Through the years, I have enjoyed reading Us Weekly’s “25 Things You Don’t Know About Me.” It’s always been fascinating to me to learn new things I didn’t know about celebrities. Even in the real world, I find myself constantly asking people questions. When I meet someone new especially, I’m so intrigued to understand who they are and what their story is. Finding out little tidbits about someone, whether it’s fun facts, childhood stories, or what they did yesterday, is so great because it can really spark a good conversation. I’ve never been a fan of superficiality and have more so appreciated connecting with people on a deeper level. I think it’s so important to ask questions, to be vulnerable, and to share things about who you are because that’s what human interaction is all about.

As I put together my version of things you may not know about me, I got to reflect, laugh and appreciate how these have really made me who I am today. It’s therapeutic in a way to see it all written down on paper (errrr, or typed on a computer screen) and to think this is all what makes me, me. Some of what I share below are things I didn’t want to necessarily share and broadcast because it is very personal. But the thing is, I started a blog to really showcase who I am and have my readers really get to know me.

So, here it goes! I hope at minimum, you can relate to one of these things that may ultimately spark a conversation between us! Leave your thoughts or fun facts or stories in the comments! Let’s have some fun with this 🙂

1. Believe it or not, I was born with an extra finger and toe! They were both removed when I was only three days old. However, my extra finger (that was attached to my left pinky) wasn’t removed correctly, so I have a small bump there, which serves as a reminder of how weirdly unique I am. People who don’t know me probably think it’s a wart but it’s way cooler (and less gross) than that 😉
2. My childhood dog, Toto, bit my head when I was a baby and bit my chin when I was a toddler. Needless to say, dogs and I get along much better now!
3. Despite my traumatizing experiences, I am a huge dog lover and tend to navigate to them over people (including babies).
4. I still have a stuffed bear that was given to my mom at her baby shower. His name is Bacca (no idea why I named him that) and he is still near and dear to my heart! Truthfully, I still sometimes sleep with him when I’m not with Adam, but shhhh.
5. When I was three years old, I woke up one morning before my dad after my mom had already gone to work and decided to go watch cartoons at the neighbor’s house. I opened the garage door by myself and left the house without telling my dad and told our neighbor that my parents knew I was there. Little did my dad know….he woke up frantic after he realized I wasn’t in the house and the garage door was up. He ultimately found me an hour or two later 🙂 I suppose I was I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T even then! (Side note: my parents raised the height of the garage opener after that so I couldn’t reach it.)
6. I went to a Catholic grade school from kindergarten through 8th grade and am still best friends to this day with three girls I met in kindergarten.
7. I am also still friends with my first best friend who I met when I was only three years old. She and I lived right across the yard from each other and have so many amazing childhood memories together. Even though we are now complete opposites, we still make our friendship work and when we get together, it’s like no time has even passed. I absolutely love that about friendships.
8. I was a cheerleader in middle school. During a pep rally when I was in the 7th grade, I rolled my ankle and fell in front of the entire school while everyone pointed and laughed. Oh, did I mention I was in the front row?
9. Also in middle school, I wanted highlights but my mom didn’t want to spend the money for me to get them professionally done. Instead, she bought me a highlighting kit from the drugstore and attempted to give me highlights at home. Well…let’s just say that didn’t go over well and my hair was a mix of brown, blonde, and orange for a solid week.
10. Britney Spears (an icon, really, while I was growing up) inspired me to get my bellybutton pierced at the age of 16 and I thought I was the coolest. I still love it to this day though!
11. I have 62 ‘Notes’ written and published on Facebook. Pretty sure I’m one of the few people who actually did that and was made fun of every time I published one.
12. I played basketball and ran track in high school. Before I joined the track team, both my dad and boyfriend at the time questioned if I was fast enough. Doubt me and I’ll always prove you wrong. I made it a point to do just that. I worked my ass off and let’s just say, I was fast enough to be on the team. And they were sorry they ever doubted me.
13. I have a higher likelihood of having twins someday. My dad is an identical twin and there are two other sets of twins in my family!
14. My mind constantly works in overdrive, thanks to my anxiety. Relaxing doesn’t come easy to me because I’m always thinking of productive things I can be doing. It’s a curse, but also a blessing because it fuels me to stay motivated and keep pushing myself.
15. I am a competitive person, but the person I am always in a competition with is myself. I am always trying to exceed my own expectations.
16. I could (and do) spend hours in a bookstore. It’s just a calming thing that I love to do when I have the chance.
17. I got pulled over for the first time in my life for speeding while honeymooning in New Zealand at the ripe age of 29.
18. I am a huge advocate of taking care of your skin. I’m pretty sure I started using anti-aging products in high school (hahaha). Also – moisturizing is key to having great skin!
19. Volunteering my time and helping others has always been in my blood. I love the quote, “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” I volunteer weekly at a not-for-profit developmental home called Misericordia here in Chicago where I serve dinner, help with clean up, and spend time with the residents who have intellectual and physical disabilities. I’ve gotten so close with some of them that I even got invited to one of their birthday parties last year!
20. I may be biased, but I think Chicago is one of the best cities in the world. We have a beach in the middle of the city, world renowned museums, an uh-mazingggg food scene, and beautiful architecture. And it’s super clean! If you’ve never been, I suggest coming in the summer or early fall!
21. Fall is my favorite season. There’s nothing better than curling up in a sweatshirt, watching football, and eating homemade apple crisp, made with fresh apples you picked at the orchard!
22. Friends is my favorite show of all time. I can turn it on and watch the same episodes over and over again and still laugh just as hard as the first time I watched it.
23. I’ve been told on numerous occasions by many different people that I am the most organized, detail-oriented person they know.
24. I’m happiest near bodies of water, especially when that involves me being on a boat on a warm, sunny day!
25. And you’ll never catch me without lipstick in my purse

Kelly Nash

Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, career coach, speaker and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. She also works full-time in technology as a Role Strategy and Employee Engagement Manager at Salesforce and has over 12 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, Chicago Tribune, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, and SheFactor. She’s fueled by black coffee, sunshine, a good ink pen, and a bold lip.