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Elaine Dumler - [email protected] - 866.780.0460

Issue 28 - Aug 2011

In This Issue
Free Shipping Special
"I'm having a bad day!"
Warriors Speak
Book #1 to get a facelift
Connection ideas for Back to School
 
I'm Already Home... Again
I'm Already Home... Again
 
The Road Home
The Road Home
 
Pocket Flip Tips
Pocket Flip Tips
 
Quick Links...
Elaine Dumler
6460 W. 98th Court
Westminster, CO 80021
866-780-0460 - phone
303-430-7679 - fax
 
Item_1SPECIAL - No Shipping Charges for ANY product orders of ANY SIZE placed from now through September 30, 2011! You can access our current quantity discount pricing schedule by clicking here. Free shipping is limited to orders shipped to addresses within the continental United States. This special includes orders placed through the website (www.ImAlreadyHomeAgain.com), by email ([email protected]) or over the phone (toll free 866-780-0460). Place your fiscal yearend orders early to ensure shipping from stock on hand.

Dear Newsletter Buddies,

 

Guess what...the summer is almost over and soon the kids will be back in school...if they aren't already! We've been out of touch the past couple of months but that's about to change. WE'RE STILL HERE...and ready to serve all your deployment and reunion needs. Enjoy this issue, learn something and be ready for a great year ahead. - Elaine

 

Item_1I'm having a bad day!

I was talking with a colleague earlier today, lamenting about how I really wasn't "in the mood" to write my column for this newsletter. I was having a "bad attitude" day, trying to get back into work after vacation, dealing with some family issues, and yet needing to be upbeat and positive as I put my thoughts into this article. It felt like an internal tug-of-war.

 

Being self-employed presents some unique challenges. We are in charge of accounting, marketing, promotion, creative development AND presentation of our product. Often we don't have time for our personal lives to "intrude." Then, all of a sudden, we feel overwhelmed. Have any of the rest of you had this challenge? Or is it just me!

 

So I asked my colleague, "How do you keep up the happy face even when you don't feel like it?" And he replied, "You know, sometimes you don't." THAT was what I needed to hear...that it was ok to be "down" occasionally, but then we need to remember to get back "up." So I began talking with others about how they renew themselves so they can bring a better attitude to their work and family. Here are some ideas I heard:

  • When traveling either personally or to family conferences/work events, don't feel you need to network or talk with others (strange for ME to say). Instead, take a book and start reading as soon as you sit down. Immerse yourself into being alone for the trip. TIP: take along different types of reading like serious, inspirational, light and even trashy. You don't know what you'll be in the mood for.
     
  • Throughout the year set aside some personal time, alone, to allow yourself to recharge and reflect. I'm heading to a 3-day conference right here in Denver and I'm going down the evening before and check in early. Then I'll put pajamas on, pour a glass of wine and curl up in bed to watch TV. Sometimes you have to MAKE your alone time.
     
  • Journal. Buy yourself a nice one to record your thoughts and let your creativity flow. Sometimes when you do a "brain dump" of how you feel, it helps relieve the stress.
     
  • Keep a "feel good file" with all the notes, cards, letters and emails you receive where people have told you how great you are. When you're down, spend 5 minutes with this file and you'll rediscover what a gift you are to others.

Finally, never forget the special opportunity that being part of a military family provides. You all have unique thoughts, ideas and information to share with other military families. You can also educate civilian families about the value of being part of the military. You have the freedom to share appropriate experiences and feelings with your peers and others. The result is that they will learn from you and use your experiences to improve their lives. It's the freedom of "giving away" some of yourself.

 

Now THAT'S a gift!

 

Item_2Warriors Speak

Wounded Warriors speakEarlier this month I attended the national convention for the National Speakers Association and had the chance to spend good quality time with the four gentlemen who are out there speaking on behalf of the Wounded Warrior Project.

 

Wounded Warriors speakYes, I'd briefly met them at conference trade shows in the past, but never had the time to learn so much about what they do. They are amazing! I will be supporting them as much as I can and placing informational brochures in all book orders we send out from here. I spent most of my time with Jeff and he's available to come speak for free at your programs. Contact him, or just learn more about the speaker's bureau at: warriorsspeak.org/Jeffery. Tell him Elaine sent you! 

 

Item_2I'm Already Home...Again book to get a facelift

Soon we'll be ready to reprint I'm Already Home...Again and it will go through an update with some new material and possibly a new cover. This edition will be ready just as soon as we determine how many we'll need. It would be helpful if you could look at your yearend orders to determine the numbers of books we'll be needing to fill those orders. This will give us a good idea of when we need to go back to press. Also a reminder that I'm Already Home...Again is available as a Kindle ebook, and soon to be available for the iPad and Nook. As always, if you have any connection ideas that you'd like to have considered as a part of the revised edition, email them to me at [email protected].

 

Item_2Connection ideas from "the best of..." The Road Home book Back to School
  1. From a deployed dad: "I bought postcards and mailed them to my kid's classrooms. They loved that! The teacher allowed them to read it to the class, or if they were too young, she read it for them. I addressed the card to the class and not just to my child. I also mailed each of my children a postcard to our home so they could receive mail just from me."
     
  2. "During the school year, the kids kept a box of all their artwork and school papers to show me when I got home." The box can be decorated with pictures of you and them. Do it together before you leave.
     
  3. When you return home, let your child take you into school for "show and tell." This gives the kids a chance to ask you questions about what you do and makes your child proud. As a side benefit, you get the chance to dispel inaccurate information that may have crept up in their minds.

Have a great month and thank you for all you do!!

Elaine, Larry and Tammy

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"Excerpted from Elaine Dumler's Newsletter and used with permission. For additional relevant content visit www.ImAlreadyHome.com"