They say that hope is the first step to disappointment or hope is the only thing you have before giving up. I found myself in an unknown situation for the past year of my life, until a couple of days back, when I had an interesting conversation with a very good friend.

Sometimes we lose things that mean the world to us (excluding humans) - a job that meant something to you; a task; a sport that you loved very much but had to give up due to an injury, etc. The things give meaning to our existence; the reason why we do the things we love doing.

In many cases, these losses happen with you having no control over them, yet you are left with this unexplainable feeling of grief, as if someone ripped something away from you. Eventually, this may lead to you giving up in other aspects of your life, most importantly believing in yourself and believing that you can still do much.

While walking in that dark valley of lost dreams and ambition - and I must tell you that it is a consuming, cold and sad walk - the simplest word can take you where you used to be before descending into that valley.

My beloved friend asked me: "What happened to you? Remember when you were so persistent in getting what you wanted and you bluntly said, 'I know I can make a difference - this is where I belong'." She was referring to my previous job. In that very moment, I said: "Because it was exactly what I wanted - it was my dream since I was young." It was the right fit - it was something that sparked energy in me every single day and gave me reason to exist. It was a job that fulfilled me emotionally and spiritually (in case you are wondering, I used to work with an international humanitarian organization).

The dark side of loss is that it blinds you from everything that is still good - even though they are not yielding results - they are still good. Human beings are capable of doing so many things. Even if your stars are not aligned - there is a way out. There is something that humans call "hope". Writing this piece is actually my first step into coming back in the light, appreciating things around me and things within me that were long lost and forgotten, starting a small spark that may lead to a big fire if persuaded correctly.

Never underestimate yourself; never belittle whatever you do; never forget what you are made of. At the end of the day, you can still find a way out and find the main road - only if you truly wish.

Welcome to wonderland!

By Alia Al-Hazeimi