I remember thinking "HALLELUJAH, I never have to write another term paper or take another math test ever again!" and "oh... what am I gonna do from here on out?" My whole life I had been a student. I spend 4.5 years at 2 different colleges, I knew my routine, I knew how to BS my way through a paper and exactly how long I needed to study for a test to pass. I was good at being a student and I liked it. I really didn't know what the next chapter had in store for me and I was both terrified and eager to find out.
My incredible cousin, Sara flew in from New York to support me which I was SO thankful for. I've always looked up to her and she's always had the best advice and life lessons that I've been able to relate to. I knew when she got there that some deep and probably emotional talks were in my immediate future (and of course that was accurate). I don't remember every detail of that weekend, but I distinctly remember this talk I had with Sara. She told me that the first year out of college was going to be the most challenging year I've ever experienced, but that I was going to learn so much about myself in the process. She had been there, she knew the struggles, so I gladly took that piece of advice and tried to prepare myself.
So ready or not, I packed up my tiny apartment, dropped off my keys, and drove away with my dad in the U-Haul and my brother in the passenger seat of my car. As I drove away from Boulder I looked in my rear view mirror and could see the beautiful Flatirons getting smaller and smaller and I sobbed while Rivers and Roads was playing in the background. It was like something out of a damn movie and it still gets me to this day. I already missed Boulder so much more than I could imagine and I wasn't even 10 miles into my journey to Vegas.
I wish I could say that Sara was wrong in her advice, but like always, she was dead right. In fact, she was so right that I have thought about her words every single day for the last year. This entire year since the day I graduated has been the most challenging year of my life on almost every possible front, but in the process, I became Chelsea 2.0. I have learned more about myself from this year than any other year in my life, and I've grown up in ways I wasn't expecting.
Upon all the changes I was facing and the new environment I was living in, I had to run to LA at the start of the year so my best friend could dig me out of a very heart broken hole, and that basically set the tone for the rest of the year. I got diagnosed with a herniated disc and a bulging disc in my low back, I was unemployed for 8 months, I got completely overlooked for what I thought was my destiny and dream job, I had no choice but to live at home with my parents, and I started dating someone again for the first time in 5 years which ended after getting in a serious car accident and spending the night in the hospital in neck braces. Thanks, heard ya loud and clear, universe. Talk about a low.
I basically got to a point where I couldn't keep letting the universe take a shit on me so I decided 3 things: I was not going to cry over the past anymore (which I haven't.. except once, no one's perfect), I was going to get myself out of situations where I wasn't happy (which I did), and I was going to actively practice patience (hardest of the 3). Once I did those 3 things, my year started rounding a serious corner.
After 7 months I landed a job interview with Digital Royalty and luckily they took a chance on me and offered me a job - on my birthday. I knew right then that it was a sign from the universe and that this was the turning point. I knew from day one that this was the perfect job for me. I loved everything about it and everyone on the dR team. And now, 5 months in, I couldn't imagine a better fit for me. I get to do what I love every day, and it's made me realize that no matter how long I had to wait to get to this point, the universe had my back all along. I just needed to be patient and trust that all the challenges I faced happened for a reason and I'm a better person because of it.
I'm now getting ready to move out of my parents house and into an apartment in Downtown Vegas with my friend & co-worker, Leah. One full year since the day I graduated, my life is at a complete 180 from where it was. And although it's been one hell of a hard year, I actually did learn a lot about myself in the process. I'm more determined than I thought, stronger than I thought, more spontaneous than I thought, more mature than I thought, less willing to put up with negativity and passive aggressiveness than I thought, and headed down a different direction than I thought. It might be a different path than what I originally expected I would head down, but it's a BETTER path. I'm happier and better than I thought I could be thanks to that year-one shit storm.
And just to be clear, this entire year was definitely not a bust. I did have some really great moments. I got to see Coldplay in Seattle with my brother, watched KU go to the NCAA Basketball finals, went to California a total of 8 times (whoa...), I got to spend a TON of time with my best friend Cory, I got to have a lot of hugs and girls nights with Lindsey, got to watch my other God-sister Courtney marry the love of her life, went to Yosemite with my entire extended family, went to Muhammad Ali's birthday party, met some incredible people, slept in every day for 8 months, went to Disneyland TWICE, and met Josiah Leming and Seal. Can't complain about a tough year too much when I had some really awesome adventures in between.
So the point of this post is, TRUST that the universe (or whatever forces you believe in) has your back, even if it might not seem like it sometimes. It can't rain forever. What's meant to be will find it's way to you if you're open to taking chances on things that may be out of the realm of what you think your future should look like. If there's anything I've learned, it's that it's never going to look like what you're thinking, but that can potentially be a great thing.
And thank you, if you're reading this. Whether you played an active role in this cycle or not, thanks for being in my life and helping me get to this point. One year after graduating college I can say with confidence that I'm truly happy with the road I'm on and at peace with this past year. I feel like a new Chelsea which is pretty exciting stuff.
And thanks again for the wise words, Sara. I'm looking forward to seeing what year 2 has in store.
1 comment:
And you got to hang out with Gappa three times!
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