For many of us, we carry secrets that seem too dark for anyone to understand. We carry this heaviness until is crushes us or we explode. Here in this darkness, crippling lies slowly wear us down, leaving us suffering in isolation. September is Suicide awareness month. Suicide is one of the most difficult and scary subjects for people to openly address. In this episode Justin and Abi vulnerably tackle their own war with suicide. In a world of silence, this episode is meant to be a conversation st...
Sep 02, 2019•1 hr 14 min
For most of us, we want to feel inspired day to day and we often dream of living a life full of adventure. Unfortunately, the reality is often a life that feels boring and uninspired. The hurdles to this type of excitement are often wrapped into a simple question such as, “How do I practically implement inspiration and thrill into my life?” In this episode we hear from Lauren, one of our favorite friends, about how she learned to buck the norm, let go of the reigns, and live wildly out of contro...
Aug 26, 2019•59 min
Self-sufficiency and the victim mentality often keep us from experiencing true freedom. It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of self-protection when people in our lives hurt and disappoint us. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of conversation about exactly HOW to work through trauma, past pain, and move towards wholeness and freedom. Join Justin and special guest Chris Cook as they share their deeply personal experiences with trauma and PTSD. Get ready to hear how they fought their way out thr...
Aug 19, 2019•1 hr 14 min
For most of us, family vacations can be a tricky time to navigate. They’re often chock full of triggers and past pain that hasn’t been resolved. Often times, it can be difficult to let our walls down long enough to feel known and free amidst our siblings, parents, and relatives. So how do we go from surviving family vacations to thriving in them? Join Justin and Abi on their own vacation as they drive through Glacier National Park and discuss Justin’s fresh explosion with his dad. They’ll share ...
Aug 12, 2019•40 min
We’ve all been guilty of venting about the negative things that happen in our lives and rarely verbalizing the positive aspects. This can be especially harmful when it comes to romance. Everything is butterflies and rainbows in the beginning of a new relationship. We gush non-stop about every little thing our partner does. Soon life gets real and things aren't so peachy any longer. This can leave us frustrated, complaining, and wondering what happened to the romance. Why is this? We’re so glad y...
Aug 05, 2019•54 min
For most of us, life is experienced through a lens of traditions and rules established by family and culture at large. Rarely do we stop to question why we do what we do. Many traditions are beautiful and the rules that govern us can be very helpful. However, left unchecked, we can spend an entire lifetime living for traditions and by rules that we neither have value for, nor are they helpful. Join us as we revisit the story of our unconventional wedding. We share how we created a unique express...
Jul 29, 2019•57 min
We all have triggers around emotions, money, and other people's behavior… and we’d like to blame them for how they affect us. But truth is, that our triggers are our responsibility. Join us for round two of a blame free lifestyle. In this episode our freshly married friends, Marcus & Brianna, share stories about some of their trigger happy moments. From vulnerable honeymoon experiences, to money problems in Seattle, this episode hands us recent examples and practical tools to help with any t...
Jul 22, 2019•1 hr 9 min
Blaming, shaming and complaining, sound like a familiar experience to you? The list of people in our lives who behave this way is endless, but often times we’re just as guilty. Whether to our friends, parents, romantic partners, spouse, kids, the random sales associate, or especially - to ourselves, we can’t deny our role in this style of communication. In today’s episode, we are joined by special guest and fellow life consultant Laura Duncan. Laura walks us through stories from her own personal...
Jul 15, 2019•1 hr 10 min
For many people, dating is a game to be played with a singular goal in mind, winning. The game is one of proving we can get someone or get someone to choose us. This often leads to needless tug of wars that end in grief and a sense of feeling unfulfilled. But what if dating could be entirely redefined? In this episode our good friend Ruth is back with us to share about her 5 year, dating hiatus and how the experience created success for her dating journey that followed. Join us as we talk about ...
Jul 08, 2019•58 min
In order to have successful relationships with the opposite sex, whether in dating, marriage, or friends, we can’t be at war with those we want to love. For many of us, it’s easy to find ourselves in an unconscious tug of war with those of the opposite sex. Unknowingly, we can have entire power struggles happening under the surface due childhood pains and promises of who we’d never be, or how we’d never act. In this episode, Abi and Justin sit down with their close friend, Ruth, and discuss her ...
