It’s day 29 of 31 Days of Interviews with Single Women. You can find a list of all the interviews in this post.
Also, be sure to enter the giveaway to win an autographed copy of Allison K. Flexer’s new book Truth, Lies, and the Single Woman at the bottom of today’s interview. This giveaway will continue through Friday!
Today I’m talking with Beth Anne Eretto! Beth Anne says:
Do things you have always wanted to do: travel, start a business, learn to sew, buy a Kitchenaid! Trust me you won’t regret doing any of these things before you get married. I love being able to travel a lot and think it really helps me grow as a single person.
Beth Anne is 28-years-old living in Jacksonville, Florida. She is a virtual assistant and blogger! Be sure to check out Beth Anne on her blog Beth Anne’s Best!
Brenda: First, tell us a little about yourself – your name, age, where you live, and where you grew up.
Beth Anne: My name is Beth Anne, I’m 28, and I currently live in Jacksonville, Florida. I was born in NYC until I was 12 and then I lived in Texas before moving to Florida 3 years ago.
Brenda: Where do you work, and how did you get started in your job?
Beth Anne: Right now I am working as a Virtual Assistant for several websites and other clients that have asked me for some help. I kind of fell into it when I was looking for work and had a friend that needed an assistant on her blog and then she introduced me to some other people who also needed help.
Brenda: When you envisioned your life as a young girl, did you hope to have a career when you grew up or was your desire more for marriage and children or did you want both for your life?
Beth Anne: I always wanted to get married and have kids when I was a kid. I LOVED playing house and playing with my little kitchen when I was younger. Even though in my teen years I was more of a tomboy I still wanted to get married and have kids.
Brenda: Are you involved in serving in your community or church? What, if any, ministries or organizations are you a part of?
Beth Anne: I help teach classes at my church to prepare teens for Confirmation. I really enjoy this age when they are asking questions and really wanting to understand what we believe. I have tutored students in the past and would love to get involved in that again.
Brenda: Tell us one thing you LOVE about being single and one thing you hate (or your biggest struggle) about being single.
Beth Anne: I LOVE the independence I have for myself. I’m not afraid to go to the movies or shopping or anywhere really by myself. I really hate how being single is sometimes treated as a disease like something is wrong with me.
Brenda: Do you ever get mad at God because you are single? When bitterness, discontentment, confusion, and even jealousy creep into your mind, how to you deal with it? Do you have a go-to person or scripture verse or something else that helps?
Beth Anne: Yes! All the Time! I really like the quote “Everything Happens For A Reason”. I found it in high school and have always looked at it when feeling down. I also have grown to love Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”
Brenda: How do you deal with loneliness?
Beth Anne: This is something I REALLY struggle with. I try to not sulk around when I get lonely and force myself to get out of the house and do something fun. It doesn’t always work but it helps me at least to get my mind off the loneliness.
Brenda: Do you struggle with obsessing about guys and dating? Like, if you’re interested in a guy or if you just start dating someone new, do you think about him constantly, analyze every conversation, and get overly attached quickly? Is so (or if not) how do you deal with your emotions?
Beth Anne: Yes! I think I’m a typical girl in this context. I really struggle with worrying about saying the right or wrong thing and it’s even worse when I’m talking to a guy. I try to keep myself busy and not over-analyze, but sometimes it’s easier said than done.
Brenda: What is your biggest pet peeve about the way single women are perceived?
Beth Anne: I really hate how people treat us like we’re diseased creatures. The snide comments “She’s so pretty why is she still single? There must be something wrong with her!” really don’t help. I really believe that we’ll find our husbands in Gods timing.
Brenda: Do you struggle with finding community in your local church? How do you find community in a world that seems coupled up?
Beth Anne: Yes. But more because I feel I live in an area with a lot of older people so I struggle finding people my own age to build community with.
Brenda: Are more of your girlfriends married or single? How do you find authentic friendships as a single woman?
Beth Anne: Due to all my friends I have made from blogging for the last few years I think more of my friends are married. I do have quite a few single friends as well. It’s kind of neat how I have different friends in different stages of life that I can ask different advice from.
Brenda: What words of advice do you have for other single women who want to live with purpose now and not wait for marriage to start their lives?
Beth Anne: Do things you have always wanted to do: travel, start a business, learn to sew, buy a Kitchenaid! Trust me you won’t regret doing any of these things before you get married. I love being able to travel a lot and think it really helps me grow as a single person.
Brenda: And some fun stuff!
Brenda: Which do you like best – Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or Pinterest (or all of it!)?
Beth Anne: I like Twitter and Instagram the best, but I LOVE Facebook for the groups.
Brenda: What’s your favorite drink?
Beth Anne: Rootbeer (Mug is my favorite brand.)
Brenda: Where would you want to live the rest of your life – beach or mountains?
Beth Anne: The beach. I’d LOVE to live in a beach house on the beach.
Brenda: Do you read more fiction or nonfiction?
Beth Anne: I’m more of a TV watcher.
Brenda: Are you an introvert or extrovert?
Beth Anne: Introvert
Brenda: What’s something quirky about you?
Beth Anne: I love going to theme parks and riding the rides!
Brenda: What else do we need to know about you? Where can we connect with you online?
Beth Anne: I have a blog called Beth Anne’s Best, where I write about the everyday goings of my life, faith, being single, and my travel adventures. I’m currently participating in a 31 Days serious called 31 Days of Europe about my recent trip to Europe on my blog. I also have a business site for my virtual assistant business called Bookkeeping for Bloggers. If you want to connect with me follow me on twitter @BethAnnesBest I love connecting with my followers over there!
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