4.29.2014

Five Things I've Learned Since Graduation

It has been one year since I finished my Master's degree. Technically, one year and two days. I am certainly not where I thought I would be when I was thinking about this point in my life last year. And to be honest, so many things have gone wrong this past year, but so many things have been sweet little blessings in disguise. Spoiler alert, this post gets a bit heavy. You are allowed to stop reading it if you only come to this space for the flowery and fashionable. Though I hope you keep reading. Here are the top five things I've learned since graduation.
Jeremiah 29:11 Chalkboard Print by Lily & Val.
1) Where you want to be is not always where you should be.
If I had it my way, I would still be living in downtown Pittsburgh. When my lease was up last summer, I cried. Literally. Downtown Pittsburgh might be the pits for some people and others don't understand why I loved it so much, but it was my own little slice of Heaven. However, if I was there now, I wouldn't get to have this experience of living with my brother. If you haven't caught on to this yet, Eric is seriously my best friend. We should have been twins, if only so he wouldn't have had to spend that first year without me. I wouldn't have the freedom to not be paying a ridiculously high rent payment every month on top of my student loan payments. I'm sure for those two reasons alone, I would have started to resent that location eventually and because I'm not there, it's still a little Heaven in my eyes. Do I want to move back? Of course. But now isn't the time.

2) No job is below you.
I recently took on another job of bartending just to be able to make a bit more money with tips and another little paycheck. Why? Because who doesn't want a little wiggle room when bills start rolling in? And while bartending is great, this job also has a waitressing aspect to it, which I have never done before. Do you know how awful people treat waitresses? Yeah, that's why I never waitressed before. Not like retail is much more glamorous, but at least there isn't half-eaten food involved. But not taking a job that most people would say is "below" me is stupid. Does it give me money? Do I technically get a workout in while at work because of how much running around I do? Am I physically able to do this job? Yes. So while I don't need a Master's degree to figure out how to put in an order for Chicken Alfredo and then sweetly hand it to someone, everyone could do with having a job that teaches you how to serve someone. Serving someone else and expecting little to nothing in return is honestly what everyone in this country should have to do for at least a year in my own opinion. I might as well get my year in now.

3) MJ is greater than the man of my dreams.
If you know MJ personally, then you know that he has three things in mind. Career. Family. God. Not necessarily in that order, but that's about it. From the beginning of our relationship, he has made it clear that he wants to be married and have a boat load of children, and I have made it clear that I don't want either of those things until I feel totally set and complete on my own and then after that, I'm all in. If you remember my 25 before 25 list, I wanted to get engaged this year. However, that was with the ideal in mind that I would have a steady full-time job and I would be living on my own before he proposed. Obviously he was on board for this, and we were on this track up until I was no longer employed by Dress for Success because of some unforeseen financial difficulties on their part. MJ told me on Valentine's Day about how he had planned to propose. Way to lay it on thick, right? And to make you love him more, it was going to be at the party for his parent's 40th wedding anniversary, which is the exact same way my dad proposed to my mom. Yeah. That would have been last month. But this man. THIS. MAN. My man has put me and my desires first, yet again. He knows I would not be happy being engaged without feeling complete on my own, so his dreams of a wedding and little family are set aside for my dream of a career. I am selfish and I do not deserve him. But I thank God for him everyday and always will.

4) I have the skills and power to make my dreams come true.
You guys, I am so excited to finally announce what I've been working so hard on! This Thursday, be sure to check back because everything will be explained, I will need your input, and I really hope that you are as excited as I am.

5) God has perfect timing and a plan greater than any of my own.
Thursday's announcement is a big deal for me and I don't think it would be happening if the mess of this year didn't happen. This has been a seriously rough road since graduation. From the high of graduating, to the low of leaving Pittsburgh, high of being employed by one of my favorite non-profits, to losing that job for reasons that I had no control over, to the mess of moving again to Erie, and struggling on the job hunt train, this past year has had it's great moments, but overall, it has just been rough. But through it all, I know God knows what he's doing. He has a plan for my life and while I choose my daily steps, he is guiding them and working in and in spite of them to make things happen. I trust in him to get it right when I am certainly messing it up. Is Thursday's announcement the end all, be all of God's plan? Probably not, but it is certainly his doing. I had this in mind for much, much further down the road in life and it has made it's way to the present. I also want to make clear that other ventures are not being let go because of Thursday's announcement, but they are on the back burner. This has made it's way to the front of my mind and for good reason and I'm putting my trust in God that it will work out.


12 comments:

  1. great post! it is awesome to read insightful posts like this! thanks for sharing!

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  2. Amen to #5 :)


    Jess @ www.inpursuitofsimple.com

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  3. You're killing me with the "Thursday announcement" teasers! I can't wait! Anyway, first- #2 really hit home for me. I also have a Master's so I had trouble when I was job hunting with feeling like jobs were "beneath me". Then I realized that sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do to survive and the right things will come along when they're supposed to. Also, you got yourself a good man there and I'm so happy to hear that he is waiting until you're settled yourself- and I'm even more proud of you for realizing that you need that. I was the same way when it came to having Henry. I needed to be okay with ME first, to be settled in MY life before I tried to bring another human being into the world. I don't think people always take the time to think about things like that and I think it's amazing that you do. xoxo

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  4. This is a great post, Chelsea! First, I have to say that I'm really excited about what you're going to reveal on Thursday! Whatever it is, I'm really happy for you! Second, before I got my new job, I was considering finding a waitressing job or working retail because I was starting to worry about my impending tuition bills! It's not that I thought it was "below" me, even though I definitely would've been sad to do it because I worked hard on getting my Masters, but I wasn't looking forward to applying to retail jobs because I knew I'd most likely be standing all day! So I give you a lot of credit! After an hour, I'd be like, Where's a chair?! lol
    ~Sara

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  5. Thanks, Sarah! Through reading your blog, I realized these things about you too, so I'm glad I'm not alone. And it helps me to know that it will all eventually happen! :)

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  6. HAHA. Trust me, especially on days that I do both of those jobs, I cannot wait to get home to my couch lol and thanks, Sara!

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  7. #1 and #2 really resonate with me, though, for me, I've never thought that a job is below me. I've worked in retail, then as a waitress, then in fine jewelry, until I realized that I hate retail and dealing with people who can't be reasoned with, so, yeah, I joined the Navy. I always am perplexed when people need money, yet they won't take a perfectly decent job because they think they are better than that. And as far as #1 goes, everything is a process and a journey. Bill Gates didn't create Microsoft in one day. And the curiosity is killing me! -Jess L

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  8. Very true, Jess. I don't understand the inability for some people to just let down their pride a little bit and take a job if they need one, even if it's "below" them.

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  9. I can relate to this so much, except it's been almost four years since I finished undergrad. (?!?!) It's hard to believe it's been that long. But anyway, I can probably relate most to No. 1. I am also a Pittsburgher, so when I got a job in western Ohio, it was a very bittersweet time. I remember getting stuck in traffic on the Parkway, my car filled with boxes, and I started bawling my eyes out. It finally clicked that I wouldn't be living there anymore. Looking back now, it was something that needed to happen and was a great learning experience, but it seemed like the end of the world back then.

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