Instead of always wishing your life were different, what if you had the power to change what you dislike in a snap? All it takes is the right spirit and attitude, sprinkled with some daily gratitude. Start enjoying the ups and downs of your life journey by applying a few simple but revolutionary habits into your daily round. Learn what Deb, Carolyn and Heather have tried that truly helps make each day a bit of heaven. And don’t forget the chocolate!

Challenge: Start of daily Gratitude Journal. Get a beautiful notebook and a pen you love to write with and jot down a few things each day you can be grateful for. This simple task will change your life.

Recipe:

Brookies- by Leslie Knecht

Fudge Brownie Mix
Sugar Cookie Mix
Caramels
Milk

Mix up the brownie and cookie mixes in separate bowls. Grease a 9×13 pan. Pour in the brownie mix. Drop the cookie mix by big spoonfuls over the brownies. Bake following instructions on brownie box. Unwrap and melt caramels, mix in 2-3 T milk and stir until smooth. Pour caramel over cooled brownie/cookie mix. Serve alone or with ice cream. YUM!

Resources:

‘Little House in the Ozarks, A Laura Ingalls Wilder Sampler, The Rediscovered Writings’ edited by Stephen W. Hines.
‘Finding Joy in the Journey’ Ensign November 2009, Thomas S. Monson.
‘Simple Abundance’ by Sarah Ban Breathnach.

 

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Deb White, Heather Johnson, and guest host Kimberly Small (mother/attorney) talk about what it means to be a Patriot. Teaching your kids to develop love for their country.  Do simple things like teaching your kids ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ on a road trip, teach them how to fold the flag, send letters to people in the military. The importance of becoming involved in the community to have your voice heard!  A great show for the 4th of July season!

Listen to the whole show to get another great chocolate recipe!

 

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You have one constant address – the house you live in – your body.  Your body is the tool through which you do your life’s work.  How well are you keeping up on your “house work” and how are you taking care of your most important “tool”?  Heather and Deb explore the reasons we all know more than we do when it comes to caring for our bodies.  Eating was planned to be one of life’s sublime simple pleasures.  But if hunger is not the problem, eating is not the solution.  Hear some strategies for small changes that will help you eat when hungry, sleep when tired, and nurture yourself in healthy, fun ways that an M n M couldn’t hope to do for you!

Challenge:  Make small healthy changes and add new ones each week.  A power nap, drinking 6 glasses of water/day, switch to butter spray, try a new healthy food like quinoa or Greek yogurt, join a club that calls to you, take a class you’ve always wanted to try.

Chocolate Recipe:  Painted Apricots

½ cup finely chopped pistachios
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
24 dried apricots

Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl.  Hold apricots from one end and dip them one at a time into the chocolate, coating about ¾ of the apricot.  Dip the tip of the apricot into the chopped pistachios.   Place on a waxed paper coated cookie sheet and let set about 1 hour.  Can be stored in a container separated by waxed paper about 2 weeks in the fridge.

Resources:

Weight Watchers International 1-800-651-6000
www.awakensoulpurpose.com
Simple Abundance, Sarah Ban Breathnach

 

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Women are taking the business world by storm as they become entrepreneurs and begin to share their expertise and knowledge with the world. Guest hosts Mieka Barlow and Natalie Erickson join Deb and Heather and share their secrets to success in their Xocai healthy chocolate business. Learn about how to be successful in business and life with the three c’s: Consistency, Confidence, Commitment. Start something new, or be motivated to keep your business going with this fun and lively discussion. Who knew healthy chocolate could be such fun…and yummy!

Challenge: What do you want to be when you grow up? Start daydreaming and really let it fly. No matter your age you can start something new. Maybe you start your novel, hug you kids a little more often, start meditation daily, or apply for that small business loan. They sky is the limit. Go for it today!

Resources: www.womeninchocolate.com, Xocai Chocolate

 

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Listen to Heather and Deb as they ask “Whose problem is it anyway?”  Learn ways to keep the responsibility for the problems in life where they belong.  You don’t have to be the Manager of the Universe – Customer Service Department.  You can become a master validator instead.  Now that’s a load we can all carry with style.

Challenge of the week: Be on the alert for any problem hand-offs  this week.  Become aware of times when others try to get you to take their problem and make it your own or better still – times when you are trying to horn in on someone else’s problem.

Recipe:

Fast Fudge

4 ounces cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup chopped walnuts – optional

Mix ingredients in a Zip Loc baggie until well combined.  Flatten out in bag. Chill for 1 hour in fridge.  Eat and enjoy.

Book:      I Don’t Have To Make Everything All Better, Gary and Joy Lundberg

Making Love Work, Barbara DeAngelis

Love and Logic, Jim Fay

“The Mexican”, movie with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts

 

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Vacations are vital to your health and emotional well-being and you are worth it! Stop waiting and start balancing work and play–vacation now! Learn how to take care of yourself with vacations and time to relax and unwind. Special guest Travel Guru Leslie Knecht shares her favorite tips on affordable travel.

Challenge: Set up a travel account, sign up for travel websites, make a travel vision board and PICK A DATE!

References: citydeals.com, cruise.com, google.com to look for coupon codes, marriott.com, southwest.com -download the ding deals, about.com, AAA card

 

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If you are not yet, one day you’ll be an “Empty Nester”. Tune in as Deb shares her experience of renegotiating marriage after the kids are grown. Listen as the hosts talk about ways to prepare now by getting better acquainted with yourself, your partner, your interests and hobbies, and deciding to embrace whatever season of life you find yourself in right now.

Challenge: Write a letter to your husband or partner telling him all the wonderful things he does to make your life better. Really think outside the box and include everything you can to be grateful for about your spouse. Then give it to your partner and watch the sparks fly!

Spray the inside of a mug with cooking spray.  

Combine well in mug:

2 TBSP Fat Free Brownie Mix

4 TBSP Water

Cook on high for 1 minute in microwave.

Let cool.

Top with Fat Free Caramel or Chocolate Syrup and Cool Whip.

 

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Don’t make the kind of resolutions this year that 30 percent of us break by the end of January.  Listen and learn how to make the doable kind like:  go to a movie once a week, gain weight, eat more ice cream, have friends over every month. Hear Carolyn’s story of losing herself in the “perfect life” and finding herself again as she creates a life of joy not perfection.

Challenge: Choose something significant to do for yourself each day for at least 15 minutes to create the life you envision. These may be things like writing, playing piano, going for a walk, meditating. Evaluate each night how well you did—but don’t beat yourself up if you only got in 5 minutes or none at all. Your goal is to take action! Start today!

 

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Welcome to C&C. Hear the hilarious story of how Confessions and Chocolate was named and meet the hosts, Deb, Carolyn, and Heather. Listen to Deb White’s inspiring story. Laugh and cry with us about her struggles and triumphs with weight-loss and how she discovered the power within, and how you can too.

Challenge: Who are you, really? Write down WHO YOU ARE. You can not identify yourself in relationship to another person (ie: I am Bobby’s Mom). Really explore who you are—this can be very revealing and help you define who you want to become.

 

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