Military E-zine Volume 3 – December 2001

Follow Your Dreams While You Follow the Military‘ written by military spouses for military spouses!
Kathie Hightower & Holly Scherer

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Welcome to your next issue of Follow Your Dream While You Follow the Military (formerly called Jump Into Life!)

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DO, GET, BE
The holidays are upon us - no doubt a busy time of year. Cards to be sent, the house to be cleaned and decorated, presents to buy & mail, turkey and trimmings to buy and cook, that festive table to set — the list goes on and on. While we're doing all this, sometimes we forget to be joyful. The list of things to do gets to us. We experience the holidays as a series of tasks, problems, chores, and steps. The focus is always on what we are doing and what we're going to DO.

I want to share something I once read in a book titled: Weekends: Great Ideas for Memorable Adventures, by Hanoch McCarty & Sidney B. Simon. This is something I have to reread each year. It's called the "Do-Get-Be" concept.

The authors suggest we ask a new question: "What do you want to GET from Christmas?" What a deceptively simple question! It gets right to the heart of what it is all about. We might say, "I want to get closer to my family. I want to create a joyous time that will build warm memories for all of us. I want my children to reconnect with our relatives and see the good people with whom they are connected. I want a time of peace. I want to be truly and humbly thankful for all the good in my life."
As we look at our frantic preparations, we need to ask ourselves, "Will rushing, bustling, getting nervous or being impatient get us all those things?" The answer is plain. No. We won't feel warm and close when we are rushing and frantic.

Here's the key question to ask yourself: "How do I have to BE in order to get what I want?" "What sort of being am I demonstrating?" "Which aspects of my personality should come forward?" To get closer to my loved ones during the holidays, I have to be calmer, warmer, friendlier -- more focused on the people I'm with and less on how well the dinner table looks. I have to go slower, be gentler, do more listening.

In our rush to DO, DO, DO, we forget what we really want to GET, and most importantly, how we have to BE in order to get it.

It is important for you to be clear in the beginning about what it is you want to get, so you can be the person who gets it. We are fully in charge of how we are in any experience.

As you begin to think ahead to the upcoming holiday season, I urge you to ask yourself: what is there to DO, what do I want to GET out of it, and how do I have to BE to get it? —Holly

Added note from Kathie: Tied in with that is choosing to spend the holiday based on what you and your family want, not on what you think you "should" want. Have a family meeting about what’s important, schedule those things in – and let go of the rest. For me, for example, that meant letting go of the "should" of getting annual cards and letters out in this busy time. I send my annual letter out in February each year when I have more time to enjoy doing it – and I know that my friends have more time than to read it than during this hectic holiday season.

A Follow Your Dream While You Follow the Military‘ Workshop at your post/base?
We do four-hour workshops for military spouses. Our latest were at Ft. Stewart, Georgia, in September.

Here are comments from Ft. Stewart spouses who attended: "I would tell other spouses this about your workshop: For anyone who is depressed, down, missing their spouse, it’s for them. For anyone not sure of what direction in life to take – career, hobbies, crafts, etc. – it’s for them. It’s a wake-up call. It lets you know you can do anything you desire and points out people who have." – Felicia Streeter It’s inspired me to get off the side of the road and start traveling in life again. Thanks for the Jump Start."

If you know someone who hires trainers for your base (often the Family Advocacy Office or ACS), send us a name and address and we will mail a full information packet. We’d love to come to your location.

Energy Tip: Try the 10-Minute Rule
One thing that often goes by the wayside during the holidays is exercise — just when we need that stress release and energy enhancer the most. Last December, I decided that after years of saying I wanted to do a daily yoga practice — I found a 1973 journal entry about this so it’s really been YEARS – I still wasn’t doing it. Why? Because that half hour to an hour or more just never seemed available to me. So I decided to commit to doing a minimum of 10 minutes of yoga stretches a day. Well, here it is almost one year later to the day. And I can report that I stuck to that commitment. And many days it really was only 10 minutes, sometimes split into five two-minute increments throughout the day. It’s amazing what even a few minutes of stretching and deep breathing — and pausing — can do for your stress and energy level. Try it right now. Stop reading. Take a deep breath and shrug your shoulders three times to the back and then three to the front. Simple – and effective.

Of course, many days that 10 minutes turned into 20, sometimes even 40. But that wasn’t the main reason for the commitment. I wanted a daily yoga practice – and I have one. Try your own 10 minute exercise routine during this holiday season. You might be amazed at the added energy. — Kathie

Looking for Stocking Stuffer or Volunteer Gifts or Office Gifts?
Check out these Fun Products — The Joyful Living Booklet and Simple Joys books are perfect sizes for stocking stuffers! To order any of these call Kathie TOLLFREE at 866-569-5695 or email or fax in an order— see contact info at the bottom. And, yes, I can take Visa or MC (does that make us professional or what?)

Creative Living Audio tape Set: (2tapes,120minutes) — on the joyful living concept &
goal achieving tools, tips & resources) $10

Your Enchanted Life: A Journal of Discovery & Delight (a play book full of
exercises & action steps) $18

Simple Joys: Little Things That Make a BIG Difference (a pocket-size book with
one idea per page) $6

Joyful Living Booklet (a booklet that can be mailed in a #10 envelope) $3

Magic Rainbow Glasses (see the good in Everything) $6

As Is pewter pins (Show the world you are already quite wonderful just the way you are – faults and all!) $25

As part of our research for the Follow Your Dream While You Follow the Military‘ book, we are collecting stories of women who have done just that — created a life, a program, a business, a career that allows them to pursue their passion as they live this military life.

Share Your Stories
We’ll share some of these stories in future issues. Do you have a dream to share? Either one you want help with or a success story to inspire other military spouses? Email us at kathie@jumpintolife.net (and you’ll get a free Joyful Living booklet in thanks for writing.)

Forward this Newsletter
Feel free to forward this newsletter to other military spouses. We are also happy to have you use any of the articles in your newsletters providing you ask us first and then provide us with a copy for our records and celebration!


Copyright 2001 Hightower/Scherer


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To print the PDF:
You will need Acrobat Reader — and Aladdin Extender if you get this as a .sit, which means you have an IBM-PC. These are free at
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html
http://www.aladdinsys.com/index.html
(It’s really an easy process but if it seems like too much trouble, just read on.)

Contact Us
Kathie Hightower & Holly Scherer
Follow Your Dream While You Follow the
Military Seminars
kathie@jumpintolife.net
2908 N. Warner Street, Tacoma, Wa 98407;
Tollfree866-569-5695;253-761-8161;fax253-759-4009
Or contact Holly directly in Memphis at 901-756-7391
or email her at schererjh@earthlink.net

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