Country Proud Living Nurturing Home, Empowered Self

LoriLynn Olafson Uter
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Home & Garden
  • Updated Weekly

Country Proud Living is a podcast for someone who longs for a slower, more intentional life and a home that truly supports who they are becoming. Rooted in the warmth of country living, this show blends interior design inspiration, color confidence, and gentle life guidance to help you create nurturing spaces that feel welcoming, meaningful, and lived-in.  "Where nurturing spaces empower your life and every day feels a little more like home."       Hosted by certified interior designer and design-life coach LoriLynn, each episode offers encouragement, practical design wisdom, and soulful conversations that empower you to begin where you are — whether you’re refreshing a room, cultivating a cozy sanctuary, or simply seeking more peace and purpose in everyday life. You’ll find inspiration for creating a home you love, while also nurturing your mindset, wellbeing, and sense of belonging. If you crave a home that feels like a hug, believe your surroundings shape how you feel, and love the charm of country-inspired living, Country Proud Living is your weekly reminder that you are worthy of a beautiful life — and a home that feels a little more like you.

  1. 5d ago

    Ep.127 Design a Home That Feels Like You: How to Choose Colors, Finishes & Materials with Confidence

    Welcome to Country Proud Living "Where Nurturing Spaces Empower Your Life and Everyday Feels a Little More Like Home."  ✨ Have you ever loved a paint color, cabinet finish, tile, or piece of furniture—until you started looking at what everyone else was choosing? Suddenly you're scrolling Pinterest and Instagram, questioning your decisions and wondering: Is this still in style? Am I choosing the wrong thing? Will I regret it? In Episode 127 of Country Proud Living, Certified Interior Designer LoriLynn explores how to choose paint colors, finishes, materials, cabinetry, flooring, countertops, lighting, and home décor with greater confidence—without allowing trends or other people's opinions to drown out what you actually love. Because great interior design isn't about creating the home everyone else wants. It's about creating a home that feels like you. And underneath all those design decisions is something even more meaningful: self-trust. Every time we trust ourselves enough to choose what genuinely feels right—whether it's a paint color, a career decision, how we spend our time, or the people we invite into our lives—we practice becoming more confident in who we are. Country Proud Living is a podcast for women who want to create nurturing homes, live with greater intention, embrace personal growth, and cultivate a life they're truly proud to live. 💛 🌿 In This Episode How to stop second-guessing your interior design choicesWhy inspiration is helpful—but imitation can lead us away from our own styleHow to determine how you want your home to feel before choosing how it should lookWhy there is no universal “perfect” white, neutral, green, or paint colorHow lighting, undertones, cabinetry, flooring, and surrounding materials affect colorHow to coordinate wood, stone, tile, metals, countertops, and other finishesWhy everything in a room doesn't need to compete for attentionHow understanding basic design principles can actually give you more creative freedomWhy your home doesn't need to fit neatly into one decorating styleThe difference between timeless design and trend-driven designHow creating a home that feels like you can become an exercise in self-trust💛 Favorite Quotes “Decorating is autobiography.” — Gloria Vanderbilt A beautifully simple reminder that our homes tell our stories—where we've been, what we value, what brings us comfort, and what we find beautiful. “I believe in doing the thing you feel is right. If it looks right, it is right.” — Dorothy Draper, legendary American interior designer Draper was known for confident, personality-filled interiors and certainly wasn't afraid of bold choices—making her words a perfect reminder that timeless design doesn't have to mean safe, beige, or without personality. 📚 Books Mentioned The New Design Rules: How to Decorate and Renovate, from Start to Finish — Emily Henderson with Jessica Cumberbatch Anderson A practical interior-design resource covering the principles behind successful rooms, including scale, proportion, materials, lighting, renovation, and function. Understanding the “why” behind good design can give you more confidence to make choices that ultimately reflect who you are and what you love. Purchase or explore: The New Design Rules — Penguin Random House Make Yourself at Home: Design Your Space to Discover Your True Self — Moorea Seal Part design book and part exploration of self-expression, Make Yourself at Home encourages you to discover the colors, objects, rooms, and ways of living that feel authentic to you rather than forcing yourself into one rigid decorating category. Purchase or explore: Make Yourself at Home — Penguin Random House 🏡 LoriLynn's Design Confidence Filter Before choosing your next paint color, countertop, cabinet finish, flooring, tile, light fixture, or piece of furniture, ask yourself: Do I genuinely love this—or have I just seen it everywhere?Does this support how I want my home to feel?Does it work with the architecture and other materials already in my home?And perhaps the most revealing question: Would I still love this if I had never seen it on social media? Those questions can help turn hundreds of beautiful possibilities into a smaller collection of choices that actually belong in your story. 🌿 Creating a Timeless Home Timeless doesn't have to mean safe. It doesn't have to mean beige. And it certainly doesn't mean your home can't have personality. A trend may introduce you to a color or material you genuinely love—and some trends eventually become classics. Instead of asking, “Is this trendy?” try asking: “Do I love this enough to still enjoy living with it when everyone else has moved on to something new?” 🌻 Connect with LoriLynn Find more Country Proud Living episodes, interior design inspiration, personal growth conversations, and ideas for creating a nurturing home and a meaningful life. Country Proud Living: countryproudliving.com 💛 A Gentle Invitation, the next time you're making a decision for your home, try changing the question. Instead of: “Will everyone else like this?” Ask yourself: “Does this help my home feel more like me?” Because you don't need everyone else to love your home. You and the people who live there should.  A nurturing home isn't created by following every trend. It's created slowly and intentionally through colors, materials, meaningful objects, memories, and choices that reflect the people who live inside it. Inspiration can guide you. Design principles can support you. Expert advice can give you clarity. But ultimately, your home should feel like somewhere you recognize yourself. Trust yourself enough to create a home—and a life—that feels like yours. 💛 Because home should be more than beautiful. It should nurture you, support the life you're living, and always be your soft place to land. interior design tips, how to choose paint colors, how to choose interior finishes, timeless interior design, how to find your interior design style, choosing finishes for a new home, home renovation tips, paint color tips, choosing cabinet colors, choosing countertops, mixing wood tones, coordinating home finishes, interior design confidence, home decorating ideas, timeless home design, how to make a house feel like home, creating a nurturing home, personal interior design style, decorating with confidence, design decision fatigue, interior design for women, Country Proud Living podcast Let me know if there is something you would like to learn more about in the color & design, nurture & empower space? I'd love to hear from you! Welcome to Country Proud Living, the podcast where nurturing spaces empower your life, and every day feels a little more like home I'm Lori Lynn, a certified interior designer, creative soul and a woman navigating the beauty and becoming of mid-life. Here, we explore meaningful home design, intentional living, personal growth and the courage to create a life that feels like your own. I'm so glad you're here.  Thank you for spending this time with me. If today's episode encouraged you, please follow Country Proud Living, and share it with a woman who might need it, too. Every share helps more women discover nurturing home design, intentional living, and encouragement for creating a life that feels like their own i'm so grateful you were here today.  Until next time, love and light, Lori Lynn.  Support the show Please share this podcast with your like minded friends and family and  subscribe to never miss an episode!  If you have questions, ideas of topics you would like to learn more about or you want to work with me. Inquires can be sent to lorilynn@countryproudliving.com ADDITIONAL LINKS TO CONNECT WITH ME:   : ) MY WEBSITE: www.countryproudliving.com MY IG:  www.instagram.com/lorilynn_countryproudliving PINTEREST: https://pin.it/3mX6xMNcR MY ART GALLERY: https://lorilynn-o-uter.pixels.com/ MY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafsonlori MY PODCAST:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/country-proud-living-nurturing-home-empowered-self/id1715855014 BUZZSPROUT: https://countryproudliving.buzzsprout.com Spotify, iHeart, the pod can be found anywhere you choose to listen!

