The 10 Truths About Struggle: Overview

I have the distinct honor and privilege, as CEO of the Boulder Crest Foundation, to spend time with members of the military, veteran and first responder communities across the county.

Many people look at these men and women, and all the trauma they are exposed to, and often make the assumption that because of their experiences, they are broken or diminished in some way. That they need our help.

That is not my experience.

What I know to be true is that these men and women are our leaders, our teachers, our innovators, and our pioneers because they know things about mental health, and life, that the rest of us don’t know.

The world of mental health is designed to help you feel less bad — to manage and mitigate the distress associated with the struggle you are experiencing. But the world of the Warrior — of those who serve on the frontlines of our society — is a very different one. We have a monthly series that gets published in the Neighbors of Western Loudoun magazine, and I’d like to share it here with you. These are the ten things I’ve learned from those in the Boulder Crest and Veteran community — many of whom I consider friends and guides — about how to live a meaningful life, and how to struggle well.