Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
One of my best friends has a rule:
“Get physically uncomfortable. Every day.”
This doesn’t mean you have to do a killer workout or run 15 miles every day, but it means that every day you should do something to take your body from the state of no physical arousal to the place where it gets uncomfortable. Some days this may just mean time in the sauna, or an ice bath, or doing a yoga class. Whatever it is, making the effort to push your body into discomfort can start to acclimate you to discomfort. And the higher your tolerance for discomfort, the more you are growing.
In the military, pushing your body into discomfort is often a matter of routine. Daily PT is the norm. There are long days in the field, heavy gear that has to be packed, and the persistent military fitness culture beckoning you to go workout.
But after the military, it can be easy to avoid strenuous situations. No one is going to make you put on a ruck and hike up a hill. There will not be anyone forcing you to stay out in the cold for days at a time. And I doubt anyone will send you on patrol in Afghanistan.
The thing is, veterans often leave the military and miss these situations of discomfort. Especially the people they shared them with and the reward that comes from shared suffering with others. We all had those tough times in uniform when the situation just really sucked. But we also remember the people we were with who made it bearable.
Sometime before my transition, I heard about Outward Bound for veterans. A nonprofit, they aim to help individuals grow through challenges in the outdoors. With locations all over the world, they offer classes on everything from rock climbing to kayaking, to (you guessed it) dogsledding. The run courses specifically for at-risk youth, aspiring outdoor educators, and families.
Then I found out they offer courses just for veterans. At no cost.
Yes, 100% free. They even paid to fly me there and back.
And I can tell that Outward Bound for veterans was undoubtedly one of the best experiences of my life.
What happens at Outward Bound for veterans?
My week in the Boundary Waters area in Minnesota was spectacular. I disconnected and communed with nature and friends. I spent a night alone in the woods and thought about what I wanted to do in my next chapter. And I got to hang out with some awesome dogs.
Outward Bound has been around since 1941, and since then they have been at the top of helping people learning and growing in the outdoors. More than just instructors on how to make a fire, or tie up a dog to a gangline, Outward Bound instructors are well trained at facilitating genuine, deep conversations. For veterans, they help provide an environment where you can share stories about your time in uniform with people who know and understand what you are talking about.
What kind of people go to Outward Bound for veterans?
I shared my week in the Minnesota wilderness with six other veterans, two instructors, and 11 sled dogs. The snow was thigh-deep and temperatures got to -28 F. Just getting your frozen boots on in the morning could take 20 minutes and we were constantly frustrated by our mittens.
And holy hell did we have a good time.
It was a week of crude humor, political incorrectness, making fun of each other, and commiserating about the stupid stuff the military had us do at some point. All to be expected when a group of veterans gets together.
We sat around the campfire every night and talked. People spoke about friends lost and friends we will have until the end. Stories were shared from the past and talked about what we wanted to do in the future. We talked about terrifying moments on deployments and times we pooped our pants.
I was challenged. This was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. There was a time I was practically collapsed on the ground panting from trying to get a sled through some tough terrain. And I don’t care who you are — everything gets tougher at -15 F.
What made it a unique experience?
Our instructors were absolutely fantastic. They are all deeply passionate about educating people about the outdoors and providing an experience that strengthens and tests you. They were greatly professional, but found a way to also to become our friends over the week.
One of the most important experiences they guided us through was our solo experience. Halfway through the week, we went out on our own for a night. We spent the day gathering enough firewood to cook our dinner, dry our wet clothes, and keep us warm. We built our own shelter and spent a night sleeping out in the cold by ourselves.
That night, where I sat by the fire and watched the snow falling around me, was truly wonderful. It was just me, alone with my thoughts, in the woods. Modern life does not provide you many opportunities to pause and take everything in like that and I am grateful for the chance to have that time to myself.
The week helped remind us all of the best parts of our military experiences. We had belly laughs over ridiculous deployment stories. We helped each other out when the cold was getting to us, and we shared the responsibilities of setting up and taking down camp. The week started with friendly handshakes and ended in big bear hugs.
Find a way to make this happen for yourself and you will not regret it.
How can you participate in Outward Bound for veterans?
Go on a trip.
I 100% recommend taking advantage of one of these courses. You can even do it while on active duty. And our instructors told us that in the class before us, there had been a veteran in his 70s who left the military decades ago, so don’t worry about your time running out.
As of this writing, there are only two courses still available for 2020. The course dates are released every year on Veteran’s Day, and courses like dogsledding fill up pretty quickly as they are understandably quite popular.
Donate.
To give you an idea of how impactful this experience was, multiple members of our trip immediately wanted to donate back to Outward Bound to continue helping provide this opportunity to other veterans. Outward Bound reports that veterans who go through one of their experiences have marked reductions in anxiety and depression, and increased feelings of social connection and self-awareness.
Adopt a dog.
Yes, you can adopt a sled dog. Veterans, in particular, often have a deep connection with dogs. Maybe you had a few on your outpost in Afghanistan. Or maybe you worked alongside a Military Working Dog and saw how much these animals can contribute. But veterans often had opportunities to see these animals as more than just pets, but as true companions.
I’m currently in the process of trying to adopt one of the dogs and look forward to providing him a warm home to relax after a long life pulling a sled.
It is in the space of discomfort where we grow. Hard times make people who know how to deal with them. Find ways to take part in these experiences and find other people who want to do the same. These will be the types of people you want around you. Push yourself into that area of discomfort where you can grow and get better.
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Nice write up and insightful thoughts