  2. Sep 22

    Ep.126 The Heart of Country Living: Home, Nature, Community & the Beauty of a Slower Life

    Welcome to Country Proud Living "Where Nurturing Spaces Empower Your Life and Everyday Feels a Little More Like Home."  ✨ What does Country Proud Living really mean? You don't have to live on a farm, down a country road, or even in a small town to live a little more country. In this heartfelt episode, LoriLynn shares what country living means beyond a decorating style or a place on a map. At its heart, it's a way of living with greater intention—feeling connected to your home, nature, community, the changing seasons, and the ordinary moments that make a life meaningful. From noticing the sunset and knowing your neighbors to cooking from scratch, bringing flowers in from the yard, creating a welcoming table, and making your home a soft place to land, this episode is an invitation to slow down enough to notice the life you're already living. Because a beautiful home isn't simply about how it looks. A nurturing home should restore you, welcome the people you love, and empower you to step back into the world feeling a little stronger. Country Proud Living is a podcast for women who want to create nurturing homes, live with greater intention, embrace personal growth, and cultivate a life they're truly proud to live. 💛 🌿 In This Episode What Country Proud Living really meansWhy you don't have to live in the country to live a little more countryHow nature and seasonal living can help us slow down and become more presentWhy home should be a soft place to landThe difference between a beautifully decorated house and a nurturing homeHow natural materials, meaningful objects, and collected pieces create warmthWhy warmth comes from meaning—not simply having moreThe importance of neighbors, community, generosity, and connectionWhat country living teaches us about work, rest, resourcefulness, and enoughSimple ways to bring the heart of country living into your life wherever you live“Attention is the beginning of devotion.” — Mary Oliver, Upstream: Selected Essays Mary Oliver's beautiful words capture one of the central messages of this episode: the more closely we pay attention to our lives, the more meaningful ordinary moments can become. 📚 Books Mentioned Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants — Robin Wall Kimmerer Kimmerer brings together Indigenous knowledge, science, and reflections on our relationship with the natural world. Her writing about gratitude, reciprocity, and paying attention beautifully complements the Country Proud Living philosophy of being a participant in life rather than simply a consumer of it. Purchase / Learn More: Braiding Sweetgrass — Milkweed Editions The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year — Margaret Renkl Through observations of nature, family, and the changing seasons, Renkl reminds us that wonder doesn't require an extraordinary destination. Sometimes it's waiting right outside our own window—if we're willing to notice it. Purchase / Learn More: The Comfort of Crows — Margaret Renkl 🌻 What Does It Mean to Live a Little More Country? Maybe it's noticing the sunset. Knowing your neighbor. Cooking something from scratch. Bringing flowers in from the yard. Sitting on the porch instead of scrolling. Growing a few tomatoes or herbs. Choosing something old with a story instead of always buying something new. Making something with your hands. Sharing your garden bounty. Creating a home where people feel comfortable enough to pull up a chair and stay awhile. Paying attention to the weather and the changing seasons. Understanding that there is a time for work—and a time for rest. Keeping the traditions that still mean something. Finding beauty in things that are imperfect, useful, loved, and lived with. And understanding that a rich life and an expensive life are not necessarily the same thing. 🌿 Connect with LoriLynn Find more Country Proud Living episodes, interior design inspiration, personal growth conversations, and resources for creating a nurturing home and a meaningful, intentional life. Country Proud Living: countryproudliving.com A Gentle Invitation, you don't have to live on a farm to live a little more country. Country Proud Living is a way of moving through the world with intention. It's noticing the natural world around you. Being neighborly. Sharing what you have. Making something with your hands. Creating a home that welcomes people in. Remembering that ordinary days aren't simply the days between the important ones. They are our life. So this week, notice something. Share something. Make something. Invite someone in. Step outside and watch the sun go down. And create a home that becomes your soft place to land—a place that nurtures you, restores you, and empowers you to live your life more fully. Because that is the heart of Country Proud Living: where nurturing spaces empower your life and make every day feel a little more like home. 💛 country living, slow living, intentional living, simple living, country lifestyle, creating a nurturing home, how to make a house feel like home, cozy home inspiration, meaningful home, seasonal living, nature and wellbeing, country home lifestyle, intentional living for women, slow living for women, simple country living, home and belonging, community and connection, mindful living, personal growth for women, women over 40, women over 50, finding joy in ordinary life, Country Proud Living podcast Let me know if there is something you would like to learn more about in the color & design, nurture & empower space? I'd love to hear from you! Welcome to Country Proud Living, the podcast where nurturing spaces empower your life, and every day feels a little more like home I'm Lori Lynn, a certified interior designer, creative soul and a woman navigating the beauty and becoming of mid-life. Here, we explore meaningful home design, intentional living, personal growth and the courage to create a life that feels like your own. I'm so glad you're here.  Thank you for spending this time with me. If today's episode encouraged you, please follow Country Proud Living, and share it with a woman who might need it, too. Every share helps more women discover nurturing home design, intentional living, and encouragement for creating a life that feels like their own i'm so grateful you were here today.  Until next time, love and light, Lori Lynn.  Support the show Please share this podcast with your like minded friends and family and  subscribe to never miss an episode!  If you have questions, ideas of topics you would like to learn more about or you want to work with me. Inquires can be sent to lorilynn@countryproudliving.com ADDITIONAL LINKS TO CONNECT WITH ME:   : ) MY WEBSITE: www.countryproudliving.com MY IG:  www.instagram.com/lorilynn_countryproudliving PINTEREST: https://pin.it/3mX6xMNcR MY ART GALLERY: https://lorilynn-o-uter.pixels.com/ MY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafsonlori MY PODCAST:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/country-proud-living-nurturing-home-empowered-self/id1715855014 BUZZSPROUT: https://countryproudliving.buzzsprout.com Spotify, iHeart, the pod can be found anywhere you choose to listen!

