People want a deeper understanding of their own relationships and attachment than what they get from watching Sex in the City. Tracy McMillan is a Hollywood writer turned relationship expert who brings relatable, well-known characters to her descriptions to help you understand attachment and relationships. She’s always talked about relationships, and throughout her own life experiences she’s learned so much about relationships and it’s naturally progressed. That’s why episode 83 of the Love Intently Podcast is about how to identify and satisfy your own personal attachment style! Find your Attachment Style with this Quiz! Understanding the science behind adult attachment and how it can help us find and keep love.In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, Tracy is sharing the importance of understanding your insecure attachment style and some actionable steps you can take right now to start experiencing autonomy in your relationships. Key topics discussed in this episode:Tracy shares the statistics around insecure and secure attachments, and how if you exhibit insecure attachment patterns you’re actually not unusual. The 3 types of insecure attachment types, as well as the subtypes, to better understand the type you have or have exhibited before, between genders, relationship styles, and other key factors.How to know if your significant other is actually the One, or if it’s your attachment style being triggered, based on your reaction to the other person.Tracy has a lot of built self-trust and self-love, so she shares how important that has been on her journey, and can be on your own as well, especially around infinite choice.How one of the greatest lessons she’s learned in her current relationship has been to throw out all she knows about being a relationship coach.Ways to choose love over fear by being vulnerable and honest about where you in your life, and what you want, and how that can be scary but also so freeing to dispel.How secure and insecure attachments are tones, and how those around you can tell your relationship tone clearly. What autonomy is, what it means in a relationship, and ways people experience or ask for it in relationships. Why Tracy believes people aren’t married even when they want to be.Why you should be looking for Grace, more than anything else, and why Tracy believes it’s the most important thing to look for in a relationship.Why people generally don’t reveal things, like their past or expectations, but why you should reveal the truth as soon as possible. The question you should always be asking in any relationship, or end of the relationship, in order to grow and transform for the next relationship.The key to a healthy, grace-filled relationship comes from stating your truth and understanding your attachment type.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!CONNECT WITH Tracy McMillan:InstagramWebsiteGet her book!CONNECT WITH SOPHIE KWOK:InstagramPinterestWork with Sophie! 

Conflict resolution comes up quite frequently with my clients. I have wanted to do an episode on this for a while and I am very excited to share my ideas on loving in and through conflict. For so long it was something I was so terrified to do and be around. I hated being triggered. I didn’t like who I was during conflict. What’s been really incredible is that throughout the years I have learned to love who I am in conflict. That’s why episode 82 of the Love Intently Podcast is a solo episode about conflict resolution and 10 things that are huge for me when it comes to loving myself through conflict! Find your Attachment Style with this Quiz! Understanding the science behind adult attachment and how it can help us find and keep love.In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, I’m sharing the importance of having a strong connected relationship and actionable steps you can take right now to love who you are during a conflict. I will share 10 things that I have learned to do that have helped me personally, with examples we can all relate to. Key topics discussed in this episode:Why you need to learn to love yourself in conflict, and why ignoring it is not the answer to your feelings of discomfort.Why it’s important to understand your body and take cues from your body as to how you feel and why learning the early signs is so crucial to discovering your window of tolerance.How you can look at conflict as an opportunity for growth instead of a negative thing that you must avoid at all costs.When we are avoiding conflict, we are actually avoiding short-term discomfort for long-term dysfunction. The incredible shift from judgment or defensiveness to curiosity in times of conflict for a healthier conversation.Understanding and expanding your window of tolerance over time to better understand your own triggers and bodily response. The importance of taking responsibility for your half of the relationship instead of blaming the other person for the conflict on the table.Why it is not you against the other person, but rather it’s the conflict against the people involved, and how this made a massive shift in my own life with my relationship with my parents.You always have a choice when it comes to approaching conflict, but the ultimate truth is that when one of you wins, both of you lose. So make sure that you both win, so you both win.Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive tons of practical tips on building thriving relationships with yourself and everyone around you and to hear even more about the points outlined above.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me!  And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!CONNECT WITH SOPHIE KWOK:InstagramPinterestWork with Sophie! Links mentioned: Traci Ruble Episode: Are You in Autopilot or in Alignment? 

Alex Starr is a former wildland firefighter and now the host of the Rewrite The Rules podcast, which is about sharing the stories of those who have changed what they thought was possible for their relationships, work, and life. Alex has also authored Rewrite the Rules: An Unconventional Way to Build an Intentional Life, a book that provides a framework to break free of the status quo, trust your instincts and live a life you choose instead of the one you have been told to live. In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, Alex is here to teach you how to rewrite the rules and also shares his experiences.Alex defines the fear of failure as the biggest reason people don’t go on things they want and instead run in the opposite direction. However, he has a different way of approaching the fear of failure. (“If you don’t get the job, you should go and apply for three more that are even in better positions and bigger companies.”) Fear and resistance can only keep you down.But how do you know that it’s fear but not instincts trying to protect you? Alex believes every situation and every person is different. But deep down, everybody knows the whisper. We just don’t give ourselves enough space to hear what we already know. Intuition tells us stuff all the time, and sometimes, there’s fear attached to it. (“It doesn’t mean just because it’s like your intuition is telling something, there will be no fear attached to it.”)In this episode with Alex, we chat about how he has had to let go of who society said he was, how meeting his fiancé changed his life, his biggest fears, and more. Tune in to hear Alex’s full story and learn how you can rewrite the rules for your own life!Key Topics Discussed-About Alex’s book and why it has been an important model in his life -Rules he has written in his life-What made him rewrite his relationship rule about being single-Finding happiness -Why people don’t want to love-Defining fear of failure-Telling the difference between instincts and fearResources Rewrite the Rules: An Unconventional Way to Build an Intentional LifeRewrite the Rules PodcastConnect With AlexAlex’s WebsiteAlex’s InstagramConnect with Sophie:Sophie’s InstagramLove Intently Instagram Love Intently Website 

Amanda Horvath is a Youtube and video expert who is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs getting started in video. Whether you’re an aspiring thought leader or business owner looking to utilize video to grow your business, her Youtube channel, and her courses are the place you will find everything you need. Amanda started in video as a talented videographer working with incredible people like Ryan Holiday and Tim Ferris. A few years ago, she felt a deep call to start her own Youtube channel and never looked back. In the last few years, Amanda has gained over 45k subscribers, launched multiple courses, and created a mastermind on Human Design! As a projector, Amanda and Sophie (who is also a projector) talk all about how Human Design has impacted their business, life, and relationships!What is Human Design?The Human Design System is a synthesis of ancient and modern sciences and has proven to be a valuable tool for human understanding.With Human Design you discover what makes you different from everyone else. It offers profound insights into your psychology, along with strategies and techniques for making correct decisions and ultimately leading to a life of more ease and fulfillment.In this episode we discussed:The foundations of Human Design and how Amanda became drawn to itHow learning about her type has completely transformed her lifeWhy learning about your type may cause some initial resistanceHow understanding your and your partner’s types can better help you navigate your relationshipTips on how to read your chartExamples from Amanda and Sophie’s relationships of how they’ve used the understanding of their types to prevent conflictAre you riding the emotional wave? Connect with Amanda:Check out Amanda's Youtube ChannelFollow Amanda on InstagramAmanda’s Quick Start Guide to Human DesignAmanda’s Launch with Video CourseGet on the waitlist for Amanda’s Human Design Business MastermindFind your Human Design Chart Connect with Sophie:Sophie’s InstagramLove Intently Instagram Apply to work with Sophie Shownotes link: www.loveintently.com/blog/harnessing-human-design

Whitney Morrison is a Certified Financial Planner, Money Mindset Expert, and the founder of Holistic Money, an online money coaching platform that teaches individuals to revolutionize their relationship with money, maximize their income and achieve the freedom lifestyle they've always desired.  Her approach combines her experience as a financial planner with money mindset coaching. She helps people reach their goals by creating a money plan based on the foundations of wealth building, while also attending to the emotional, psychological, behavioral, and relational hurdles that are intertwined in the process.  In this episode we discuss: Whitney’s past of familial money traumaThe Top 3 limiting beliefs around moneyMen vs. women’s mindsets around wealthStrengthening your ability to ask for the compensation you deserve for your workWhitney’s moment of rock bottom in both love and businessThe choice to remain sober and how her sobriety has impacted her financesWhitney’s emotional journey from her past engagement to her new relationship.The best way to discuss finances within a relationship  Links:  Work with Whitney Follow Whitney on Instagram Join The Make That Money Mastermind

Lauren is the founder of The Wave & SWELL. She started her first podcast, Book Wine Club, in 2017 after a public speaking blunder that sparked a speaking phobia. As the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, start a podcast about it! Rediscovering her confidence through podcasting encouraged her to share it with other women struggling to tell their stories. The Wave now serves more women than ever by providing educational resources and a digital community. In 2021, The Wave launched SWELL, the first podcast editing service for women by women. Lauren still pairs her favorite reads with a glass of wine.  In this episode, we discussed:What happened when Lauren’s life-long dream no longer suited herSophie and Lauren’s time together in school and their realizations that it was time to explore new avenuesLauren’s adventure into entrepreneurship and the lessons she learned along the wayThe challenges of redefining yourself when your identity revolves around your careerThe idea that there’s no such thing as one career or role for a lifetime that you can expect to fulfill you throughout life (especially having decided at 18)The experience that changed Lauren’s relationship with public speaking foreverLauren’s journey to creating her podcasting businessHow Lauren met and fell in love with her fiance (IRL!)Adventures in dating in NYC Links:  The Wave Podcasting Follow The Wave Podcasting on Instagram Follow Lauren on Instagram Get 15% off Swell services with CODE: love15 

