Many people believe that “success” just happens to a select lucky few, or for those that simply keep their head down and work hard. But what if success has ingredients like a cocktail that anyone can make? In this episode, Abi and Justin define their version of success and investigate some of the key ingredients that are fundamental to seeing the dreams of a person’s heart become reality. They highlight the truths in tension that govern the journey of success while taking the pressure off of the...
May 31, 2021•57 min
In part two of this two part episode, Abi and Justin sit down again with friend and fellow Life Consultant Laura Duncan. Together they take a deep dive into the pain and shame that is the foundation for sexual addiction. Through compassion they shine a light on the subject and reveal how, in our common humanity, we all find ourselves coping in destructive ways, making us all the same. Through Laura’s insight into the development of children, she shares practical tips and tools on how to help par...
May 24, 2021•1 hr 9 min
In a world culture that has instant access to pornographic material it’s realistic that so many people, both men and women, would use, or have addictions to this type of content. For those that are aware of the destructive nature of this content, there’s a longing to find freedom from it, but often little understanding as to why they engage it in the first place. In this episode Justin and Abi are joined by their good friend and fellow consultant Laura Duncan. Laura shares about her history of h...
May 17, 2021•1 hr 8 min
Are you a turtle or a hailstorm? The way we attach to one another is critical to understanding our behavior and connection in relationship. Through our childhood experiences we learn how to connect and this style of connection affects how we express ourselves in relationships as adults. In this episode Abi, Justin, and their close friend Ruth begin the conversation about attachment styles. Understanding your attachment style is critical to relating healthily to one another. The more you know abo...
May 10, 2021•53 min
House renovations can be daunting. They come with blood, sweat, and tears you didn’t know you had the capacity to shed. They’re expensive and time consuming, and, for anyone doing it for the first time, there’s a learning curve and a lot of unknowns. But in the end, it’s worth it. In this episode Justin and Abi discuss the parallels between renovating a home and renovating your heart. They break down personal transformation in a practical way that helps everyone engaging the process feel support...
May 03, 2021•54 min
The pathway to healing and freedom isn’t easy, and it certainly doesn’t happen alone. When our process is walked out openly and vulnerably, within community, our bravery has the power to inspire contagious courage in others, while liberating them at the same time. In this episode Abi and Justin share a dramatically powerful healing moment that takes place publicly in the life of former guest Ryan Opfer. Through taking a major risk, Ryan finds himself unintentionally helping others while discover...
Apr 26, 2021•46 min
Being honest with our family can sometimes feel more scary than any other people in our lives. The people that we care about the deepest are the ones we feel most terrified of being rejected by. But facing the fears we have with our family can be the catalyst to a life fully lived. In this episode Abi and Justin sit down with their dear friend Courtney and her mom Katie. Together they share about the scariest parts of their relationship and the bravery they mustered to tackle the tragic loss tha...
Apr 19, 2021•1 hr 21 min
People oftentimes wonder what the quick fix is to experiencing change in their lives. Although there is no magic pill, there is a fundamental component to the transformation process that gives people a guaranteed boost of momentum, and strength, that is rarely discussed. In this episode, Abi and Justin sit down with their mutual close friend Ruth Outram. Together they discuss her scientific and practical understanding of personal development through group belonging and community exchanges. Abi a...
Apr 12, 2021•1 hr 11 min
Humans are naturally messy. The healing process is no different. For parents, It can be difficult to take an honest look at how their pain and actions have affected their children. Coming to terms with hurting the ones we love is never easy, but the first step to repairing a broken relationship is to find healing for oneself. In this episode Abi and Justin interview Nina and Francois about their steps to finding wholeness and the impact it’s having on their family. They share an intimate healing...
Apr 05, 2021•1 hr 33 min
Life has a way of throwing us curve balls. For most of us, it’s a rarity to be prepared for these unforeseen circumstances when they hit our lives. Many of us can find ourselves devastated with little hope of bouncing back. But, what if it was possible to have even an inkling of incite before bombs detonated? In this final episode of the faith series, Abi and Justin are joined once again by their dear friend Pietze. Pietze shares about the spiritual insight she received that gave her the necessa...
