The Connected Life - podcast cover

The Connected Life

Justin and Abi Stumvollwww.justinandabi.com
The Connected Life is a thought-provoking conversation about all the beautiful and messy ups and downs of life. Join Life Consultants Justin & Abi Stumvoll as they share vulnerable stories and practical wisdom that will lead you on a journey of connecting with yourself, others, and the world right in front of you. Their authentic, no-BS style will make you laugh, challenge you to dig deep, face your fears, and inspire you to love yourself and others more.
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Episodes

95: Creating a Lifestyle of Fun

The idea of fun has been commercialized and monetized into extravagant, costly getaways and material possessions. People spend years saving up so they can have fun only to pay for expensive mediocre experiences that leave them disappointed and unfulfilled. In this episode, Abi and Justin are joined by their fun and fabulous friend Jenna. As a wife, mother of three, and a business owner, Jenna has cultivated a lifestyle of fun on a budget, embracing a philosophy of powerful decision making and no...

Oct 26, 20201 hr 4 min

94: Discovering Purpose in the Nothingness

There are times in life that seem like nothing is happening. We lack vision and clarity for our future. We feel as though our hopes and dreams are being dashed to pieces. Here in this place of nothingness is an invitation to discover who we really are. In this episode, Justin and Abi are joined by their dear friend Sammi. Sammi shares about her season of nothingness and how this season led to her cultivating beliefs based on a higher truth that created the abundant life she’s living out of now. ...

Oct 19, 202058 min

93: From Crappy to Happy

Let’s all face it, life can sometimes feel like a rollercoaster. For some it’s a series of high highs, and low lows. Others live in low lows and rarely see the light of day. Then there are those that live with their heads in the clouds wearing permanent smiles on their faces never looking down long enough to catch a glimpse of reality. In this episode Abi and Justin dive playfully into the essence of true happiness. They highlight the major blockers of happiness while highlighting ways to cultiv...

Oct 12, 202055 min

92: Creating Victory Over Our Body Battle

The battle with our bodies is often a tumultuous one. A majority of culture would universally acknowledge some form of a personal body battle for women. Men, however, are often shrouded in shame, hiding their battle with this reality. In this episode Spencer, Justin’s former client and close friend joins the conversation. He vulnerably shares his story of having an eating disorder with Justin and Abi, while opening up about his steps to creating a lifestyle of victory over his long time battle w...

Oct 05, 20201 hr 17 min

91: Justin’s Surprise Birthday Interview

It’s Justin’s birthday and what better way to celebrate than for Abi to hijack The Connected Life and spring a series of questions on her lover about his life. Some seriousness, mixed with play, is just what the doctor ordered for this light-hearted interview. Get insight into Justin’s personal life as he shares about the gifts this year granted him through Abi’s sickness. Enjoy learning all about Justin’s dream to have hands for feet and what he hopes this next year will hold for him. Get ready...

Sep 28, 202059 min

90: A Surefire Solution to Feel Connected

For some of us, it feels safer to live a life so self-sufficient that we don’t ever need anyone. For others, we need people so much we can become a vampire, draining the life out of those we love the most. Either extreme is detrimental to the experience of connection. In this episode, Justin and Abi share about their struggles with self-sufficiency. They tackle the loneliness and abandonment that accompanies this kind of lifestyle, but not without addressing the other end of the pendulum known a...

Sep 21, 202055 min

89: Unearthing, Understanding, and Eradicating Shrouded Shame

Hidden in the recesses of our programming is a haunting voice driving our lives. Whether we acknowledge and understand it or not, this voice is very real and universal to all of humanity. Ignoring it won't make it magically disappear. Equipping and empowering ourselves is the only solution to shattering the affects of this monster in our lives. In this episode, Abi and Justin deep dive into the topic of shame as they chat it up with their close friend Ruth. Ruth shares about the subtle ways sham...

Sep 14, 202056 min

88: Connecting to Eternal Power

True power has a source. In our humanity, disconnected from this source, we are limited to a dimly lit life. We struggle to get by, mostly just surviving. We live normal and uninspired lives hoping for enough material comfort to ease the torment of our pain and sufferings. We eke by in an unspoken, undiagnosed, and undefined hell, keeping us trapped and limited from a life fully lived. But what if there was more? In this special episode Justin sits down alone and takes a look at his life through...

Sep 07, 20201 hr 5 min

87: Redefining Justice-The Path to Healing

The subject of injustice is a fiery one. We’ve all experienced forms of injustice in our lives. Justice being served is a necessary part of righting wrongs. But when asked to define what actual justice is, there are uncountable numbers of responses. In order to find true healing both personally, and as a culture, we are in desperate need of redefining what justice looks like. In this episode Abi and Justin sit down with Sean Smith as he opens up about the racially motivated tragedy that sent his...

