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First-Gen Journeys
Stories and reflections from first-gen professionals navigating identity, resilience, and cultural intersections.


The Gratitude Trap: Turning Gratitude Into Self-Advocacy and Building Self-Confidence at Work
For many first-gen professionals, gratitude begins as a source of pride—but can quietly turn into permission to stay small. The Gratitude Trap explores how to honor where you come from without shrinking your worth, turning gratitude into self-advocacy and growth. Learn how to ask for more, speak with integrity, and build self-confidence at work—rooted, not restrained.
6 min read


The Mirror That Doesn’t Lie: Rethinking Imposter Syndrome at Work for First-Gen Professionals
Imposter syndrome at work isn’t proof of inadequacy—it’s a mirror reflecting belonging still under construction. Learn how to read those doubts as cultural data, not defects, and practice small shifts that restore confidence, authenticity, and ease.
4 min read


The Power of Pausing Before Saying Yes: The Weight of a Pause
Pausing before saying yes can feel risky for first-gen professionals, yet research shows it can create clarity, protect well-being, and strengthen your voice. Learn how the power of pausing before saying yes can shift your work and relationships.
4 min read


Finding Career Clarity as a First-Gen Professional: Adrian’s Story
For first-gen professionals, careers like medicine often carry the weight of family pride and survival. This story explores what happens when the path you chose feels less like your own and more like an inheritance. Learn small practices to begin finding career clarity while redrawing the map.
4 min read


Setting Boundaries Without Guilt as a First-Gen Professional: The Weight of Yes
First-gen professionals often carry family urgency as their own. This story explores how setting boundaries without guilt protects the values you hold—love, respect, safety—while keeping you grounded. Learn how to find the seed of your boundary and use words and actions that honor both your family and yourself.
4 min read


We Made It… So Why Do First-Gen Professionals Still Feel So Alone?
On paper, I had made it — Ivy League, Big Law, even a project with BTS. But inside, I felt like I was living someone else’s life.
This is why I built Nurimas Coaching: to help first-gen professionals put down the weight of expectations and design a path that feels like theirs.
4 min read
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