How do soldiers maintain emotional honesty while adhering to operational expectations of resilience?
Soldiers must keep their emotions under control while completing their duties. They have to resist feelings that would make them feel vulnerable, such as fear, anxiety, sadness, grief, loneliness, anger, jealousy, frustration, despair, boredom, exhaustion, disgust, shame, guilt, envy, pride, joy, excitement, etc. They are expected to remain optimistic, focused, alert, calm, and brave. This is essential for the team's success. But how can they stay emotionally honest and authentic when forced to suppress their feelings?
Their mission comes first. Soldiers cannot let themselves be distracted by personal problems or emotions during combat. Their training prepares them for this situation through simulations and drills. They learn to separate their private life from their military life. It means being able to detach from family, friends, romantic partners, hobbies, pets, interests, etc., and concentrate entirely on their work. It also requires discipline, self-control, resilience, and a strong sense of duty.
They can express their feelings in letters, emails, texts, phone calls, or video chats with loved ones. They share their experiences and concerns, but avoid negativity. Emotional resilience involves finding the balance between admitting your feelings and pretending everything is fine. Some may choose to journal or confide in fellow soldiers. Others prefer to talk to psychologists. Many find solace in religion, art, sports, music, reading, movies, nature, or animals.
To maintain resilience, soldiers must develop healthy habits that improve their well-being: exercise regularly, eat balanced meals, get enough sleep, practice mindfulness, seek support, set goals, prioritize their tasks, manage stress, take breaks, build social connections, cultivate gratitude, laugh often, have fun, and remain hopeful about the future.
Some emotions are unavoidable, like loneliness, boredom, and fear. Instead of suppressing these feelings, they can try to understand why they feel them and how to deal with them.
They could acknowledge that they miss home, but focus on appreciating their comrades and fulfilling their duties. Or they could remind themselves that courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to face it head-on. The key is knowing when and where to let go of certain emotions without compromising their commitment to military service.
How do soldiers maintain emotional honesty while adhering to operational expectations of resilience?
Soldiers must balance their personal thoughts and feelings with the demands of military operations to maintain emotional honesty and resilience. This can be challenging as they may experience fear, stress, grief, guilt, and other complex emotions during combat situations. To manage these emotions effectively, soldiers must develop self-awareness, cultivate resilient coping mechanisms, and build supportive relationships with their fellow soldiers and commanders.