Aug 31, 20201 hr 4 min

86: Finding Hope in the Present

Hope is a necessary component to experiencing a life fully lived. Looking at what didn’t work out for us, or imagining a future that has yet to happen can often lead to a sense of hopelessness. But what if we could create a lifestyle of hope through learning how to be present in the moment. In this episode Justin and Abi talk about staying connected to our present moment as a way of anchoring ourselves to hope. Through our reflections of what did work out well for us, we can create a history of ...

Aug 24, 202048 min

85: The Power of Celebrating Yourself

Some people believe that celebrating yourself can lead to arrogance and pride. Often times people feel awkward and out of place when the spotlight shines on them, especially if they’re shining the light. A false sense of humility often replaces a healthy expression of necessary celebration. In this episode Abi and Justin explore the need to celebrate yourself. Justin opens up about the painful loss of his brother that led to an inability to celebrate himself. Together they discuss the powerful a...

Aug 17, 202057 min

84: Restoring Our Childlike Wonder

For most of us adults, we find ourselves struggling to connect with creativity. We lose the ability to dream and create from a place of joy and happiness. The evolution of growing up comes with the loss of our childlike wonder, the foundation for feeling fully alive. In this episode Justin and Abi sit down with their friend Ryan. Ryan shares his story of working himself to death and how his disconnection from emotions left him feeling bankrupt as a businessman, father, and husband. He opens up a...

Aug 10, 20201 hr 24 min

83: The Power of People Centered Purpose

For many, an end goal is the engine driving our lives and has a way of becoming our sole purpose. Along the way we can find ourselves being willing to do some pretty uncaring and unloving things, believing the end justifies the means. But, what if the end goal is nothing more than an opportunity for the real purpose? In this Episode Justin is joined by his good friend Noah Elias. Together they explore how Noah’s talent of being a Disney Fine Artist is really a vehicle for creating relationships ...

Aug 03, 20201 hr 11 min

82: Making Your Dreams a Reality

Learning how to trust our inner voice, especially when it comes to the dreams and desires of our heart, can sometimes be difficult. Often times we are met with unforeseen delays, obstacles, and naysayers. Very rarely is the road to fulfillment straight and paved smoothly. In a world of uncertainty, bringing your dreams to life can sometimes feel like an unclimbable mountain. But with the right approach it can be a tale of adventure and redemption. In this episode Abi interviews Justin about the ...

Jul 27, 20201 hr 12 min

81: Creating an Anti-Affair Plan

Building trust in a relationship can take years and requires immense vulnerability. When we’ve given our hearts to another human, the cost of betrayal can be so high that few truly bounce back from it. Often times people put a lot of effort trying to clean up the pieces of something that didn’t have to be broken in the first place. In this episode Justin and Abi discuss ways to create an anti-affair plan. Though we can’t control our significant others into making healthy committed decisions, we ...

Jul 20, 20201 hr 5 min

80: Rebuilding From Rubble with Paul Young

With so many unknowns, life can feel great one moment, and in the next, our world can feel like it’s crumbling all around us. Sometimes the chaos and mayhem happens to us, and sometimes it’s self-inflicted. When mishaps, meltdowns, or tragedy happen, we can find ourselves broken and at a loss for what to do. In this episode Paul Young, author of The Shack, joins Abi and Justin as they discuss the dismantling that happened when he was forced to face the reality of his affair with his wife’s best ...

Jul 13, 20201 hr 29 min

79: Tub Talk- The Naked Truth About Marriage

Marriage is a lot of things to a lot of people. For some, it’s the answer to all our problems or the source of them. To others, it’s just a contract between two roommates until they’re tired of seeing each other’s faces. So what exactly is the purpose of marriage? In this episode Justin and Abi get naked, hop in the tub, yes you read that right, THE TUB, and have a candid conversation about what marriage is and what it isn’t supposed to be. It’s time to break the illusions about marriage and emb...

Jul 06, 202054 min

78: The Journey to a Dream Fulfilled

In this moment in history so many people are faced with mounting unknowns. As people are suffering the loss of jobs and businesses, many are asking the questions, What do I do now? Where do I go from here? What if the biggest NO life has to offer is actually the open door to a YES you’ve always dreamed of? In this episode Justin and Abi sit down with their two friends, Bryant and Ben, who share their journey of partnership and success through creating and launching their company The Adventure ch...

Jun 29, 20201 hr 17 min

77: Seeking to Understand: A Time to Listen

The current conversation around race can be confusing and seems to have many pitfalls. Politics and ideologies often muddy a much needed, and necessary, conversation. Hidden behind the eruption of protests are real people with real experiences. In this episode Abi and Justin are given the unique opportunity to sit down with and hear from their friend Jon Miller. Jon shares vulnerably about his experience with pain and trauma as a black man, while opening up about the broader experience of trauma...

