One Step At A Time
My husband’s next assignment is taking us to Hawaii. The kids are super excited about it, especially my daughter. She cannot wait to swim with turtles, dolphins, and sharks—especially sharks.
People always tell me they are jealous and excited for us that we can move to Hawaii and live in paradise. I am careful about getting excited.
Being a military spouse for almost 18 years, I’ve learned that plans could change overnight, and they did for our family.
Recently, our family was denied moving to Hawaii due to the Exceptional Family Member Program. When you move overseas, you need to conduct an overseas EFMP screening to determine if the military installation can meet your family’s medical needs. Unfortunately, Hawaii is not able to meet our family’s needs right now. We are facing the possibility of being separated for two to three years depending on my husband’s assignment.
We are verifying this decision and making sure it is final before planning our next step, but where do we go from here?
One step at a time.
We will continue to move forward, one step at a time, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. I am trying to see what lesson I can learn from this situation. I am learning that I am maturing in the way I am handling this situation.
Yes, I cried. But in the past, I would have looked for ways to binge eat or have a self-pity party for hours. I am maturing, moving one step at a time toward whatever is ahead for our family and our journey together.
Our lives and our plans will not always work out the way we imagine. Plans change due to unpredictable factors, but the way you react to those changes will determine the outcome. You control your attitude, your mind, the choices you make.
I want to encourage you to take one step at a time in the direction that will have the best and most positive outcome for right now.
One step in the right direction.
One step into a positive attitude.
One step toward thinking of hope.
One step toward perseverance, making you a stronger person today than you were yesterday.
I am hoping to encourage you that when you are facing an uncertain situation right now to take one step toward something positive that would help you stay grounded and move forward. For example, I cannot control the outcome of the doctor’s appointment on Monday, but I can control my emotions and not overeat or think negative thoughts that will leave me depressed or bitter.
One step at a time.
