I skipped Military Influencer Conference this year. Here is why:

 

I'm Rob Garcia, a veteran magazine owner and visibility consultant. This year, I was scheduled to attend Military Influencer Conference in Las Vegas. Its an amazing event that brings veterans together from around the country. I went to one a few years ago and it was life changing. 

As the date approached, I started to realize that several events were starting to appear around the same timeframe and eventually it got too intense. 

I had a sleep deprived nervous breakdown in 2018 after a combat support deployment and my mom's death halfway through it. I walked out of my job on my 5th day and ended up in a park crying under a tree. I started to recognize symptoms of overload. 

*An Air Force PT test  was due by Oct 23rd that would require me to drive to base on a Sunday and lose weight before it so that I could run at a decent pace

*MIC itself, a five hour drive, taking me offline for business for four days. Gas and Air B and B costs.

*Put in charge of a 120 person social for my Reserve unit requiring donations, logistics, coordinating 30 people scattered around the country

*Being named a co host at a large business event in San Diego 

*A last minute print request for my magazine that cost me hundreds of dollars, required 2 designers and 20 hours of unpaid work 

All of this is on top of running a bi monthly magazine, 3 FB groups, a press release agency, and having a full portfolio of clients. 

I have had WEEKS of anxiety, sleep issues, and even weight gain from juggling all this in my head. 

I finally made the decision to cancel my MIC trip. It was just too much on my plate and its important to know limitations. 

Veterans are awesomely resilient. They push through when the country needs us and perform at amazing levels. That being said, this isn't an urgent combat situation. People shouldn't be giving me shit for saying, "ENOUGH" Veterans shouldn't be writing me telling me how soft the Air Force is, and that I'm breaking up business relationships by not going. (That person apologized later, which I appreciate.)

I will not apologize for putting my own mental health and life first. I think more veterans should forgive themselves and move on. There will be other events. Right now, I'm in a better place and I'm happy for my friends that CAN attend. I'll be back soon but right now, it's just too much. 

Rob