Positively (Im)perfect

Source Have you heard the news? Two women graduated from Ranger school today! Isn't it [ insert opinion: great/awful/inspiring/ludicrous/the beginning of a brave new world/the end of the world ]!? I've been keeping up with this news and the progress of these women (along with many other men and women in uniform) long before the interwebs started exploding this past week. And while I was hesitant to add my small little voice to all that loud clashing out there [where it seems everyone's talking and no one's listening], my husband reminded me that some people will still want to ask our opinion on the matter. And they have. So--since the questions have started rolling in, and since this history-in-the-making hits especially close to home for me and many of my peers--air my thoughts I will.  First of all, to the two women and the 94 men who graduated today, I offer my sincerest congratulations and best wishes for a boatload of good food and uninterrupted res

I've always admired people who can say "no." The ones who aren't malicious or selfish about it, but not apologetic either. They know when something needs to be a "no" and they say so. Easy as that. Me, I have a real hard time with no. It seems I've always been on the struggle train with balance and boundaries. Which is funny, because with my time at a rather unconventional school (and career) I was supposed to master that kind of pressure and prioritize in the midst of it; one of my biggest laments from my full-time army days was that everything was always a priority, but nothing was ever prioritized. Yet I am--and always have been--a people pleaser and helper, and sadly I think I've reverted to the EVERYTHINGISAPRIORITY! mentality in my own head as of late. Conceptually, I know that I can't (and shouldn't) do it all--that I can't be everything to everyone. But in the moment, my actions and attitude show a different truth. The messag