My Best Self: Barbara DiMaria
I am my Best Self when I take on new challenges. I love to learn new things and meet new people to keep life interesting.
Something interesting you might not know about me …
After college, I took time to live in Dublin and then backpacked across Europe for six months on $20 a day. It was an amazing experience to see parts of the world and be extremely resourceful. After thousands of hours of hiking, train rides, and ferries I made it to Castelbuono, Sicily, where I was able to meet my relatives for the 1st time.
What are your hobbies?
One of my hobbies is gardening. My family and I built our garden six years ago and it has been so great. Every year we add a few more vegetables to grow, we are currently growing 30+ types of vegetables. We have been learning how to grow plants from seeds under grow lights and love sharing our seedlings with friends, family, and co-workers!
This past year, during the pandemic, we became oyster gardeners. We wanted to help the environment and my family loves to eat oysters so it was a win-win. One oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day! We are currently raising 1,000 oysters with a Cornell Marine program. They will be ready for consumption this year and we will add an additional 1,000 oysters this spring.
Best piece of advice you have received?
Show up fully. I am the youngest of five children and needed to do a lot to get attention! I have listened to this advice over the years and if you know me, you know I tend to be 100% in on things.
What do you try and do frequently to focus on mental health/wellness?
Every morning I wake myself up to yoga and a warm cup of tea. A friend and I text yoga pose pictures to keep us accountable and for a laugh each day. I also started to go to Pilates classes with friends a few months ago and love it. Another thing I prioritize is having sit-down dinners with my family.
