7 Military Spouse Goals for 2018
I don’t like Ne Year’s resolutions. A resolution is a firm decision to do or not do something and results in a black and white pass or fail. If our intention is to incite change in our lives, there has to be room for error, which is why I like the word “goals.” A goal is the object of a person’s ambition or effort, which means you achieve success every time you make forward progress.
So let’s talk about goals for the New Year. What are your goals for 2018? What are some changes you’d like to see in your life?
Here are some common military spouse goals:
1. Get out of debt.
Getting out of debt is a huge goal for many this coming year. Debt accrues very quickly and can loom for years if not tackled aggressively. From student loans to car payments, mortgages, and credit cards (hopefully not the latter), debt builds and can add a great deal of stress to your life and relationships. And owing money limits your financial freedom to do other things like vacations or planning for the future.
Elizabeth P. shares, “We’ve never taken a real family vacation, and our retirement isn’t where it should be because we’ve been working to live. I want to work so later we can play. That’s the biggest mentality shift I need to make in the upcoming year. If we can climb out of debt, we can save for vacations and retirement.”
2. Downsize and declutter.
Maybe it has to do with spring quickly approaching or maybe the holidays reminded you of how many unnecessary things you have laying around, but downsizing your stuff and decluttering is a great goal for 2018.
Christine M. says, “I want to work really hard to downsize and declutter our house before we make an OCONUS PCS. We have so much stuff!”
3. Become more involved in the military community.
I’ve struggled to strike the chord of finding the military support I need and maintaining an identity outside of the military community. So maybe “becoming more involved” isn’t the best wording. It’s more about finding the right involvement. I think it’s important that we find our niche in the military community. Maybe you thrive off full participation, while other military spouses need to be more selective.
Or maybe it’s that your spouse is recently retired and you find yourself in a similar situation as Jen M., who shared that her goal is “finding a way to stay in touch so I stay aware of the issues and challenges facing today’s military families, as I’m still writing for and working with that world. I feel that much of it will continue to be virtual, but I need some in-real-life connections.”
4. Make friends.
Gosh, when did it become so difficult to make solid friends? This is high on my list, as I’m sure it is for many of you. Making friends as a military spouse is hard. We move a lot, which means we don’t have the time to establish the secure friendships we crave, and it can make friendships with civilians near impossible. And good military friends, while they understand the lifestyle, are difficult to find.
5. Find the perfect work/life balance.
Try hard not to laugh. I know there’s no perfect work/life balance, but there has to be something near perfect for the work-from-home spouse. Meeting our spouse’s needs, caring for children, hosting visitors, and keeping the second income flowing takes finesse. So if there’s a foolproof plan out there for juggling everything, please share!
6. Take advantage of the current duty station.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t like where you’re currently living. As the New Year begins, make the most of it!
Melissa S. shared that her goals include “enjoying Key West before we leave in 2019. The two and half years we’ve been here I’ve primarily spent inside working. It’d be awesome to cycle up U.S. 1 and intake the views of the water on a regular basis.”
7. Grow your business.
The unemployment rate for military spouses lead many to create their own work-from-home business, and it’s not easy.
Rachel M. says, “My 2018 goal is definitely to see my business grow significantly and to stick to all the plans I’ve made to help me do so.”
Time to set your goals and embrace the New Year! Forget resolutions and allow yourself the grace for mistakes. Keep your mind on your goals and pat yourself on the back every time to make forward progress!
What are some of your goals for 2018?
By Danielle Keech for MilitaryByOwner
