Dear Friend,
Happy New Year! We hope your holidays were fantastic, and you are getting back into the swing of career, family and everything else you love to do. Our theme for January is “Catalyst.” A catalyst is, “a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.” In a story, the catalyst is the moment that throws the protagonist full force into the story’s narrative. Sometimes it’s a decision they make, and sometimes it’s an outside force that intrudes, uninvited, into their peaceful world and leads them to change, grow, and ultimately (hopefully) experience more fulfillment than they previously imagined.
Experiencing a “catalyst moment” is something that most of us, as military spouses, have gone through – more than once. The question is, how can we take these magical moments of growth (which generally don’t feel so magical at the time) and approach them in such a way that they do, in the long run, lead to growth rather than stagnation or persistent obstacles?
This month's featured spouse, Laura Hand, is a great example of someone who jumped feet first into change and found her way to a career that was unexpected and deeply fulfilling. Each month, we will bring you the story of a different military spouse forging a unique professional path through the challenges and opportunities brought by military life.
This is also a time of growth for The Other Side of Service. This month we are releasing our first videos documenting the stories of military spouse professionals, ironing the kinks out of our plan to communicate with you, and ramping up for a crowd funding campaign in February that will allow us to take our organization to the next level. We are thrilled with the connections we are making with other organizations serving military spouses, and with all of you.
We know nothing is simple about balancing two divergent careers. We share your journey. We know the uncertainly of reinvention; the anxiety of the in-between; and the joy of settling in. The Other Side of Service is here to create community, support your efforts, share your story, and offer you hope and help as you tackle your dreams.
Have a beautiful January!
Sincerely,
Lynn Waidelich