  3. Sep 16

    Ep 125: Making Room for What's Next: Creating Space for a New Season of Life

    Welcome to Country Proud Living "Where Nurturing Spaces Empower Your Life and Everyday Feels a Little More Like Home."  ✨ Have you ever felt deeply grateful for the life you've created—and at the same time sensed that something new might be waiting for you? In this heartfelt episode of Country Proud Living, LoriLynn explores midlife transitions, intentional living, personal growth, and making space for what's next without believing you need to have your entire future figured out. Sometimes a new season doesn't begin by adding another goal or commitment. Just like designing a beautiful room, sometimes we need to edit, release, and create breathing room so we can recognize what truly matters now. LoriLynn shares her own decision to step away from full-service design installations to make room for retreats, deeper connection, and work that feels more aligned with the woman she's becoming. If you're wondering what your next chapter might hold, this episode is an invitation to replace pressure with curiosity and simply take the next right step. Country Proud Living is a podcast for women who want to create nurturing homes, live with greater intention, embrace personal growth, and cultivate a life they're truly proud to live. 💛 🌿 In This Episode Why wanting something new doesn't mean you're ungrateful for what you haveCreating space instead of automatically adding moreLetting go of roles and identities that no longer fitThe difference between being stuck and being stillWhy quiet seasons can be meaningful seasons of growthWhat nature teaches us about rest, change, and new beginningsLoriLynn's own decision to make room for retreats and a new chapterThree questions to help you discover your next right step💛 Quotes & Wisdom Mentioned “What matters more than the decisions you make is the person you're becoming.” — Emily P. Freeman, The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions “Everyone winters at one time or another.” — Katherine May, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times And a thought from LoriLynn: “Enough doesn't mean finished, and contentment doesn't mean complacency.” You can deeply appreciate the life you have and still be curious about the life that's unfolding. 📚 Helpful Books Mentioned The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions — Emily P. Freeman A thoughtful resource for anyone facing change, decision fatigue, or uncertainty about what comes next. Freeman encourages us to create enough space and clarity to recognize the next right thing rather than trying to figure out the entire future at once. Learn More & Purchase The Next Right Thing Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times — Katherine May A beautiful exploration of life's quieter, fallow seasons and what nature can teach us about rest, retreat, transition, and renewal. Learn More & Purchase Wintering 🌿 Connect with LoriLynn Explore more Country Proud Living episodes, interior design inspiration, personal growth conversations, and upcoming retreat information. Country Proud Living 🌼 Three questions to take with you as you move through your week, ask yourself: 1. What in my life would I like to make a little more room for? 2. What am I continuing simply because it belongs to an old version of me? 3. What is one small “next right thing” I feel genuinely curious about? You don't need a one year or five-year plan. You may simply need a little breathing room, some curiosity, and the courage to take the next right step! You can be deeply grateful for the life you have and still make room for the life that is unfolding. 💛 midlife transition, finding purpose in midlife, what's next in life, personal growth for women, women over 40, women over 50, intentional living, new season of life, starting a new chapter, life transitions for women, making space for change, finding yourself in midlife, embracing change, reinventing yourself after 50, next chapter in life, finding purpose after 50, slow living, creating a nurturing home, Country Proud Living podcast Let me know if there is something you would like to learn more about in the color & design, nurture & empower space? I'd love to hear from you! Welcome to Country Proud Living, the podcast where nurturing spaces empower your life, and every day feels a little more like home I'm Lori Lynn, a certified interior designer, creative soul and a woman navigating the beauty and becoming of mid-life. Here, we explore meaningful home design, intentional living, personal growth and the courage to create a life that feels like your own. I'm so glad you're here.  Thank you for spending this time with me. If today's episode encouraged you, please follow Country Proud Living, and share it with a woman who might need it, too. Every share helps more women discover nurturing home design, intentional living, and encouragement for creating a life that feels like their own i'm so grateful you were here today.  Until next time, love and light, Lori Lynn.  Support the show Please share this podcast with your like minded friends and family and  subscribe to never miss an episode!  If you have questions, ideas of topics you would like to learn more about or you want to work with me. Inquires can be sent to lorilynn@countryproudliving.com ADDITIONAL LINKS TO CONNECT WITH ME:   : ) MY WEBSITE: www.countryproudliving.com MY IG:  www.instagram.com/lorilynn_countryproudliving PINTEREST: https://pin.it/3mX6xMNcR MY ART GALLERY: https://lorilynn-o-uter.pixels.com/ MY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafsonlori MY PODCAST:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/country-proud-living-nurturing-home-empowered-self/id1715855014 BUZZSPROUT: https://countryproudliving.buzzsprout.com Spotify, iHeart, the pod can be found anywhere you choose to listen!

