The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...™

...as a Military Wife

As if the role of a wife weren't difficult enough. Some of the people making the biggest sacrifices in this country are the wives of our military men. Some of you are the wives of career military; others are just beginning this unique marital journey.

Share your experiences and the puzzles you've solved as a wife in the military; adjusting to the military lifestyle; dealing with TDYs and extended deployments, especially during these times of heightened security; keeping a sense of order amidst multiple moves; packing tips; dealing with pregnancy (or an adoption) while on the move or abroad; explaining moves and deployments to young children; keeping in touch with faraway family and friends; explaining duty and honor, danger and death, to children; keeping romance alive when you’re together again; dealing with death and moving on; transitioning back to civilian life; and so much more.

Share here the solutions that make military life work for you and your family. Or email them to use privately using the link at the top of this page.

Tell us which worthy non-profit should receive the donations from the sales of this title. We're considering the Fisher House Foundation (www.FisherHouse.org) and want more suggestions from you! Email us or post a comment today!

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as a Military Wife.

...as a Homeschooling Parent

A huge sacrifice, but with even bigger rewards. As parents, we want what's best for our children—in education, in opportunities, in relationships. Nothing can compete with a loving parent spending their time to nurture their own children through not only academics but character-building, life skills, and more, to shape a truly unique and capable young adult.

Share what you’ve discovered as a homeschooling parent and all the unique puzzles that involves: choosing whether to homeschool and for how long; choosing curriculum; scheduling multiple children and grade levels; dealing with the government; keeping the momentum; and more; this book will encourage and guide other homeschooling families—or those considering homeschooling—through unfamiliar, but very rewarding, terrain.

Share the solutions here that have made your homeschooling experience a success!

Submission deadline: Friday 11 December 2009

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as a Homeschooling Parent.

Donations from the sale of this book will be going to 
Homeschool Legal Defense Association
(www.HSLDA.org).

...for My Retirement

Have you already retired...or are you getting close to that Big Day? Share what you’ve discovered that has solved your retirement puzzle: choosing a financial planner; deciding when to retire; dealing with stock market fluctuations; dealing with health concerns and health care; planning ahead for the Big Day; making the most of those Golden Years; staying involved and keeping fit; your stories and solutions will give encouragement and guidance to people of all ages looking forward to leaving the traditional workforce.

Share your stories of success in planning for, and living, your retirement dream right here!

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...for My Retirement.

...for My Family

They're the most important people in the world to you. Families large and small are constantly changing and growing--adding babies, children leaving the nest (and returning again), elderly parents to care for, blended families. Share what you’ve discovered that completes the puzzle for you and your family: balancing work and home life; setting goals and priorities; scheduling everyone's activities; home/relocation decisions; blended families; multi-ethnic families; lifestyle choices; vacation challenges; family diet choices; dealing with illness or death; someone will benefit from hearing what works for you.

Share what you've discovered that makes your family tick!

Submission deadline: Monday 14 December 2009

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...for My Family.

The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...®

The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...® is an exciting new series of over a dozen books which are compilations of stories that outline the solutions people have found to a wide variety of personal or professional situations. It's a great way to share what you've learned and see what's working for others.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Donald Trump*: "What's the point of having great knowledge and keeping it to yourself?" We may not feel like we have 'great knowledge' to share, but the solution you found to a nagging problem in your life may be the answer someone else has been desperate for in their life. Don't keep your experiences in the School of Hard Knocks to yourself!

Consultants, Coaches, Speakers, Business Owners: Propel Yourself to Expert Status By Being Published!  Let's face it...authors enjoy an elite status in today's society. Advanced degrees are nice, and sometimes necessary, but when you can say, "I'm the author of...", you catapult to the level of 'expert' in the minds of your listeners. You become part of a group that receives special treatment sometimes far beyond that of degree-holders and even corporate executives. Click on Publish Me! in the right-hand column to learn how we can start boosting your visibility and professional credibility right now!

Authors: Increase Exposure (and Sales) of Your Book Exponentially! Congratulations on your book! Whether you were 'picked up' by a traditional publisher or self-published, you know that the work is just beginning to market that book...and the process will never end. Let us help you sell more books by increasing your exposure nationally, even globally, in a variety of unique ways. Click on the links in the right-hand column to find out how!

Readers: Searching for Solutions? Click on the links in the left-hand column to see what solutions other people have found to the problems you're facing...they may work wonders for you, too! And while you're there, post your own Smartest Thing solutions to help others who find themselves in the same situation.

* from the book Why We Want You to be Rich, by Donald Trump and Richard Kiyosaki.
 

...as a Parent

Long hours, no pay...huge rewards. That's a parent's job description, whether they're single or married, with toddlers or teenagers, working or staying at home, with athletes or wheelcare-bound. And, every day, every one of us finds new and better ways to handle the many facets of parenting. We can all use help in small ways as well as those 'big' situations--from sleeping through the night to sneaking out at night, from potty training to filling out college applications, from keeping the kids on schedule to keeping the romance in your marriage.

Share what you've discovered that makes you a better parent today than yesterday!

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as a Parent.

...as a Single Parent

Single parenting--it's the toughest but most rewarding job around. Being both mother and father to a child (or children) is tougher than it looks. If you've been handling your family's responsibilities single-handedly, no doubt you've discovered lots of tricks to making it easier...and no doubt that thousands of others would love to make their lives easier, too.

Share what you've learned to make this tough job less stressful and more successful.

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as a Single Parent.

Boost Your Visibility and Professional Credibility...Starting Now!

Let's face it...authors enjoy an elite status in today's society. Advanced degrees are nice, and sometimes necessary, but when you can say, "I'm the author of...", you catapult to the level of 'expert' in the minds of your listeners. You become part of a group that receives special treatment sometimes far beyond that of degree-holders and even corporate executives.

How would it feel to be a part of
the privileged and exalted group called Authors?

How much would your business or practice benefit from having a book working for you even when you're not there? Would your business grow faster if thousands or tens of thousands of people across the country, even the globe, knew about what you do?

Now is the time...and this is the place...to start boosting your visibility on a national scale and reaping the benefits of being introduced as "the Author of..."!

How can you gain national visibility right now? This blog is your first step. You can demonstrate your hard-earned wisdom and knowledge by sharing a solution you've found to a situation, a concern, a decision point, or a problem you encountered in your professional or personal life. A link to your website (you have one, don't you?) can be included with your posting, and that helps your site move up in the search engines. Take a look at the titles in the left-hand column and post to as many, and as often, as you like.

Your posts here will be considered for publication in our exciting new book series, The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...®   When your story is published in one of these books, you'll have a 100-word bio working for you in the hands of thousands and tens of thousands of readers...that's exponentially more valuable than just a business card. It's like getting thousands of dollars of free advertising for your business!

We have even more valuable opportunities to propel you into that elite group of people called Authors:

Learn how you can upgrade your status and visibility in the Smartest Thing™ books by clicking the Opportunities link in the right-hand column.

And take a look at our Marketing Yourself page for more hints on boosting your exposure both on- and off-line.

We look forward to working with you to boost the credibility, visibility, and worldwide exposure of you and your business!