Tomorrow, 11-11-11 is Veteran's Day here in the US. Its a day to remember and honor those who serve our country, the men and women who defend our freedom everyday; Our Armed Forces.
It doesn't matter which branch of the service these brave souls choose to serve in. They are all heroes.
But there is also another Veteran's Day hero who stays in the background, supports without question, sacrifices and keeps things running smoothly at home without complaining or even giving what they do a second thought.
I'm talking about the Military Spouse. These wives (and husbands) of Active Duty Military personnel are heroes in their own right. They put up with long deployments; time periods that can last from a few weeks to a few months and even longer.
They are left home alone to take care of anything from kids to car problems; from balancing a lean budget to fixing a leaky faucet. They do double duty; things that both a Mom and Dad, husband and wife would tackle together they do alone. How do I know?
Because I was one.
Not many people know this, but I was an Air Force wife for nearly 20 years. So when I tell you that I know what it's like to be the one left behind, to be the one who was both the Mom AND head of the house, I speak from experience.
I also know what it's like to want to be the supportive spouse and have a career of my own. One of the most difficult things about being "married to the military" is the uncertainty of knowing if you're going to be in one spot long enough to put down roots and establish yourself in a job, much less a career. It can be frustrating.
Military pay wasn't much then and it still isn't much. When a spouse works and has to pay child care, it almost doesn't pay to work. Until now.
When I was raising my kids, the internet as we know it today didn't exist. Back then it was Commodore 64's and DOS programs and blinking cursors.
Today, thankfully, the possibilities are unlimited. Any military wife with a laptop (or smart phone) and an internet connection can start and run her own successful business from home.
Some hot trends right now range anywhere from being a Virtual Assistant, to starting an e-commerce website to information marketing. Social Media Management and website content management for small (and some large) businesses can both be done from home and worked around kids schedules and TDY's. That's "temporary duty" (short assignments for a couple of weeks to a couple of months at a time) for any non-military folks. 🙂
There's almost nothing in business that can't accomplished over the internet. For military spouses, it levels the playing field in the job market like never before.
So to all the Military wives and husbands who think they may have to settle for whatever low paying job they can get, think again. You really can create your own business (and do what you love) using today's technology. Do some research. Find a business that really gets you excited…and will pay you what you're worth.
Dream again…you've earned it.
Are you or do you know of someone who's a Military spouse, Vet or service member? Please pass this along to them and as always, please leave me a comment below and let's talk. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Happy Veterans Day…I salute you.
Until then…
To Your Success,
Sonrisas(smiles),
Beth
