http://www.nurturinghope.com A free, simple and easy to use system to help you create a life of clarity, abundance and good health. Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:35:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Last week, I sent an email to the Nurturing Hope email list with a link to a survey with questions related to our thoughts about clutter and emotional eating. I was amazed at how many people took the time to respond -- thank you! One question asked, "What is the ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/feeling-overwhelmed/2009/03/ I adore soup. There is something so comforting about a big pot of hot soup on the stove, and my family always feels like they have had a "real" homecooked meal when it's a soup night. We make soup at least once or twice a week, especially in the winter. ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/easy-soup-recipes/2009/02/ Last year, I started going to the gym on a regular basis. At first I would go in the afternoon, but then I tried going to the gym in the morning and something really clicked. When I work out in the morning, I feeling of calm and relaxation ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/winning-breakfast/2009/02/ First off, I have to be honest and say that I'm not a crafter. My mom is a talented and sought-after artisan quilter and I grew up watching her acquire and stash lots of crafting supplies. Now that she is retired and free to quilt a LOT, the ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/decluttering-craft-supplies/2009/02/ [caption id="attachment_597" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Our Wedding - 2005"][/caption] This is really a Friday Fun post, but it's a day late :o) In my early adulthood I didn't have a clue about men or love.  I made a lot of bad decisions.  And then, shortly after I turned 30 I began adding Tweaks ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/husband/2009/02/ I started to avoid trans fats in 2004 and I believe that it has played a big part in improving my health.  Over time, as I gradually replaced or slowly eliminated the major trans fat culprits in my diet, I noticed that I was eating far less processed food -- ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/replace-trans-fats/2009/02/ Today's Monday Link Roundup centers around hoarding and decluttering.  If your home is seriously cluttered, beginning to declutter for 15 minutes per day is the single most effective tweak you can begin today to transform your life. What do I mean by "seriously cluttered"?  If you have areas of your home ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/monday-link-roundup/2009/02/ It's been a busy week! On Wednesday I was interviewed by the wonderful Kelly McCausey over at Moms Talk Network.  You can find the interview on the Moms Resource Blog. I talked about travel, my family and gave some advice for moms who are struggling with clutter and/or emotional eating.  Go have ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/moms-talk-network/2009/02/ [caption id="attachment_535" align="alignleft" width="173" caption="Jimmy Moore"][/caption] I have been a fan of Jimmy Moore for years now.  Jimmy and I have something in common.  Like me, he too was once super morbidly obese and he has lost an amazing 170 pounds.  His life's work is to show others how to achieve ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/treat-valentines/2009/02/ Not only is regular consumption of yogurt thought to be a positive factor for weight control but a recent report from a study that followed 80,000 people in Sweden tells us that people who eat yogurt every day are less likely to develop bladder cancer. This is another good reason to ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/yogurt-benefits/2009/02/ I have never in my life had a hair and makeup routine that stuck -- 99% of the time I have worn no makeup and my hair has been wash and wear.  This past weekend I took a few minutes to put on some makeup and straighten my hair (it ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/grooming/2009/02/ Happy Monday everybody! I hope you had a weekend filled with inspiration, relaxation and renewal.  As you start this week, take a moment to sit with yourself, breathe deeply, and tell yourself, "I am enough and I have enough."  Because you are and you do! Here are some web pages that ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/monday-link-roundup-9/2009/02/ I've put this off a long time!  The previous "now" picture you've seen here was from our first trip to Florence, Italy in December 2007.  I have spent my whole life being afraid of the camera, because for most of that time I was never happy with the images it ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/new-picture/2009/02/ It's so easy to focus on our shortcomings and ignore the amazing progress we make on this journey.  This is called discounting the positive, something a lot of perfectionists tend to do.  Many of us who clutter and emotionally eat definitely have perfectionistic tendencies.  I sure do! It's like a gift ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/progress/2009/02/ Ever since we moved to the small North African country of Tunisia last summer, I have been thoroughly enjoying eating Tunisian food, both at restaurants and at home.  I've also lost about 20 more pounds and I'm smaller than I have ever been since I was 21 years old!  I ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/mediterranean-diet/2009/02/ If you subscribe to the free Nurturing Hope newsletter you may have noticed that I frequently remind readers, "You are enough and you have enough!"  This is an affirmation that I was given by my wonderful life coach, Bill Baren. "I am enough and I have enough," immediately resonated with me.  ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/enough/2009/02/ If you are not already cooking at home most of the time, good news!  You have an opportunity to make a single lifestyle change that will have a huge impact on both your health and your financial wellbeing. It's counterintuitive, but the fact is that many (if not most) people who ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/cook-at-home/2009/02/ Ever since I was a kid, I have dreamed of travel.  I wanted to go to Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, South America.  I read travel guidebooks and magazines nonstop. Somewhere in the poverty and emotional struggle of my teen years and early adulthood the dream got buried under the clutter, the ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/dream/2009/02/ Today marks the beginning of Monday Link Roundup.  There are a lot of great blogs with useful articles and on Mondays I'll be sharing my favorites with you: 10 Cheap But Healthy Foods:  With food prices increasing and budgeting at the foremost of most people's minds, here are 10 easy-to-find foods ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/monday-link-roundup-02/2009/02/ The Mommy Bloggers Carnival, which is being hosted at SisterlySavings.net this month, featured my post about decluttering, 7 Steps to Declutter Your Home in 15 Minutes a Day .  Take a look at the Carnival for other interesting posts written by mommy bloggers including: Keeping up on Laundry Quick Fix and Money Saving Meals Lunch ... http://www.nurturinghope.com/mommy-bloggers-carnival/2009/01/