A little over 20 years ago, I joined the Marine Corps.
Yeah, most people make that face when they find out. I know it does not seem terribly likely. It is, however, 100% true.
What can I say? At age 18, I desperately needed the structure and discipline of the military. To be utterly frank, I needed my butt kicked as well. I have never regretted the decision to join the military even though service-related injuries have been problematic at various points over the years. What I learned through enlistment and service formed a good deal of who I am today.
I find that I am calling on a lot of the ideas and techniques I learned so long ago to help manage my stress, anxiety, and depression during the coronavirus pandemic. For those of you who do not know, Marine Corps boot camp is…. intense. It is also rather long – around three months. The challenges of the environment a Marine Corps recruit finds themselves in plus the length of boot camp can be crazy-making. There are a few tools, techniques and perspectives that helped me get through boot camp that I find myself calling on now. Don’t worry, they don’t involve tons of push-ups in a sand pit full of fleas (unless you’re into that sort of thing). I do think they help make tough times more manageable, and I want to share them with you. Continue Reading…
