When I say military spouse you say…
I asked an AI program to generate a photo of a military spouse based on stereotypical words used to describe military spouses. The words it selected were strength, resilience, and adaptability. Want to see the image?

It’s almost like the AI bots were sneaking around my last PCS move. (the snark is strong!) But let’s get serious for just a minute— there’s a reason that those stereotypes are out there and have stuck around.
Military spouses have an uncanny ability to reign in the chaos of military life, put out the flames, reorganize it all, and turn it into a routine that works for everyone.
I called that grit for a long time and then I started to research strengths-based wellbeing and I realized that it’s so much more than that. In fact, that grit is all about the natural talents and abilities each of us military spouses have.
So, yes, what I’m saying is that when your military life flails out of control and you do what comes naturally—those are your strengths.
And it’s about time you started to learn more about them because they are powerful.
Oh, spoiler alert: when you leave active duty military life those strengths are what will make your civilian life amazing too.
What Are Strengths?
Let’s get to know what I mean when I say strengths. I’m a huge strengths nerd. In fact, I love digging into military spouse strengths so much that I went and got my Gallup® Strengths Coach Certification.
Why?
So I could help military spouses understand how unique they truly are and remind them that they’ve already got what it takes to crush whatever they do. That also means when I talk about strengths I rely on that same training to explain strengths to others.
With that in mind, according to Gallup®, strengths are the combination of your natural talents, knowledge, and skills that help you perform at your best. These aren’t just things you’re good at—they’re the things that feel almost effortless when you do them.

You might say that strengths are the things you do without even thinking about them. If you pause for a minute you can probably come up with one action that you’re really good at without having to spend too much time thinking.
Me? One of my strengths is that I am action-oriented. So I thrive when there is a checklist and tasks to mark off. If there is something that needs doing, my natural instinct is to get started on it and get it checked off the list.
Hopefully, you can think of a similar natural action for yourself because when you can identify those natural strengths and apply them then you begin working smarter (not harder) and leaning into the ways you are already hardwired to succeed.
Military Life is our Strengths Bootcamp
Want to know why your strengths are so important? Our military life doesn’t have dull moments. Change and challenges are pretty constant. When I think about each duty station our family has been it’s one adventure after another from midnight mouse visits in Germany, living in a travel trailer for 8 months between PCS moves, babies born while my servicemember rushed home from the field, and a unique two years in Uganda, Africa.
I’ll bet you’ve got some fun stories that might be best shared with a glass of wine and some heavy snark of your own. Just hold up the number of fingers (and toes) for the number of times you’ve had to start over in a new city, meet new people, or look for a new job. But guess what? All that change is what’s helped you develop your strengths whether you knew it was happening or not.
A Life Well Lived
Did you know there is a wellbeing index? It wants to know if you are thriving, struggling, or suffering. Those words make it feel pretty serious, right?
That’s because it is. A higher wellbeing index isn’t just about being happy or physically in shape. It’s about having a life well-lived. And that looks differently for each of us. To help us evaluate what is important, Gallup® identified these five interconnected areas:
Wellbeing | Definition |
Financial | The ability to manage money well to reduce stress and increase security. |
Career | Liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals |
Physical | Having good health and enough energy to get things done daily |
Social | Having supportive relationships and love in your life |
Community | Liking where you live, feeling safe, and having pride in your community |
Self-Awareness is Priceless
At this point you might be saying, “Ok…I get it, but what’s next?” If you’re intrigued and want to learn more, there are three things I recommend you do.
- Learn more about each of the 34 CliftonStrengths® themes and your strength DNA
- Learn more about wellbeing vs wellness.
- Connect with me to find out what your Top 5 Strengths are by taking the assessment test and having your Strengths 101 coaching sessions.
The Bottom Line
Here’s the bottom line: your strengths are already working for you. Knowing them helps you embrace them and recognize how applying them helps make your military life—and the life that comes after—a little bit easier and a whole lot more exciting.