Military Mondays: The Most Important Quality A Military Wife Can Possess

I had a sweet friend email me the other day and ask what I thought to be the most important quality a military wife can possess. I've actually been asked this question before, and it's something I've asked myself through different stages of this military journey. In my years as a military spouse, my answer to this question hasn't changed once. Deployment, moves, kids... same answer, different day. 

The most important quality a military wife can possess is a positive outlook. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: your outlook on military life will make or break your military experience. You will either love it or hate it, and I don't really think there is an in between. Yall, military life can be hard. Sometimes, really hard. Deployments are awful, living far away from family never gets easier, moving just when you're starting to feel established can be rough... there are a lot of reasons to think military life stinks.

The negatives of military life aren't going away, so it's our job to focus on the positives and remind ourselves that the positives really do outweigh any negatives. Yes, deployments are hard, but they are also an opportunity to grow individually and as a couple. They are also temporary, and how lucky are we to have something we love so much that makes saying "see you later" so hard. Living far away from family is tough, but we live in the modern age of technology, and they are always just a Facetime call away. Military life is an opportunity to experience a whole new place you probably wouldn't have otherwise, and hopefully you're family comes to visit so they can experience it too! Moving, while a process, is fun. New houses, new places to explore... it's a grand adventure and we are lucky to be on it. 

One of the best ways I can think of to keep a positive outlook is to surround yourself with positive people. You are going to come across fellow military spouses who absolutely hate military life. Be encouraging to them, but don't let them get you down. Find a few good friends who focus on the good and invest in those friendships. We all have bad days, and surrounding ourselves with optimistic friends ensures they will build us up when we are feeling low instead of drag us farther down. 

I really do believe that for every military negative, there are twice as many positives. It's up to you which you choose to focus on. I hope next time you're feeling frustrated or down about this lifestyle, you can take a deep breath and remember that this is just a season, it will get better, and there is so, so much to be thankful for. 

 

Happy Monday!