3 Tips For Making Your Military Life Less Stressful
It is fair to say that there are few careers more stressful than those on active duty in the US Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or any service branch. After all, life and death decisions are made by these professionals regularly. It is a tough area to thrive within, and women face their own set of challenges, too. Still, with enough perseverance, you should be able to excel here and fulfill your duties.
In 2015, we featured an ultimate guide to military careers, so it is worth checking in again, six years later, to help women handle facets of the experience today. One subject worth touching on is the stress of the job. So here are our tips for combatting those types of feelings after you have enlisted.
Build Your Motivation
Try to replace your feelings of stress with something greater and more overpowering, such as motivation.
Finding positive military role models should help you tackle any challenges head-on. Appreciate that women are constantly breaking new ground in the armed forces and use them as inspiration. Interact with military personnel you know and love if family and friends have also served. Ask yourself: if they can do it, why not you?
Nurture your aspirations and reasons for enlisting in the first place. Revisit fundamental questions such as:
- Who inspired you?
- Who are you trying to protect?
- What are you capable of?
Answer these questions yourself and get back in touch with your determination. Keep going, keep fighting, and your stress will hopefully be fuel for your efforts instead of a debilitating presence.
Secure a VA Loan
By making sure your family members have a good future ahead of them, your service should be less stressful. Eligible service members can use this VA loan calculator to buy or refinance a home in a way that will not cause you to break the bank. Get pre-approved in minutes, and make sure you are prepared before applying so that you can speed up the process as fast as possible. Explore these options because if you often worry about your financial situation, these assurances can make a real difference in your outlook.
Be ready to talk to the loan officer about these types of services provided, as well. Jot down any questions ahead of time so you can benefit from a productive discussion. Disclose everything, and they can put your mind at ease and replace your stress with practical loan-related guidance.
Stay in Touch
Make time to stay connected to the people that you care about through basic training and beyond. Utilize telephones, emails, and video conferencing software to nurture your relationships while on deployment. Use your personal accounts, too–which most soldiers have access to. Anticipate that there will be times where you are unable to contact your loved ones and notify them of this also (while not sending specifics about your deployment unless authorized) so that they need not worry if you are unreachable for certain periods.
Confide in your loved ones from afar. Share your fears, concerns – even if they do not understand, they can still provide you with perspective or remind you what you are fighting for. Turn your stress into a fierce love for those you care about, and channel that into your work. Remember that everything you do has a worthwhile real reason behind it in light of all this.
