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When Joe Kramer received his medical discharge from the Army due to hearing issues, his decade-long dream of military service came crashing down. As a West Point graduate raised in a military family, the sudden transition left him experiencing what he calls "identity whiplash" - that jarring moment when the future you've envisioned disappears overnight.

What followed was a tumultuous journey through multiple civilian careers and layoffs, all while supporting a growing family including newborn twins. Rather than succumbing to bitterness or despair, Joe maintained a relentless optimism that ultimately guided him toward meaningful work aligned with his values. His story resonates with anyone facing unexpected career pivots or searching for purpose after a major life transition.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Joe reveals how he founded "Ruck On," an initiative that began as his personal fitness journey but evolved into a platform helping veterans reconnect with physical activity and personal development. By transforming military rucking into a civilian practice on his own terms, Joe rediscovered a piece of his military identity while reclaiming his personal agency. This became a powerful metaphor for his broader transition - taking familiar elements from military life but adapting them to serve his civilian goals.

Perhaps most valuable are Joe's three transformative practices for veterans in transition: reading ten pages daily, consistent journaling, and intentionally focusing on positives. His practical exercise of listing what you don't want and then flipping each item provides a roadmap for clarity when feeling lost. As Joe wisely notes, "People get hung up focusing on the negatives and what they don't want, and you just get more of that." His journey proves that with resilience and the right mindset, veterans can create fulfilling lives beyond service, choosing meaning over expectations.

Subscribe and follow @RuckOnVentures on Instagram to continue the conversation about finding purpose after military service. What transition challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?

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"The moment I handed over my M4—the weapon that kept me alive for a year through hell—I felt naked." These powerful words from US Army veteran Danny O'Neel capture the vulnerability many veterans experience when transitioning from combat to civilian life.

Danny's story begins with childhood trauma, continues through combat as a Fire Support Specialist, and transforms into a journey of healing that offers hope to struggling veterans everywhere. Scoring a 10/10 on the Adverse Childhood Experiences test before even entering military service, Danny carried psychological burdens that would later compound with combat trauma. After losing nine brothers during deployment and witnessing many more succumb to suicide afterward, Danny himself reached a breaking point.

"I didn't want to be an asshole anymore," Danny candidly shares, describing how pushing away loved ones and self-medicating with alcohol led him to attempt suicide. His awakening came with the realization that he needed to "unpack Pandora's box of trauma"—not just from war, but from his childhood as well. The process wasn't easy, but it transformed him.

Danny's approach to resilience draws from a powerful metaphor: when storms come, cows run and keep running, exhausting themselves as the storm follows. Buffalo, however, charge directly into the storm, getting wet and uncomfortable, but reaching sunshine much faster. This philosophy—facing challenges head-on rather than avoiding them—forms the cornerstone of Danny's recovery and his message to other veterans.

Today, Danny runs multiple businesses and nonprofits dedicated to veteran support, including Warfighter Overwatch. His journey from not wanting to live to helping others find their path demonstrates that healing is possible, even from the deepest trauma. His parting wisdom resonates with profound simplicity: "Resilience doesn't happen when it goes your way."

Want to connect with Danny's work? Visit warfighteroverwatch.org or find Kinetic Ink Tattoos and Kinetic Threads on social media to support veteran-focused initiatives that are changing lives one warrior at a time.

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Ever notice how easy it is to flip your lid when life gets overwhelming? In this powerful conversation, Mike Cole welcomes back retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tina Parker to explore the transformative shift from reactivity to creativity.

Tina vulnerably shares her journey through unimaginable challenges—losing her first child to stillbirth, facing cancer after her daughter's birth, and navigating divorce—and how these experiences taught her to choose creativity even in life's darkest moments. Rather than asking "why me?" she demonstrates how shifting the questions we ask ourselves can completely transform our experience.

The discussion reveals a simple yet profound framework anyone can use: Pause, Notice, Choose. Your breath becomes the bridge between reactivity and creativity, creating space for intentional responses rather than automatic reactions. This isn't about never experiencing difficult emotions—it's about recognizing we always have a choice in how we respond to them.

Perhaps most compelling is the understanding that our reactions send ripple effects—or as Mike puts it, "tidal waves"—affecting not just ourselves but everyone around us. When we react negatively to our children, partners, or colleagues, that energy spreads; when we respond consciously, that positive energy spreads instead.

For women in leadership particularly, this shift offers a powerful alternative to pushing against existing structures. Instead of exhausting ourselves fighting systems not designed with us in mind, we can create something new through a pull towards possibility rather than a push against resistance.

Ready to break free from reactivity and become the conscious creator of your life experience? This conversation offers practical wisdom for anyone seeking more balance, fulfillment, and authentic power in their daily life. Visit empowerperformancestrategies.com to continue your journey!

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