Do you ever find yourself working harder and harder and getting less and less accomplished?  Feeling rushed with no time to breathe?  Maybe what you really need is to stop and sharpen your saw.  Sharpening your saw is different than merely taking a break or even going on a vacation.  That’s just putting the saw down.  When you put down a dull blade for a while, the blade will still be dull when you pick it up again.  Sharpening your saw is an active step to hone your skills, fill your reservoir, and recharge and refresh yourself.  Join Heather and Deb and their guest, Barbara Dunbar, Baby Boomer Coach and Realtor, as they discuss how Barbara sharpened her saw and the difference that has made in her daily life and for her future.

Challenge:  What does Sharpening Your Saw look like in your life? Here are some ideas: take a class, join a club, meditate, exercise, write, organize your home or office, go on a date with your sweetheart, improve your food plan, or have a deep and meaningful conversation.  Sharpening your Saw is not a once in a lifetime event – or even an annual event.  It can be daily or at least weekly – a time to stir your soul and give strength to your spirit.  Do it and do it often!

Recipe:
Nonfat Chocolate Sauce
Serve this chocolate sauce over fresh fruit, a frozen dessert, or a slice of bread. It will satisfy your most intense chocolate craving.
Yield: 8 servings
1/2 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee (optional)

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup brown sugar

In a small saucepan, combine the milk, coffee, and cornstarch and stir until the cornstarch dissolves. Stir in the cocoa and brown sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy. Set aside to cool. Use when cool or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Per Serving: 31 calories

 

 Part 1 [14:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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.

 

 Standard Podcast [15:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Whether you are dealing with a chronic health situation, or temporary but, or maybe expecting a baby or recovering from delivery, there will be times when you are NOT on top of things physically.  Then what happens to your well-orchestrated plan and the flow of your life when mom’s down and out?  How can we, as women, navigate these waters and keep them calm instead of dark and stormy?  Tune in as our host, Carolyn Pennington, relates her continuing trek towards health and teaches us strategies she’s learned to weather storms when mom is sick.

Challenge:  Gather things that give you a lift and place them in a drawer or box to bring out when you are sick or under the weather.  Include a favorite movie, a yummy chocolate, special notes from people in your life, a deck of cards, a special poetry book, scented lotion, a candle, soft bedsocks, and anything else that lifts your body, mind, and soul.  Add things to this collection when you are drawn to something that nurtures you.  And keep the chocolate well stocked!

Recipe:  Chocolate Smoothie

1 banana – frozen works great!
3 TBSP Cocoa Powder
1 can coconut milk – found in the Asian food aisle
2 TBSP Honey
2 cups ice cubes

Blend with the LID firmly in place!! Until smooth and frothy.

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

If you want to be a powerful and strong woman, the physical can’t be neglected. Our bodies were made to move and it can be fun! Coach Keena shares her experiences with triathlons and shares ideas on how to get started exercising. Her athletes are women from all walks of life; the soccer mom, business executive, single, married, non-exerciser, competitive athlete. She teaches us how to become and stay motivated to make movement part of our life, and that we are never too old to start learning something new…maybe even tap dancing at age 60! Listen as Heather, Deb and Coach Keena laugh and share ways to get you moving and having fun.

Challenge:
Set a movement goal. Decide one specific thing you can do this week to move more and with more joy. Register for a 5K race or even a full or half marathon! Book that biking tour in Italy you’ve dreamt about, take dance lessons with your husband, hire a coach to get you through your first triathlon. Start where you are and make your goal a reality!

Go to Coach Keena’s website at www.coachkeena.com. Check out her online training tools and live classes customized just for women. Take your training to the next level and maybe even become and IronWoman!!

Recipe:
Upside Down Chocolate Cream Pie from Hungry Girl
1 Jell-O Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding Snack
1 sheet (4 crackers) low-fat honey graham crackers crushed
2 T Cool Whip Fat Free

Line bottom of small dish with whipped topping. Even spoon pudding on top. Cover with crushed graham crackers. Voila!

Resources:
www.coachkeena.com

The Biggest Loser

www.hungry-girl.com

‘Running with Angels’

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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

 

 Standard Podcast [33:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Do you fit everyone into your schedule – except you?  Remember the oxygen mask instructions on the airplane – put your mask on first before you help someone traveling with you.  Why?  You are no good to anyone passed in the seat next to them!  You can’t pour from an empty pitcher.  God never meant for you not to get any of your own birthday cake.  He’s watching with great interest to see how you enjoy the blessings he creates for you every day – blessing for you, not just blessings to channel through you to others.  Just for you. Time for you, solitude to enjoy being born to this fabulous life.

Challenge of the week: Plan and carry out a 10-15 mini-vacation just for you several days this week.  Observe how your day goes.  The unexamined life is not worth living.  Examine yours today!

Recipe:

Personal Mug Triple Chocolate Cake   123 Calories and 2 Weight Watcher Points

2 TBSP Pillsbury Moist Supreme Reduced Sugar Devil’s Food Cake Mix
2 TBSP Cool Whip Free, thawed
1 TBSP FatFree Vanilla Yogurt
1 TBSP FatFree Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup

Stir Cool Whip and ½ the syrup and place in the freezer.  In a mug sprayed with cooking spray, mix cake mix and yogurt until smooth.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Spread chocolate mixture from freezer on cake and drizzle the rest of the syrup on top.  ENJOY!!

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

As a woman you play many roles each day. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and lose yourself in the attempt to juggle them all. How do you balance all your many roles, and is it even possible? Is balance in life a myth, or can we achieve peace? Learn specific ways to add depth to your time and enjoy the simple and stolen moments of happiness. Join your host Heather as she shares ideas about how to take back your power and find that elusive balance in your life.

Challenge: Today concentrate slowly on completing one task at a time, every hour of the day, until the day is over. You will gain the inner peace that comes from living fully in the present moment. I promise you will accomplish all you set out to do and need to do with much more ease, efficiency, pleasure, and satisfaction when you merge mind, body, and spirit with the task at hand.

Recipe: Yum Yum Brownie Muffins-Hungry Girl Cookbook (Listen to the show to get the recipe)

References: The 5 Laws That Determine All of Life’s Outcomes, Flylady.com, Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy

 

 Confessions & Chocolate Episode 007 [27:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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.

 

 Episode 001 - Powerhouse Women [32:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download