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EXPERT BLOGS

From job search advice to disaster relief, our Expert bloggers have something for everyone. We have a whole Brigade of military spouse support resources all on one page. Maybe you are looking for rental advice as you PCS, or maybe you need mental health resources. Perhaps you just need a pep talk from a career expert, or maybe you just want to lace up for the Army 10 Miler and need a plan! Find your Expert and let the resource recon begin. Want to know more about the empowering experts behind-the-screen?  All of our Expert profiles are listed on our Band of Blogger page.

Mindfulness: The Key to Building Your Presence

by | Dec 20, 2019 | , , ,

Military life is beautiful, exciting, heartbreaking, and exhausting all at once. From OCONUS to CONUS moves, trainings that seem so frequent it all just becomes a blur, to deployments that go by at a snail’s pace. On what feels like a rare occasion, when you and your spouse get downtime to sit and chat, have you ever reflected on all that you’ve been through as a military family?

Hope For The Warriors is here to tell you that you are resilient. Need proof? Just look at the number of curtains you have accumulated from all the moves. Life in the military, whether you are an active-duty service member, veteran, or family member, necessitates resilience.

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The Benefits of Family Traditions

by | Dec 19, 2019 | , ,

“We are what we celebrate,” Meg Cox writes.

Our traditions are an outward expression of our family identity. The traditions we observe and the meaning behind them communicator family values to our children and others. The types of traditions we teach our children, and that were taught to us as children, are one way our family values get passed down from one generation to the next. For example, a family that values community service may have a tradition of volunteering at a soup kitchen or food bank together.

The scary thing is we teach our children about our family identity all the time by the activities we engage in as a family. Worried about the message that gift-centric traditions might be communicating to your children? Start a gratitude tradition! That is why intentionality in observing traditions is so important; without it, you forfeit your power to forge your family’s own identity. However, what makes traditions effective is that they bring together the family, foster connection, and have a purpose, and you get to chose that purpose.

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Family Traditions and How They Strengthen Bonds

by | Dec 18, 2019 | , ,

It’s that time of year when family traditions and celebrations abound. It’s a beautiful, magical time.

However, when faced with a deployment this season takes on a tinge of blue. I’ve been there.

Last Christmas, I was pregnant, alone, and my hormones made sure I felt all the feelings. I didn’t have my hubby home and didn’t have the option to fly as I was too far along in my pregnancy. So, I decided not to do anything for Christmas. I thought it would just be more manageable, less stress, and maybe, just maybe, it would make me feel better about spending it alone.

Boy, was I wrong.

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I Wish I Was This Wise 50 Years Ago

by | Dec 12, 2019 | , , ,

I recently completed a walk across America to raise awareness and advocacy for our veterans. It was a 110 day walk, from May 15 to Sept. 1, from my home in Newburyport, MA, to San Diego, CA. I took only five days off to rest. You will undoubtedly hear more about my walk in the following months, because it was the one of the most meaningful events in my 72 years of life.

But, today, I want to talk about women who are so supportive of their husbands/partners during times of deployment. (I am well aware that many women are also on active duty and have partners supporting them, and I will write about that topic in the future).  

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Run Like a Girl

by | Dec 10, 2019 | , ,

A tradition started in 1997 at the 13th Army Ten-Miler—the Commander’s Cup for the top U.S. active-duty female team. In the first year, the ladies from Fort Bragg set a standard for others to follow. The teams are comprised of eight members with the top four to score. The concept is the combination of individual and team effort. Each member is out to give their best performance, and in the mix is the Coach who provides the technical guidance. We all like winning, but it comes down to all giving 100% and leaving it out on the road.

The Fort Bragg women’s team for 2019 was under the leadership of Erica Chabalko (Womack Army Medical Center). The pressure coming into 2019 was 14 wins for the team plus holding the team record of 4 hours, 13 minutes, and 49 seconds (set in 2016). There were 11 teams going for the top honor.

It is one thing to take care of your own exercise program, but to play a part in seven others takes more dedication. I asked Erica to share some thoughts.

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Plotting a Course to Gratitude

by | Dec 5, 2019 | , ,

You know those people who always seem to find something to complain about?

You know those people who always seem to find something positive in every situation?

Maybe you’re one of them—quick to catastrophize or let a moment turn into a bad day or always encouraging others to find good. Perhaps you have the patience of Job.

Did you know that our thoughts literally wire our brains? They create connections as synapses form—perhaps they start off like deer trails in the underbrush, difficult to see and follow, but before you know it, if you don’t guard your thoughts, that path has become a newly opened toll road and you have an express pass, quickly getting you from Point A to Point B.

But is it worth the cost?

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