Mar 29, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Throughout history people from all walks of life have believed that they could gain insight into their future, as well as others futures through one means or another. Many ancient texts are filled with prophecies regarding mankind. But what happens when we as humans have a direct relationship with an unconditionally loving Creator that wants to talk to us? In this episode Justin and Abi are joined by Pietze, Abi’s best friend. They take a critical look at the role of prophecy in life, dating, an...
Mar 22, 2021•1 hr 1 min
For every bit of deconstruction of one’s faith, there must be a reconstruction of something, otherwise the end result will only be demolition. In this episode Abi talks to Justin about the foundational tenants of his faith that guide his life after reconstructing what he spent years deconstructing. He shares the truths he now holds dear and why they're so valuable to him. Together they invite you to discover what your foundation will be when everything has been torn apart and put back together. ...
Mar 15, 2021•56 min
The message often conveyed through religion is one of self-deprecation and unworthiness. A system of principles based on caring for others without regard for oneself leaves many people feeling broken, bitter, and burned out. Without a proper balance, people are bound to find themselves living a lifestyle of codependency and frustration or narcissism and elitism. In this episode Justin and Abi address the lack of self-love within the message of religion. They explore how this lack of love creates...
Mar 08, 2021•59 min
The journey to deconstruct one’s faith can be filled with beauty and pitfalls. Some will find themselves reconstructing what was torn down, while others will leave their lives demolished and in disarray. In this episode, Abi and Justin explore their own seasons of deconstruction. They discuss the ways their personal experience with the process liberated them and the ways they made messes in the midst of it all. They highlight the vital importance of grace and humility necessary to healthily walk...
Mar 01, 2021•1 hr 8 min
As humans we were designed to be progressively growing, evolving, and maturing. The process for this to happen can often look messy and feel very disrupting, especially in relation to faith. In order to express a life of mature love, however, this journey is a must. In this episode Abi and Justin explore the six phases of faith with Australian author and poet, David Tensen. Together they begin tackling a cultural faith term that can have either scary or liberating connotations known as “deconstr...
Feb 22, 2021•1 hr 37 min
Like anything else, religion is filled with rules and ideologies that we adopt as the truth we should live by. If we spend enough time in any system, we will all eventually be faced with circumstances that invite us to question what we believe. In this episode, Justin and Abi talk about some of the key misconceptions about life that they learned from religion and how it affected them. They challenge systems of hiddenness and level the playing field for all humans. No matter what faith you ascrib...
Feb 15, 2021•1 hr 4 min
For many, faith and mental health simply don’t mix. People either have strong spiritual practices that lack practical understanding of the human condition or they lack any type of spirituality and their tools for self-help are their religion. In this episode Abi and Justin bridge the gap between faith and emotional health as they discuss the need for spiritual and practical answers to the human condition. Through a lens of compassion, they discuss the detrimental problems that arise when leaders...
Feb 08, 2021•1 hr
Since the beginning of time, religion has been a universal thread throughout humanity. Though varying immensely in its expression from culture to culture, the sad but common bond of performance ties them all together. In this episode Justin and Abi use their Christian faith as the focus of dialogue to explore how all expressions of faith are built on a hierarchal structure. These structures are mankind’s way of attempting to get to God, leaving those ascribing to this system judging themselves a...
Feb 01, 2021•56 min
Faith can be a touchy subject for many people. For some, faith is what miraculously saved them from their deepest darkness. For others, it’s the source of some of their greatest pain. Faith is an undeniable part of the general human experience, which is all the more reason to explore it. In this conversation starting episode Abi and Justin dive into their personal histories with faith as the foundation to a larger dialogue they’ll be exploring in the coming months. They share how they came to ha...
Jan 25, 2021•1 hr 3 min
In today’s society, the moral compass regarding pornography points in many directions. In a world that has become progressively sexualized, the normalization and acceptance of pornography is at an all time high. With so many varying opinions on the matter, who’s to say what is really right or wrong about pornography? In this sobering episode, Justin and Abi are joined by their close friend and filmmaker, Benji Nolot. Benji shines a light on the real world of pornography as he shares his story of...
Jan 18, 2021•1 hr 36 min
Life has a way of passing us by if we’ll let it. In the end, many people find themselves feeling regretful for what they didn’t do and what they didn’t say, especially in connection to the relationships they care about the most. In this episode, Justin and Abi are joined once again by their good friend Jenna as they talk about how to get present with life and express it to the fullest. Jenna shares many of the powerful ways she’s chosen to intentionally cultivate experiences and create a culture...