  4. Sep 7

    Ep.124 Don’t Miss the Life You’re Living: Finding Gratitude in Ordinary Days

    Welcome to Country Proud Living "Where Nurturing Spaces Empower Your Life and Everyday Feels a Little More Like Home."  ✨ What if the life you're working so hard to create is already happening all around you? In this heartfelt episode of Country Proud Living, LoriLynn explores gratitude, contentment, intentional living, and learning to appreciate the ordinary moments that make up a meaningful life. After talking about fear of success and continuing to grow in Episode 123, this conversation explores the other side of personal growth: remembering to notice and appreciate what is already here. From reconnecting with longtime friends at high school reunions to childhood memories beneath the Northern Lights, quiet summer evenings with Cowboy, coffee in a favorite mug, family gathered around the kitchen counter, and the familiar people we love—LoriLynn reminds us that the moments we may someday treasure most rarely announce themselves as important while we're living them. You can be grateful and still growing. Content and still ambitious. Happy with your life and still curious about what comes next. Country Proud Living is a podcast for women who want to create nurturing homes, live with greater intention, embrace personal growth, and cultivate a life they're truly proud to live. 💛 In This Episode Why ordinary days often become our most treasured memoriesHow gratitude and ambition can exist togetherWhy contentment doesn't mean giving up on growthThe danger of constantly postponing happiness until the next milestoneHow comparison can make a beautiful life feel inadequateRoss Gay's practice of intentionally noticing everyday delightMary Oliver's beautiful reminder to pay attentionWhy a nurturing home doesn't need to be perfect to hold a beautiful lifeQuotes: “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” — Robert Brault “Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” — Mary Oliver, from her poem Sometimes “Gratitude is refusing to postpone your appreciation of life until everything is exactly the way you think it should be.” — LoriLynn Uter 📚 Books Mentioned The Book of Delights — Ross Gay A collection of lyrical essays inspired by Gay's practice of noticing and writing about the small delights that appear in everyday life. It's a beautiful companion to this episode's message that a meaningful life doesn't require extraordinary circumstances—we simply have to become better at noticing the goodness already around us. Purchase or learn more: The Book of Delights — Hachette / Algonquin Books  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1616207922?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback 🌿 Connect with LoriLynn Discover more Country Proud Living episodes, interior design inspiration, personal growth conversations, and encouragement for creating a nurturing home and a meaningful life. Country Proud Living: https://countryproudliving.com 🌼 A Gentle Invitation: Take five minutes today and look around at your actual life—not the one you wish you had, the one that might photograph better, or the one you're working toward someday. Ask yourself:  What would I miss if it were suddenly gone?Whose laugh would I give anything to hear again?What ordinary ritual might someday feel precious?What view from my window have I stopped noticing?What part of my life today was once something I hoped for?Perhaps gratitude doesn't need to become another item on our self-improvement list. Maybe it's simply a way of seeing—a willingness to notice how much of what matters is happening quietly. The coffee. The conversation. The familiar hand in yours. The drive home with your favorite song playing. The friend who remembers who you used to be. Keep dreaming. Keep growing. Keep becoming. But every once in a while, stop and look around. This is enough, and I'm still becoming. 💛 gratitude in everyday life, finding gratitude, ordinary moments, intentional living for women, contentment and happiness, finding joy in everyday life, gratitude in midlife, personal growth for women, women over 40, women over 50, appreciating life, living in the present moment, meaningful life, slow living, simple living, nurturing home, midlife inspiration, finding contentment, Country Proud Living podcast Let me know if there is something you would like to learn more about in the color & design, nurture & empower space? I'd love to hear from you! Welcome to Country Proud Living, the podcast where nurturing spaces empower your life, and every day feels a little more like home I'm Lori Lynn, a certified interior designer, creative soul and a woman navigating the beauty and becoming of mid-life. Here, we explore meaningful home design, intentional living, personal growth and the courage to create a life that feels like your own. I'm so glad you're here.  Thank you for spending this time with me. If today's episode encouraged you, please follow Country Proud Living, and share it with a woman who might need it, too. Every share helps more women discover nurturing home design, intentional living, and encouragement for creating a life that feels like their own i'm so grateful you were here today.  Until next time, love and light, Lori Lynn.  Support the show Please share this podcast with your like minded friends and family and  subscribe to never miss an episode!  If you have questions, ideas of topics you would like to learn more about or you want to work with me. Inquires can be sent to lorilynn@countryproudliving.com ADDITIONAL LINKS TO CONNECT WITH ME:   : ) MY WEBSITE: www.countryproudliving.com MY IG:  www.instagram.com/lorilynn_countryproudliving PINTEREST: https://pin.it/3mX6xMNcR MY ART GALLERY: https://lorilynn-o-uter.pixels.com/ MY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafsonlori MY PODCAST:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/country-proud-living-nurturing-home-empowered-self/id1715855014 BUZZSPROUT: https://countryproudliving.buzzsprout.com Spotify, iHeart, the pod can be found anywhere you choose to listen!