Jessica Maguire is a trauma-informed integrative physiotherapist whose passion for health first led to her degree in Health Science before completing her Masters in Physiotherapy. Her clinical experience made her fascinated by neuroscience and the potential of the nervous system to change itself. In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, Jessica is here to teach you about the vagus nerve and the nervous system and how stress-related illnesses can arise from deregulation after traumatic stress.Key Topics Discussed -What is the vagus nerve system and why it’s important-What brought her to researching about the vagus nervous system-How the vagus nervous system is related to chronic pain-How we can rewire our nervous system-Advice to those looking into rewiring their nervous system-How connections affect us biologically and why it’s important-Defining resilience-How to build more resilienceConnect With Jessica Jessica’s website Jessica’s InstagramConnect With Sophie Sophie’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sophkwok/ Love Intently Instagram https://www.instagram.com/love.intently/ Love Intently Website Love Intently Shownotes link: www.loveintently.com/blog/repairing-the-nervous-system-and-overcoming-trauma 

Lesley Eccles is the founder and CEO of Relish, a relationship app that’s on a mission to improve all relationships. She was also the co-founder and head of marketing for the FanDuel fantasy sports company. In today’s episode of the Love Intently Podcast, Lesley shares with us her love story right from where it started and some tips to maintain a healthy relationship. She also dives deep into entrepreneurship and her journey in this field.Key Topics Discussed -How she fell in love and met her husband -Her entrepreneurship journey -Advice for other couples who are entrepreneurs -What inspired her to start Relish -Advice for Relish App users during the pandemic -Advice to other women in male-dominated industries -What she wishes more people knew about her and her husband For full  Shownotes Find Relish on Instagram Find Lesley on Twitter Download Relish Find Sophie on Instagram Find Love Intently on Instagram Take the Attachment Style Quiz Apply for Relationship Coaching with Sophie Golden Ratio: Use code "LOVEINTENTLY" FOR 15% off your first order! The Adventure Challenge : Use code "LOVEINTENTLY" for 10% off your first order 

Emily Eisenhart is a multidisciplinary artist and designer. She is constantly exploring, and her work is heavily inspired by patterns, textures, colors, and shapes around her. With a formal cultural anthropology background, Emily is ever curious and researching into her inspiration for motif and color palette. In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, Emily is here to share her story, how she made the shift from a designer to an artist, her painful heartbreak and how it impacted her artistic work, and how her new relationship influences her work.Key Topics Discussed -When she knew she had to shift from designer to artist-How she became a designer-How heartbreak impacted her work-How she met Gray-What she is doing differently in the current relationship-How her partner influences her art-What she wishes people knew about her-Advice to herself straight out of collegeLink to Attachment Style Quiz:https://loveintently.com/attachmentstyleFor full shownotes: https://loveintently.com/blog/overcoming-heartbreak-through-artConnect with Emily Emily’s Website: https://www.emilyeisenhart.com/Emily’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.eisenhart/Connect with Sophie Sophie’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sophkwok/ Love Intently Instagram https://www.instagram.com/love.intently/ Love Intently Website https://loveintently.com/Special shout out to our sponsors of this week's episode.Get 10% off your next adventure with The Adventure Challenge by using the code “LOVEINTENTLY”Get 15% off your first Golden Ratio with code “LOVEINTENTLY”

Sonya Renee Taylor is a New York Times Bestselling Author and the founder of The Body is Not An Apology. She has a passion for helping others learn to develop a radical love for themselves, unapologetically. It is her belief that when we all develop this sense of radical self-love, we unlock the doors for greater liberation. In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, Sonya is here to teach you about radical self-love and so much more. Key TopicsDefining radical self-love The difference between self-confidence and radical self-love Throwing out the idea of there being a “good body” or a “bad body” Breaking down the “Three Peaces” of radical self-love  How Sonya began to embrace radical self-love in her own life The importance of recognizing toxic content and how to avoid it Breaking down “Mind Matters” Dissecting what it means to take unapologetic action  Identifying and defining collective compassion Loving your body vs just accepting it Discussing what Sonya is currently working on  Full show notes:  www.loveintently.com/blog/embracing-radical-self-love-sonya-renee-taylorResources: The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor Your Body is Not an Apology Workbook by Sonya Renee TaylorConnect with Sonya Renee TaylorSonya Renee Taylor’s InstagramSonya Renee Taylor's PatreonConnect with Sophie:Sophie’s InstagramLove Intently InstagramLove Intently Website For 20% off of Golden Ratio use code "LOVEINTENTLY"For 10% off of The Adventure Challenge use code "LOVEINTENTLY" 

Kristina Furia is a self-transformation coach, teacher, and content creator. She has a passion for helping others tap into their higher frequencies so that they may lean into their true purpose. Her goal is to empower others to be free of their inner critic and to view each new day as a gift. In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, Kristina is here to teach you how to do all the above and so much more.Key TopicsHow Kristina got out of being a therapist and into transformational workKristina’s personal transformationDebunking what manifesting really looks likeHow to let the emotional experience move through you and be an observer of your thoughtsHow observing your thoughts and doing the work go hand in handWhy you should keep your affirmations in check and how to do soWhy changing your frequency attracts other people and how to tap into a higher frequencyFull show notes:  www.loveintently.com/blog/transforming-your-life-through-intentionConnect with Kristina Kristina’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yournewfrequency/ Kristina's Website: https://yournewfrequency.com/Connect with Sophie Sophie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophkwok/ Love Intently Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/love.intently/ Love Intently Website: https://loveintently.com 

Shasta Nelson is a Friendship Expert, Speaker, and author of three books. She has a passion for spreading awareness on the importance of friendships, especially with the ever-growing loneliness epidemic that is sweeping our world. As if loneliness wasn’t already bad enough, the COVID-19 pandemic came in and left many in a world feeling isolated and divided, leading to extreme levels of loneliness. However, Shasta is here to help you learn how to deepen your friendships and as she has coined, your frientimicy. Tune in to learn more! :)Key Topics Why Shasta got into being a friendship expert Managing loneliness and the need to be seen by others The three things every friendship needs to be healthy Her advice on conflict within friendships The pain that is caused by loneliness and why we need to fight it Overcoming the fear of rejection in friendships Why intimacy and forgiveness go hand-in-hand How to manage friendships in the workplaceFull show notes: www.loveintently.com/blog/how-to-overcome-the-battle-of-loneliness-with-deeper-friendships-with-shasta-nelsonConnect with Shasta Shasta’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shastamnelson/ Shasta’s Website: https://www.shastanelson.com/ Shasta's Books: https://www.shastanelson.com/booksConnect with Sophie: Sophie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophkwok/ Love Intently Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/love.intently/ Love Intently Website: https://loveintently.com

Cathryn Lavery is an entrepreneur, creator, and designer with a mission to help others make an impact by getting clear on their goals and starting meaningful conversations. In an effort to do so, she founded BestSelf Co. and has helped it scale into a large brand. BestSelf Co. has been featured in GMA, GQ, and O! Magazine. She joined us on the show this week to share a bit with us about her journey and some of the lessons she has learned along the way.  Key TopicsThe story of how Cathryn and her partner met and how her partner’s enthusiastic spirit drew her inBeing intentional with your lifeWhy you should the hard things at the beginning of the dayHow she got into entrepreneurshipHow to manage feeling stuck in a path or a relationship Dealing with her business partnership ending and how it affected herLooking at life’s tough lessons as giftsThe importance of being present and enjoying the nowHow to care for a partner that is introverted Full show notes:  https://loveintently.com/blog/becoming-your-best-self-to-create-a-lasting-impact-with-cathryn-lavery Resources  The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy  Awaken The Giant Within by Tony Robbins  The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau  The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod Connect with CathrynCathryn’s InstagramBestSelf Co. InstagramBestSelf Co. Website   Connect with Sophie:Sophie’s InstagramLove Intently InstagramLove Intently Website (Sophie’s Instagram https://www.instagr

Brit and Sami Barron’s story begins with a choice, and a really tough one at that. The now-married couple met at church where they started out as best friends. At the time, neither of them had openly come out as lesbian, however, as they began to grow closer it was clear to them that this was more than just a friendship, this was love. While the two were excited about their newfound love, they were faced with quite the dilemma; they both worked at a church that was against same-sex relationships. Sami was the creative director at this church and Brit had just accepted a new job there as a college pastor. However, when the two began to recognize their true feelings for each other, they knew the church would not tolerate it so they were forced to keep it a secret. After keeping their relationship a secret for a little while, the couple decided that “love deserves more then the four walls we [are] living in” and decided to go public with their relationship, regardless of the consequences. They quit their jobs at the church and notified their family and friends of their decision to be together. The response to this news was mixed, however, Brit and Sami chose love over everything. The process of going public with their relationship led to many struggles, yet they remained strong. They received negative pushback from the church, lost multiple friends, and were turned down by family members who refused to even acknowledge their relationship. While this was discouraging and difficult at first, as time went on they began to realize that no matter what anyone else said, they knew that their love was good and true.  Fast forward a couple years, the two are happily married and building a life together. Brit recently came out with her first book, “Worth It”, and they are planning to release their new podcast in February titled, “The Everyday Lesbians”. While they still deal with the struggle of losing friends over their love, they have learned to keep moving forward and love each other above all else.  In Brit and Sami’s episode of The Love Intently Podcast, we chat more about how the couple met and fell in love, their decision to quit their jobs to be together, losing family and friends due to their love, and so much more. Tune in for a beautiful story of choosing love no matter the consequences and see below for a full list of lessons/topics covered in this episode with Brit and Sami. Key Topics Discussed- How Brit and Sami met and fell in love “I told her, ‘I think you're going to be in my wedding one day.’ ” - Their confusion around falling in love with someone they were told they couldn’t love “We didn’t know that was even possible. To be together wasn’t something that wasn't showcased or even open in our community, so we had to jump over a lot of hurdles to get there” - Falling in love with the same sex while working at a church “Feeling something so natural and so good, and having it collide with the world you existed in was really, really traumatic.” 