Jan 11, 2021•1 hr 2 min
New Year’s resolutions are often about making a change, but rarely are they about simply desiring more freedom. Our need for change can often be rooted in shame and only further exacerbate the problems we’re experiencing. A desire for freedom, however, can inspire a shame-free exploration of our lives, where we can get honest about the reality of our humanity. In this Episode Abi and Justin explore how getting honest with the messy things in life is the first step to self-acceptance. This opens ...
Jan 04, 2021•51 min
2020 has been a rollercoaster ride for the entire world. It’s been a year that has shaken many to the core. In all the craziness, some times it’s hard to see the light. Often times it’s not until we look back that we can see with clarity the goodness that is sprinkled throughout even the hardest seasons of life. In this episode Justin and Abi share about their Christmas miracle while taking an honest look back at their 2020. They talk about the beauty of the suddenly’s happening that have been y...
Dec 28, 2020•1 hr 6 min
Granting access to the parts of our lives that feel too painful or messy to look at can be incredibly difficult. It’s easy to feel scared and powerless to what’s hiding behind locked doors within our hearts. However, these hidden rooms hold the keys to creating a lifestyle of hope, joy, peace, and love. In this episode, Justin and Abi discuss how they’ve dissociated from pieces of their own story and the ripple affects of that in their emotional health as well as their relationships. Together th...
Dec 21, 2020•57 min
Sexuality is often a subject shrouded in shame or minimized into absolute irrelevance. As a formative part of the human condition our views and expressions of sexuality have a deep impact on our relational connection to ourselves, others, and God. Because of this, open conversations about our sexuality are a vital component to creating a fulfilling, healthy life. In this episode Abi and Justin dive into a deep conversation with their dear friend Paul Young, author of The Shack, about his childho...
Dec 07, 2020•1 hr 11 min
It’s time to celebrate. The Connected Life is 100 episodes old! We’re like an expensive fine wine, aged to perfection. We’re here to answer questions live as we dive into a discussion directly about connecting to ourselves, others, and God. In this episode we’re joined by an enormous number of our Connected Life family as we chose to record this episode, in it’s entirety, live. Join us as we laugh, reminisce, and explore deeper aspects of connection. And if you want to celebrate our efforts over...
Nov 30, 2020•1 hr 11 min
Holidays have a way of evoking a lot of emotions for the good and the bad. 2020 has been a unique year like none other in our nation’s history. Some people have spent a large portion of this year separated from the people they care about the most. At the epicenter of this shaky year are political divisions to last a life time. In this episode Justin and Abi explore ideas to help people navigate potentially politically charged holiday hangouts in successful ways. They give tools on how you can be...
Nov 23, 2020•53 min
Life is full of obstacles, and some of them can feel daunting and impossible to overcome. It’s easy to feel powerless to the pursuits set before us. But, even the most outlandish goals can be tackled one step at a time. In this episode, Justin and Abi are joined by their good friend Bryant Ellis, Co-owner of The Adventure Challenge. Bryant shares about the can-do attitude that he developed in his youth and how this empowered approach led to the outcome of a multimillion dollar company. He addres...
Nov 16, 2020•1 hr
For many people, hopes and dreams can feel more like a fantasy than a reality. Often times, the things we long to do and experience can feel lofty and unrealistic. If we do pursue goals that have significance to us, it’s easy to get defeated when they don’t look the way we want them to in the time we want them. In this episode Justin sits down with his good friend Topher, the DJ known as King Arthur. Topher shares about the dreams that became a reality, only to have them fall flat. He explores w...
Nov 09, 2020•1 hr 9 min
We’ve all had our moments of believing the worst about someone and building a laundry list of complaints about them. These unspoken judgements are often riddled with misunderstandings that, given enough time and offenses, can collapse relationships all together. In this episode, Justin and Abi are joined by their friend, and co-owner of The Adventure Challenge, Ben Day. Ben shares how his company was in jeopardy over a series of misunderstandings. He breaks down his two foundational principles o...
Nov 02, 2020•1 hr 12 min
