Well, I warned you, but I guess you are here anyway. I titled this blog as I did because of the time of year. As much as I love writing and being a copywriter, I still prefer being with my family, playing hockey, and studying music more. With that, I hope you are doing the things you enjoy with the people you love the most.
These are the things that fuel us, and they are why we work as hard as we do. This blog is intended to give you tips for getting the most out of any component of your life. Why should you listen to me? Great question. Although there are piles of social media accounts touting that they have the secret to mental health (most of which are things they learned from other social media accounts), despite having no actual background in it, I am not one of those people.
This is simply a quick outline of my experiences and how I used to cope. You can take as much or as little from it as you like. Although I am not a mental health professional, I have significantly benefited from the five things I have included in this post.
Facing Challenges
I was seventeen years old on September 11, 2001. At the time, my father was an FBI agent who worked out of the Boston Division. I also come from a long line of Marines: two uncles, an aunt, a mom, a dad, and two cousins. Unsurprisingly, I went to the Marine Officer Selection Officer during my first week of college. I applied, trained, and worked to get into Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia, where I spent two summers trying to earn a commission.
After graduating with a foot broken in two places, I attended The Basic School (also in Quantico, next to the FBI Academy) for six months. This was followed by another three months at the Infantry Officer Course (IOC). Finishing IOC was one of the proudest moments of my life. People don’t discuss what happens there for specific reasons, and I won’t do so here either.
I spent my 23rd birthday in Iraq, and I was in Afghanistan the following year. I was a platoon commander both times (the best job in the Marine Corps). The schools I had been to provided me with every tool and tactic I needed to accomplish the job. Any success I had as a platoon commander was because of the Marines in the platoon; I remember them all. The failures, of which there were many, were my fault. I don’t say this to be humble but rather as a statement of fact. Both deployments were unique experiences, and there’s a lot of beauty in the relationships that formed during them.
Five Things That Will Improve Your Life
As rigorous as the schools and deployments were, I’d do them all again. I’ll never forget the friends I made or the selfless people who didn’t come back. When I left the Marines, I struggled for years. I stopped having emotions, and I became increasingly reclusive. There’s no need to get into the details, but it was a very low point in my life. I also understand that you likely have experienced similar valleys regardless of your background. There are different paths to the same end state.
The true purpose of this blog is to help people find a way out of the darkness, and five things have helped me. They are listed in order of importance; doing one will make the next thing better or easier.
The first one is getting to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time in the morning—consistent sleep patterns. The second is eating clean food like meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, and potatoes. I still love doughnuts and fail to eat vegetables like I should, but I still eat relatively clean.
The third is rigorous exercise. I prefer hockey and CrossFit. There are days when I get up at 4:30 am and don’t want to go to the rink and play, but I always remember how good I feel when I play and how it carries with me throughout the day. The fourth is having a mental health professional to talk to. There was a time when I saw this weakness, but like I said, I’ve made many mistakes. From my experiences, speaking through an emotion is one of the best ways to process it. I’ve been fortunate enough to find great people willing to listen. Lastly, spend time with the people you love and trust the most. Doing the first four steps will make you a great version of yourself who appreciates and contributes meaningfully to your relationships.
We’re Still Here To Help
We’re not mental health professionals, but we are good people. I have worked at Spotlight Branding for several years, and the people here are friends and colleagues who genuinely desire to help others. Our content marketing strategy is a cost-effective way to increase referrals and get better clients. If you want to learn more, speak with our Business Development Manager. Maybe we’ll work together someday.
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