When you first enter into the military, there’s no doubt that you have plenty of dreams and aspirations that you want to follow during your time in service. It can seem like you have all the time in the world as you fill those years, but time has a way of sneaking up on people and passing a lot faster than you realize. Suddenly before you know it, your time in the military is close to ending and it’s time to start preparing for life after the military.

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed and confused as to what the next steps for you should be, these tips can help you to prepare.

Ask Yourself What it is You Feel Passionate About?

Obviously, the first thing on your mind is most likely what job you’ll do after the military. Everyone needs to make money in order to survive and pay their bills, but ideally, you’d like to do so in a job you actually enjoy and feel passionate about. So, what are you good at, what are your interests, what would your skills and experience best be applied to? These are the types of questions you can be asking yourself in order to dig deeper and come up with answers.

There are also plenty of military friendly colleges online that offer excellent transfer policies that will take into consideration your training, experience, and even any course work you did through the military. Some even provide discounts for active duty service members, so that you can pursue your career dreams at a more reasonable cost.

Find Those that Can Act as References and Recommendations Moving Forward

This is also the time to start gathering names and contact details for people who can act as references and offer recommendations in the future. You never know when you may need someone like this to help you snag your dream job.

Look for a Place to Live

If you have been living on a military base, it’s also time to start thinking about where you will live once your service has been completed. Do you want to remain in the same city or town, or are you ready to move on? The decision on where you plan to live is often based on job opportunities, the cost of housing, being close to family and friends, and if you have a family – being close to a good school district.

Embrace Your Value

Finally, you want to be sure you truly embrace and understand your true value. Think of all the lessons and skills the military has taught you, and the way it has made you a more confident and stronger person in general. These are the kinds of things that employers will most certainly be looking for and believing in yourself is something that will take you far in life.

Life After the Military is an Exciting Adventure

So, whether your time is ready to come to a close, or you still have a bit of service left to complete, it’s never too early to start thinking about your life outside of the military and the kind of direction you want to take.