Hello readers! Wow, has it really been a year (or more) since my last post? I really need to get better at sharing with all of you. My life has been immersed in progressing quietly, or at least I have tried. If you have followed my blog from the beginning, you may remember how ‘rocky’ and uncertain it was for some time. I am back and I am going to share with you just how awesome life can be if you hold onto the stormy seas of life’s biggest storms. It was a constant grab at everything but nothing ever felt like it was in the right place. It was a scary place to be but something told me to keep grabbing at the ropes, and hang on! Eventually, I was presented with the most amazing opportunity.
When I was forced to make the very difficult and upsetting decision to come down from flying, I felt like my identity had been taken away from me. It did not matter what comforting words were passed my way, I was feeling robbed of a career that I dearly loved. It was not fair. I was mad. Angry. Frustrated and scared for what my future would look like. What would my life be like without my uniform or my wings? What would I do if I could not fly? I did not like where it was taking me in life and I was extremely shaken up on the inside about it all.
I spent over a year dealing with depression and not knowing what was down the road for me. In the fall of 2019, I decided to go back to school and earn a college degree. I wrote about that in my last blog post and I was studying for a Paralegal degree. A few months of school had passed and I needed to find a part time job. Something that would carry me through until I could graduate from college.
After a short visit to our local Marshalls, I had been ‘cleaning’ up the candle aisle as I was shopping for my own candle. My daughter informed me that I did not work there and to please stop forcing my OCD on the candle section, lol. Later on, I thought about my short lived skill (and talent) at my local Marshalls and I decided to apply for a part time job. I was interviewed and offered a position the same day I was interviewed. I was so excited to have a part time job but something also told me that I was not going to be happy – it was not flying. There was no uniform, no wings. I told myself that I was only here until I finished school.
It was nice to be working again but it did not come without some sacrifices on my part. I had to force myself to step into a new arena and lets face it, once you have been a flight attendant, you literally can do anything. When the new year rolled in for 2020, I was super excited for an upcoming internship with the District Attorney’s office. I thought, “Okay, here comes my opportunity to prove myself and show them what I am made of”. I was working full time by this time and I was also balancing school, work and home. Things were looking great!
Enter Covid. The global pandemic that crippled everyone’s dreams, opportunities and put us all on hold. School was paused, work was paused and my internship was cancelled. During this time I felt that I should continue to grow with my job. During the shutdown, I felt a sense of security with my current job. Weeks down the road, I was well on my way to a second promotion at work. Within a few more weeks, a third promotion (lateral) and then a fourth.
I entered 2021 with the latest promotion and it landed me at the beach to take on a new role in management! Someone pinch me! Please! I could not believe that this was my current path yet a part of me did. I was placed in an ocean front condo for the first 30 days and then I was settled into my own place soon after.
All of this came with hard work, a lot (A LOT) of prayer and keeping my head down and focused. I miss my family dearly but they knew I had to take this step. Their support has been amazing, as well as the support from my former colleagues turned friends. It has been a big transition for me and I have had to learn to push myself to new limits. I changed my major at school to a business major and I now enjoy walks on the beach or days off by the pool.
While my uniform is still hanging up as if I am going to put it on tomorrow, I do miss flying from time to time. I am able to be home every night and I have a much better quality of life now that I am on the ground. I see so many flight crews giving it their all during this pandemic so please be kind to them. They are there for your safety and the safety of those around.
Now that the tides have turned and looking back, I did not see all of this unfolding the way that it has. I feel incredibly blessed in so many ways. The personal growth is constant, the ‘pinch me’ feeling has not gone away and I am continually seeking that next level of elevation in my life.
Take care of yourselves out there, stay safe and stay healthy!
Peace, Love & Happiness
Christian ♥
The Sun Will Set To Rise 