Season 1, Episode 12

Unpacking Emotion: Retirement, Resilience and Rebuilding
with Genevieve Kruger
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Meet our Guest: 

Meet Genevieve, a newly retired military spouse of 17 years and mommy to two teen girls. Her husband retired last year with 22 1/2 years of Army service and they’ve made Huntsville, AL their permanent home. Genevieve is now learning all about her new home while working part-time as a Huntsville Visitor’s Center Assistant.

Show Notes:
In this episode of With Pride & Grit, Genevieve shares her personal journey of navigating the challenges of transition and re-entering the workforce after being a stay-at-home parent for 13 years. Genevieve opens up about the difficulties she faced, including the sudden passing of her uncle and the loss of her beloved cat, as well as her own major surgery and physical recovery. She discusses the importance of open communication and self-care, emphasizing the need to address the needs and expectations of both spouses during the transition. Genevieve also shares her experiences in finding support as a military spouse and offers valuable insights on seeking counseling, connecting with others, and actively pursuing resources and opportunities to make the most of this new chapter in life.
 
 
Genevieve delves into her personal relationship with her spouse, Chris, as they faced multiple deployments throughout their relationship. She highlights the challenges they encountered, such as unresolved issues and the impact of deployments on their connection. Genevieve shares her struggles in finding self-worth and showcasing her value in a career transition, as well as the decision-making process of settling in Huntsville, Alabama as their new home. With vulnerability and authenticity, Genevieve takes the listeners through her journey of healing, seeking counseling, and rebuilding her marriage. Ultimately, she offers hope and encouragement for others going through similar transitions, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness, self-reflection, and a steadfast commitment to personal growth.

One of the biggest things that surprised us is we talked about [that] part of it, but we didn't talk about maybe our expectations, our wants and our needs, because I don't think at the time we really knew what we wanted or what we needed.

Genevieve’s Top Transition Tip:

Communicate as best you can those expectations and those things that you are thinking…Communicate those things with your spouse as best as you can and really have those discussions and of course bring the kids in.

 

Resources & Mentions from this Episode:
 

We were pretty much in each other's faces all day every day. That's when things started to pop up that we realized there's parts of us we just don't know about each other.

Pride & Grit is a Trademark of Hinshaw Consulting Group, Inc 2018© and Pride & Grit Consulting, LLC. 2022© All rights reserved.

Pride & Grit is a Trademark of Hinshaw Consulting Group, Inc 2018© and Pride & Grit Consulting, LLC. 2022© All rights reserved.