Jul 01, 2019•1 hr 13 min
For many people dating can be vulnerable, scary, and feel as though there are no clear rules on “how to” do it right. But like anything in life, there is a lot of gray space when it comes to dating and rules are more like shackles than a map to freedom. In this episode Abi and Justin throw out the rules and instead dive into 6 helpful values to help you on your journey. If you’re single this is a MUST listen to episode! Remember to Rate, Review, Subscribe, and Share! #theconnectedlife , #theconn...
Jun 24, 2019•1 hr 7 min
As humans, tragedy and loss are unavoidable. Because of this, pain is a universal part of life. For most of us, we feel lost in a sea of these painful moments that we have no tools to navigate through. We stumble through life surviving the bumps and bruises we are forced to endure simply because we haven’t been taught how to grieve. Without a proper understanding of grief, we are left wandering around trapped in this pain or disconnected from it all together. But what if there were practical ste...
Jun 17, 2019•1 hr 16 min
For most people, conversations about how we’ve been hurt and how we’ve hurt others are often terrifying and filled with anxiety. Because of this, we spend our entire lives trying to run from the past and, in doing so, we disconnect from those we love the most. In Part 2 of How Our History Shapes Us, Justin and Abi sit down face to face with Justin’s parents, Bob and Bobbie. Through choosing to face fear head on, Bob talks openly about hearing the live recorded counseling session where Justin vul...
Jun 10, 2019•1 hr 38 min
In this incredibly raw and exposing episode Justin opens up the doors to his personal life like never before! During a live recorded counseling session Justin speaks out about his deep wounds with his father. Through blunt honesty and tears he purges a history of bottled up pain. If you’ve ever wondered what it tangibly looks like to walk through the healing process this is a unique opportunity to go behind closed doors and get a front row seat. Get ready to be inspired about the possibilities o...
Jun 03, 2019•59 min
For many people the word “weakness” is repulsive. Being “weak” is seen as a flaw in our humanity. Having an area of “weakness” is seen as unacceptable. For the majority of people, our ability to “be strong” and perform is directly connected to our value and lovability. Because of this we try to ignore our weakness, acting as though it doesn’t exist. Or, it’s all we see and we feel deeply disqualified because of it. But what if our “weakness” pointed to our greatness? What if it was the launching...
May 27, 2019•59 min
They often say men are from Mars and women are from Venus, but what if all humans, regardless of gender, came from their own planet, much like a gathering of Star Wars characters. When two worlds come together it can often feel like an explosive collision, especially when it comes to our most intimate relationships. But what if our way isn’t always the only way? What if our way isn’t always the best way? What if coming from different planets creates unnecessary misunderstandings that lead to cha...
May 20, 2019•1 hr 4 min
Sex is for men right? Men need it, want it, and are driven by it. Women are subjected to it, put up with it, and mostly dislike it, right? But what if we’re all wrong about sex. What if sex was made for women? What if sex was an opportunity to have so many other desires fulfilled? Join Justin, Abi, and Pietze in this mind blowing sex episode as they discuss the purpose of sex and how YOU can create a sex life you LOVE! Get ready to be challenged, have a great laugh, and redefine your sex life!...
May 13, 2019•1 hr 18 min
Have you ever found yourself trying to move forward in life only to feel like you’re bashing your head into a wall? Have you ever had hurdles in marriage, finances, friendships, or career that you can’t seem to jump over? Are we all “just” who we are, living some life that “just” happens to us? What if all the things that seem so mysterious aren’t really all that mysterious at all. What if the problem we’re having is that we’re trying to move forward without having to look back? In this episode ...
May 06, 2019•1 hr 7 min
Every person is different and because of this we all have a different capacity. Sometimes it seems like everyone is conquering the world, while all we’re doing is dropping the ball. For others it seems like we’re running on a hamster wheel, while everyone else is relaxing and enjoying life. In this episode Justin and Abi talk about the “Do’ers” and the “Be’ers”; those that are hard at work and those that are hard at play. They discuss the value of both personalities and the value for understandi...
Apr 29, 2019•1 hr 13 min
How does a man win a woman’s heart? What does a woman really want in a man? Does he have to be the smartest? Maybe the richest? A Zach Efron lookalike? An Alpha Dog? Often times men feel like the answer to this question is an unsolvable mystery. In this episode Justin and Abi are joined by Abi’s lifelong best friend, Pietze, as they demystify the basic desires of a woman’s heart. If you’re a man looking for a road map to win over a love interest, your girlfriend, or your wife, get ready to take ...
