December 19, 2011

Hi {!firstname_fix}

Well, this is our newsletter *before* the holidays of lights that are coming up this week. Solstice, Chanukah, Soyal and Christmas. I love that so many of you are in the Holy Night class and are sharing. It certainly is bringing home to me the power of the light in the darkness. And by sharing the joys, it feels as if we are sending joys out into our little candles all across the world.

I have some exciting news about things that will be happening in the community. I have been approved by the State of New Mexico as a continuing education provider. This means that I will be able to offer CEU credit for those of you who need credits for licensure. This is from the NM Counseling and Therapy Practice Board. I will be designing new class material and structures for this and will keep you posted.

I am also revising my consultation practice to give you more flexibility and options so watch for that coming as well.

Finally, a reminder about ABQ Ranch. Don't forget that there is a pretty significant discount if you register before Jan 1.

There will be no classes beginning Wednesday, December 21, 2011.

These classes will begin Wednesday, December 28, 2011. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Using Radiant Resources (1 week) - is a free orientation for those of you who are brand new and would like to find your way around town. Come sit on the top of our double-decker bus for a guided tour. And even if you are not brand new, this is a really fun class to reconnect with all the treats of the community.

Napping Your Way to Radiance (2 weeks) - In writing the new book, I went back to the material we had developed before and took it way deeper. The information is so exciting, I thought you HAVE to hear the update. I have been doing what I will outline in the class and it is phenomenal.

Getting to Radiant Ranch (8 weeks) - is an ongoing 8-week class to provide skills, motivation and support in getting to Radiant Ranch. This class is especially geared to folks who are feeling that Ranch is too expensive for them and are baffled about how to find a way to do it. This is creative problem solving.

The class schedule is online. Click here to see what is planned.

A number of you have asked me how the classes work. Check the class list page for more information on this. And please go read the questions and answers before you write to me. If you have trouble getting through the process, write the tech forum.

Be sure to visit our Radiant Recovery website and Community Forum regularly.

Warmly,
Kathleen

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** Quote From Kathleen **


Once you find radiance, there is no going back.

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** Testimonial of the Week **


Hi,

Now I have gotten to thinking about the "new" things I like about celebrating Christmas.

Mommy/grandma no longer has "melt downs" on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Planned snacks are the order of the days for the next two weeks. I want to have tons of energy and no blood sugar crashes.

I will have a celebration meal that is SARP friendly.

If it snows I will be outside playing with the grands.

I enjoy finding new foods for everyone to enjoy with me.

I have more energy to go out shopping and doing some of the cultural things the city has to offer.

If there is something that I don't enjoy I have no problem saying "count me out."

When I am tired I just go to bed. If there are things left to do and I don't get to them, than so be it.

I really enjoy seeing all the Christmas lights in the neighborhood.

I don't miss all the pain from eating Christmas "treats."

Everyone will eat a SARP Christmas breakfast. I want my grandsons to enjoy the day without being little ss grumps.

Hugs,
Ann

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** Radiant Ambassadors **


I saw somebody's tag line in their email the other day and it did make me smile:

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.

From The Tao of Pooh, by Benjamin Hoff, Ernest H. Shepard (Illustrator). Viking Press, 1983.

I think that's just perfect for a Radiant Recovery-related tag line, don't you? :)

Can you think of any others that you might like to include?

Let me know!

Selena
selenas@blueyonder.co.uk

Come join us if you are excited about spreading the news.

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** How I Found Radiant Recovery **


Hi, my name is Jo Steen and I am 57 years old. Like most of you I've been addicted to sugar all my life (my father was an alcoholic). I've been on Weight Watchers since last February and have lost around 15 lbs., but the past few months I've been going up and down the same 2-3 lbs. and realized that it was because of my sugar addiction. I've listened to some other health coaches and their solutions to this problem but didn't really think their solutions would work for me.

I found Radiant Recovery while googling sugar addiction like so many of you. I got the book and the brain chemistry part really resonated with me. I also got the CD set so I could listen to Kathleen speaking about the steps to reinforce the ideas. I've been on Step 1 for 9 days now and have started reading Step 2.

I've been poking around in the website but took the class so I could learn more about the resources there.

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** Radiant Recovery® Store **


David manages the Radiant Recovery® Store. He is also Kathleen's oldest son.

Gretel wrote and asked me to send a George's® Restore Subscription to her niece who is pregnant and having some morning sickness. I thought what a fabulous idea and asked her if I could share that with you. We have a number of parents, grandparents and supportive friends who are doing this for people as gifts. And I can set this up for you as a Christmas gift and send a card to your person. If it goes out on Monday, it will be there in time for Christmas. Just put the information into the notes section of your order. And remember that I actually can do this for any of our products. We have one person who sends fish oil to her granddog every month, LOL. I am a willing a creative kinda guy.

I hope you all have a happy holiday season.

David

Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better.

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** Radiant Kitchen **


Leftover Turkey Tortilla Soup
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 Tbsp chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 quart chicken, turkey or veggie broth
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 cups shredded or medium-diced leftover roast turkey
  • 1-1/2 cups medium-diced fresh or canned tomato
  • 1 cup thawed frozen corn
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Garnishes:
  • Tortilla strips or corn chips
  • 1/2 lime, cut into wedges
  • 1/2 to 1 ripe avocado, medium diced
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 3 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 Tbs. sour cream, or to taste (optional)
Heat the 2 Tbsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until softened and just beginning to brown. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, until the broth some.

