No sooner does Susan Boyle (Britain’s Got Talent’s runner-up) drop out of the headlines than we start hearing about thousands of wannabes showing up to audition for the next round of American Idol. Mostly, they are sent home after a 30-second hearing, dreams of recording contracts and national TV left at the stage door.

It’s hard when things don’t turn out like we’d hoped. Sometimes, we get stuck with our disappointments. We blame other people for our shortcomings. We stop trying. Writer’s block, we say. My boss/director/commanding officer is a jerk. It’s not my fault…
But what if, instead of reacting negatively when we don’t achieve our goal, we allow ourselves to see the opportunity we’ve been given? Ok…that didn’t work out the way I expected, but I did it-I went to the audition, I applied for the new job, I took the promotion exam. Maybe I learned something, about myself, about my skills, about where I can grow.
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The month of June comes with a lot of milestones. Many brides dream of a June wedding, believing it is “the thing to do”, a tradition that may date back even to Roman times. Graduation season hits its peak in June too, with friends and relatives sharing in celebrations for academic accomplishments. Kids getting out of school for the summer know that June means “no more teachers, no more books”! Summer fun has just begun in June.

For military families, summer often signals PCS season. Orders come through, and it’s time to start sorting and packing again. Telling friends you’re leaving, exchanging addresses and promises to stay in touch. Figuring out where the new school is. No matter what branch, you can’t escape moving…a lot!
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