  5. Sep 1

    Ep.123 Why We Pull Back When Life Starts Going Right: Overcoming Self-Sabotage and Fear of Success

    Welcome to Country Proud Living "Where Nurturing Spaces Empower Your Life and Everyday Feels a Little More Like Home."  ✨ What happens when the dream you've been quietly working toward actually starts to come true? As Country Proud Living approaches 5,000 podcast downloads, LoriLynn shares something unexpected she's noticed alongside the excitement: hesitation. The urge to pull back. The vulnerability of becoming more visible just as something she's worked hard to build begins to grow. In this honest conversation about fear of success, self-sabotage, confidence, and personal growth in midlife, LoriLynn explores why we sometimes retreat when life starts going right—and why fear doesn't always mean we're headed in the wrong direction. Sometimes it simply means we're stepping beyond what's familiar. If you've been procrastinating on a dream, making yourself smaller, overthinking your next move, or waiting until you finally feel “ready,” this episode is a reminder that you don't have to become fearless. You may simply need enough courage to take the next step. Country Proud Living is a podcast for women who want to create nurturing homes, live with greater intention, embrace personal growth, and cultivate a life they're truly proud to live. 💛 🌿 In This Episode Why we sometimes pull back when things begin going wellGay Hendricks' “Upper Limit Problem” and our comfort with successWhy receiving something good can feel surprisingly vulnerableOvercoming fear of visibility and allowing yourself to be seenThe difference between waiting for confidence and building it through actionWhy success in midlife can mean far more than achievement or recognitionHow to recognize when fear is protecting you—and when it's keeping you smallWhy your consistency and ordinary daily choices matter more than you realizeLearning to celebrate growth without becoming consumed by the next milestone“The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity. — Amelia Earhart “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” — Eleanor Roosevelt And one thought from LoriLynn to carry with you: “Maybe we just become women who know ourselves well enough to recognize fear and still choose what matters.” - LoriLynn Uter 📚 Books Mentioned The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level — Gay Hendricks Hendricks introduces what he calls the “Upper Limit Problem”—the tendency to create barriers for ourselves when happiness, opportunity, or success begins exceeding what feels familiar. It's a powerful companion to this episode for anyone who has wondered, Why am I pulling back just when things are going well? Purchase or learn more: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-big-leap/id360632943 Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway — Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. A classic book about moving forward despite uncertainty and fear. Jeffers' work reminds us that confidence doesn't require eliminating fear first; we can develop greater trust in our ability to handle whatever comes next. Purchase or learn more: https://susanjeffers.com/books/feel-the-fear-and-do-it-anyway-revised-and-updated/ Episode Timeline: 00:011 – Approaching 5,000 downloads—and an unexpected feeling 04:20 – Why we pull back when life starts going right 08:19 – Gay Hendricks and the “Upper Limit Problem” 9:02 – Learning to receive success, joy, and opportunity 11:11 – Amelia Earhart: acting before we feel completely ready 12:45– Visibility, vulnerability, and allowing ourselves to be seen 13:44– Susan Jeffers: feeling fear and moving forward anyway 14:53– Eleanor Roosevelt and building confidence one brave decision at a time 16:35– Where are you making yourself smaller? 18:55 – Why ordinary consistency creates extraordinary milestones 19:32– Growth, gratitude, and the bridge to Episode 124 🌿 Connect with LoriLynn Find more Country Proud Living episodes, interior design inspiration, personal growth conversations, and resources for creating a nurturing home and a meaningful life. https://countryproudliving.com 🌼 A Gentle Invitation, this week, ask yourself: Where am I pulling back simply because moving forward would require me to believe something bigger about myself? Maybe you're overthinking instead of acting. Maybe you're perfecting something that's already ready. Maybe you're shrinking an idea before anyone has even had the chance to see it. You don't need the entire road mapped out. You only need enough courage for the next step. You've already survived difficult seasons, learned, changed, and gathered wisdom through every chapter that brought you here. Perhaps the next chapter isn't asking you to become an entirely different woman. Perhaps it's simply asking you to trust the woman you already are. ✨ Coming Next: Episode 124 There is another side to this conversation. In our desire to grow, achieve, and become, we don't want to become so focused on the next milestone that we miss the beautiful life already happening around us. Enough doesn't mean stop growing. It means growth doesn't require dissatisfaction with the life you already have. That's where we're going next on Country Proud Living. fear of success, self-sabotage, overcoming self-sabotage, why we fear success, fear of being seen, confidence in midlife, personal growth for women, women over 40, women over 50, midlife purpose, overcoming fear, building confidence, limiting beliefs, fear of visibility, pursuing dreams in midlife, intentional living, purpose-driven life, finding courage, starting over in midlife, Country Proud Living podcast Let me know if there is something you would like to learn more about in the color & design, nurture & empower space? I'd love to hear from you! Welcome to Country Proud Living, the podcast where nurturing spaces empower your life, and every day feels a little more like home I'm Lori Lynn, a certified interior designer, creative soul and a woman navigating the beauty and becoming of mid-life. Here, we explore meaningful home design, intentional living, personal growth and the courage to create a life that feels like your own. I'm so glad you're here.  Thank you for spending this time with me. If today's episode encouraged you, please follow Country Proud Living, and share it with a woman who might need it, too. Every share helps more women discover nurturing home design, intentional living, and encouragement for creating a life that feels like their own i'm so grateful you were here today.  Until next time, love and light, Lori Lynn.  Support the show Please share this podcast with your like minded friends and family and  subscribe to never miss an episode!  If you have questions, ideas of topics you would like to learn more about or you want to work with me. Inquires can be sent to lorilynn@countryproudliving.com ADDITIONAL LINKS TO CONNECT WITH ME:   : ) MY WEBSITE: www.countryproudliving.com MY IG:  www.instagram.com/lorilynn_countryproudliving PINTEREST: https://pin.it/3mX6xMNcR MY ART GALLERY: https://lorilynn-o-uter.pixels.com/ MY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafsonlori MY PODCAST:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/country-proud-living-nurturing-home-empowered-self/id1715855014 BUZZSPROUT: https://countryproudliving.buzzsprout.com Spotify, iHeart, the pod can be found anywhere you choose to listen!