For Full Shownotes : https://loveintently.com/blog/taking-sexy-back-with-dr-alexandra-solomonDr. Alexandra H. Solomon is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern University and a licensed clinical psychologist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. She has written many books on marriage and family. Her most popular books are "Loving Bravely: Twenty Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want" and "Taking Sexy Back: How to Own Your Sexuality and Create the Relationship You Want."  Today, we have Dr. Alexandra on our show to discuss various areas of a relationship, such as the topics listed below.Key Topics Discussed Why we apologize and why it's difficult to admit we're weak. The definition of what Relational Self- Awareness is and how we can be aware of it.What does it mean to have Interdependent Relationships? What is the golden equation of Love?How to identify what seven traps and seven reaches look like and how to build more reaches for a healthy relationship. What does it mean to listen with our third ear and how does that help with building relationships?Explaining more of how the process goes for "name, connect, and choose" within rational self-awareness or sexual self-awareness. How do we call a truce to end the war with our bodies and how we feel about them during intimacy.The nine areas in the map of sexual or sexual self-awareness.Alexandra's Three truths about Love that she lives by It's okay to not know. Things are hard because they're hard, not because we're broken or dumb or silly There are things we can't see or figure out all right now.GET 10% OFF YOUR FIRST ADVENTURE CHALLENGE ORDER USING CODE "LOVEINTENTLY"https://www.theadventurechallenge.com/?aff=174 

How do you connect with yourself? In a world full of distractions, noise, and the constant battle for other’s attention, it can be really easy to get lost in connecting with others and forget to connect with who we really should be connecting with: ourselves.Arielle Estoria grew up in an environment where she did not feel she was able to fully connect with her body. It wasn’t until she began to get a little older and in the process of entering into marriage when she started to realize that her body felt so separate from her soul and what was inside of her body. This realization led her to begin on a transformative journey to connect deeper with herself and find grounding in whom she desired to be seen as, not by others, but by herself.In this episode, we chat about how she met her husband, her process in learning how to truly love and connect with herself, what “grounding” means to her, and so much more. Tune in to learn how to seek acceptance by connecting with yourself on a deeper level, and see below for a full list of lessons/topics covered in this episode with Arielle.Key Topics -How Arielle met her husband and their journey to marriage -Learning to love and accept yourself -Arielle’s tools for deepening her connection with herself -How she got into writing poetry and life post-university -Being intentional with your work -Doing little things for each other in your relationship -What grounding means to Arielle -Defining the healing process and how she has been going through it in her lifeFull Show Notes: www.loveintently.com/blog/connecting-with-yourself-and-living-a-grounded-life-with-arielle-estoriaConnect with Arielle Arielle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arielleestoria/ Arielle’s Website: https://www.arielleestoria.com/ Write Bloody, Spill Pretty: https://amzn.to/3gp7hWN Vagabonds and Zealot: https://amzn.to/37L7pvYGet on the waitlist for the attachment style course coming soon in 2021! www.loveintently.com/courseConnect with Sophie: https://www.instagram.com/sophkwok/ https://www.instagram.com/love.intently https://loveintently.comResources Brenè Brown Podcast:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4P86ZzHf7EOlRG7do9LkKZ?si=qRh1A7RuTEOoOPKjr-CrEwGet 10% off your first adventure challenge by using code "LOVEITNENTLY" or using the link https://www.theadventurechallenge.com/?aff=174“I am finding this presentness and this groundedness in my own two feet.” -Arielle Estoria

Emotions can be scary, however, they don’t have to be! Rukmini Poddar is an artist who learned to process her emotions by drawing them out. Now, she wants to teach you how to do the same.In Rukmini’s episode of The Love Intently Podcast, we chat about her 100 day challenges, how she got into drawing her emotions, the Enneagram test, seeking discomfort, and so much more. Tune in to learn a creative way to process your emotions and see below for a full list of lessons/topics covered in this episode with Rukmini.“I don’t want to change who I am to cater to what people want. I want to keep serving those who will be getting something from what I’m doing.” -Rukmini PoddarLessons - The difficulties that come with being a self-proclaimed artist - Rukmini’s 100 Day Project - How to start drawing out your emotions - Managing growing up in a family closed off to emotions - Teaching/learning emotional intelligence - What it means to be an empathetic person - The benefits of the Enneagram test - How to manage burn out - Mindfulness and meditation as a creative and its importance - The importance of core values as an artistFull Show Notes: https://www.loveintently.com/blog/the-art-of-embracing-and-connecting-with-emotions-with-rukmini-poddar/2020/11/25 Connect with Rukmini Rukmini’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockinruksi/ Rukmini’s Website: https://dearruksi.com/Connect with Sophie Sophie’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophkwok Love Intently Instagram https://www.instagram.com/love.intently Love Intently Website www.loveintently.comGet 10% off your first adventure challenge by using code "LOVEITNENTLY" or using the link https://www.theadventurechallenge.com/?aff=174

Mike Johnson is an entrepreneurial powerhouse & the breakout star from ABC's ‘Bachelorette’ and ‘Bachelor In Paradise.' Mike is now transforming audiences worldwide by showcasing his global influence through brave storytelling and big smiles. With his focus on self-love, Mike now writes and speaks on how the ability to overcome stems from the power within. At only 32, he has already had an extraordinary and multifaceted career and life, from serving in the US air force to surviving reality-TV fame and so much more in between.In this episode of the Love Intently podcast, we talk about Mike’s best-selling independent book 'Making The Love You Want'. We also talk about what influenced his decision to leap into reality TV, the challenges and mindset shifts he has experienced with dating after becoming recognized in the public eye, His experience with sexual trauma, his advice on speaking up, and the love truths he now lives by. Mike truly has a fantastic story to share.Key Topics Discussed in This Episode: -What dating life has been like for Mike after staring in the US reality tv series 'Bachelorette' and what effect this experience has had on his mindset. -What influenced mike to write his book "Making the love you want." -What the balance is between self-love and being egotistical. -Experiencing Sexual Trauma and having the courage to speak up and seek help -Practicing self-honesty, self-love, and what it really looks like -Shifting from a pessimistic to an optimistic mindset and the power of positive affirmations.Connect with Mike Johnson Website: https://mikejohnsonsmile.com/ Instagram: @mike_johnsonConnect with us on Instagram @love.intently @sophkwokGet The Adventure Challenge for 10% off with code “LOVEINTENTLY” http://www.theadventurechallenge.com?aff=174Link to Full Shownotes: http://loveintently.com/blog/making-the-love-you-want-with-mike-johnson-from-the-bachelorette/2020/11/24

What truly defines us? Is it our job, gender, sexual orientation, skin color? Or is it our values, beliefs, actions, and traits? Riley Blanks has grappled with this question all her life as a biracial woman, who was on track from the age of 5 to be a professional tennis player, but now is a professional photographer. - Riley’s story is one of embracing her uniqueness, her beauty and her pain. She founded her photography business and storytelling platform, Woke Beauty, to express her passion for storytelling and showing women of all ethnicities how beautiful and amazing they truly are. - In this episode of Love Intently, we dive into the topic of identity and how Riley has learned to define herself and embrace all her sides. She shares how Woke Beauty was born out of her struggle with mental health, and what makes Woke Beauty stand out among other portrait photography businesses. She discusses her process of how she sets boundaries around what vulnerable stories she shares to a larger audience and what she keeps private, as well as what inspires her creativity. - Lastly, she shares her romcom-style way of how she met her now fiancé (she thought he was gay at first!), and how their deeply loving relationship has remained strong over 11 years of growing and changing together. - Connect and Work with Riley Blanks - Website: https://wokebeauty.com/ Podcast: https://wokebeauty.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rileyblanks/ - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram-Get out of your comfort zone and spice up your date night with The Adventure Challenge: http://www.theadventurechallenge.com?aff=174Use "LOVEINTENTLY" for 10% off! 

If you would have met Susan Seay five years ago, you would have met a burnt-out mama who felt “done.” Running a business with her husband plus running a household with 7 children (and homeschooling for 20 years!), you’d wonder if there’s even any way to not be constantly stressed and burnt out. - Well, Susan is here to show you that it’s possible. She started to apply concepts she’d learned in the business world to her home, and everything changed. She found that when you run your household with the same intention and purpose as you would in a business, not only do you not have to be stressed, but you can actually enjoy life and your family with a sense of excitement! - Now, she is a Speaker and Founder of Mentor for Moms, a platform for mentoring moms on how to parent with purpose and intention, utilizing these concepts from running a business and bringing them into the home. - In this episode of the Love Intently podcast, Susan shares with us what it looks like to parent with intention, how Susan implemented business concepts like Core Values into the home, advice for parents during Corona (especially on homeschooling, as someone with 20 years experience!), how she makes sure to establish deep connections with all seven of her kids, how her and her husband stay connected, practicing self care for moms, and more! - For full show notes and resources: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - Connect with Susan Seay Website: https://susanseay.com/ Podcast: https://susanseay.com/podcasts/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanlseay/ - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram - Spice up your date night! Try Adventure Challenge: http://www.theadventurechallenge.com?aff=174

