The Wellness Spotlight series highlights military spouses and their real world health and wellness journeys in a Facebook live series. Below is an excerpt of Brittany’s feature.
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“ I think prioritizing and setting your goals is hugely important. Every morning I wake up and set my top three priorities for the day, if nothing else gets done it needs to be those three things.”
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY AS A MILITARY SPOUSE?
Before I met my green beret, I didn’t know anything about the military. I just hadn’t been directly exposed to it before. I even remember my mom trying to talk me out of going on a date with him because he was in the Army, which we still laugh about now! We’ve now been through a nerve wracking deployment, long distance, moving cross country, and several job position changes. Now those tan shirts and combat boots are just part of my everyday life.
What is a low moment when your health suffered the most?
The military life has actually been really good to me. I enjoy the transient lifestyle and am already excited for our next PCS (minus leaving our good friends behind of course.) I think the toughest part we’ve been through is when we PCSed to DC from Kansas. My whole immediate family is in Kansas and with a baby I wasn’t quite ready for the move and to not have my parents right down the street. We knew Jason would deploy almost immediately after relocating so we made the decision for my daughter and I to stay behind until he got back. That was hard having to say goodbye at an airport and know I wouldn’t get to hug him again before he deployed. We ended up doing long-distance for a little over a year (which was longer than planned) but we made the most of it and certainly wracked up those frequent flyer miles flying back and forth each month!
How did you overcome it?
I sent him themed care packages for every month so he knew we were thinking of him. He made the sweetest little video for our daughter to watch while he was deployed. She used to watch it and sign “more, more”! For the long distance aspect, it was really focusing on strong communication because it’s difficult when your significant other isn’t right there by your side. He’s going to be embarrassed for me sharing this, but we used to Skype and fall asleep together with it on every night. It really helped us feel connected and in tune with one another. I don’t think we would do long distance again, but it was definitely the right decision for our family at that time.
Share with us a high moment during your wellness journey!
I would say I’m at my absolute healthiest now. I have been working for myself full-time again for almost a year so I am getting my own sense of personal fulfillment while still supporting my family and having a flexible schedule for my daughter. Jason and I make a really good team and he tends to make sure I’m taking care of myself, which I didn’t always do or make time for. I really work at having a solid work-life balance every week now and actually make self care a priority which I think is so important and often gets overlooked by stressed out moms and wives!
How do you avoid burnout?
I do regular check-ins with myself and if something is overwhelming me I figure out where I can outsource, automate or reassess it all together. It really helps to make small adjustments as you go and progressively get better and more fine tuned, rather than letting things get to the point of no return and a possible burn out.
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“My personal definition of wellness would be: Achieving the state of being Simply Happy.”
What is one personal habit that contributes to your success?
I think prioritizing and setting your goals is hugely important. Every morning I wake up and set my top three priorities for the day. If nothing else gets done it needs to at least be those three things. It gives me the focus I need, but it also allows me grace when maybe I’m not accomplishing the other things that didn’t make the list. I think it’s so easy to get overwhelmed with all the to-do’s. But if we just break it down and approach it in little steps it suddenly becomes a lot more manageable and a heck of a lot less stressful.
WHAT IS A HEALTH AND WELLNESS RESOURCE YOU WOULD SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY?
I use the app Clue. It tracks all your fun womanly things. It helps to know when I might need a little more self care or why I might be feeling a little extra sluggish. I have found it really keeps you in tune with your body and your needs as a woman.
IF YOU COULD RECOMMEND ONE podcast TO MILITARY SPOUSES, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
I would recommend Goal Digger the podcast. I like to listen to it when I’m working out for uplifting discussion and inspiring business tips. I think it’s important to have your own personal and/or professional goals outside of supporting your military family to feel fulfilled.
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ABOUT Brittany Davidson
Brittany has a three year old daughter, her special forces stud, a standard poodle named London and is an Army family! She is currently out of Washington DC and runs a clothing line, Chocolate Soup, out of our apartment. She started her second company, Simply Happy Life in November, which was her way of helping other women entrepreneurs and small business owners find their ‘simply happy’ through consulting and coaching.
CONNECT WITH Brittany
Facebook: Brittany May | Website: Simply Happy Life | Instagram: @simplyhappybrittany | Twitter: @simplyhappybrit | Email: brittany@simplyhappylife.com
