Finding Courage as a Military Spouse

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Jockey for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

( I created the captioned photo above using the Jockey meme generator here, but a few weeks ago, I never would have thought of myself as someone who would #ShowEm courage.)

I am not what you call a courageous person. In fact, I would categorize myself as a wimp, a welcome mat, lame…pretty much anything that is the opposite of courageous. I’m not gifted with quick comebacks and often I’m pretty slow to figure out what to do in a tense situation. I’m a writer at heart– I draft, revise, and then finally publish.

I am definitely not the military wife most people think of: an American flag behind her, gently fluttering in the breeze, while one solitary tear runs down her cheek and she corrals the children, makes dinner, volunteers, and runs her own business.

This is me: neurotic, anxious, frustrated, and completely over-thinking everything. Military life is pretty tough for someone with a panic/anxiety disorder who has a Type A Personality. (What do you mean we can’t plan our vacation a year in advance?!) See? Definitely not courageous.

So I was absolutely stunned when John told me a few weeks ago that he thought that the last five years of our relationship took courage on my part.

I did not see that one coming.

In fact, when he said that, I cried. (I’m obviously a crier. You should definitely know that by now.) I didn’t see myself that way and I certainly didn’t think anyone else did– even my husband.

Especially my husband.

But when my husband is right, he’s right. He said that I should see myself the way that I see the efforts of other people. And there are so many courageous women and men of all stripes in the military community– friends, readers, and others– who are strong and resilient in ways that often go unnoticed.

There’s the woman who left her home country, her friends and family, to join her Marine husband. There’s the guy who, while his wife has been deployed, has navigated one of his children’s autism diagnosis alone. The friend who is preparing for another unaccompanied tour when her husband just finished one 2 years ago. The veteran who walks into a college classroom despite being a decade older than most of the other students. These friends and acquaintances inspire me with their fortitude.

Sometimes courage is getting through a tough day and saying, “Tomorrow will be better.”

Sometimes courage is asking for help when you’re completely tapped out.

Sometimes courage is starting over again. And over again. And over again.

Sometimes courage is going about your life while waiting for the phone to ring.

Sometimes courage is getting out of bed in the morning.

Sometimes courage is kissing someone goodbye, unsure if you’ll see them again, and walking away.

Sometimes courage is saying yes to an uncertain future.

That courage is inside all of us. We just need to identify it in ourselves and each other.

Ready to show your courage to the world? Jockey wants to help you create a #Showem meme to share what makes you, you to the world. How have you shown courage? I want to hear about it! Share your story in the comments and make sure to create your own captioned photo at Showem Meme Generator. Share with the world to #ShowEm what’s really underneath!