Meet Dallas Knight

 

We recently connected with Dallas Knight and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dallas, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My purpose emerged from a deeply personal journey to heal from layered traumas and eventually facing my military career. In 2021, I found myself in a dark space and embarked on a healing journey the following summer. As part of this process, I revisited a journal I kept during my 2003 deployment to Iraq, which had been untouched for years. Over six months, I painstakingly read, processed, and digitally transcribed 89 journal entries. This act of confronting my past eventually led to the publication of ‘Shattered Reflections: A Female Soldier’s Unveiled Truth.’ The relief and clarity that came with sharing my story felt like a breath of fresh air.

Through this experience, I realized that there must be others like me—women who feel stuck, unheard, and unworthy, yet who have stories that need to be told. This realization led to the launch of the (not so) Average Jane Podcast in October 2023, where I’ve had the privilege of sharing the stories of other female combat veterans. After recording just four episodes, a conversation with one of my guests about the lack of resources for women like us inspired me to take action. When I couldn’t find the support we needed, I decided to create it myself, and thus the (not so) Average Jane Retreat was born. This five-day retreat focuses on three pillars: holistic therapies, feminine self-care, and building a strong, supportive community.

Just recently, on July 27th, we held our first annual fundraiser to benefit these women and the retreat. My purpose now is to serve my sisters in arms—those who feel lost, unheard, broken, or alone. I’ve been in that dark space, and I know the importance of helping others find their way out. My mission is to support as many female veterans as I can, with a special focus on those who have faced combat.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am the author of Shattered Reflections: A Female Soldier’s Unveiled Truth, a deeply personal account drawn from the journal I kept during my 2003 deployment to Iraq. This book offers a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the mind of a 19-year-old girl navigating the complexities of war in a foreign land. It’s a narrative that I believe everyone should experience, as it sheds light on the profound and often overlooked realities of young soldiers in combat.

In addition to my work as an author, I host the [Not So] Average Jane Podcast, available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. This podcast amplifies the voices of female combat veterans, sharing their stories of resilience, struggle, and triumph. Each episode is a testament to the strength and perseverance of women who have served in the military, offering a platform for their stories to be heard and understood.

Currently, I am in the process of establishing a nonprofit organization that will serve as the driving force behind the [Not So] Average Jane Retreat. This retreat is designed as a sanctuary for female veterans, focusing on holistic healing, feminine self-care, and the creation of a supportive community. We are actively fundraising and forging partnerships with like-minded organizations to bring this vision to life.

What excites me most about this work is the opportunity to create meaningful change and provide much-needed support to women who have given so much in service to their country. All profits from my book directly support the retreat, and the podcast serves as a powerful tool to give our women warriors a voice. The [Not So] Average Jane Retreat will soon offer a safe haven where these incredible women can find healing, connection, and empowerment.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three most impactful qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge in my journey are resilience, perseverance, and resourcefulness. These attributes have shaped my path and driven me to overcome challenges and turn obstacles into opportunities.

For those early in their journey, my advice for developing or improving resilience, perseverance, and resourcefulness is to leverage every experience—whether good, bad, or indifferent—as a chance to learn and grow. Embrace your past and your failures, and seek out the lessons they hold. Personal growth often comes from the most unexpected places, so remain open to expanding your horizons and evolving as a person.

Never give up. There’s always a way forward, even if it doesn’t align with your initial plans or expectations. When faced with setbacks, get creative, think outside the box, and tap into your resources and network. Finding a mentor for every aspect of your journey can provide invaluable guidance and perspective. Surround yourself with people who support and inspire you, and don’t forget to celebrate every victory along the way—especially the small ones. These moments of triumph, however minor they may seem, are the building blocks of your continued success

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

The most impactful person in helping me overcome challenges and develop essential skills has been my holistic therapist, Heather McAbee. Heather has guided me through deep healing, allowing me to embrace my past while uncovering the wisdom within each lesson. We often focus on maintaining our physical health through diet and exercise, but caring for our minds is just as crucial.

In my experience, therapy is an invaluable tool—a way to tune up, reset, or download fresh perspectives for our mental well-being. I believe that everyone can benefit from therapy; it’s a lifelong resource that fosters growth and resilience. Finding a therapeutic approach that resonates with you can be transformative, and I encourage others to make it a staple in their journey to success.

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Image Credits

Arica Lipp

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