After listening to countless podcasts and reading the most popular self-help books, I’ve learned one thing. Life always works itself out. It might not go as planned, but trust that it will unravel the way it was meant to. Sounds cliche, but it couldn’t be closer to the truth.

For instance, there’s a reason I’m not standing at an operating table giving a dog a vaccination like my ten-year-old self dreamed. Not only is my hand incredibly shaky, but my heart strings are easily pulled. I would take one look at that fluff ball and start sobbing. And blessing in disguise is an understatement when it comes to me not following the path of a broadway singer. That saved me years of humiliation. And I’m really not sure how I was ever going to pull off being a lawyer when I pride myself on “breaking the rules.” Okay, maybe not “breaking” but definitely bending.

There’s no way of looking into the future, and that’s why life is exciting. We have to go on our hunches, our instincts, our “gut,” to find the deeper purpose that is guiding us. And although I wasn’t sure exactly what it was, I knew I was meant for something big, bigger than myself. I remember years ago, I was on a plane beside a woman who was terrified to fly. I reassured her there was no way the plane would crash, and when she asked why, I told her, without hesitation: “Because I’m on the plane, and this is only the beginning for me.”

The craziest part is that I truly believed it. My gut was always reminding me that I was meant for more. I was meant to impact people. To connect people. To constantly think about the next generation and to leave the world better than I found it. 

But that’s only part of it. The rest of the story isn’t nearly as pretty or glamorous. It was my low point. I had graduated college and was still living in San Diego. My friends had mostly relocated while I stayed behind. I was feeling unmotivated, lost, confused, you name it. I got a 9-5 job as an Accounting Assistant- typing, faxing, more typing, calculations, bathroom break, back to typing- you get it. As soon as I would get in my car at the end of the day, the tears would just start falling. All I wanted was to see the sun. To feel the air on my skin. I questioned my purpose every single day, constantly searching for the light at the end of the tunnel. Searching for any way out of this monotonous, isolated existence.

I started thinking about brands I would want to work for. I made a list that included companies like “GirlBoss” “Refinery29” “Create & Cultivate” “Brit+Co” “The Every Girl.” The epitome of female-owned, empowering, badass companies. Rejection after rejection came through my inbox. No one wanted me or my over-the-top cover letter. I found myself on Pinterest, looking for inspiration, anything I could grab on to that would help me find my way. It was here that I stumbled on a quote that stopped me. I believe the self-help experts call this the “aha moment?”

Holy shit, I thought. What am I doing?! Needless to say, it made an impact. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I remember grabbing a piece of paper and writing for an hour straight. I wrote down anything that inspired me: quotes, random thoughts and ideas. I made a list of 25 names, but one really stuck. Woman Up.

I spent the next eight months planning, researching, writing and making connections with bloggers in Southern California. I started a Woman Up instagram account, hosted events and launched this website. I stopped waiting for things to come to me, and learned that working hard is how you get what you want. And embracing all the twists and turns life has to offer makes it a hell of a lot more fun.

This whole time I was searching for something- a purpose, a meaning, a sign. A “perfect” moment that would reveal how my life was supposed to unfold. I looked everywhere. I listened to podcasts, went to events, read books. I wanted someone to tell me I was doing all the right things, making progress, approaching success. And in the end, I had to learn that life is going to play out exactly how it was meant to. We are all meant for something big. The catch is, will you take the leap of faith to get there? Will you align yourself with opportunity and quiet the self-doubt? Will you start hearing the word “rejection” as redirection? Will you let life unravel the way it’s meant to, while embracing your destiny?