I had a dream and I made it my reality. These past few months, I’ve had a lot of time to myself to rest and recover. However, being idle for so long left me with too much time. Too much time to think. Too much time to create goals. Too much time to panic and freak out.

I just wanted to get a move on with my life, and I thought the best way to make that happen was to get a job. Since November, I’ve been actively pursuing jobs, knowing full well that I couldn’t start until the new year. I sent out emails like a crazy person. I was hearing back and getting interviews, but needless to say they were not going so well. I interviewed at Lucky Magazine, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, MTV, Elite Daily and Ralph Lauren. Some I never heard back from and most were bad news. But one, gave me an offer. And one is all I needed.

I initially interviewed with Ralph Lauren over the summer, but I had to suspend my application given my circumstances. Having to suspend my application back in August was the most defeated I ever felt, even though the situation was well beyond my control.

I emailed them to see if any positions were available this past November; initially none were. One day, however, after moping around from another less-than-perfect interview, I got an email from none other than Ralph Lauren and this time they were hiring. I went in for the interview and less than two weeks later, I got the offer!

Truth be told, interviewing was more nerve wracking than usual. Normally, I would do my best to be myself because if they don’t like that, then I’m not a good fit for the company. And if that’s the case, then so what? Some things you just can’t force.

Interviewing, I just felt like I was keeping a dirty little secret. I had a fairly large time gap on my resume and no one bothered to ask why. Don’t ask, don’t tell. Right? I didn’t want to have to talk about everything and make myself seem sickly or like a liability. Having that on my mind was anxiety inducing. Regardless, I pushed through the awkwardness of keeping that information to myself the best I could, and got myself a job.

I start tomorrow and I am extremely nervous and excited all in one. What am I supposed to be dreaming about now? Because this is a dream come true. I guess I need to continue dreaming bigger and pushing forward. Just a few months post-op, but I feel ready.

In interviews I kept getting asked where I see myself in ten years. Personally, I think that is an unfair question because looking forward to tomorrow is still a new concept for me. Not to say I don’t have long term goals, but I want to take things one day at a time. It is just funny how life works out. Starting this job, I feel like I am just picking up where I left off so many months ago. It was all just a small bump in the road….or a hill in the plains….or a mountain protruding from a valley.