7 Key Lessons Learned from Our Cross-Country Move and Major Life Changes

After a recent cross-country move from California to Atlanta and a myriad of changes, I'm excited to share the lessons my husband and I have learned.

Whether you're grappling with big decisions or navigating the complexities of family life, these insights could make all the difference. Let's dive in!

1. Keep Each Other in the Loop

Communicating effectively is fundamental. During our move, my husband and I realized that failing to stay updated on each other’s schedules and plans led to a lot of miscommunication. Establishing a routine check-in, whether nightly or weekly, ensures that both partners are aligned and reduces unnecessary friction. One great tool we've found helpful is the Skylight calendar, which integrates with Google Calendar and keeps us organized and on the same page.

2. Discuss Your Goals

Aligning on goals helps you work together rather than at cross-purposes. Take the time to discuss...

This episode is inspired by a recent conversation I had about the dynamics of relationships and the importance of being observant. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you're noticing subtle changes in your partner's behavior and jumping to conclusions without verifying the truth behind those assumptions? If so, you're not alone.

The Power of Observation

Many of us tend to make quick assumptions about why our partners are acting a certain way without taking the time to confirm if those assumptions are true. It's natural to be perceptive and notice changes in demeanor, but it's equally essential to be observant of our own thoughts and beliefs.

Challenging Your Assumptions

One key skill to develop is the ability to challenge our thoughts and differentiate between facts and perceptions. By questioning the validity of our assumptions, we can avoid escalating misunderstandings and conflicts in our relationships.

Communicating Authentically

Articulating our...

Navigating the complexities of marriage post-children is a journey that many couples find themselves on, often without a clear roadmap.

In this episode on The Marriage and Motherhood Podcast, I am joined by Nevart Willborn, a therapist and fellow marriage coach.

In this episode we discuss the intricacies of child-proofing marriage.

The Vital First Step: Intent and Understanding

The journey towards reconnecting with your spouse post-kids begins with a fundamental step: expressing intention and understanding. We can not emphasize enough how important it is to be intentional about your relationship. Recognizing and articulating what you crave in your marriage sets the stage for meaningful improvement. Whether it’s dedicating time for a daily 10-second hug or sending a thoughtful text, these small acts of intention can significantly impact the quality of your connection.

Embracing Personal Growth and Self-Reflection

A recurring theme in our conversation is...

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Mastering Communication in Marriage: Understanding the Difference Between Emotions and Feelings

Introduction

In marriage, effective communication is often referred to as the key to successful relationships. Without effective communication, marriage challenges feel impossible to work through and what I wish I had learned earlier on was that emotions and feelings are not the same thing. Knowing the difference between the two can play a pivotal role in reshaping the way we approach and address communication breakdowns with our partners.

Emotions vs Feelings

The terms "emotions" and "feelings" are frequently used interchangeably in society. However, understanding that they are not the same is a game changer. Emotions are the immediate physical responses we experience in reaction to what's going on around us. We experience them as bodily sensations, such as a racing heart,...

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If it seemed easier for you to feel connected with your husband before having kids, this one mistake could be the reason why.

As soon as couples become parents, the responsibilities grow exponentially and they start doing things for each other and forget or deprioritize to do things with each other.

As parents, the shift from spontaneous date nights to navigating the challenges of adulting and parenting is real.

The Evolution of Responsibilities

As couples transition from carefree date nights to juggling the demands of adulting and parenting, an inevitable shift occurs. The exponential growth in responsibilities extends beyond only caring for yourself to the complexity of raising little humans. It's a universal experience—one where the focus often shifts towards completing tasks rather than fostering connection.

Acts of Service vs. True Connection

While acts of...

If you love the episode, remember to subscribe, leave a review and share it!

If you love the episode, remember to subscribe, leave a review and share it!

If you love the episode, remember to subscribe, leave a review and share it!

Parenting and Partnership: A Fresh Start For Your Marriage

Is your marriage feeling the impact of the challenges that come with parenthood?

Parenthood doesn't have to mean the end of your love story. Parenthood is just the start of a new chapter in your marriage. Your marriage can have that spark even while you're raising kids.

Don't let yourself get jaded or believe that marriage has to be hard after you become parents. You can learn how to balance love and parenting and make your marriage even better than you imagined. Parenthood was never meant to come between you and your love.

While society may lay out a traditional roadmap for us — education, career, serious relationship, marriage, and family — the reality is that marriage is not a finite goal. It's a journey of growth, evolving with time.

The Excitement of Beginnings:

From the early days of envisioning a life together to the...

You all know by now how important it is to care for yourself when you're a mom and the impact it can have on who you're being to your loved ones and this episode we're taking a look at self care with a slight twist because we'll be diving into the importance of self care for caregivers, not just in the sense of being a parent but also being a caregiver to aging or ill parents.

In this episode, I got to chat with Erin Antroinen.

Erin is the passionate owner and CEO of NextGen Caregivers, whose journey into caregiving was sparked when she simultaneously cared for her father battling cancer and her mother facing dementia and Parkinson's. Erin is your guide to a personalized caregiving approach, recognizing that each caregiver's story is unique.

She's here to support caregivers at every stage, from newbies seeking logistics and stress management tips, to seasoned caregivers looking for somatic awareness and emotional support, and those wanting to thrive on their caregiving...

After becoming parents, couples begin to face a lot of challenges around being able to resolve conflict together as a team and ending fights.

They struggle with communicating and the arguments seem neverending because they don't know how to do it successfully and productively, and just end up sweeping it under the rug and then move on with life because there's always some chore to be done or a kid to help.

And then unsurprisingly, the same issue comes back up. So marriage feels more like being in between fights rather than something more positive and enjoyable.

Conflict is meant to be an opportunity to connect and grow with each other and deepen the intimacy you have with each other and strengthen your relationship, but that can't happen unless you have the skills to know how to resolve conflict in a healthier way.

In this week's episode of The Marriage & Motherhood Podcast, I share:

• 3 myths about conflict and the actual truth
• why conflict...