In this uniquely chaotic life, SOF families have one constant: change. We see the change that all people see: the changing world and season around us. We see the same change that all families see: adding family members, or the ages and stages of those family members changing. We see the change that all military families see: PCS moves or deployments. SOF service members generally experience deployments at a much quicker pace than conventional military, which can make the change seem constant in SOF families.
“What’s the key to weathering change? Balance.”
We often hear this word, but most people struggle to find balance. We might overcommit, which leads to underperformance. Or we might struggle to find things we need to commit to at all, other than the daily grind. But there are two things we at MSOF believe help you find balance.
One essential piece of balance is knowing what your priorities are. What are the things that are important to you and your family? Living a healthy and active lifestyle? Being involved in the local community? Actively volunteering at a school or place of worship? Working outside of the home?
The other essential piece is finding connection with people with similar priorities. Stop forcing connection with people to fill a void. Organic friendships happen when you connect with people who have a similar interest and focus. Because of shared priorities, these friendships will likely be easier to maintain and grow.
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to the other: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one”
— C.S. Lewis
Stopping and evaluating what your family wants to focus on is an important step in finding balance. Instead of “we are changing everything tomorrow – no more junk food, no more screen time, no more yelling” or whatever this looks like in your house, you’ll be able to find concrete aspects of life to focus on and improve. We cannot change everything overnight, but we can make small positive changes every day.
For more tips and information about balance, visit:
Mary Duffy
Mary Duffy is from Georgia. She has been an educator for over ten years, with classroom teaching in GA, NC, CO, and FL. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in English Education. In 2018, she received her Masters in Education from the University of Kansas. Mary and her husband have two children and have been part of the Special Operations community for ten
years.