I you handed me like a mil a million dollars right now, say for instance as a college student, it's a lot of money.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it's a lot of money for 45.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I um like I'd be like, okay, well, it's not gonna, you know, buy me my health back or you know, do all these other things. Um so kind of I that's where I think like I've found like gratitude is such an important thing to me in the sense of okay, I'm gonna work hard and try and I see it as like the the providing aspect of it, like oh I can work hard and help like in the ease people, like ease the people around me's life, um, and maybe future generations. Um but it's really important I think to be grateful, like, okay, like like this bed I have, like this, I'm so lucky to have it like this food I have, this water I have. Um and even like not a lot of money it takes to to have that. I think everyone can be grateful for something. Um but I don't really think it's like I think it it's good to have for sure, and I'm striving to hopefully have resources to help those around me. But I don't if someone's like oh like if there's one thing today that could, you know, make me a high person, and it's like if I just had money, then well maybe, but maybe you should, you know, look at other elements of your life also.

Diagnosis, Symptoms, And Finding A Specialist

SPEAKER_00

You come from a very um financial financially literate household. Yeah, which your dad and I could probably talk for hours about. Uh so you're you're majoring in one you're majoring in money, right? Yeah and helping people keep more of it, use it as a tool. Um so growing up in a household where it's been used as a tool, um did that point you in the direction of what you're of what you've majored in?

SPEAKER_01

I wouldn't say it pointed me in the direction of what I've majored in. Um my whole family's in healthcare, except for me.

SPEAKER_00

Um but your dad's also very wise and funny. And your mom probably is too.

SPEAKER_01

I just yeah, we've had a lot of smart conversations. I think being raised in that um element has shown me why sacrifice is important and why and the effects of delayed gratification. So, like, oh we're not gonna eat out a lot, or you know, we're not gonna go to Aruba on this crazy vacation or something. Um and then when you're young, it's annoying and it pisses you off. And you're like, oh, I wanna have a basement, or I wanna go on this cool vacation. Um and then as you get older and you're seeing like like okay, now I'm at college now, it's like okay, I don't this thing's paid for, like, what the heck? Um and that's just like I'm just so lucky um to have that um and have them sacrifice and it's like oh like I'm driving a car, like I'm I didn't pay for that. Like it's just um but there was sacrifice behind it.

SPEAKER_00

Um were your parents shy about the sacrifice?

SPEAKER_01

Oh no. Yeah, my if my dad wasn't he let us know, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Bravo dad.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Um I think the more like choosing like the finance accounting thing, I honestly looked up what's the best major for people going into real estate. And I was like, I don't mind finance. I was good at accounting, so I added it, and I was like, that's manageable. So there was no like deep thinking about what major to pick. I was like, eh, okay, for an entrepreneur, this is pretty solid.

SPEAKER_00

Are your I can't remember, uh, are your dad are your parents like followers of like the Dave Ramsey type of belief of money?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, my dad's definitely uh he loves some Dave Ramsey.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, that's what I thought.

SPEAKER_01

I don't always agree with it.

SPEAKER_00

Right. Hey, we don't that we can cherry pick things that we love about people and things that maybe we could set aside and not practice.

SPEAKER_02

Yep.

SPEAKER_00

We can say a lot of things, but Dave Ramsey is a is obviously brilliant at budgeting and making millionaires out of everyday people. Yeah. There's no doubt about that. I but I think you know you're talking about value systems and you're talking about sacrifice and um maybe your parents need to come in and teach a class on how to raise kids that are not entitled. Because I think there is such a there's a a temptation that at least I have viewed that you want to shield your children from sometimes the harsh realities. And I also grew up in a household where they did not shield me.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And my parents worked extremely hard to provide for us and no one was sugarcoating it for me. And it was such a gift because I knew as much as I could as a young person what the hurdle was gonna be to create something out of myself. And so I think your parents gave you a many gifts, but that's probably a huge one for sure.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

Positive Thinking And The Secret

SPEAKER_00

Um anything I didn't talk about, anything you want to add, is I know you're you're a big advocate of educating people about your health condition and making people aware of the effects of so ha has it been formally diagnosed? Is this long covered? Like what are you doing?

