Welcome back to another Marriage and Motherhood Podcast episode! In this episode we're diving into a topic that often plagues relationships: tunnel vision during conflict with your partner. This concept is all about getting so caught up in your own perception during an argument that it ends up hurting rather than helping your marriage. Thankfully, there are ways to expand your perspective and turn conflicts into opportunities for growth.

Understanding Tunnel Vision

Conflict is inevitable in any marriage, but tunnel vision can make these conflicts much more damaging. It's easy to focus solely on our emotions and thoughts, leading to misunderstandings and a breakdown in communication. To truly resolve conflicts, it's essential to step into your partner's shoes and consider their perspective. This can transform disagreements into constructive dialogues that strengthen your bond.

Why Empathy Matters

Empathy during conflicts fosters a deeper connection and reduces defensiveness. Without...

Managing Your Energy: The Key to Getting Rid of Burnout

In today's fast-paced world, managing our energy is essential to leading a fulfilling life, especially for those juggling work, family, and personal commitments. We've all felt those days when even getting out of bed seems daunting. But what if I told you that understanding and managing your energy could transform your life? Let's dive into the concept of energy management and explore how it can help you thrive.

Understanding Energy Management

Energy management isn't about conserving electricity; it's about nurturing your internal battery. It's a holistic view of how your physical, emotional, and mental energy levels are affected by your daily activities, interactions, and environment. Energy is like a personal power source, and understanding its ebbs and flows is the first step toward mastering it.

Shifting from Burnout to Balance

Many of us have experienced burnout—when our energy output far exceeds our...

In this episode, I am joined by Mitch Blackford, a coach specializing in helping moms navigate the complex transition of motherhood and marriage, to talk about how you can go from roommate to romance.

Understanding the Challenges of Motherhood

Motherhood undeniably transforms a woman's life, presenting unique challenges that often lead to feelings of disconnection and overwhelm. Mitch shared her personal journey, highlighting how transitioning from woman to mom can strain a marriage. This transition often leaves women feeling "touched out" and emotionally drained, leading many to place their intimate relationships on the back burner.

The Importance of Intimacy

One of the primary discussions revolved around the critical topic of intimacy — and how motherhood can often make it seem like a distant concept. Mitch emphasized the commonality of feeling emotionally and physically exhausted, which can cause women to shy away from intimate connections, even though it's a...

Strengthening Your Marriage With A Mindset Hack

Welcome back to another episode. Today, we are delving into handling challenges in your marriage through the power of curiosity. It's a mindset that can significantly impact your relationship, steering it away from unnecessary arguments and towards deeper understanding and connection.

Understanding the Impact of Past Experiences

A common challenge many couples face is the tendency to judge and criticize their spouse, especially when they come from a background where criticism was the norm. This mindset often leads to feeling misunderstood, defensive, and ultimately, it turns partners into adversaries. By addressing the root of these issues and adopting a mindset of curiosity, you can prevent the cycle of arguments and misunderstandings.

The Role of Curiosity in Conflicts

Curiosity allows you to step back and genuinely seek to understand your partner's perspective. Without curiosity, conversations can quickly devolve into battles...

Unlocking Your True Potential: The Importance of Knowing and Living by Your Core Values

Welcome back to another insightful episode of the Marriage and Motherhood podcast. In this special episode, I interview Kristen Odegaard, a life coach with a transformative approach to helping women discover their true selves. The discussion dives deep into the significance of identifying and living according to your core values.

The Power of Core Values

Understanding your core values can dramatically reshape your life. Core values guide decisions regarding time, energy, and priorities, helping individuals live more authentically and with greater intention. These foundational beliefs drive behaviors, decisions, and ultimately, personal satisfaction.

Navigating the Challenges of People Pleasing

People-pleasing is a big issue, particularly among women. Society and upbringing condition women to prioritize others' emotions over their own. It is critical to take responsibility for...

Marriage and motherhood can be challenging, but achieving growth and improvement doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes, simple, foundational steps can lead to remarkable changes. Here, we're going to discuss a transformative two-step process that can rejuvenate your marriage, streamline your life, and help you become the parent you aspire to be.

Step 1: Establish a Vision

One of the fundamental questions I ask anyone considering working with me is: "What is it that you are wanting?" Many people struggle to articulate their desires, often focusing on what they don't want rather than what they do want. But without a clear vision, it's nearly impossible to see progress.

Your vision is not about psychic abilities but a crystal-clear picture of the future you desire. It includes every facet of life—your marriage, your parenthood journey, your personal development, your relationships, and your career goals. Having this vision simplifies decision-making. Anytime you're...

Understanding Boundaries Versus Ultimatums: Strengthening Relationships Through Respect and Communication

Welcome back to another episode, in this episode I got to dive deep into the complexities of boundaries versus ultimatums in relationships with fellow marriage coach, Nevart Willborn. Together, we explored how these concepts can either strengthen or damage a marriage depending on the implementation.

What Are Boundaries and Ultimatums?

We first kicked off the discussion with the definitions and nuances of boundaries and ultimatums. A boundary is essentially a way to teach others how to treat us by expressing our needs and limits. A boundary is about helping others understand what we need and implementing a healthy response when those needs are not met.

On the other hand, an ultimatum often comes across as a final demand or a non-negotiable condition. Nevart highlights the key difference: "An ultimatum is rooted in control. It's a statement where...

Is Love Enough to Sustain a Marriage After Kids?

Welcome back to another episode of the Marriage and Motherhood Podcast! In this episode, we explore whether love is enough to keep a marriage strong after kids.

The Shift: From Partners to Parents

When love leads to marriage, it often stems from the deep affection couples have for each other. But once you become parents, life changes drastically. You now face new responsibilities, time constraints, and a significant shift in your relationship dynamics. The priorities shift from each other to the children, leading many to wonder, "Where does our relationship go from here?"

Unspoken Assumptions and Overlooked Needs

It's easy to fall into the trap of assuming love will conquer all challenges. However, once kids enter the picture, love often turns implied rather than demonstrated. The acts of love shift to task-based activities: feeding the kids, handling household chores, and managing schedules. While love fuels these...

In this episode, I have an honest conversation with fellow marriage coach, Nevart Willborn, about boundaries.

Understanding Boundaries in Relationships

Boundaries are fundamental to maintaining a healthy relationship. They’re not about controlling the other person but about setting limits for yourself to protect your emotional and mental well-being.

For me, a boundary is something that helps you actually strengthen and be in a relationship with someone. Boundaries are not about telling someone else what they should do but about informing them what you will do if a certain line is crossed.

Common Misconceptions About Boundaries

A common misconception is that boundaries are a form of control over others. This misunderstanding can lead to a dynamic where one person tries to change the other’s behavior instead of focusing on their own actions. When you set a boundary, it's about what you're going to do, not about making someone else do something.

Examples of...

Welcome back to another episode of The Marriage and Motherhood Podcast. This topic was inspired by a post I stumbled on in a Facebook group. A woman was asking if sleeping in separate rooms would hurt the marriage. 

Rest or Romance?

A woman in the group shared her problem: she and her husband have trouble sleeping together due to conflicting sleep habits. From taking up too much space to noisy disturbances. Although they have a fantastic relationship outside the bedroom, the poor sleep quality was leading to resentment.

Her main concern? Social norms. The idea of sleeping in separate rooms seemed drastic, and she wondered if it would drive them toward divorce.

Challenging Social Norms

If you’ve been following along with my content, you know that I’m an advocate for challenging social norms. Every marriage is unique, and what works for one couple might not work for another. The concept of following societal expectations blindly can often hinder...