Given the title, “The love child of Oprah, Beyonce, and Michelle Obama”, Briona Jenkins is a public speaker, activist for the LGBTQIA+, female, and people of color communities, and has years of experience using her platform to evoke change. - She is a true beacon of light in Austin, Texas, bringing 8 years of experience in the non-profit sector and a huge passion for giving back to the community. She just recently launched her business, Briona Jenkins Consulting, where she helps small grassroots organizations and nonprofits with fundraising, marketing, donor relations, board development, and so much more. She is also the host of her podcast, The Tea with Bri. - In this episode of the Love Intently podcast, we dive into the journey of how Bri became the beautiful, confident, queer, 30 year old Black woman we see today, and what she still struggles with. She spills the tea on her whole year of singleness at the age of 30, the big lessons that came out of it, smashing the societal pressures around relationships and dating, and her radical journey of self-love. - We get into her upbringing, how she had to learn to be very self-sufficient from a young age due to her mother passing of cancer, and how she became so passionate about giving back to her community when so many neighbors, family, and friends stepped in to support her and her father during this difficult time. - We talk about Bri’s work in activism here in Austin Texas, and how you can get involved too. We discuss what her experience has been like living and dating as a queer Black woman, and in particular dive into the injustices and racism that goes on in the healthcare system. From there, Bri tells us what we personally can do about it and how to be a good ally. - For full show notes: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - Connect with Briona Jenkins Website: https://www.brionajenkins.com/ Instagram: @brionajenkins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brionajenkins/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brionajjenkins/ Podcast: https://www.brionajenkins.com/the-tea-with-bri-podcast - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram-Thank you to our Sponsor, The Adventure Challenge Book: http://www.theadventurechallenge.com?aff=174

Why is it that things are so great in the beginning stages of falling in love, but then can turn so sour? - Harville Hendrix Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt Ph.D. are internationally-respected couple's therapists, educators, speakers, and New York Times bestselling authors. Together, they have written over 10 books with more than 4 million copies sold, including the timeless classic, Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples. In addition, Harville has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey television program 17 times! - However, Harville and Helen are no strangers to marital problems. In fact, their marriage almost ended before they began to practice what they preach. Their marriage is now stronger than ever, and they can save any marriage with their simple methods. - We are honored to have Harville and Helen on the Love Intently Podcast for a second time! You can listen to their first episode where we go more in-depth into their marriage journey and struggles here. - For their second time on the Love Intently podcast, we discuss:-The psychology and science behind who we fall in love with and why -The science behind why the best defense against COVID-19 is actually unconditional love -The three simple methods that are proven to save any marriage -How these methods can also be applied to strengthen your children’s emotional resilience -How to expand the application of these methods to outside of our homes and into the world at large to create safer, more understanding conversations with people of different races, religions, sexual orientations, cultures, etc. -The pivotal learning Helen realized that saved their marriage -How you can work with Harville and Helen through couples’ workshops or getting trained to teach others how to have safe conversationsFor full show notes and resources: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - Connect and Work with Harville and Helen Hendrix: https://www.harvilleandhelen.com Save Conversations Facilitator Trainings: https://harvilleandhelen.com/facilitator-trainings/ Couples workshops: https://harvilleandhelen.com/couples-workshops/ - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

Maria Kang is a wife, mother, author, speaker, business owner, nonprofit founder, fitness philanthropist, and social entrepreneur. She is a widely known as “Fit Mom” whose No Excuse campaign to get people active, has reached millions of people around the world. - Maria grew up watching her mother struggle with her weight and resulting health issues, and became obsessed with health and fitness at a young age. Things went too far when she became bulimic in an effort to achieve the typical standards of beauty. - After her first pregnancy, she had a spiritual transformation where she came to truly love herself and realize what her body is really here for, and what it’s capable of. - Now, she takes good care of her body knowing that it’s what allows her to physically be here and make an impact in the world. - In this episode we talk about her journey to self love, how she balances being a wife, mom of three kids and a dog, running her business and nonprofit, and what she’s learned about how to have a healthy marriage, after nearly going through a divorce. - Connect with Maria Kang Sacramentocarehomes.com Belly Ball: https://www.amazon.com/Flat-Belly-Ball-Maria-Kang/dp/B07C8622NZ https://www.instagram.com/mariakangfitness/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/noexcusemoms/?hl=en https://www.mariakang.com/about/ - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

According to a recent survey, people are 10 times more likely to break up with their partner if they think their partner is bad with finances. The survey also found that 1 in 5 people (20%)! think their partner is financially irresponsible. - Personal finances are so incredibly important, yet it’s something many of us, especially women, struggle with. This Love Intently episode will show you how you could be making WAY more money than you are right now, with barely putting more effort into it. We’re so excited to have our guest Allegra Moet Brantly, Founder of Factora, who went from $10k in credit card debt in 2016 to a quarter of a million dollars net worth now in 2020. - Allegra’s story is like so many of ours—she was burnt out at her corporate job, but felt trapped because she was living paycheck to paycheck (even though she was earning 6 figures!). She began researching about finances, learned so much and became passionate about sharing what she’s learned. She even talked personal finances, sharing numbers and all, on her FIRST DATE with the man who is now her fiancé! - But she didn’t stop there. She founded her company Factora with the mission to help 1 million women achieve $1 million net worth. Their signature service is the Factora Wealth Circle, which is a 12-week online course—and community—that teaches you simple, repeatable steps for financial success, confidence, and freedom. - Tune in to hear Allegra’s personal journey, and tons of advice on how to get started with building your personal wealth and advice for couples finance. - Connect with Allegra and Factora: Website: https://factorawealth.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/factora_wealth/ - Podcast: https://factorawealth.com/blog/coffeeandcoinpodcastConnect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on InstagramSponsor: DateBoxGet 50% off your Next Romanic Date Night!DateBox is a monthly subscription that delivers a fun, easy, romantic date night plan to your door every month! Get 50% off your first box by heading to this link: http://www.thehappily.co/dates?offer_code=loveintently&via=loveintently and using the code “loveintently.”

In the society we live in, it can be difficult for men to find space to be vulnerable and share their emotions. Our guest this week, Shea Boland, a men’s transformation coach, holds that space and guides men on their own personal growth journey. - It took a long time for Shea to get to the level of self-awareness, inner peace, and joy that he is at today. Childhood trauma set the stage for years of drug addiction, trying to numb the pain, and failed relationships. - He reached a point of such desperation and fear of dying, that he finally surrendered and sought help. He entered an intense men’s recovery program and his life changed forever, in the best way. - He finally found a sense of purpose. He found that his pain can be the catalyst for healing. He found the courage to cultivate unconditional self-love, which has allowed for healthier relationships in his life and success in his coaching career. - Now, he guides other men to do the same, using presence-based coaching. This means that he does not give men a “formula” to follow or tell them exactly what to do, but rather, holds space for them, listens intently, and asks intuitive questions so his clients can get out of their heads and into their hearts. - In this powerful discussion, we cover Shea’s upbringing, his journey with childhood trauma, a wounded relationship with his mother, drug and alcohol addiction, recovery, the courage to honor all of his emotions, how he found his way to coaching, and the transformations he’s had through breakups. - For full show notes and resources: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - Connect with Shea Boland Instagram: @sheaboland Website: www.sheaboland.com sheabolandcoaching@gmail.com - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

Ashley Beaudin grew up very soft-spoken and shy, often feeling like she was talking but no one was hearing her. This, and other not-so-obvious trauma, lead to self-sabotaging behaviors, such as not taking care of her hygiene and losing her teeth, and struggling with sex addiction. - It was so difficult for her to find support for her sex addiction, but she never gave up on herself. She began to create her own recovery program hiring a therapist, recovery coach, and implementing a non-negotiable self-care routine. - In the process, she learned so much about trauma, coping mechanisms, and ways that we can support ourselves and overcome the behaviors that are keeping us stuck. Now, she shows up boldly and vulnerably to share her story and hold a safe space for women to feel seen and heard through her experiences. - Ashley Beaudin is a speaker, community gatherer and heart encourager who inspires humans into emotional wholeness, real community and bold leadership.She is the visionary behind The Imperfect Boss; an international movement that shifts imperfections into superpowers and helps women lead with their whole selves. Ashley’s campaigns of empowerment and vulnerability have reached millions of people over three years and she has been featured in publications such as Brit + Co, Mind Body Green and Futurpreneur. - In this episode of Love Intently, Ashley bravely shares her self-sabotaging behavior, where it came from, and the exact framework she uses to self-soothe and self-support. She gives amazing advice on how to set boundaries with yourself around sharing vulnerably on social media so that you don’t end up causing yourself more pain, and she provides specific examples of how she works with her clients to help them see their cycles and disrupt them. - - For full show notes and resources: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - Connect with Ashley Beaudin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashley.beaudin/ Quiz: https://www.ashleybeaudin.com/quiz - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

Elsa Moreck has been through it all when it comes to looking for love: chasing aloof Peter Pans, trying to fix men who won't take personal responsibility, and diminishing her power because of a partner's insecurities. - After years of studying the complexity of human psychology, mastering the science of human attraction, and integrating all of that into modern dating culture, she finally cracked the code and is now a certified dating coach. - In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, we discuss: - -The best thing to have in your dating app profile photo, based on human psychology (hint: it’s NOT a puppy) -How to slide into someone’s DMs the RIGHT way -The SIX WORDS to say when someone ghosts you to guarantee a response -The most common mistake Elsa sees of singles getting back into the dating scene -Why Elsa suggests you peek under the table during your first date (it’s not THAT! Get your head out of the gutter) -How to use body language to show you are open to meeting new people - Elsa Moreck is a dating coach who helps millennials find love in the swiping area. It’s her mission is to facilitate meaningful relationships and connections in a world where they're going extinct by empowering you to take control of your life. She is a co-host of Pandemic Love, and she has been featured on Tinder, HuffPost, and Bustle. She does private one on one high-touch coaching, as well as quarterly masterminds. - For full show notes and resources: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - Connect with Elsa Moreck Website: https://www.elsamoreck.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsamoreck/ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2484985058397858 - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

