I embraced girlboss culture in my 20s. It didn't take long to realize I wanted out.

The author leaned out of hustle culture and said she enjoyed a more relaxed, but still fulfilling, life. Courtesy of Catherine Work. I spent my 20s believing that working hard and making money were the keys to independence. I realized I was working so much that I had no time or energy to enjoy the life I was building. Years later, being an ambitious woman looks different to me. I work less and have time for myself. I thought making a lot of money and working hard would make me happy. In my early 20s, I got great grades and finished my undergrad in three years. By my mid-20s, I had finished my graduate degree in law while frequently working 70-hour weeks. I leaned into the idea of being a girlboss , often working weekends or through my lunch, and focusing on making lots of money.