The Encounters
Travel day hit harder than I expected. My anxiety was at an all‑time peak for no real reason — same route, same airline, same destination I’ve flown countless times. If you have anxiety, you know that moment when you’re stuck in your head, counting breaths and trying to ground yourself. I had to remind myself to - Pause. Breathe. And soak it all in.
My first flight from my hometown to Dallas was… chaotic in the best way. I sat next to two very hungover youngin’s from Iowa who were far too curious about my job and asked roughly a thousand questions. They kept me laughing the whole flight, and without even knowing it, they pulled me out of what could’ve been a full‑blown panic attack. The second leg — Dallas to Albuquerque — was the opposite. I ended up between a married couple who didn’t speak a single word to each other. When we landed, I silently prayed for them and whatever they were carrying.
After landing, I grabbed my rental car, checked into the hotel, DoorDashed dinner, and melted into the bed. Hotel bedding has a chokehold on me. I was exhausted and so ready to sleep, reset, and start the week fresh.
Over the next few days, I walked locations, watched team routines, and observed client flow. I’m a Portfolio Program Manager — that’s the technical title, but it’s more than that. I get to connect with teams, hear their stories, watch them impact clients at every stage of life. I take what I learn, collaborate with design, and help shape spaces that reflect our future, support our teams, and welcome our clients. I get to be a part of making the brand real in spaces that inspire pride, spark connection, and shape our future - The Brand, Built.
This trip included two new locations and two recently completed ones. The new ones welcomed me with open arms — making sure I had what I needed, offering lunch recommendations, chatting with me throughout the day. Even though I’m not part of their market, they treated me like one of their own. That meant more than they know. The remodeled locations - They cheered when I walked in. They had goodie bags waiting — candy, travel essentials, market swag. They asked about my flights, checked if I needed anything, and then gave me their feedback on the space. (Spoiler: they love it. Duh.)
When it was time to head home, my first flight was next to a girl who I’m pretty sure was a first‑time traveler. Overalls, cowboy boots, straw hat, shooting‑range ear muffs as earplugs and she recorded the entire descent. Not in a mocking way, this genuinely made me smile. It reminded me of my first flight as a kid, when takeoff and landing felt like magic. We forget that sometimes. My second flight - A whole row to myself. At 10 p.m., after a full day of work and travel, that felt like winning the lottery. I stretched out, opened my book, and read until we touched down.
Now that I’m home and reflecting on the week, the highlight wasn’t the work or the travel, it was seeing a roadrunner for the first time. He walked right up behind me, made a popping sound, sprinted off (fast AF), and hopped into a tree. My heart grew with happiness. I called my mom, texted my best friend, and ran inside to tell the team. They shrugged because they see him every day, but for me, it was quite an experience. Again, the small things really are the big things.
Travel has a way of revealing the quiet spaces we often rush past — the strangers who steady us without knowing, the teams who welcome us like family, the small wonders that spark childlike joy. This week reminded me that life isn’t measured by the big milestones alone, but by the tiny moments that soften us, shape us, and pull us back to gratitude. This is the season I’m in, and I’m learning to embrace it fully — finding grace in every gap along the way.