Jeff and André Shinabarger are on a mission to help couples balance pursuing their individual purposeful work, keeping their relationship and love intact, and spending quality time with their kids. Together, they’ve written a book called "Love or Work: Is It Possible to Change the World, Stay in Love, and Raise a Healthy Family?" They believe it is, and they are living proof! - Jeff Shinabarger is a bestselling author and founder of Plywood People, a non-profit in Atlanta leading a community of start-ups doing good. His work has been featured by Forbes, Inc., CNN, USA Weekend and Huffington Post. He is the co-founder of Q, mentored over 600 start-ups and created the largest social entrepreneur event in the South called Plywood Presents. - André Shinabarger is an adventurer who loves seeing the world. Born in Bolivia, she has a deep passion for building community with marginalized people groups. She works for Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta as a Physician Assistant and is an adjunct professor for Emory University. She is an Advisor to Plywood People and Host of the Love or Work Podcast. - We had a value-packed conversation around how couples can be more intentional about balancing work, family and love, especially now during the pandemic. André also opens up about her personal journey from growing up in a conservative household where there was shame around sex, to then having to navigate sex and pleasure in her marriage. - For show notes and resources: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - Connect with and Support Jeff and André Shinabarger Website: https://www.loveorwork.com/ and https://www.plywoodpeople.com/ - Instagram: http://instagram.com/loveorwork and https://www.instagram.com/plywoodpeople/ - Podcast: https://www.loveorwork.com/podcast - Book: Love or Work: Is it possible to change the world, stay in love, and raise a healthy family?Connect with Love Intently - https://loveintently.com - Instagram: @love.intently - Instagram: @sophkwok

Jessica Honegger always had an entrepreneurial spirit. As a child, she remembers picking flowers from her neighbor's yard and then going home and tying cute little bows on the flowers and then going back to the neighbors and knocking on the door and selling them those flowers.Now, she is the Founder and Co-CEO of Noonday Collection, a socially responsible accessories brand that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world. - Jessica’s entrepreneurial journey, like so many others, has not been a straight line, but as she looks back on her journey she realizes that no experience was a waste of time. Each new job was a stepping stone, gaining new skills, making new connections, to ultimately get her to where she is today, and she’s still learning! - In this episode of the Love Intently podcast, you’ll learn: -How Jessica set up the Noonday ambassador program and now supports thousands of women to have fulfilling businesses -How after 10 years of business she decides what she wants to focus on doing and where to put her time among all the opportunities -How she discerns between fearlessness and recklessness when making decisions -How she learned what her unique strengths were and if they evolved over the years -What helped her realize she was aiming towards this mythical point of “arriving” in terms of success and happiness -How she met her husband, knew he was the one, and their biggest challenges in marriage - For full show notes: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - Connect with Jessica and Noonday Collection: https://www.noondaycollection.com/ IG: @jessicahonegger --- @noondaycollection - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

If you’ve been noticing a decrease in your energy, a change in your sleep or eating patterns, more anxiety, and a more negative mindset than usual, you may be experiencing what is called burnout. Most people know burnout as overworking, but there’s more to it than that. - The next guest on the Love Intently Podcast is Traci Ruble, a San Francisco-based therapist for individuals and couples, a speaker, and the founder of Sidewalk Talk, a non-profit which teaches and practices listening in public spaces to heal our lonely and disconnected world. - We kick off this interview with Traci explaining how we can notice burnout in ourselves, how to get out of it, and also how to avoid ever getting in it in the first place. In addition, we discuss what to do if you notice your partner is burnt out. - Next, we discuss the four stages every couple cycles through throughout their relationship. Sometimes, one person can be in a different stage than the other, and they never progress to the next stage, which is often when couples come to therapy. Traci breaks it all down for us so we can clearly understand what stage we’re in, as well as if therapy will actually help or if it’s time to call it quits. - For all you ambitious over-achievers out there, Traci talks to us about how we can maintain our passion for work while also having a thriving relationship. You can have both! - Then, we talk about what’s known as the “window of tolerance”. A tool used by trauma therapists, psychotherapists and others to describe how we can regulate our emotions. Sidewalk Talk uses it in their trainings for volunteers to help them learn how to feel in their body when boundaries are being crossed and they should end the conversation, but the tool can be used by anyone to regulate turbulent emotions like fear, anxiety, anger, etc. - Lastly, we talk about her non-profit Sidewalk Talk, which started with just her and 28 colleagues sitting on a sidewalk listening to and talking with strangers passing by, and now has grown to thousands of volunteers and chapters nation-wide. - For full show notes: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - **Connect with Traci Ruble:** http://traciruble.com/ https://www.sidewalk-talk.org/ https://www.instagram.com/tracirublemft/ - Connect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

Nina Ho was born in Saigon, Vietnam, and landed in Houston, TX when she was five years old. Looking back, she can remember from a very young age trying to reject her own Asian identity in order to “fit in,” and being clumped into the “model minority” Asian stereotype. - The recent Black Lives Matter movement has brought up a moment for many Asian Americans to pause and see how white supremacy has negatively impacted them in their lives. What is the model minority myth, and why is it problematic? Where did this stereotype come from and why is it so harmful for Asian Americans today, especially when it comes to mental health and access to resources? - In this episode of Love Intently, we create space to answer these questions and dissect how white supremacy and colorism impacts Asian Americans. We also discuss the anti-blackness issue in the Asian American community, and much more. Sophie and Nina both share their personal stories and struggles growing up as first-generation Asian Americans and we learn about Nina’s event series, “Missfits Fest”, which celebrates Asian American women in entrepreneurship and the arts. - For full show notes: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - Connect with Nina Ho https://www.instagram.com/ninaqho/ https://twitter.com/NinaQHo https://www.instagram.com/missfitsfest ninaqho.com - Connect with Love Intently https://loveintently.com Instagram: @love.intently Instagram: @sophkwok

There are two buzzwords that have been thrown around in the realm of dating and relationships lately that are often misused: narcissism and codependency. How do you know if you are a narcissist or codependent? How do you know if you’re dating one? - Dr. Sarah Schewitz is a licensed clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, and founder of Couples Learn, a successful online therapy practice for individuals and couples wanting to work on love and relationships. She has been working with couples and individuals since 2008 and has advanced training in the areas of attraction, attachment, conflict management, communication, rebuilding trust after infidelity, and relationship satisfaction.  - In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, we discuss: - -A dialogue framework for couples that allows each partner to understand and communicate their childhood wounds with each other that are being triggered, in order to create a more conscious relationship -What are the red flags to look out for in a partner that indicates you should walk away from the relationship -How to know if you’re in a codependent relationship or dating a narcissist -How codependents and narcissists are two sides of the same coin, and what core childhood wound they have in common -How can couples maintain their identities in a relationship, rather than losing themselves? -What is Dr. Sarah’s online couples therapy Couples Learn all about and why did she start it? -Resources and tools other than therapy that couples can use to become more conscious in their relationship - With endless tools and resources online these days, there’s really no excuse to not take the responsibility to own your own healing journey. Often times it’s not actually a problem for us to find love—the real problem is our inability to receive love, because we do not love ourselves. The more conscious we become of why that is, the sooner we can begin to heal it, and the sooner we can find and receive the healthy, secure love we deserve and desire! - For full show notes: https://www.loveintently.com/podcast - **Resources** Book: Getting the Love You Want by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D. Love Intently Podcast Episode 21 with Harville and Helen: https://loveintently.com/blog/harville-and-helen/2019/1/30 - **Connect with Dr. Sarah Schewitz** https://coupleslearn.com/ Instagram: @coupleslearn - Connect with Love Intently https://loveintently.com Instagram: @love.intently Instagram: @sophkwok

“If I’m gonna share my story I do have to share the fact that it has been rough.” -Blanca Lesmes, Co-Founder & CEO of BB ImagingDon’t ya just hate it when you go on Instagram and become anxious and depressed over how perfect everyones lives and businesses seem to be going?! We don’t often get to see the things that happen behind closed doors- the financial stress, the loneliness, the tears.Blanca and Ben are not shy about sharing the darker moments of their entrepreneurial journey which include the devastating impacts of the 2009 recession that almost put their house into foreclosure, and eventually led to their divorce after being together since high school (but continuing to run the business together!).Blanca, who always considered herself as someone who can do anything she set her mind to, was suddenly experiencing failure after failure. But, in an inspiring act of courage, she doubled down and invested in herself and used this time to become more self-aware. Similarly, Ben realized through this process how much growing he had to do and continued learning from counseling and spiritual guidance.Today, they are re-married, going on multiple date nights a week, and their business BB Imaging is back on track! In this episode, hear all the highs and REALLY low lows of Ben and Blanca’s journey to how they got to where they are today, and all the lessons they’ve learned along the way about self-awareness, embracing the imperfections of ourselves and others, and growing up. It ain’t perfect but it’s REAL!“There’s 5 levels of a relationship. The 4th level is conflict. Most people don’t get past that level of conflict..but what they don’t tell you, is if you do, on the other side is intimacy.” -Ben Buentipo“I think time with the people you love the most matters more than anything else. More than business success, or financial success. Maximizing time with the people you love is what you should be focused on." -Blanca LesmesBlanca Lesmes is the Co-Founder and CEO of BB Imaging, and Ben Buentipo is the Co-Founder and COO. BB Imaging offers comprehensive ultrasound solutions and consulting. Their mission is to make great healthcare more accessible to women, no matter the size of their wallet or location.For full show notes: https://loveintently.com/blog/dealing-with-the-highs-and-lows-of-entrepreneurshipConnect with Blanca & Ben For ultrasound services & consulting: http://www.bbimaging.net/ BB Imaging Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BBImagingandConsulting/ BB Imaging Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbimaging/Connect with Love Intently https://loveintently.com Instagram: @love.intently Instagram: @sophkwok