SPEAKER_01

It's technically called uh dysautonomia. That's like the the clinical term for it, which is basically um an autonomic nervous system dysfunction. That's how you can break down that word.

SPEAKER_00

Uh what are the symptoms that people can look for?

SPEAKER_01

Um it would be kind of like confusion, brain fog, like, oh, my brain's not acting how it's always been, um, lack of energy, like headache, um, like your heart rate, like palpitations out of nowhere, higher heart rate. I'd say these are all things I had that I you know, maybe some people. Um, and it's been some people too get affected by it, like vaccine or whatever.

SPEAKER_00

And really, like uh difficulty comprehension with reason.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, oh my gosh, yeah. That I mean that brain fog category.

SPEAKER_00

You could Yeah, I'm 45, perimenopause. We won't talk about that. It's a totally different conversation. Uh but a lot of those symptoms mirror. So they're very different. They're very different. Um, but you you've you've found a physician. You never gave up, your parents didn't give up. You found a physician that knows exactly what you're going through, you have a path forward, and I know you're pretty outspoken about um talking about it because there's got to be other people suffering from this same issue. Does your doctor believe it is a result of COVID?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yep. Okay. Um yeah, they they hear the story. Yep, okay, you had mono, yep, you had COVID, yeah. Okay. Check, check, check, check, check. You're 21 going through this? Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That's good to know.

SPEAKER_01

Um, yeah, no, it's uh it's it was a long path of where can I find this professional, and then you finally find one and you're like, oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Hopefully this is the one.

SPEAKER_00

But and it's har and when when anyone's navigating a health issue, sometimes they're not easy to diagnose. And that not giving up, you know, is is something that is so important to have. And I think you are proof that not giving up has its incredible benefits. And you've been successful in college, very successful. You've got a job lined up, you've you're graduating with great grades, and uh healing is possible.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

But you just have to have, I guess, the faith that there is a solution out there. Well, I know we could talk for hours. Yeah. I know that. Yeah. Anything else? Is there anything I didn't cover? Because this is not just we're not just no one is just one one podcast worth of information. But I want to make sure I haven't skipped something that's really important.

SPEAKER_01

Um I think I think it's uh gotten a lot of good stuff here today.

SPEAKER_00

Trying to fit a lot in.

Age, Wisdom, And Final Reflections

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. Um, yeah, I mean, I think the core things is if you can get a positive mindset. Um there's uh I think it's a book. There's also like a documentary, it's called uh The Secret. And regardless of what your uh religious beliefs might think of it, the overall principle of just keeping a positive mindset and then how that can benefit you, I think that's uh that's really important for for everyone, I think. Just because there's you can always sit, moan and groan at anything. Um and there are cases where you know it's significantly harder than other times. Um but if you can try and like flip that switch and okay, how can I think better about this?

SPEAKER_00

I think that's a great place to to end, to wrap it. So the secret that needs to be on everyone's list to go explore.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I know we talked about it. I need to go back and and and refresh myself again, no doubt. Well, thank you for setting down. Yeah, I know I enjoyed this. It's so fun for me, and uh, I think you are a shining example that um age has nothing to do with it. It's life experiences, and I know there's a lot of young people out there that uh my my view um and the the lens that I have is when I was young in real estate I faced a lot of opposition over being young. What did I know? What could I possibly bring to the table? And you are a breath of fresh air and a reminder that age isn't just a number. It has not nothing to do with it. There are people that have lived many more years than you, but don't have the wisdom and the experience that you do. So for all of us out there who are older than 21, tune in. There's something we can learn from everyone. I appreciate that. You got it. Thanks, Aiden, for sitting down with me.

SPEAKER_02

No problem.