  6. Aug 24

    Ep. 122 You Haven’t Met All Your People Yet: Living with Intention, Purpose & Connection

    Welcome to Country Proud Living "Where Nurturing Spaces Empower Your Life and Everyday Feels a Little More Like Home."  What if some of the best people who will ever be part of your life are people you haven't even met yet? ✨ In this heartfelt episode of Country Proud Living, LoriLynn explores friendship in midlife, meaningful connection, intentional living, and finding purpose in the season you're in now. After choosing connection as her word of the year, she shares how one small decision—starting a local Coffee Klatch Connection—has already opened the door to new friendships, ideas, opportunities, and community. If you've been longing for deeper friendships or wondering how to meet new people as an adult, this episode is your encouragement to stop waiting for connection to find you. Sometimes we have to be brave enough to extend the invitation, pull up another chair, and create what we wish existed. Country Proud Living is a podcast for women who want to create nurturing homes, live with greater intention, embrace personal growth, and cultivate a life they're truly proud to live. 💛 🌿 In This Episode Why making friends in midlife often requires more intentionWhat LoriLynn has discovered through her Coffee Klatch ConnectionWhy adult friendship often begins with someone taking initiativeHow to use a guiding word to make more intentional life choicesWhy purpose doesn't have to be one enormous callingThe courage to create the community you've been wishing for“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think.” — L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables “For friendship to happen, someone has to be brave. So be brave.” — Dr. Marisa G. Franco, author of Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends 🕰️ Episode Timeline: 00:11 – You haven't met all your people yet 01:30 – Choosing connection as a guiding word 03:00 – What happened when LoriLynn started Coffee Klatch Connection 04:25 – Why friendship changes as we get older 05:15 – Dr. Marisa G. Franco: friendship requires initiative 06:45 – Simple ways to create more connection in your life 07:15 – Priya Parker: gathering with purpose and intention 08:50 – Rethinking what a “purpose-driven life” really means 09:55 – Finding the thread running through what matters to you 10:35 – The courage to create what you wish existed 12:45 – Who might be waiting in the unwritten chapters of your life? 📚 Books & Resources Mentioned Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends — Dr. Marisa G. Franco A research-based exploration of adult friendship, attachment, and why making meaningful friendships often requires us to take initiative rather than simply waiting for connection to happen. Learn More & Purchase Platonic The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters — Priya Parker A thoughtful guide to bringing greater purpose and intention to the ways we gather—whether around a coffee table, at home, at work, or within our communities. Learn More & Purchase The Art of Gathering Anne of Green Gables — L.M. Montgomery The beloved classic that gave us Anne Shirley's wonderful reminder about discovering “kindred spirits”—a beautiful complement to this episode's message about remaining open to the people we haven't met yet. 🌿 Connect with LoriLynn Find more Country Proud Living episodes, interior design inspiration, retreats, and resources to help you create a nurturing home and live with greater intention and purpose. Visit Country Proud Living 🌼 A Gentle Invitation, is there someone you've been thinking about inviting for coffee, lunch, a walk, or an event? Make the invitation. You don't know where one small act of courage might lead. There may be someone ten minutes away who has been hoping to meet someone just like you. Your life isn't finished introducing you to wonderful people. Keep showing up. Keep reaching out. Keep making room. Because sometimes the most purpose-filled thing we can do is simply pull up another chair, pour another cup of coffee, and see who joins us! friendship in midlife, making friends after 40, making friends after 50, how to make friends as an adult, meaningful friendships, finding your people, connection in midlife, women supporting women, intentional living for women, finding purpose in midlife, building community, loneliness in midlife, personal growth for women, creating meaningful connections, purpose-driven life, midlife friendships, Country Proud Living podcast Let me know if there is something you would like to learn more about in the color & design, nurture & empower space? I'd love to hear from you! Welcome to Country Proud Living, the podcast where nurturing spaces empower your life, and every day feels a little more like home I'm Lori Lynn, a certified interior designer, creative soul and a woman navigating the beauty and becoming of mid-life. Here, we explore meaningful home design, intentional living, personal growth and the courage to create a life that feels like your own. I'm so glad you're here.  Thank you for spending this time with me. If today's episode encouraged you, please follow Country Proud Living, and share it with a woman who might need it, too. Every share helps more women discover nurturing home design, intentional living, and encouragement for creating a life that feels like their own i'm so grateful you were here today.  Until next time, love and light, Lori Lynn.  Support the show Please share this podcast with your like minded friends and family and  subscribe to never miss an episode!  If you have questions, ideas of topics you would like to learn more about or you want to work with me. Inquires can be sent to lorilynn@countryproudliving.com ADDITIONAL LINKS TO CONNECT WITH ME:   : ) MY WEBSITE: www.countryproudliving.com MY IG:  www.instagram.com/lorilynn_countryproudliving PINTEREST: https://pin.it/3mX6xMNcR MY ART GALLERY: https://lorilynn-o-uter.pixels.com/ MY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafsonlori MY PODCAST:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/country-proud-living-nurturing-home-empowered-self/id1715855014 BUZZSPROUT: https://countryproudliving.buzzsprout.com Spotify, iHeart, the pod can be found anywhere you choose to listen!

