Years ago, I was a private in the Canadian army. That short experience, in my early twenties, taught me how to withstand hours of physical discomfort, hold my temper when an officer was inches from my nose barking orders and how to go without sleep.
In a very few weeks of basic training, I learned more about my capabilities than in the many years that led up to them.
But it WAS all those previous years that fed my abilities. It wasn’t the army that gave me the capacity. It was only a multitude of extreme situations crammed into a few weeks that brought what I am capable of to my attention.
Action – Using your imagination, create your own ‘boot camp’ of life experiences. Like a short film, squeeze together some of your most challenging situations in your mind’s eye.
And watch as it reveals to you just how capable, talented and ingenious you really are!
I spent 6 yrs in the US Navy; two of which were aboard a Belgian minesweeper in the North Sea, English Channel, and Baltic Sea. I have lived on commissission for 30 yrs. My wife and I have a son who is currently serving as a Marine Infantry Captain and he has been deployed to the Middle East for 18 of the last 40 months
I have had a few major challenges in my life. In 12 months I experienced a job loss, major surgery, the loss of my marriage and moved residences. I have been asked a number of times how I stayed so strong, and positive in my life. I didn’t know how strong I could be until I had no other choice. As for positive, I always considered my faith and family as the well from which I filled my bucket. So many people go through what I did and they do it alone.
I am stronger than some people think, but also stronger than I give myself credit for.
Our ability to recognize our own strength often gets blocked out by a bunch of noise. Remembering your “boot camp” can counteract that.
I came from poverty, educated myself, have grown spiritually to become a hard working professional in my field. I believe there are choices that we make that mold each one of us and character is formed by either decision.
Thanks,
Liza
Everything we create is choice. It isn’t the events themselves but how we respond to them that matters. Clearly you understand that, and are able to create wonderful things because of that understanding 🙂
I have to say that all of your entries are so inspiring and I appreciate your you sharing your comments.
I could write a book with my boot camp experiences. First the doctors said my Mom could not have children. She had several miscarriages but my sister and I are here. I was molested at age 4. I grew up at a time where racism not only occurred in communities but also within families of the same race due to skin color (light vs dark and visa versa). I fell down the stairs with drinking glasses in my hand at age 18 and fell into the glass. As my dad turned me over after I briefly loss consciousness, my arm popped open. The doctor said I was lucky because the glass cut my arm 2 cm shy of a major artery. “Correction, I am blessed!” is what I told the doctor. I was the youngest Human Resources Director at age 25 in my city and have had many successes since. What has helped me is having a relationship with God. Knowing that he wants and has better for me. It took a moment to build myself and know that I am worth much more than I was treated. While my family was dysfunctional, I knew that I was loved and could feel my parents wanted better for me than they had themselves.#StayFocused #KnowThereIsBetterForYou
Thank you for sharing your story! What challenges in your childhood and how God’s love is so important! We are worth much more than we usually understand and acknowledge.
Hi, Nancy!
I spent my life growing up on military bases (my Dad was in the military). This was a life challenge in itself and my “childhood bootcamp”. I moved every 5 years and lived with a permanent officer barking orders, but there is a lot of positives from this experience. It has built me into the strong person I am today, and I am able to work with almost every personality you could come across. I also try to look at the positive side of every situation. 🙂
It is always great to be reminded of where I came from as sometimes I forget at how capable and talented I really am!
Thank you for the reminder!
Tracey 🙂