Apr 22, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Fun is a messy art form meant to be the color in an otherwise gray life. For most people fun doesn’t seem conducive to being a productive adult. In reality, often times the missing spice in friendships, dating relationships, marriages, and families is fun! Join Justin and Abi as they playfully explore the power of adding fun into their lives and their relationship. Discover ways to connect to fun in your own life so you can start living in color! And if you don't want more color, nobody enjoys a...
Apr 15, 2019•1 hr 3 min
Parenting is simple, right? Just follow the instruction manual that comes with your kid and you’re good to go. Yours didn’t come with a manual? Surprise! None of them do. In this episode Pietze Duffield, Abi’s best friend and a mother of two, shares her unique experiences and lessons that she’s learned raising a special needs child. Through unique circumstances, Pietze has redefined parenting as she explores the uncharted waters that few parents have to brave. Join us as we take a look at parent...
Apr 08, 2019•1 hr 18 min
Have you ever "Hulked out"? Have you ever seen someone "Hulk out"? Somewhere inside all of us is a little person with the potential to become a big scary green monster. Anger is one the most commonly expressed human emotions. It is socially seen as both acceptable and shameful. Whether we know it or not we all have strong beliefs about anger that govern how we express ourselves and how we relate to the most intimate relationships in our lives. In this episode Justin and Abi expose the ugliness o...
Apr 01, 2019•1 hr 9 min
Candid talk about an aggressive and angry mini-explosion between Justin and Abi? Sounds like a dose of reality TV drama to me! What do you do when assumptions, judgments, and misunderstandings lead to an all out war? We’ve all thrown grenades and stepped on landmines In our most intimate relationships. Where do the grenades and landmines come from that leave so much pain in lives of those we love? Who is our war really with? How do we clean up the trail of bloody messes we’ve made? In this episo...
Mar 25, 2019•1 hr 9 min
What do you do when your world feels like it has fallen apart and nothing in life is what you imagined it would be? How do you still trust that everything will work out when the circumstances unfolding before you tell you a different story. Come join the conversation as we talk with Abi’s long time best friend, Pietze, about the hidden nuggets of goodness she found on the other side of discovering her daughter was autistic. You’ll laugh and cry as you hear about the miraculous in the midst of th...
Mar 18, 2019•1 hr 11 min
Hop back into bed with us as we continue our two part conversation about Sex! Sex is a beautiful and important connection point within relationships! So what happens when disconnection and shame are present? What do we do when our beliefs and emotions prohibit us from experiencing the beauty of what sexuality can be? Why is it that sometimes our bodies just won’t cooperate? In this episode, we break down some of the most common things we’ve seen ruin sex for couples, as well as give you tips for...
Mar 11, 2019•1 hr 7 min
Have you ever wondered how to have a good sex life? Good, us too. Culture bombardes us with a lot about sex, unfortunately it's full of conflicting viewpoints, unrealistic expectations, and a heavy dose of fake examples portrayed on screen. Join us as we share all about our first year of sex! You'll hear how we learned to communicate in the bedroom, why we chose connection above orgasms, and how leaving pride at the door was the first step to a life of mind blowing sex! Better put your headphone...
Mar 04, 2019•52 min
Success is seemingly defined by culture as doing a lot, and doing it well. Because of this, so many of us feel the pressure to be going somewhere or doing something "important" with our lives. But what happens when life hits the brakes and we're faced with doing "nothing" at all? Come join us as we share how we chose to face pain, learned to be powerful people, and discovered how to find the hidden gift in every season.
Feb 25, 2019•50 min
Road Trip!!! Get ready as we begin to explore the first year of Justin and Abi’s marriage! Beginning with the first two stops of a completely unorganized road trip, we learn all about how this was the year of Justin having meltdowns, how a potty stop at a tree farm reignited connection, and how the "don’t go to bed angry" advice was more damaging than helpful. Join us for some real talk about a few of our first fights as a married couple and how we began to learn to navigate expectations, gain c...
Feb 18, 2019•49 min
In this second part of a two part series, Abi and Justin are joined by Abi’s childhood best friend Pietze Duffield as they dive deeper into the poverty mindset and many of the other roots that drive an unhealthy relationship with our bodies. As a bonus, Pietze shares her insights on creating environments to set your children up for success when it comes to a relationship with food and their bodies. If you’re looking for a way to conquer the mountain of having a healthy and fit body, this two par...
Feb 11, 2019•44 min
