I resigned and couldn't find a job. I lived with family, lost my storage unit, and relied on government assistance. - Business Insider

Nicole Ethridge before and after her hair transplant. This story is based on an interview with Nicole Ethridge, 39, a Southern Marylander who works in finance and is also an influencer. It has been edited for length and clarity. My hair had always been thin, but I first noticed it coming out soon after the birth of my daughter, now 19. It was mainly at the front, which made it noticeable. I was self-conscious and particularly hated going to hairdressing salons, where it was impossible to hide the problem. The dermatologist diagnosed me with traction alopecia, sometimes caused by tight hairstyles and other things that pull on your hair. I started wearing wigsI started wearing wigs that mimic your hairline. They were expensive, ranging from $300 to $700, but they don't last forever. I'd go through as many as nine a year.

The author used to work seven days a week. Now, she has more free time. Eight years ago, I worked a visual merchandising job with a 6-2 schedule. I also lived in Vancouver, one of the most expensive cities in North America. With mostly free afternoons and a love of writing, I started looking into freelancing to boost my income. It was just a fun side hustle at first. The gigs weren't too time-consuming, and I took a little break after moving to the UK for love in 2019. But after getting settled and finding a new full-time merchandising job, I decided to give it another go. The pandemic gave me a lot of time to work on new projects and build my portfolio, as I was furloughed from my full-time job during the thick of lockdown between 2020 and 2021. Then restrictions started to lift, but my workload kept growing. I went back to my full-time job, which had a more conventional 8-5 schedule. By then, I had regular freelance clients, so I'd use evenings and weekends to work on projects until working six or seven days a week became normal for me. I eventually switched to a part-time role in 2022 to give myself more time for freelancing, but the long workweek stuck.