I'm a 22-year-old business owner who juggles two jobs and school, and I'm sick of hearing others criticize my generation as being sluggish.

I've been working since I was 15 years old to pay for my education and support my business endeavors.

While virtually enrolled in graduate school, I run my own candle business.

I work two jobs, therefore I don't understand how Gen Z fits the label of being a lazy generation.

Work has played a significant role in my life since I was a young adult. I now work harder than ever to create the future I want for myself since it has helped me finance objectives that I formerly only dared to hope for.

After completing my undergraduate studies in psychology in December 2021, I have worked in a variety of mental health-related roles. I began a two-year graduate school eight months ago to become a certified professional counselor.

I started I Am Candle Co., a sole proprietorship owned and run by me, in 2022. I hand pour candles and complete orders for my business in between classes, a full-time job, and a weekend part-time job at a women's shelter.

I'm not sure if I would identify as a hustler. Today's world seems so pricey. There's a lot of pressure to accomplish multiple things if you want to build a successful life for yourself.

Older generations, especially Gen X, seem to think of Gen Z as being lazy, but I strongly disagree. It took some effort to convince my parents that my business was legitimate because they have sacrificed much of their time to provide for us. They mistook my daily use of my laptop or phone while I was at home to be laziness, but I was actually growing my company.

Gen Zers, in my opinion, simply want to find easier ways to generate money than working long hours. Who would object to doing that?

Right now, I'm sort of doing it all.

I spend 40 hours a week visiting clients in person and virtually as a mental health professional who works with children. So, from Monday through Friday, I travel to schools all throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth region, and the weekends are when I work on schoolwork, complete any work-related errands, and try to unwind.

I can pick up weekend shifts manning the desk at a women's shelter if I need extra income because my second job is less taxing. Although I'm pleased to be working in psychology, which is what I've always wanted to do, balancing two jobs, a business, and school is demanding.

Talking for hours every day about people's trauma in my line of work can be exhausting. Sometimes I struggle to keep those burdens from going home with me.

Through it all, I make a conscious effort to take care of myself. I've learnt to take breaks even though I want to do everything all the time. I took a break from running my candle business in March in order to focus more on my job and my studies for a few weeks until I was mentally prepared to resume.

I wouldn't be true to myself if I didn't make an effort to protect my mental health because my brand is all about wellness and self-love.

I don't want to keep working so hard.

All of the work I'm doing now is to enable me to work significantly less when I'm in my thirties. In 2024, after I graduate from graduate school, I intend to work just one job while running my candle business.

Although I can manage my workload at the moment, I don't intend to do so indefinitely. Everyone, in my opinion, aspires to reach a point where they can make a living either doing what they are passionate about or doing nothing at all. One day, I hope to fall someplace in the middle of that spectrum.