Bouncing back and moving on

This month we asked our contributing writers to share a recent failure, and how they bounced back from it:

When I was asked to write about a recent failure it took me a long time to really identify one that was even worth sharing. For those that don’t know, I spent 4+ years on active duty in the USMC.

However, for the last year and a half I’ve just been an average college kid struggling to maintain grades and make ends meet. The GI bill takes care of tuition and rent, but anyone who has used it can tell you, that’s about it. So a part time job became a necessity.

Since my departure from active duty I’ve faced a lot of the same issues with civilian life that just about every other veteran does. A constant struggle to find meaning, purpose and a little bit of structure here on “the other side”. I’ve bounced from part time job to part time job while in college, trying to find something that not only pays the bills but doesn’t make me want to suck
start my Glock everyday.

I’m here to tell you the same things I’ve had to tell myself, get up, grind, get over it and repeat. Some days are a lot more of a struggle than others and that’s fine.
Lately I’ve found peace in refocusing on the path that I am on and the goals that I want to achieve. I plan to finish the rest of my bachelors degree in order to pursue a commission back into the military (guess I didn’t learn my lesson the first time). For me, that’s enough to keep me on track and sane. Despite my recent setbacks I remain focused and hungry because I know my path.

Do you know yours?