First Check: Totally Amazing!

Recently, two dear friends of mine started working. Both for the first time in a “real” company—structured and with an actual employment contract.

The First Salary: Totally Amazing

The other day, a close friend told me about her new job. After years dedicated to raising children, moving to a new house, and building a life in another country, she re-entered the workforce. When I asked her how it felt to receive her first paycheck after so long, her response made me smile: “Totally amazing!”

It wasn’t just about the money; it was something bigger: the value of work, financial independence, and the joy of saying, “This part of my life is mine, and I earned it with my own hands.”

Work as a Tool of Value

Money is often a complicated topic—we see it as necessary but sometimes demonize it, fearing it makes us materialistic. Yet, the first paycheck isn’t just a sum of money; it’s the concrete representation of our efforts, the hours invested, and the skills acquired. It’s tangible recognition of our worth in a society that measures much through money.

I remember after having my first child, I put my freelance work on hold temporarily. At a party, someone asked, “Sure, but after you’ve fed and changed the baby, what do you do all day? Rest?” I had two options: one that would have landed me in jail, and the other, to politely answer, believing in the good intentions behind the question.

When we return to earning after a pause—perhaps for maternity leave, illness, or other commitments—that paycheck takes on an even more symbolic weight. It’s a way to remind ourselves and others that we’re not just inherently valuable as people but that we also have a specific and measurable contribution to make.

Financial Independence

Then there’s the aspect of financial independence. A salary isn’t just money in the bank; it’s possibility: the ability to make more autonomous choices. Having your own source of income means you don’t entirely depend on someone else. It means affording small and large freedoms, like buying something you desire or contributing to family expenses.

According to the UN, economic autonomy is one of the key tools to reduce gender inequality and improve the quality of life for millions. This makes every first paycheck not just a personal milestone but also a small piece of a broader change.

Celebrate the First Step

Why don’t we celebrate the first paycheck more? It’s a milestone that deserves enthusiasm. In celebrity interviews, one of the staple questions is about their first big purchase with their initial paycheck. Sure, the amount might be slightly different. But it represents a new chapter—we’re visible again, even at work.

Do you remember the feeling you had when you received your first paycheck?