This post originally appeared on Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life!
One of the hot topics in the military spouse world is how we as military spouses can chase our dreams during the craziness of military life. There is always a reason to not move forward. There always seems to be obstacles in our way. But does it have to be this way?
Here are a few things you can do to still chase your dreams as a military spouse:
Go to School
Going to school is something you can do to further your own career. You can go back to school, and finish a degree you have already started. You can look to get another degree or start college in the first place. You have a lot of options for what you can do to further your education.
Sit down and think about what you would want to do. Look at the different programs that are out there and figure out what will work for you. Take the first step and look into applying to get started. You will be glad that you did.
Write a Book
Do you know a lot about a certain topic that you want to share with the world? Are you a fiction writer, ready to start putting your stories down on paper? Maybe now is the time for you to write your book. If nothing else, get your ideas out on paper and see where that leads.
These days, you don’t have to go with a traditional publisher. Many writers self-publish their own Ebooks, and that can be an option for you. Do your research on writing a book and follow your book writing dream.
Start a Business
Military spouses love to start businesses. There are different ways to do this too. You can join a direct sales business and skip some of the steps to get started. You might be a creator and can start to sell your own homemade products. For some, selling advice or career help can be a way to get going on a business.
There are so many options these days, and you are not limited by what is available locally. The whole internet is at your fingertips. Other military spouses are rocking it as successful entrepreneurs.
Find a new job
Maybe you are a SAHM or maybe you are in a job you are not too excited about. Finding a new job could be the answer. You can find a job that will get you closer to where you want to be longterm.
Don’t get discouraged about finding a job and keep looking until you find something. Sometimes this might mean thinking outside the box. You might not always end up with your dream job, your current duty station could make that impossible, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find something that will work for the current season of your life.
Volunteer
There are always plenty of volunteer opportunities in your community. Some might be on post, and some might be off. If you want to work on a particular career in the future, look at what you can do that is similar or will help you later on. Volunteer work can look excellent on a resume and can fill in gaps if you are unable to find another type of job.
Whatever you decide to do, remember, your dreams are important too. While there could be certain circumstances when you can’t do exactly what you want to do for your career or your future during certain seasons of life, that does not mean this will be the case forever. Don’t be afraid to dream big, know that you can follow your own heart, and figure out how to make things work during your spouse’s military career.