The Myth of “Normal”

You may hear it often:“

Things will go back to normal soon.”“Just waiting for things to feel normal again.”

But what does “normal” even mean when your life operates in constant motion, unpredictability, and high stakes?

For Special Operations families, the idea of “normal” can feel like a moving target—or a story written for someone else’s life.

What if we released the expectation of normal altogether?

What if we accepted that our rhythm is different—and that’s not a problem to be solved, but a truth to be honored?

“Normal” often implies stability, routine, predictability. But those aren’t always accessible in this life. What is accessible is presence. Attunement. Adaptability. The ability to say, “This is where we are right now—and that’s okay.”

Today, allow yourself to stop chasing normal and instead choose what’s nourishing:

• A moment of laughter, even if it’s brief.

• A small win, even if no one else sees it.

• A deep breath that doesn’t fix everything but reminds you that you’re still here.

  
  

You are not behind. You are not broken. You are simply navigating life with grace in the midst of complexity.

And that’s far more powerful than anything “normal” could offer.