One year ago, I graduated. Eight months ago, I accepted my first job and moved across the country. And one week ago, I stood alone, crying in an airport during the holidays. 

It's easy to talk about the milestones; the exciting stories that highlight our lives like headlines in a magazine. Accomplishments easily slip off our tongue in conversation. They roll off our fingertips into our news feeds. But what about the days in between? I'm talking about the average days, the boring days, and the hard days. 

My apartment's current state: a look into my imperfect life 

Oftentimes, when life doesn't turn out like the glossy brochures college promised us, we feel like failures. That's why I think it's important to portray a realistic view of my life and not sugar-coat the struggles I face in my chosen career-path. 

Exhibit A: The week before Christmas, my job sent me across the country to a new city alone. I thought I had everything sorted out for this business assignment, but then a simple phone call changed my living arrangements and travel agenda for the next 5 months. Hence, why I was upset in the airport. 

Plans change. Expectations are crushed. Sometimes life lets us down. 

Back in Nevada, I tried to brighten my mood. The next few days, I went to a Christmas party with friends. I tried a new dance class. As I started to feel better, I decided to run some errands and go to a yoga class. 

Except I never made it to my yoga class. On the way there, my drivers door was hit into by another car. The impact left me frozen in my seat. An awful crunching sound lingered in my ears. I crawled out the passengers door as police arrived to the scene. People crowded around, and I reminded myself to remain calm. Luckily, there were no injuries. 

After the police left, I found myself cold and alone in a parking lot waiting for a tow truck.

At that moment, I had never felt more alone.  

I called a friend, who came and waited with me. We sat together and drank tea as I sorted through paperwork and organized details of the accident. The next day was a daze of insurance claims and paperwork. The impact of the crash left me feeling less than stellar. A bad snow-storm began to blow in from the mountains. It looked like I was spending Christmas alone. 

Then, just as my power was about to flicker off, my friends - who live an hour away - braved the storm to bring me to their house. 

On Christmas eve, despite my circumstances, I found myself surrounded by people who care about me. 

At that moment, I had never felt more blessed.  

Plans change. Expectations are crushed. Sometimes life lets us down.

But if we let it, sometimes in the midst of a storm, life lifts us up as well. 

Happy Holidays. May this season bring you comfort, warmth, and many blessings.