Never A Failure, Always An Opportunity

Well it all started with a super light BEAT face! Ok, ok…not really. So a few months ago…April to be exact…I decided to apply to be a flight attendant. I felt like I got confirmation from so many different places all in one day so I went for it. I submitted my application to one of THEE LARGEST airlines and then I sat back and waited. I was invited to complete a video interview at the beginning of June and I completed it on June 4th…then I waited. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Then the school year started and back to teaching I went. At this point I knew I still had a passion for children and teaching and even when I do finish with this profession I will never be completely done.

Well then, on August 22nd I received a call for the face-to-face interview! **insert happy dance** I was ecstatic because I had made it thus far, out of 50,000+ applicants this go around, I was ONE OF THE CHOSEN FEW!  They asked if I was available to come that same week, but I needed more time. I needed to prepare: make-up (which I don’t really wear), cover up for my tattoo, a suit, etc. Also, the school year had just started so I needed more time with my students before leaving them with a  substitute. I told the recruiter that the following Thursday, August 31st, would work!

The Wednesday night prior I slept over at my brother’s house in Ocala so I could be a little closer to the airport. I got up at 2 am and began getting ready. Smakeupmake-up, touch up hair, cover up tattoo…all that at 2am! I had a 6am flight because I took the earliest option mainly because SHIT HAPPENS! Ended up meeting a girl (who actually is currently in undergrad at UF) on the way back who got to the interview late and got turned away and had to reschedule.

Here I was…taking my obligatory bathroom selfie that I would not post to social media because this was something I was keeping to myself and a select few until all was said and done. Even after all was said and done I didn’t intend on sharing…but GOD. I mean look at ya girl…who wouldn’t want to hire her?!?!? I even sported a Gator pin to rep my alma mater…go Gators!

Well… on September 8th the status on my application updated and it said…”NOT SELECTED”…okay it wasn’t all caps…”Not Selected”…but when I read it it surely felt like all caps! I immediately called my very close friend and told them about the update on my application while weeping simultaneously. I look back now and I realized I cried because I am naturally an emotional person who feels everything so deeply. When I am sad I AM SAD and when I am happy I AM HAPPY. So I allowed myself to feel all those feelings because I needed to. My mindset began to shift in this moment. I realized the missed out on a good thing, not vice versa. I also realized God had other plans for me…and quite frankly, I have other plans for me!

It’s funny because on my last flight to Los Angeles last month I read Tieko Nejon’s book My Way Will Do Just Fine and in it, she talked about giving yourself power, passes, and permission. “Approval becomes less of the quest when you allow yourself the POWER to try, PASSES to fail, and PERMISSION to quit. Well, this is my pass to fail and permission to pursue my true dreams…which doesn’t involve becoming a flight attendant. I have the POWER to chase my dreams and God used his POWER to keep me from diverting from the plan. I also think that He used this opportunity to show me that I can do whatever I set my mind to. I wanted this and I went after it…BUT I was chasing the wrong thing. IT IS TIME TO MANIFEST MY PASSION AND DREAMS! 

I shared all of this to say that I don’t always get what I think I want….but what God knows what I need! There is a lesson in EVERY chance you take…never a failure…always an opportunity!

GO GET WHAT’S FOR YOU!