The “hot” new therapy seems to focus on healing the past. The idea is that if you can discover and isolate your trauma, you’ll be able to move forward.
I am no clinical doctor, but I have a different approach. While it is vital to isolate your trauma, it is more important to focus on moving forward through progression.
We can change nothing in the past; therefore, focusing all of our attention on it doesn’t pay off as we would like.
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Everyone has trauma. Everyone has a story; some are worse than others. We all must overcome some form of adversity. However, we cannot let our past lead to struggling in the present.
I have been in the Marine Corps for 23 years; death surrounds me. The Corps is violent, and many people don’t make it out alive.
The people who continue to have a healthy mental state focus on their next mission. This is not necessarily a combat or military mission; it may be building a family or starting a business.
The people who dwell on the past get lost in the minutiae of life. Every day is difficult because they relive the same moments over and over.
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This feedback loop can lead to drugs, alcohol, depression, and suicide. In these cases, we must seek out competent mental health professionals.
Seek help while moving forward. I have seen many people stop at this stage. In fact, almost everyone I know who has trouble in life has stopped here.
They continue to utilize mental health professionals without building a plan for themselves. Their life then becomes a cycle of seeking assistance and taking prescription drugs—they are constantly “recovering.”
But the past doesn’t seem so bad when you have a bright future. We can build a fantastic future if we try hard enough.
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Where to focus? I can hear the audience asking me, “But Josh, what should we focus on in our lives? We cannot move forward until we fix the past.”
To progress in life, you must build. I believe “building” keeps us mentally stable, physically healthy, and emotionally sane.
What is a building? Building is not collecting stuff or working a job. “Building” creates an amazing life where you grow in multiple facets of human interaction.
Instead of finding a career, find something that you can do forever. Let’s take me, for example. I will do anywhere from 24-30 years in the Marine Corps.
I could become a Junior ROTC instructor at a high school when I retire. Or I can open a business to help people understand the military.
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I can build an entire life around my military service. I can dedicate my life to serving others which will help me overcome past trauma.
Don’t get stuck in a feedback loop. I have seen people retire and get lost. They turn to drugs and alcohol because they don’t have their next mission—the military is their life.
I was heading down that path until I hit 20 years of service when I got promoted to E-9 (Master Gunnery Sergeant.” I didn’t know where life would take me.
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I knew I could stay in for ten more years, but there were no more ranks to climb. What would I do with myself?
This was when I began to build. My wife and I got our finances in order by taking on roommates. I became obsessed with dividend growth investing and bonds.
I read over 130 books on various topics to help me understand what life wants from me. I decided to start giving back the information that I learned.
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I started Military Family Investing, which helped me pass along essential knowledge about life, love, and finances.
I started a blog and wrote every day. I create books daily while growing my YouTube channels. I keep myself busy building and also ensuring my kids can build.
No time to think about the past. I don’t have time to think about the past; my future keeps me busy. My future is bright, and I am building with my wife.
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Eventually, my kids can join in and help grow the channels or blog. There is so much to do and so little time.
Why am I writing this article? What sparked me to write this article? I am seeing more and more people stuck in time.
It seems like they are waiting for someone to give them permission to build. No one is coming to save you.
If you want something, you must create actionable steps to achieve that goal. Ensure the steps are realistic.
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If you want to become a Veterinarian, ensure that it is truly your dream. You may just want to help animals.
Many ways to help animals don’t require ten years of school. Maybe you can run a small animal rescue and document your missions via YouTube.
No one is stopping you from doing something you love while getting paid. In fact, this is the best time in the history of Earth to be happy while making money.
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Conclusion. I absolutely love playing Pokemon games, with the new ones just arriving (Pokemon Scarlet and Violet).
Every day I watch YouTubers playing these games and making much more money than I make. Is it fair? Of course, they put in years of challenging work to get to this point.
If I want those same results, I can also put in the work. Life is about finding something you love and moving toward it with massive action.
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Instead of focusing on my childhood, I can become a Pokemon YouTuber. I understand it will be years of tough assignments and work, but I am up for it.
With this mission in mind, I can build a future of happiness through progression. I can work with my family to ensure I meet their needs simultaneously.
You, too, can do what you love, earn a living wage, and be happy. But these extraordinary lives do not just drop into your lap—you must work towards them. Good Luck!
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