  7. Aug 17

    Ep.121 The Meaning of Home: Why the Places We Love Matter More Than We Realize

    Welcome to Country Proud Living "Where Nurturing Spaces Empower Your Life and Everyday Feels a Little More Like Home."  What makes a house truly feel like home? ✨  In this heartfelt episode of Country Proud Living, LoriLynn explores the deeper meaning of home and why the spaces we live in have such a powerful influence on our well-being, relationships, memories, and sense of belonging. Recorded partly while away on an interior design project, LoriLynn reflects on why we often appreciate home most when we're away from it—and how thoughtful, nurturing design can support the life we're actually living. From creating spaces for rest and connection to allowing our homes to evolve with us in midlife, this episode is a reminder that a beautiful home isn't about perfection. It's about creating a place where you can exhale, gather, grow, and feel completely yourself. Then ask yourself: Does my home support the life I want to be living now? Start with the life first. Then let the design support it. 🌿 In This Episode Why home is a feeling—not simply a placeHow our surroundings influence how we feel and liveWhy our homes should evolve as we do in midlifeCreating meaningful spaces instead of perfect onesSimple design choices that encourage rest, connection, and belongingOne powerful question: Does my home support the life I want to be living now?“The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.” — Wendy Wunder “Home is the nicest word there is.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder 🕰️ Episode Timeline: 00:11 – Why we sometimes appreciate home most when we're away 03:00 – What transforms a house into a nurturing home 04:32 – The Architecture of Happiness and how our surroundings affect us 05:45 – Why meaningful homes don't need to be perfect 06:50 – The Comfort of Crows and noticing ordinary life 09:35 – Start with the life first, then let design support it 10:45 – Small ways to create more comfort, connection, and belonging 13:00 – “Home is the nicest word there is” + appreciating what your home already holds 17:00 – Behind the scenes of LoriLynn's final full-service installation + closing reflections 📚 Books and Resources Mentioned The Architecture of Happiness — Alain de Botton A fascinating exploration of how architecture and our surroundings affect our emotions and how the places we inhabit can reflect qualities such as calm, beauty, dignity, and belonging. Explore The Architecture of Happiness The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year — Margaret Renkl A beautiful reflection on nature, family, seasons, aging, loss, and learning to notice the ordinary moments unfolding right in front of us. Explore The Comfort of Crows 🌿 Connect with LoriLynn Find more episodes, interior design inspiration, and resources for creating a nurturing home and a life that reflects what matters most to you. Country Proud Living 🌼 A Gentle Invitation, look around your home today—not at what's unfinished, outdated, or imperfect, but at what your home is already holding for you. Because creating a nurturing home isn't about creating a perfect backdrop for life. It's about creating a place where life can actually happen—where we can rest, gather, grow, create, connect, and become more fully ourselves. Country Proud Living is a podcast for women who want to create nurturing homes, live with greater intention, embrace personal growth, and cultivate a life they're truly proud to live. 💛 meaning of home, creating a nurturing home, intentional home design, interior design and wellbeing, cozy home inspiration, meaningful interior design, home and belonging, midlife home design, intentional living for women, personal growth in midlife, creating a peaceful home, home design for women over 40, slow living, Country Proud Living podcast Let me know if there is something you would like to learn more about in the color & design, nurture & empower space? I'd love to hear from you! Welcome to Country Proud Living, the podcast where nurturing spaces empower your life, and every day feels a little more like home I'm Lori Lynn, a certified interior designer, creative soul and a woman navigating the beauty and becoming of mid-life. Here, we explore meaningful home design, intentional living, personal growth and the courage to create a life that feels like your own. I'm so glad you're here.  Thank you for spending this time with me. If today's episode encouraged you, please follow Country Proud Living, and share it with a woman who might need it, too. Every share helps more women discover nurturing home design, intentional living, and encouragement for creating a life that feels like their own i'm so grateful you were here today.  Until next time, love and light, Lori Lynn.  Support the show Please share this podcast with your like minded friends and family and  subscribe to never miss an episode!  If you have questions, ideas of topics you would like to learn more about or you want to work with me. Inquires can be sent to lorilynn@countryproudliving.com ADDITIONAL LINKS TO CONNECT WITH ME:   : ) MY WEBSITE: www.countryproudliving.com MY IG:  www.instagram.com/lorilynn_countryproudliving PINTEREST: https://pin.it/3mX6xMNcR MY ART GALLERY: https://lorilynn-o-uter.pixels.com/ MY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafsonlori MY PODCAST:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/country-proud-living-nurturing-home-empowered-self/id1715855014 BUZZSPROUT: https://countryproudliving.buzzsprout.com Spotify, iHeart, the pod can be found anywhere you choose to listen!