The recent global pandemic has surfaced some of our deepest fears. Between the layoffs, social distancing, and no true end in sight, it’s hard to keep level headed. This is a solo episode with our founder Sophie Kwok going through her tips thriving while being home 24/7. She shares her experience of staying sane and connected to her partner through these weird times.Disclaimer: This is geared towards couples without children. Parents, we admire y’all.Connect with us at loveintently.com Find us on Instagram: @love.intently @loveintentlypodcast @sophkwok

“That trauma made it possible for me to take a step out of the business that I had created for myself in my life and grow in ways that I wouldn’t have been able to. I always try to have a growth mindset and appreciate all circumstances in this life.” -Annabelle EvangelineAnnabelle Evangeline is back for another episode! All the way back in episode 19, Sophie and Annabelle shared their journey of moving from an avoidant or anxious attachment style to a secure attachment style. A lot has happened since the last episode in 2018 for these two, with many ups and downs, including trauma therapy and healing, death of loved ones, ending of old relationships and starting new relationships. In this episode, they openly share the lessons they’ve learned along the way and focus more on what having a secure and healthy attachment style actually looks like in practice, with plenty of real-life examples.A few highlights from the conversation: -What it was like for both of them actually entering a new relationship after moving from avoidant or anxious to secure attachment styles -How they’ve become more aware of their triggers in the moment and how they deal with it in a healthy way -The most helpful responses from their partners when they are in a triggered state -What it was like for Sophie to enter a new relationship while also beginning trauma therapy“If they empower you to love yourself better, that’s a green flag rather than a red flag.” -SophieAnnabelle is a Los Angeles based writer and entrepreneur who believes that the key to unlocking life’s purpose is by living vulnerably, practicing creativity, and embracing community. She is the author of Into the Darkness: A Workbook for Trauma Survivors which was created from her own experience with mental health and sexual trauma. She writes a blog that she is turning into a book called "Letters To My Little Sisters" through which she shares her experiences in hopes to help other women learn from her journey.For full show notes: https://www.loveintently.com/blog/what-does-a-secure-relationship-look-like-annabelle-evangelineConnect with Annabelle: http://www.annabelledura.com/ http://letterstomylittlesisters.com/ Instagram: @letterstomylittlesistersConnect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

A Stanford study came out in August 2019 that said 1 in 3 people are finding relationships online and staying in relationships from the ones they found online. And, 80% of people on Bumble are on there to find meaningful relationships. Times have really changed! But how do we maintain human connection, learn to communicate effectively, and love intently in this algorithm-driven world?I realized how important relationships were when I became aware of how my lack of knowledge about what healthy relationships look like was impacting me in every area of my life- romantic relationships, family, friendships, and business. That’s why I’m so passionate about empowering others to have healthy relationships and to love and live intently!And I am SO excited to introduce our next guest, Chelsea Cain Maclin, Vice President of Marketing at Bumble. In this episode of the Love Intently Podcast, we talk about how Chelsea ended up working for Bumble, how she met and fell in love with her husband (and no- it wasn’t through Bumble, it didn’t exist yet!). She shares with us some tips for creating your profile based on analysis of their users, and tells us what she wishes she knew sooner in regards to relationships and marriage. She shares more about Bumble’s other services such as BumbleBFF and BumbleBizz and how women can use these services to advance their careers and make meaningful friendships. Bumble has lots of exciting initiatives and events aimed at empowering women and encouraging more diversity and inclusion in the workplace, so tune in to hear more!For full show notes and links:  https://www.loveintently.com/blog/how-to-use-bumble-for-relationships-and-businessFind and support Chelsea Cain Maclin: You can find Chelsea on the Bumble Bizz app, or on her personal Instagram: @chelseacainmaclin Chelsea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-cain-maclin-61976521/ Or any of the Bumble Instagram accounts: @bumble, @bumbleBFF, or @bumbleBIZZConnect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

In this episode, we tackle the tough life questions of "Who are you?" and "How do you identify yourself?" These questions are not easy for anyone to answer. For our guest Heather Gallagher, her journey of understanding and owning her identity has been especially difficult as a third culture kid.She gives us a look behind the curtains into her world, where she is a Chinese-American who grew up in a predominantly black community, and is a CODA, which means she is the Child of a Deaf Adult.Imagine not having a common language with your mother. Imagine constantly feeling like you are misunderstanding and being misunderstood. When you're among other Asians, you don't feel Asian enough, and when you're among white people, you want to own your place as the minority, which means rejecting a whole part of you.These identity and culture clashes shaped Heather's childhood. Now, she's grown into even more identities like photographer, business owner, doula, spouse, new mother, and most recently, author.Her book will be the fascinating story of how she learned to communicate with her mother without words, writing, or sign language.Heather says, "You can be face to face with somebody and talking but not fully communicating. Your words can fail sometimes. What I hope people can learn from my story is that there there IS a way. Maybe it’s not the most direct route, but if you really care, you can find a way to connect. Maybe it’s not with words. Maybe you can create your own language."This is a story of hope, finding your identity and how Heather learned to create her own language with her mother. And let us not forget, she also has a crazy story to tell about how she met her husband from responding to an advertisement in a magazine!For full show notes: https://loveintently.com/blog/finding-identity-as-a-third-culture-kidConnect with Heather Heather is a full-spectrum Doula and family, birth and death photographer at https://www.lifesaspectrum.co/ Instagram: @lifesaspectrumConnect with Love Intently https://loveintently.com Instagram: @love.intently Instagram: @sophkwok

KC McCormick Çiftçi is the creator of Borderless Stories, a community for couples in intercultural relationships who are feeling alone and overwhelmed in the process of immigration and getting married. The idea was created because KC went through this process herself along with her now husband who is from Turkey. At that time, she couldn't find very many helpful resources or other couples in the same situation. It was a very stressful and lonely time filled with worries and doubts. They didn't have anyone to turn to who could truly understand the situation because they've been through it.In episode 43 of the Love Intently Podcast, KC shares her story of how she met her husband when she went to Turkey to study English. We also talk about what kinds of challenges they've had in their relationship due to cultural differences and how they overcame them. And of course, their journey of immigrating her husband to the US and getting married (three times!), and more about Borderless Stories.You can head to https://www.borderlessstories.com/ where you can become a member of the community, where you'll have access to: -Monthly classes on various issues unique to the community -Monthly hot seat live coaching opportunities -An engaged, exclusive community, accessible by browser or app -Challenges and discounts available only to Borderless Community membersTICKETS TO THE LOVE + CULTURE HAVEN 2020:  https://retreat2020.borderlessstories.com/?sc=kfM577PG&ac=IeOEUrp5On Feb 13th, there will be a Live Love Intently Podcast recording with Elsa Moreck and Jessica Honeger. For more details go here: http://eventbrite.com/e/love-intently-live-podcast-recording-at-austin-proper-hotel-tickets-91243452623Be sure to check out the Borderless Stories podcast too to hear from KC and her husband, as well as other multicultural couples and experts. It's truly an amazing community that so many couples have been searching for!For full show notes and links: https://love.intently.com/blog/community-for-cross-cultural-couplesConnect with KC Website: https://www.borderlessstories.com/ Instagram: @kcmciftci and @borderlessstoriespodcastConnect with Sophie and Love Intently https://loveintently.com Follow @love.intently on Instagram Follow @sophkwok on Instagram

Katey Yurko lives in Austin, Texas with her boyfriend Dan. She's the creator of The Violet Fog, a website packed with tips on mental wellness, love, holistic well-being and DIY beauty. She has SUCH an important message to share with us today. It's about how loving and KNOWING yourself more intently can help those who live with depression.Katey went for years not understanding her depression well, and developed really unhealthy coping mechanisms. She isolated herself from others, for fear of being judged or misunderstood. She felt like a burden to friends and family, even though they were always supportive.That's why she's so passionate to share what has helped her the most in her struggle with depression. She especially wants to share her knowledge on ways to fight depression that don't include taking prescription medication.Listen in to episode number 44 of the Love Intently Podcast to hear how Katey realized she had depression, what it looked like in her darkest days, research-based tips for depression and mental wellness, and how she opens up to her boyfriend and family when she's having a depressive episode.You can follow her on Instagram @thevioletfog and on her website, http://violetfog.com/. She absolutely loves when people who follow her say hello and connect, so don't be shy!  Additionally, there are two exciting events Love Intently is involved with this month.On Feb 13th, there will be a Live Love Intently Podcast recording with Elsa Moreck and Jessica Honeger. For more details go here: http://eventbrite.com/e/love-intently-live-podcast-recording-at-austin-proper-hotel-tickets-91243452623Love + Culture Haven: a virtual retreat celebrating love across borders https://retreat2020.borderlessstories.com/?sc=kfM577PG&ac=IeOEUrp5For full show notes: https://loveintently.com/blog/how-to-fight-depression-naturally-violet-fog

We’re back! After a 4ish month break, we are back with two episodes this week. On this episode Sophie shares her journey over the last year and why she had to take a break. She was facing a massive creative and emotional burnout on top of health issues that sprung up on her. On this episode she will share her lessons through this break and whats to come from the Love Intently podcast.Additionally, there are two exciting events Love Intently is involved with this month.On Feb 13th, there will be a Live Love Intently Podcast recording with Elsa Moreck and Jessica Honeger. For more details go here: http://eventbrite.com/e/love-intently-live-podcast-recording-at-austin-proper-hotel-tickets-91243452623Love + Culture Haven: a virtual retreat celebrating love across borders https://retreat2020.borderlessstories.com/?sc=kfM577PG&ac=IeOEUrp5Instagram: @sophkwok @love.intentlyLink to Shownotes: https://loveintently.com/blog/wereback