Add the chili powder and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 15 to 30 seconds. Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan with the spoon to loosen any cooked-on bits.

Add the turkey, corn and beans and heat through.

Serve in bowls with toppings as desired. Top with warm tortilla strips or save time and use corn chips.

For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site.


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** Radiant YLD **


I know you are holding steady and thinking about how to get set for your new year resolutions. I have put together a new weight loss journal for myself and hope to share that with you all soon. It really helps me get focused and to be able to track what I am doing - especially the progress.

If you would like to join, come find us here

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** Radiant Conversations **


We have a new portal for the Conversations program. Come check it out here.

I am still astounded about how clear and open you are as we explore all those topics that are not really *food* things, but flow from our recovery. I look forward to these chats each week sort of as *dessert.* (smile)

If you would like to join us, you can do that below.

Join YLD Weight Loss Now: click here - $99

Join Conversations 2011 Now: click here - $99

Join Both YLD and Conversations Now: click here - $149

Current YLD members wish to Upgrade to Both, click here - $49

Current YLD members who wish to Transfer to Conversations 2011 Only can do so for a $14.99 admin fee: click here

If you are not a member, come and join us if you want to be a part of the latest and greatest or just have some plain ol' fun!

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** Our Online Groups **


The Radiant Step One list is a great place to learn the nuances of breakfast, build a strong foundation for the rest of the steps, and find how helpful it is to share our journey with others. It is great for new people and those who have been on the program a long time. Sharing helps everyone.

The awesome thing is we all, Step 1 or Step 7, eat breakfast every single day. How cool is that?

We'd love it for you to sign up. We love new members!

Or come to the group page to find the one that will best support your program: http://www.radiantrecovery.com/list_serves.htm


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**Season's Greetings from Kathleen **
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.



Well, it is that time of year. Days are dark early, morning is dark late. Lots of black sky and going inward.

For many years I have tried to reconcile the growing use of 'Happy Holidays' as a way to be inclusive. But I have felt a loss of hearing 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Chanukah'. I have resented losing the tie to unique celebrations for this time of year.

Naomi sent me a web link to a little clip about miracles. Chanukah is the celebration of a miracle, of sustained light. Light which endured and grew. And I have always felt that Christmas was not about the “stuff” so much as the generosity of heart and seekers being guided by the light to a promise of something new. And Soyal has always been close to my heart.

So this year, I want to share some thoughts about the miracle of healing, the miracle of a light shining in the darkness of addiction and sugar sensitivity.

Every day I receive letters from people saying, 'I have looked for this answer for years and years.' 'Are you sure this can be true?' '“I feel as if my heart is opened up.' 'I felt as if you were reading my life story.'

I come to the lists and I hear you talking about new ways of doing your life. Early struggles with breakfast, midtime struggles and joys with meals, playing with potato dreams, taking the risk of letting go of sugar and all that surrounds it. And then there are the stories of the healing, what happens after a year, two years and now five years.

The other shoe does not drop. It does not go away. Baby steps become habits. Habits become a rock solid foundation. Desperation becomes hope. Flapping becomes humor. Isolation becomes connection. Panic becomes commitment. Over and over and over. It is not an accident, it is not an isolated personal experience, it is what happens when we do the food and we do the process.

Fifteen years ago, I took everything I had and laid it on the line because of my passionate belief in this program. I felt it was a light of healing risking all of me for. It is. But today I want to share what has become of that light. Here is a little story to show you.

Each morning, before the sun is up, I sit and meditate. I light one little candle that illumines a picture of the one who guides me, and a little image of a rabbit with a bowl with two eggs in it. The rabbit represents me coming with my little offering. It is a very simple ritual. This week was a VERY dark time in my life. A dear friend sent me a little tea candleholder. She didn’t 'know' anything about what I was going through. It was a gesture of the season. It holds six candles. Hm, I thought, let’s use this one in the morning. I lit all the candles and the whole room was lit up. I could SEE everything. The rabbit, the eggs, the whole picture. Not just a dim image, but a bright reminder of why I do all this.

One person brings a little light. Six make more. And as we grow from ten to a hundred to a thousand to ten thousand to the thirty thousand who receive this newsletter, we are creating a light of healing. Do not think this is just your story. If you are here, if you are receiving this newsletter, you are linked to something way more than just you.

It is like the candles of Chanukah. One becomes many and keeps burning. And when the lights are burning, we can see in the darkness. So, I would like to invite you to take a little time. Give thanks for your commitment, for the connection that sustains us. Give thanks for the process that guides me to guide you. Give thanks for the lonely, isolated person in Ogden, Utah who found the book in a used book bin and came on line to meet us.

From the bottom of my heart, I give thanks for you all. Your candle is lighting another.

I wish you the deepest blessings of the season.

Kathleen


Here are the folks who are helping put the newsletter together:

Gretel, our webmaster, puts it all together.
David runs the Radiant Recovery® Store.
Selena provides the weekly Ambassadors column.
Gail provides our weekly recipe.


©2011 Kathleen DesMaisons. All rights reserved. You are free to use or transmit this article to your ezine or website as long as you leave the content unaltered, use this attribution: "By Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. of Radiant Recovery®", and notify kathleen@radiantrecovery.com of the location. Please visit the Radiant Recovery® website at http://www.radiantrecovery.com for additional resources on sugar sensitivity and healing addiction.

You are getting the weekly newsletter from Radiant Recovery® in response to your signup. A copy of this newsletter may also be found posted on the web at http://www. radiantrecovery.com/