302. Why You Feel Lonely (Even if You Have Friends) and Three Solutions that Work

Creating a great relationship with yourself or others is all about creating healthy habits: getting into the habit of identifying and regulating your own feelings, getting into the habit of being mindful in conversations, or getting into the habit of resisting urges that sabotage you getting to your goals (yes, put down your phone and the Oreos). Creating a great relationship with yourself or others is also about breaking bad habits such as judging, criticizing or thinking your well-being is hinged on other people acting a certain way. The research is clear on what it takes to make healthy habits and let go of destructive ones, but there’s a not-so-secret secret to doing it right. Yup. There’s one big mistake most people make when they’re trying to change a habit and it’s why they fail. So, whether you’re here to change a relationship, your eating, or some other part of your life that’s not working, today you’ll learn the secret to making new habits that stick.____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/the-secret-to-changing-your-unwanted-habitsGrab The Changing Habits Quicksheet: https://abbymedcalf.com/habit-sheet____________________________Learn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundariesWant to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/bookLooking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.comReady to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shopA great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shopSay hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feeling lonely sucks! If you’re here with me now, you’ve likely experienced the pain of feeling lonely or isolated at some point in your life. Social connection is imperative for humans. It improves our mental well-being and our physical health. Studies have even shown that a lack of social connection can be more detrimental to your health than smoking or obesity! So, what do you do if you feel lonely (even when you’re surrounded by people)? Today we’re diving into the stigma of loneliness, the difference between being alone and being lonely, why most loneliness tips haven’t worked for you and my top three solutions to shift from feeling lonely to feeling more connected and at peace.____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/why-you-feel-lonely-even-if-you-have-friends-and-three-solutions-that-workGrab my FREE Meditation Starter Kit: https://abbymedcalf.com/product/meditation-starter-kit/Learn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundariesWant to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to  https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.comFor more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtubeReady to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shopA great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shopSay hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Parental or other familial estrangement is a real thing these days. And it’s more common than ever to block or cut off toxic friends or siblings. But is there a healthy way to cut people off so you can feel at peace with your decision and life? The short answer is, “Yes,” but you need to know the dos and don’ts. Today I’m coming at you with the three big mistakes people make when they’re cutting someone off and my five strategies for how to create healthier separations so you can find calm and ease in your relationships, even the ones you don’t keep anymore.____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/is-there-a-healthy-way-to-cut-people-offLearn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundariesWant to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to  https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.comFor more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtubeReady to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shopA great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shopSay hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In my 40 years of experience, I’ve worked with bus drivers, billionaires, movie stars, and stay-at-home parents. I’ve worked with people who are depressed, anxious and have ADHD. And I can tell you that the one thing everyone has in common is that they often struggle with feeling ineffective in their day-to-day life. I always say that the most important relationship you have is the one with yourself. When you don’t feel effective in your day, you beat yourself up, resulting in lowered self-esteem. Let’s change all that! Today I’m teaching you three simple habits to structure and plan your day so you can be effective, productive and calm. Get ready for a whole new way of thinking about your day so you can kick some ass! Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/three-simple-habits-to-structure-and-plan-your-day-so-you-can-be-effective-productive-and-calmGrab my FREE Mindfulness Starter Kit: https://abbymedcalf.com/product/mindfulness-starter-kitLearn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundariesWant to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.comFor more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtubeA great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shopSay hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the toughest parts of being human is dealing with others being angry or disappointed in us. You might react by being angry back, people pleasing or avoiding that person altogether. But no matter what you do, your brain likely keeps coming back to this person who’s angry at you, and you end up feeling anxious, fearful, resentful or drained. Why can’t you just let it go, and what can you do to make it better? Today I’ll teach you the four things you can do to ease your anger and anxiety when someone is mad at you and find some internal peace.____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/how-to-deal-with-someone-being-mad-at-you-the-four-things-you-can-doGrab my FREE Mindfulness Starter Kit: https://abbymedcalf.com/product/mindfulness-starter-kit/Learn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundariesWant to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to  https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.comFor more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtubeReady to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shopA great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shopSay hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you feel self-conscious in social situations? Are you often afraid that others are judging you? Do everyday interactions cause you significant anxiety or embarrassment? And has this fear gotten in the way of living your life? If you have social anxiety, you might feel hopeless that things will ever change, but you’re wrong. Social anxiety is treatable and today you’ll learn my top five tips for creating a more relaxed and connected life.____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/how-to-overcome-social-anxiety-my-top-five-tips-for-creating-a-more-relaxed-and-connected-life Download my FREE Grounding Exercises: https://abbymedcalf.com/grounding Learn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to  https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes. Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com For more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop Say hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s healthy and normal to get frustrated or angry from time to time. However, it’s not healthy or normal to feel frustration and anger on a daily basis. This means your frustration tolerance is too low and it’s time to develop some much-needed skills so you can feel more peaceful and connected with yourself and those around you. Today I’m teaching you my top five strategies to stop feeling frustrated and angry in all your relationships. ____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/how-to-stop-feeling-frustrated-and-angry-in-your-relationshipsGrab my FREE List of Collaborative Questions: https://abbymedcalf.com/collabquesLearn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundariesWant to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.comFor more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtubeReady to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shopA great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shopSay hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Because so many of us come from dysfunctional families, it can be hard to know if we’re in a healthy relationship or just repeating the screwed up stuff we saw growing up with that seemed normal because it’s all we knew. With a career spanning 40 years, in multiple states and countries, and having worked in every environment you can imagine, I’ve learned a lot about what it means to truly be in a healthy relationship. Today I’m sharing the top five things to look for to know whether or not you’re in a healthy relationship or to at least identify what you need to work on. ____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/how-do-you-know-if-youre-in-a-healthy-relationship-five-signs-to-look-forUse this loving kindness meditation to develop feelings of compassion, love, kindness and warmth towards yourself and other people.https://youtu.be/HzP24O1O7lELearn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundariesWant to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.comFor more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtubeReady to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shopA great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shopSay hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do relationships fail? When I ask people, “What’s the biggest issue in your relationship?” they almost always answer, “We don’t communicate.” That’s wrong (yes, I said it). And that wrong answer has you working on the wrong things. You try out all those communication tools to improve your relationship, but they don’t work! And you know why? Because you’re not treating the cancer, you’re treating a symptom, which means you don’t get to the root, so the problems keep coming back and, ultimately, your relationship fails. Today I’ll explain the top three reasons relationships fail and, as always, tips to help you create lasting connection, ease and joy in your relationship. ____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/the-three-surprising-reasons-why-relationships-failGrab my FREE list of Collaborative Questions: https://abbymedcalf.com/collabquesLearn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundariesWant to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.comFor more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtubeReady to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shopA great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shopSay hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It doesn’t take a genius to know that your relationship is worse off when you or your partner are under stress. A fight with your friend, money woes, that nasty commute, little Jimmy’s newly diagnosed gluten allergy, and those long work days bleed over into your relationship. The research shows that the more frustrations and issues people had outside the home, the more stress they had in their relationship and the less satisfied they felt with it! Stress will kill your relationship faster than almost anything else. But I’m here to help! Today we’ll talk about a new way to look at handling stress and my top seven effective tools to deal with stress in your relationship. ____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/seven-effective-tools-to-deal-with-stress-in-your-relationshipGrab The Three Steps to Cognitive Reframing Worksheet: https//abbymedcalf.com/reframing-worksheetLearn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries. Buy my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundariesWant to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.comFor more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtubeReady to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shopA great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shopSay hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.