Section 5: Fear, Freedom, & Hope
Transitioning to something new can feel like an emotional roller coaster at times.
Some days feel like everything is going your way. You get a call from the recruiter asking to set up an interview, your favorite sports team wins, and you complete everything on your to-do list.
Other days feel just the opposite. You get a decline email for a job that seemed like the perfect match, your team does horrible, and you slept in past your alarm.
Along the spectrum of feelings that are bound to come up, fear, freedom, and hope are three of the most common. You might even experience all three at the same time.
Fear could include apprehension around venturing into something new. Freedom can arise by realizing you have full power to craft this new chapter of your life. Finally, hope can include the belief that things will work out in your favor.
If each were a side of a triangle, it can feel like you're in the middle, being pulled in all 3 directions at the same time. Big life changes bring a mixed bag of feelings and emotions, and transitioning from the military is no different.
In the following sections, we’ll cover each of these emotions and how they factor into your transition process.