How I’m Getting My Groove Back

It’s been two months since my soldier left for his yearlong tour. As soon as he left, I knew I would need a productive outlet. I’ve always been the creative type, and my current career reflects that. I’m only at work for nine hours Monday through Friday, which leaves the rest of the hours in the week for me to think about my soldier being away.

I was in desperate need of a perfect distraction.

It’s been a bit different for my transition into military spouse-hood because I’m spending my first year away from an Army installation. It’s up to me to research and learn about the ins and outs from a distance, not to mention spend my first year of marriage away from my soldier.

The beauty of the internet is that I’m able to communicate with the military spouse community wherever I am. I’m spending a lot of time using it to connect with people and learn about the wonderful resources available to my soldier and me. With that said, I want to thank Army Wife Network for giving me the opportunity to share my story. It contributed to getting my groove back!

There are other little things here and there that have helped me get through the funk I had when my soldier left, and maybe these ideas can help other newbies dealing with long distance. It isn’t only important to maintain communication with your soldier—you have to care for yourself and “keep on keepin’ on,” as they say.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Find a productive outlet.

The first one I’ve already hinted at is to find a productive outlet. I tend to be a storyteller, and writing helps keep me busy. My goal is to eventually give back to the awesome military spouse community that has been so giving to me. Sharing my story and feelings also gives me the confidence to continue being productive. There are other ways to keep yourself busy, too! Think about what makes you happy, whether it is baking or keeping active.

Keep up with your friends.

Don’t forget your current friends. They have been there for you no matter what, from your rants about hating the Army at times because they’ve ordered your soldier away, to the times you’ve annoyed them about how you think your soldier looks good in their dress uniform. They have been there to hear it all. I honestly can’t thank my friends enough for being my foundation. I have 10 months to go, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, I have to get on with my life here.

Remember that your service member loves you.

The last thing that I want to mention is that your service member loves you. Don’t let the distance and the periods of silence get to you. Not hearing from him as often as you’re used to doesn’t mean he doesn’t care.  Sometimes it’s going to be hard, and there may be times you don’t know what’s going on. I like to keep pictures of my soldier and me in a lot of places I frequent, so I don’t forget the great times—on my desk, on a bedside table, or hanging in my room.

I’m definitely still working on keeping my feelings in check, but I can safely say that I’m slowly getting my groove back. It’s a good feeling, too!