The heroic leap of just being yourself: why being authentic feels so risky in relationships

What does it mean to be pro love? How do you bring more love into your life and into your relationships? How do you bring more love into the world around you? In this episode, we talk about the Pro Love Movement and we lay out the five steps to having more love in your life and making the world a more loving place. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “love is the greatest force in the universe.” Show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode10

Want to know how to create a powerful vision for your life and relationships? In this episode we’ll explore why having a vision for your life and relationships is so important and how discovering a sense of meaning and purpose is a vital part of honing your vision for your life. We’ll take you far beyond the realm of vision boards and fantasy into the true power of the imagination to create relationships that are deeply meaningful and satisfying. Show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode9

Why is vulnerability so essential for healthy relationships? And why does vulnerability require courage? In this episode we’ll talk about how to be brave in love and relationships and why vulnerability is vital for emotional intimacy and connection. We’ll dispel the cultural myth that associates vulnerability with weakness and explore reasons why learning how to be vulnerable is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your relationships.  Show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode8

Hard times in inevitable in any long-term relationship. In this episode, we’ll explore how to tell the difference between hard times as a good sign that your relationship is deepening and the hard times that indicate that your relationship could benefit from some extra attention. We’ll talk about the transition from the honeymoon phase and why so many relationships run into difficulty making this transition. We’ll also share our tips for navigating challenges in relationships with skill and grace. Show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode7

Being yourself in a relationship sounds like it should be easy. So why do so many of us struggle with being authentic in relationships? In this episode, we’ll explore the early messages we receive as children that discourages us from being our whole selves in relationships and uncover ways to step out of the trap of trying to be who you think other people want you to be and instead take the heroic leap of just being yourself in your relationships. Show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode6

Why is it so hard to understand ourselves sometimes? And to understand our partners? What gets in the way of deeper intimacy and connection in our relationships, including our relationships with ourselves? In this episode, we’ll talk about our formula for intimacy and connection in relationships and the vital role curiosity plays in creating vibrant, fulfilling relationships. We’ll also explore why it can be so difficult to maintain a spirit of curiosity in relationships and ways to practice being curious with ourselves and intimate partners. Show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode5

Compromise is often recommended to couples as the best way to solve problems and resolve conflict in relationships. But compromise can actually end up making relationships worse. In this episode, we’ll talk about the downsides of compromise and why it can be so hard to resolve conflicts in relationships. We’ll also explore better alternatives to compromise and how to work through relationship issues in ways that create more intimacy and connection. Find the show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode4

In our first episode, we explore the central question of what does it mean to have a happy relationship? What makes relationships meaningful, fulfilling, and satisfying? Spoiler alert: it’s not necessarily what you think it is. In the absence of cultural models for what a healthy romantic relationship looks like, we explore the kinds of different expectations we bring into relationships and what happens after the honeymoon phase ends. Find the show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode1.

Relationships inevitably change over time, but what does a relationship need in order to grow and get better with time? In this episode we dive into why we sometimes resist making changes in our personal lives and in our relationships. We’ll talk about what makes change uncomfortable and why we gravitate toward what’s known and familiar over what’s unknown. We’ll also talk about how to approach growth in relationships in ways that allow us to grow together rather than apart. Find the show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode2.   

In this episode, we talk about why avoiding conflict in relationships is a one way ticket to the relationship doldrums. Many of us are uncomfortable with conflict in intimate relationships and friendships. Yet conflict is inevitable in romantic relationships and when you know how to have healthy conflict, it’s actually good for relationships. We’ll explore why we avoid conflict and how to have the hard conversations in a whole new (and better!) way. Find the show notes at alchemyofconnection.com/episode3