Summary: People send me books for review on a semi-regular basis. I wouldn’t say that I get loads, but I certainly get more than I did before I was a blogger. It’s one of the perks of the gig. I don’t make anywhere near the same money I did when I was an engineer, but I get books. You never really know what you’re going to get with a book, which is why we’re all advised not to judge them by their cover. I like most of the books I receive, but periodically one knocks my socks off. This was the case with Nurturing the Soul of Your Family, written by today’s podcast guest, Renee Trudeau. Renee is a mother, life balance coach and speaker, and her new book has really knocked my socks off. It contains 10 ways to reconnect and find greater peace in family life, and I’ve found lots of food for thought inside its covers. I think that every parent can tell you that family life can be hectic. I’ve found my busy-ness has only increased as my kids have gotten older. Now that they’re eight and four and a half, they have their own lives, with school and extracurricular activities and birthday party invitations. If I’m not careful, I get swept along with them, playing chauffeur and shuttling them from place to place. If you can relate to feeling stretched thin, over-scheduled, or just plain frazzled, you’ll want to listen to today’s podcast. During our conversation, Renee covered ideas like self-care, learning to cut yourself some slack, the overuse of technology, and finding your tribe. These are big concepts, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, or as if you don’t have time to consider them. However, she makes a very good case for how taking time to consider how you use your energy can actually free up time, instead of using more of it. If you can use more peace and connection in your life (and really, who couldn’t?), then I encourage you to take the time to listen to my podcast with Renee, and then see if you can get your hands on a copy of her book. I think there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy it as much as I have. I’m still deciding what I’ll be sharing next week on the podcast, but I can promise you that you’ll want to tune in. Subscribe to the Strocel.com podcast in iTunes, and you won’t miss a minute! Also, if you have a podcast idea, please share it with me. I’d love to hear your suggestions!