  8. Aug 5

    Ep.120 Sun-Warmed Home: How to Use Late-Summer Color to Create Warmth, Comfort, & Connection

    Welcome to Country Proud Living "Where Nurturing Spaces Empower Your Life and Everyday Feels a Little More Like Home."  ✨A warm home is about more than color—it's about how it makes you feel. In this episode of Country Proud Living, LoriLynn shares how the rich, sun-washed colors of late summer can inspire a home that feels calm, welcoming, and deeply personal. Drawing from nature, timeless design principles, and the work of remarkable artists and designers, she explores how color, texture, light, and meaningful objects work together to create spaces that nurture everyday life. If you've been longing to create a cozy, timeless home without chasing trends, this episode will inspire you to embrace the beauty already surrounding you and design a home that reflects your story. 💛 🌿 In This Episode Why warmth is an emotional experience before it's a color paletteHow late summer landscapes inspire timeless interior designSimple ways to create warmth through color, texture, and lightingWhy meaningful homes are more memorable than perfectly decorated onesHow to choose colors that reflect who you are—not what's trending"Through color, I have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness in my painting rather than on man's inhumanity to man." — Alma Thomas "Color is one of the great things in the world that makes life worth living."— Georgia O'Keeffe 🕰️ Episode Timeline: 00:11 – Why a warm home is about feeling, not just color 04:00 – Alma Thomas and the emotional power of color 09:00 – Creating a late-summer color palette from nature 11:00 – Layering color, texture, wood, and light 14:00 – Textile inspiration and artist Natalia Wallbridge of Dock 5 16:20 – Choosing colors that reflect your memories and story 20:10 – Georgia O'Keeffe, meaningful color, and creating a nurturing home 📚 Resources & Artists Mentioned Dorothy Liebes  Known as one of America's most influential textile designers, she transformed the design world by combining rich color, luxurious texture, and innovative materials—reminding us that warmth comes through thoughtful layering, not color alone. Dock 5 Textile Art. Discover the beautiful woven textile artwork of Natalia Wallbridge, whose nature-inspired creations celebrate craftsmanship, storytelling, and the landscapes of Northern Minnesota. Website: https://dock5art.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dock5art/ 🎙️ Listen to LoriLynn's earlier conversation with Natalia: Bonus Episode: Celebrating Local Artistry: A Conversation with Natalia of Dock 5 🌿 Connect with LoriLynn Explore more podcast episodes, interior design inspiration, and resources for creating a nurturing home and living a life you're proud of. Website: https://countryproudliving.com 🌼 Gentle Invitation; This week, walk through your home and ask yourself: "What would make this room feel just 10% warmer?" Maybe it's a favorite color, fresh flowers from the garden, a treasured quilt, meaningful artwork, softer lighting, or simply removing something that no longer belongs. Because the most beautiful homes aren't the ones that perfectly follow trends—they're the ones that help us feel welcomed, connected, and completely at home. Country Proud Living is a podcast for women who want to create nurturing homes, live with greater intention, embrace personal growth, and cultivate a life they're truly proud to live. 💛 late summer decorating ideas, warm color palette, cozy home inspiration, timeless interior design, creating a nurturing home, home color inspiration, Americana home design, interior designer tips, warm neutral colors, home styling ideas, emotional interior design, cozy decorating ideas, color psychology in interior design Let me know if there is something you would like to learn more about in the color & design, nurture & empower space? I'd love to hear from you! Welcome to Country Proud Living, the podcast where nurturing spaces empower your life, and every day feels a little more like home I'm Lori Lynn, a certified interior designer, creative soul and a woman navigating the beauty and becoming of mid-life. Here, we explore meaningful home design, intentional living, personal growth and the courage to create a life that feels like your own. I'm so glad you're here.  Thank you for spending this time with me. If today's episode encouraged you, please follow Country Proud Living, and share it with a woman who might need it, too. Every share helps more women discover nurturing home design, intentional living, and encouragement for creating a life that feels like their own i'm so grateful you were here today.  Until next time, love and light, Lori Lynn.  Support the show Please share this podcast with your like minded friends and family and  subscribe to never miss an episode!  If you have questions, ideas of topics you would like to learn more about or you want to work with me. Inquires can be sent to lorilynn@countryproudliving.com ADDITIONAL LINKS TO CONNECT WITH ME:   : ) MY WEBSITE: www.countryproudliving.com MY IG:  www.instagram.com/lorilynn_countryproudliving PINTEREST: https://pin.it/3mX6xMNcR MY ART GALLERY: https://lorilynn-o-uter.pixels.com/ MY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafsonlori MY PODCAST:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/country-proud-living-nurturing-home-empowered-self/id1715855014 BUZZSPROUT: https://countryproudliving.buzzsprout.com Spotify, iHeart, the pod can be found anywhere you choose to listen!

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Country Proud Living is a podcast for someone who longs for a slower, more intentional life and a home that truly supports who they are becoming. Rooted in the warmth of country living, this show blends interior design inspiration, color confidence, and gentle life guidance to help you create nurturing spaces that feel welcoming, meaningful, and lived-in.  "Where nurturing spaces empower your life and every day feels a little more like home."       Hosted by certified interior designer and design-life coach LoriLynn, each episode offers encouragement, practical design wisdom, and soulful conversations that empower you to begin where you are — whether you’re refreshing a room, cultivating a cozy sanctuary, or simply seeking more peace and purpose in everyday life. You’ll find inspiration for creating a home you love, while also nurturing your mindset, wellbeing, and sense of belonging. If you crave a home that feels like a hug, believe your surroundings shape how you feel, and love the charm of country-inspired living, Country Proud Living is your weekly reminder that you are worthy of a beautiful life — and a home that feels a little more like you.

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