Zach Horvath is an adventurer, inspirational speaker, human, and the founder behind the movement Live a Great Story. In this interview Zach shares the powerful life lesson's he's learned by being the hero of his own story. We discuss his thoughts on failure, how he overcomes negative thoughts, and how he pushes himself outside of his comfort zone. Of course, there is a love story here too. Zach's love story is a perfect example of how if you do the work on yourself first and trust the process, the universe will respond with someone better than you could have imagined for yourself.“Through the pursuit of diving into our authenticity we can become more clear on who we are. We never “get there”, there’s never a finish line in figuring out who you are.” -Zach HorvathHe has touched the lives of so many others in Austin and around the world as a community builder and inspirational speaker, including at the Ted X Youth Austin conference.He writes a blog at commonvandal.com on lessons learned through his amazing travel experiences around the world, and keeps us up to date on his personal Instagram page @commonvandal.If you want some inspiring Live a Great Story apparel and merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and stickers, head to https://liveagreatstory.com. You can also check out the Instagram page @liveagreatstory.The 2019 Live a Great Story Conference will be from October 25th to the 27th in Austin. It will be an amazing chance for entrepreneurs and creatives to connect with like-minded impact-driven peers and to have thought-provoking conversations. There will be 8 small group workshops designed for you to learn hands-on strategies, get peer feedback and develop an execution plan. Head to the website https://liveagreatstory.com to fill out the application to attend.For full shownotes and links: https://loveintently.com/blog/how-to-live-an-inspiring-life

Mark Crandall's story shows us that no matter what your circumstances are, you are capable of achieving whatever you want in life if you can just look within and change your mindset. He is living proof.Homeless for four years and incarcerated for seven years, Mark's earlier years were filled with trauma, tragedy and drug addiction. He experienced a pivotal moment while in prison that changed his life forever. Now, he is a best-selling author, highly sought-after speaker and transformational coach, and host of his own podcast.But it didn't come easily. Mark had to overcome an immense amount of self-limiting beliefs. All of us have self-limiting beliefs to overcome, no matter what our past is. But if we can change our mindset from "this is happening to me" to "this is happening for me", and take actions to disprove our limiting beliefs, we can overcome them and come into our purpose.This is what Mark's book and podcast are all about. The book is called Embrace Your Past, Win Your Future. He wants to change the way society views trauma, and empower trauma victims to break free from the mindset they've been living in. The podcast is called Purpose Chasers Podcast, which highlights stories of people overcoming self-limiting beliefs to pursue their purpose.In this episode, Mark shares the incredible story of his past, the moment everything changed, and how he's been able to shift his mindset and help so many others do the same. We also discuss how lacking purpose negatively impacts your relationships and how to find your purpose, and the beautiful story of how Mark and his wife met.For full show notes, click here: https://www.loveintently.com/blog/how-to-find-purpose-after-trauma-and-tragedyConnect with Mark: Follow @purposechasers Visit https://markcrandall.netConnect with Love Intently: Follow @love.intently Follow @sophkwok Visit https://loveintently.com

One day you might look up to find yourself on a path of self-destruction. Everywhere you turn, you are met with another disappointed face from a friend or family member. You don’t want to hurt them but you don’t know how to stop. The allure of the temporary escape of our traumas override any logical reasoning. It is not until we reach our darkest moment, where we are faced with the decision to either keep doing what we’ve always done until we’ve lost ourselves completely, or to open our heart, turn within, and find the strength inside to take the first step forward.From ages 23 to 25, Brittany Parsons burned through $30,000 on alcohol and drugs. Her home that she bought was on the verge of foreclosure. She started to lose healthy relationships with friends and family, including her sister.By age 27, Brittany was told that her liver is dying. She was told she has a 60% chance of surviving if she continues down the path she is on. She went home, and picked up another bottle.Her friends tried to have an intervention. Her family tried to convince her to go to rehab, to no avail. Brittany couldn’t see herself sitting in an AA meeting, being part of a community she didn’t believe in at the time. She didn’t believe she had a problem.Finally, one night, she decided to go to the bar one last time. She called her dad drunk, and said, “I think this is my last drink”.In this podcast, you will hear how Brittany Parsons, certified CrossFit trainer and Breakthrough Life Coach rewrote her story. How she went from having nothing, and not believing that she deserved to have anything, to having everything her heart wanted. It took hard work, dedication, and courage. Now, she is a vision of strength for so many others trying to rewrite their own stories.For full show notes and links to resources, click here: https://loveintently.com/blog/crossfit-sobriety-life-coach-brittany-parsonsIf you're interested in working with Brittany, take the Rewrite Your Story quiz: https://rewriteyourstory.vip/0Brittany's website: https://brittanyparsonscoaching.com/ Email Brittany: information@brittanyparsonscoaching.com Follow: @she_speaks_bravely_atx Follow: @love.intently Follow: @sophkwok

"At one point he said, ‘I have to cut this date short because my ex-girlfriend just texted me and I know we’re gonna hook up later’.” -Rachel LatelyWHAT?!This week on the Love Intently Podcast, we welcome Rachel Lately, Austin-based lifestyle blogger. She primarily blogs about things to do around Austin, travel, and--you guessed it--dating in Austin! Her most popular (hilarious) blog post is a list of her most cringe-worthy dating stories. Half of them she met on a dating app, and half she met in person. Tune into this episode to hear more about her thoughts on using dating apps, her best online dating profile tips for guys and girls, the most elaborate Bachelor-status first date she’s been on, her tips for the first date, and lessons she’s learned throughout her dating journey. While Sophie Kwok, our founder takes a very different approach towards dating, it's a blast to hear another females experience!For full shownotes and links to resources: https://loveintently.com/blog/rachel-lately-austin-texas-dating-blogRachel’s blog: https://www.rachellately.com/Follow: @rachel.lately Follow: @love.intently Follow: @sophkwok

“It’s very important to see dating as something that happens over time. You’re allowing time to let the connection unfold.” -Crista BeckCrista Beck, is a dating expert who teaches single people who are seeking a healthy and long-term relationship how to attract quality dating partners, increase their confidence, and take the actions necessary to have the love they deeply desire. She is regarded by her clients as a “romantic healer” due to her holistic and conscious approach to finding a meaningful relationship in the era of hookup culture and online dating.Her message has been heard by over a million people globally. Crista Beck has been featured on ABC, FOX, and TEDx. With over 20,000 hours of meditation as well as an award winning violinist, Crista brings pure love to her 10+ years as a love & dating coach. For more info go to www.cristabeck.comWhile Crista coaches both men and women alike, she specializes in helping smart and successful single people who want a secure relationship, but struggle with the fear of picking the wrong partner again. Through her one-on-one and group coaching programs they can stop struggling with the overwhelm of dating and finally feel at home in the relationship they always wanted.Actively building her dating advice and coaching business since 2009, she has played an active role in the love and relationship industry, advising and helping thousands of single people around the world. She is the co-creator of the Jumpstart Your Heart Process™, and creator of the Sure-Fire Dating Formula™ focusing on helping people identify and release their hidden barriers to love, become the kind of person that is open to love, and feel empowered and at ease on the dating scene. In this episode, Crista lets us in on her best tips that she shares with her one-on-one consulting and group coaching clients.Read the full show notes with links to resources here: https://loveintently.com/blog/crista-beck-dating-coachTo work with Crista: http://cristabeck.com/contact/ Follow: @cristabeck Follow: @love.intently Follow: @sophkwok What’s Your Dating IQ?If you want to…-Take your dating life to the next level and find a great partner -Set your love life up for success -Know what to avoid so you don't make common mistakes on the dating sceneTake Crista Beck’s Dating IQ quiz and predict your success in finding love AND learn secrets to having a fulfilling dating life, so you can experience fun, connection,  and passion both day–to–day and long–term.Crista’s Dating IQ Quiz will illuminate the 4 disciplines that make the difference between a healthy, and powerful dating life vs. one that's in despair, and struggling.This 4 minute quiz exposes what to pay attention to and specific actions you can take, so your love life THRIVES.Invest in your love life and take the free quiz now: www.DatingIQquiz.comP.S. In the “Referred By” section put “Love Intently” to be entered to win an Attract Love Breakthrough One-on-One Session with Crista.