Jun 22, 20201 hr 41 min

76: Finding a Firm Foundation in Trying Times

The world is truly faced with unprecedented trying times. After an outbreak of a global pandemic, filled with uncertainty, we’re now face to face with battles in our streets and unresolved trauma from a tainted past. Finding a firm foundation to stand on can feel almost impossible in the midst of feeling like we’ve been stretched well beyond our capacity. In this episode Justin and Abi take an honest look at the collective pain and suffering the world is feeling in an attempt to acknowledge and ...

Jun 15, 20201 hr 17 min

75: Building Bridges Through Compassion

The world is stricken with grief and seemingly more divided than ever before. Injustices caught on camera strike our humanity to the core. With the instability of Corona, the painful conversation of racism, and an up and coming election in the United States, how will the world survive 2020? In this episode Abi and Justin address the real pain, as well as the division being expressed across social media. They take an honest look at the ever growing divide and explore powerful concepts like compas...

Jun 08, 202059 min

74: Recalibrating Your Relational Role

We all play a role in relationships. This role we play evolves in our childhoods as we take on very specific identities within our families. Some of us were the “responsible kid”, others were the “screw up”, "goof off", “black sheep”, “hyperactive”, or “timid” kid. The list of roles are endless, and when thought about for a moment, very apparent, especially at family gatherings. In this episode Abi and Justin explore the roles we play in our family systems and highlight critical postures we have...

Jun 01, 202053 min

73: 12 Green-lights to Relationship

Red flags are all the rave in relationship advice, but what about green lights? What are key signs to look for when choosing a friend or mate? Understanding DOs can be even more critical than understanding DON’Ts! In this episode Justin and Abi lay out 12 fundamental green lights to look for when exploring possibilities for friendships and dating partners. Woven into the fabric of the conversation is an invitation to take an honest, yet compassionate look at your life and explore the pitfalls yo...

May 25, 202053 min

72: Sorry-The Cuss Word of All Cuss Words

As humans, we have a tendency to make mistakes and be messy. If we spend any depth of time in relationship with one another, we’re bound to create painful moments for the ones we love the most. Knowing that problems are inevitable, repairing relationships is an art form worth learning. At the foundation of all relational repairs are apologies. In this episode Abi and Justin explore the power of apologies, why we need them, why we don’t give them, and what a quality apology could sound like. If y...

May 18, 202051 min

71: What Are All These Feelings?

It’s easy to feel out of control and barraged by emotions. Sometimes it’s unclear what we’re feeling, or why we’re feeling it. The truth is, emotions are an energy pulsating in us and through us. We are consistently broadcasting this energy to the world around us. Through intelligent design, we have been made for relationship, and our ability to broadcast is equal to our capacity to be receptors. In this episode, Justin and Abi shine a spotlight on the world of feelings. They discuss the paramou...

May 11, 202052 min

70: The Dog is Not Our Problem

It’s easy to find ourselves having complete meltdowns over seemingly trivial things. Without proper investigation, we can end up shaming ourselves, or turn against the ones we love the most. These “trivial things”, that turn us upside down, are meant to be the starting point of a road map to understanding our heart and finding healing for our past. In this episode, Justin and Ab are joined by their good friends, Brianna and Marcus. They dive into their story and share how a puppy was the initiat...

May 04, 202058 min

69: Becoming Empowered in Relational Conflict

For many of us, the villain in our story is very clear and if they would change, we would be just fine. Relationships often find themselves in never-ending cycles of finger pointing and blame. Unfortunately, this only leads to further problems and pain. In this episode, Abi and Justin sit down with their dear friends Marcus and Brianna. Marcus and Bri open up about the recent conflict in their marriage surrounding her health issues and pull back the curtain to reveal the real emotions hiding beh...

Apr 27, 202054 min

68: Stop Playing the Game

We all play games in relationships, whether or not we’re aware of it. These games can keep us in limiting cycles that affect our ability to live a life of intimacy and connection. In this episode Abi and Justin talk abut a popular reality dating show and investigate the dynamics of the couples relationships. They address the games being played in matters of the heart and reveal common pitfalls we’re all susceptible to when we’re not living in self-awareness. If you’re wanting deeper connections ...

Apr 20, 202054 min

67: From Falling Apart to Falling Together

This week we’re having an unscheduled interruption. Since the world is already topsy-turvy why not? Not to fret though, next week you’ll get part two of our two-part episode, Shattering the Secrets that Shame Us. Hope is one of the most valuable commodities necessary to find life in the midst of watching everything crumble to pieces. We are at a moment in history where we need a fresh reminder of how things can come together after falling apart. In this episode Justin and Abi sit down with speci...

Apr 13, 20201 hr 10 min

66: Shattering the Secrets that Shame Us Pt 2

Secrets have a way of trapping us in pain. However, often times we believe that it’s more painful to share our experiences, than having to to get real and honest about them. Unfortunately, this only leads to a life of isolation, separated from love. In part two of this two-part episode, Justin’s friend, Jeremy, shares the final pieces of his lowest point before finding life altering freedom through confession. He opens up about the fears he had to face, and the many ways he’s found healing from ...

Apr 06, 20201 hr 11 min
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