Personal Reflection: My Marine Corps Experience

Introduction The interesting aspect of the Thrive text and the weekly sections is that somehow many of the lessons provided were things I either had my parents teach me, I learned from my life experiences or I’ve absorbed from academics and mentors. I chose to pick out the three sections that I felt are prevalent currently and in my near future. Many civilians, especially extended family and friends, have no way of comprehending the level of life experiences I have had in the Marine Corps. I would not have been the same person or had the same level of experiences and responsibilities if I had not chosen to join the military. This does not mean that I think I am better or I have gone through more challenges than my peers, however my point is
This was an aha moment. It makes total sense that going for a walk increases thinking and focus. When we are walking, we are getting the blood pumping and flowing throughout our body. Our breathing rate will increase allowing more oxygen to the brain. I have noticed that often, my wife and I will go on long walks when we need to talk. Most of the time if we suggest a walk its not because we need to work something out, however the walk is more used as a time to exchange creative ideas or strategies. For example, we have a couple house project that must be knocked out very soon. We need a new fence and we need to redo our shower since it is getting old and falling apart. We have been going on walks with our dogs to brainstorm ideas and to discuss a budget. According to the text, walking allows our body’s universe to become calm and increasing the capability of processing information clearly. I think I am going to use her tactic when I start my new job as a business analyst. The job will require many meetings daily and brainstorming of solutions. Going out for a walk will allow myself or colleagues to disengage from technology and the noise. Arianna explains that sometimes we just need to step away and recharge so we can think clearly and perform effectively. This also reminds me when I was in massage therapy school and I took Thai Massage. Before we started
From Junior High through all of High School, I was swimming six hours a day because I was on the national travel team for USA Swimming. Silence is my old friend, although I am working hard on mending the past relationship. Competition aside, when I was at swim practice, it was my time of silence. Sure we had our coach yelling out the workouts and the occasional talking between teammates, but most of the time my head was in the water to be left along to my own thinking and peace. Believe it or not, when you have been swimming for so long, you often are on autopilot. There are many times where I was swimming twenty or fifty laps non-stop allowing myself to just get lost in my universe. I would think about my day, what I needed to do for the week and sometimes I would just clear my mind and think of nothing. It was the prefect type of silence. All that was lost once I joined the military. There was never any silence unless it was on deployment but that’s a different kind of silence. The section expresses that silence is about disengaging. My favorite line from this section is, “We are wired, plugged in, constantly catered to, and increasingly terrified of silence, unaware of what it has to offer.” (p. 188) She is absolutely right. We have become so plugged in. We are even pressured from outside influences to constantly be linked up. I also saw the connection of how the constant noise could