By Nicole Vogel, USO Military Spouse Programs Senior Program Manager

“Self-care” is a phrase people talk about a lot these days, as we all coping with the uncertainty and pressure of the ongoing pandemic. 

The idea seems simple enough. Take care of yourself. Make sure you have breaks during your busy day. It’s the whole idea of “put your oxygen mask on before you assist others with theirs.” 

So, we all know we need to practice self-care. We know the havoc stress, burn out, and endless to-do lists can wreak on our mental and emotional health. Why, then, does self-care often feel like another chore? One more worry gnawing at the back of your mind. For military spouses especially, finding time for self-care can feel impossible. 

That is why the USO is partnering with InDependent to bring military and first responder spouses a week of self-care and wellness that won’t feel like work. From March 1-6, 2021, the InDependent Wellness Summit offers six days of free virtual events to help spouses gain actionable insights on their journey to wellness. 

All military and first responder spouses—past, present and future—are welcome to attend this virtual experience focused on rest and rejuvenation. The 10 virtual sessions include interviews with wellness experts and thought leaders, as well as military and first responder veterans and spouses. 

Spouses can listen to these inspiring sessions on their own terms. Attendees will receive email access to two events per day for five days, and they can listen to these sessions any time convenient for them for two weeks. This means spouses won’t have to worry about taking time off work, hiring a babysitter, or booking a hotel room. From the comfort of home, you can enjoy these self-care lessons at your own pace.

In addition to practical advice from wellness experts, summit guests can find a sense of community among fellow military and first responder spouses. As attendees around the world join these virtual sessions, spouses will know they are not alone in navigating the ups and downs of military family life. 

InDependent is a nonprofit for military spouses founded by military spouses. The five female founders were coping with the isolation of being separated from their deployed spouses, and they knew military spouses like them needed accessible wellness resources. 

In partnership with InDependent, the USO wants the Wellness Summit to be a breath of fresh air for our hardworking military spouses, a way for them to put the chaos of 2020 behind them and make 2021 a year of restoration. 

The USO’s support of the summit helps keep general admission free so all military spouses can access this important information. The USO also reaches out to speakers and promotes the sessions with our USO military spouse community to help ensure no one misses out on this week of wellness. 

This year, the USO is also giving every InDependent Wellness Summit guest free streaming access to the insightful documentary, “The Mindfulness Movement.” From executive producers Deepak Chopra and Jewel, the documentary explores the transformative power of mindfulness—a skill we all could benefit from during these trying times. 

We welcome all military and first responder spouses to join the InDependent Wellness Summit to see that self-care isn’t selfish and doesn’t have to be a chore. Rest, relax, and feel renewed with this week of free wellness workshops. We hope to see you there!