Kristen and Jeff are like peanut butter and jelly, they compliment each other so well. Maybe we should call them Kristen and Jiff? But things weren’t always perfect in their marriage. Have you ever wondered if your spouse is having an affair? In this episode, they share how they went from a conscious relationship with open communication to assumptions, leading to Jeff wondering if Kristen was having an affair. She wasn't, but this experience reminded her of the important lesson of open communication within a relationship no matter how long you've been together!Kristen is very outspoken and takes the lead in answering our questions and Jeff has a quiet strength that you’ll see has led Kristen to many personal breakthroughs.Kristen Hartnagel is a Personal Brand Strategist with Brand Builders Group, a company founded by previous guests on the Love Intently Podcast, Rory and AJ Vaden. She is the creator of the upcoming Peace Purpose and Power podcast dedicated to helping people use their imagination and live into their vision. She is an expert coach and draws upon her dual degree in psychology and journalism as well as her many years of spiritual studies to impact her clients and help them live in alignment. She is a professional speaker, retreat facilitator, and a certified Infinite Possibilities trainer.As a Professional Singer, songwriter and recording artist, her favorite way to deliver her message is with keynote concerts. Throughout her career, Kristen has been part of 4 startups and is a founding member of Brand Builders Group working with NYT bestselling authors, award-winning talent management agents and celebrities as well as 7-figure influencers. She is leading a movement to help people release the past, live in the present, and take charge of their future.If you’re an entrepreneur or a couple who needs help building your personal brand and finding your unique voice in the market, Kristen wants to support you with a FREE strategy call! Fill out the form at Sophie.thebrandbuildersgroup.com for a free strategy call.Jeff owns a used sporting equipment store where their family is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, so if you’re ever in the area and are looking to play a pick up game, be sure to head to Play It Again Sports on Alpine Avenue in Grand Rapids, Michigan.Kristen and Jeff’s story shows us the importance of loving yourself first, and being extremely intentional and clear about what you need and want in a relationship. In their story we see how a lack clarity and intention led to the couple drifting apart, ultimately leading to Jeff suspecting that Kristen was having an affair. Hear how Kristen and Jeff came out of this dark hole in their relationship by learning how to express their needs, and how their marriage and family life has been going strong ever since.For full shownotes and resources: https://love.intently.com/blog/how-to-express-needs-to-your-partnerFollow: @khartnagel Follow: @love.intently Follow: @sophkwok

“When you take sex out of the equation...what are you left with? A true relationship of getting to know somebody.” -Rory VadenIn this week’s episode number 37, we welcome Rory and AJ Vaden. Together, they co-founded The Brand Builders Group, a personal brand strategy firm where they love to work with individual entrepreneurs and influencers to help them build a rock solid reputation™, connect with their audience and expand their reach.AJ Vaden is an international speaker, million-dollar producer and co-host of the Rich, Famous, and Influential Podcast. She was part of launching and building a very successful 8-figure coaching and consulting business and has worked with organizations such as Verizon and DIRECTV.Rory Vaden is the New York Times bestselling author of Take the Stairs. As the world’s leading expert in Reputation Design, his insights have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNN, Entrepreneur, Inc, on Fox News national television and in several other major media outlets. As a world-renowned speaker, His Tedx talk has been viewed over 2 million times, he is a 2x World Champion of Public Speaking Finalist and he was recently named as one of the top 100 leadership speakers in the world by Inc Magazine.While other married couples say they could never work with their spouse—the Vadens say, we’re best friends, why WOULDN’T we? I’m so happy they came on to share their best secrets with us on how to have a happy marriage and work life.Have you ever wondered if there’s any other way to build intimacy besides sex with your partner? Listen in to hear how the Vaden’s decision to stop having sex until they got married, and to stop drinking alcohol, deepened their emotional connection. You’ll also hear about their commitment to staying debt-free and how it has allowed them to run a business together and still maintain a happy marriage. This conversation will leave you thinking…”I’ve never considered doing that before, but maybe I should…”If you’re an entrepreneur or a couple who needs help building your personal brand and finding your unique voice in the market, Rory and AJ want to help! Fill out the form at Sophie.thebrandbuildersgroup.com for a free strategy call.Read the full show notes and get links to resources mentioned here: https://www.loveintently.com/blog/rory-aj-vaden-brand-builders-group

“I fell in love on Skype because it was pure communication, all you can do is talk and learn about each other.” Brooke HamiltonHow did a girl from Michigan and a guy from New Zealand end up happily married? This week, Brooke and James Hamilton share their incredible love story and their journey of James' professional snowboarding career. Brooke is the writer of the popular blog A Girl and a Kiwi, where she shares her best New Zealand traveling itineraries and tips for saving money to travel, as well as DIY home improvement projects. James is a retired Olympic snowboarder turned home inspector and handyman, how cool is that?!Listening to them talk is magical because you can hear in their voices how in love and happy they are together, it is truly inspiring. We talk about the positives and negatives being in a long (really long) distance relationship, how they are still learning and growing in their marriage, the legalities of immigrating to a new country, what love intently means to them, and more!If you are thinking of starting up some DIY home improvement projects, or trying to save money to travel, or traveling to New Zealand any time soon, be sure to check out Brooke's blog, A Girl and a Kiwi at: http://agirlandakiwi.com/To view the full show notes and other resources, click here: http://www.loveintently.com/blog/long-distance-love-new-zealandFOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/brooke_hami/FOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/love.intently/FOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/sophkwok/

This week’s couple is Heather and Faiez, co-founders of Prep To Your Door, a local, organic and responsible meal prep delivery service based in Austin, TX. This episode of Love Intently is as densely packed with honesty and thoughtful relationship advice as their meals are packed with nutrients. The seeds of their love story were planted during one summer at Harvard University, where they worked on a group project together. Their love and admiration for each other grew and eventually they came back to their roots in Texas with tons of fresh, organic ideas to bring from the farm to the table. Listen in to hear their raw emotions on being an interracial couple, overcoming addiction, and the difficult conversations that must be had when your business partner is also your life partner.In this episode, Sophie, Heather and Faiez discuss:-How they knew they were right for each other from a moment of silence on a park bench “We were just sitting in silence...it was a very special moment, the energy was very special.” - Faiez-The journey of how Prep To Your Door came to be “When we met, I was a big time meat eater, and she was vegetarian. One of the things I did to try and impress her was go vegetarian for ten days...and I ended up really liking it.” - Faiez-How the couple overcame Faiez’s overuse of weed as a coping mechanism for stress and anxiety “In some ways it’s really tested our relationship and in some ways it’s really strengthened our relationship.” - Heather-Lessons they learned from being an interracial couple “We had an alarm go off in our kitchen and I’ve seen a cop approach him, and when I walk up everything’s ok. That was a really hard journey for me because I felt guilt about it.” -Heather-Wise motherly advice on how to pick your life partner “When the sex appeal is gone...the only thing you have with your partner is conversation.” -HeatherTo get in touch with Heather and Faiez or to support their business: https://www.preptoyourdoor.com/ heather@preptoyourdoor.com faiez@preptoyourdoor.comFOLLOW: @preptoyourdoorFOLLOW @love.intentlyFOLLOW @sophkwokwww.loveintently.com/blog/prep-to-your-door

“How did I speak for 8 hours to a guy I didn’t have anything in common with?”Teresa Kwon has an epic love story to share. A native Texan and Korean-American, she describes her life as a “Korean drama” and we can see why with this gripping tale that will leave you hanging on her every word to hear what happens next, especially if you’re not familiar with Korean culture and customs.After you pick up your jaw from off the floor, stick around because you’ll hear insightful leadership and team-building advice for entrepreneurs. Teresa is the Founder of Daringly Great Leadership, where her mission is to inspire, educate, and mentor impact-driven entrepreneurs to become global transformational leaders who build and cultivate healthy, human-centered, high-performing teams.Links and Resources:Daringly Great Leadership website: https://www.daringlygreat.com/ Hiring Roadmap: https://daringlygreat.kartra.com/page/hiring-roadmap Instagram: @daringlygreatleadership Instagram: @love.intentlyFull show notes: https://loveintently.com/blog/daringly-great-leadership-teresa-kwon

Many of our Love Intently couples’ stories begin in adolescence, and we love our high school sweetheart couples, but Bree and Carlos bring a whole new love story to the table--the farmhouse kitchen table, to be exact. Our latest guest couple moved in together after only two weeks of knowing each other. Yes, two weeks! They barely had any possessions and even slept on an air mattress for quite some time. Bree and Carlos take us on their journey from two shots at a sports bar, to having nothing but a few bags of clothes, all the way to building multiple successful family-run business, where their mission is to empower others and bring families together through design and style, including 2310 Routh Street, Lavender Mind Designs, the Curated project, and the Iman Project.Together they are quite the powerhouse couple. Bree has also spoken on many stages over the years including TedX.In this episode, Sophie, Bree, and Carlos discuss:-How they each knew after only two weeks of knowing each other that this one was different “We really confided in each other- it was such a safe haven for both of us” -Bree-How they went from having nothing but their clothes and an air mattress to having a beautiful family and successful businesses When we first got together, we didn’t have anything at all. We built everything that we have as one, with each other." -Carlos-The inspiration and purpose behind their family lifestyle brand and design business “We want to give everybody opportunities that we never had. Everything we do with our brands and our business, that’s always the forefront” -Bree-The hard season of their marriage that arose as a result of skipping the dating phase and how they got through it “We ended up going to counseling. There was a lot of stuff. We couldn’t hear each other because we didn’t talk about things. We started from scratch.” - Bree-Why it’s important to fall in love with you first and know who you are “Learning how to love yourself and knowing who you are is a big thing. You can’t love somebody if you don’t love yourself.” -Carlos-Advice for married couples in business together "If you promise each other you’re not going to go to bed angry at each other, it’s going to be a better day the next day.” -CarlosTo learn more about Bree and Carlos' businesses, check out: https://www.theimanproject.com/ https://www.instagram.com/theimanproject/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/2310RouthStreet/ https://www.instagram.com/2310routhstreet/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/lavendermintdesigns/Shownotes https://loveintently.com/blog/bree-and-carlos

Listen with caution: This podcast is packed with so much motivation and lessons for entrepreneurship-prone couples, your entrepreneurial spirit may be awakened and you will truly believe you can do anything together. You’ve been warned.Three-time college football record breaker, entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Kaymon Farmer always had a knack for motivating others to be the best version of themselves and to bring communities and people together. What he didn’t have so much experience in was being in a committed relationship:“I was crying in the shower that night...it was showing me how tough it really is to be in a relationship, be able to trust someone, be able to love someone, and just continue on. We had to grow up really fast and stick to our commitment.” - KaymonEdith Farmer never had trouble communicating what she needs in a relationship, and decided, after seeing Kaymon mature over several years, to take a chance on him. But she wasn’t prepared for how much her trust would be tested due to dating someone who is often in the limelight of the college football world and crushed on by many women:“That was probably one of the worst things that happened in our relationship..at first I didn’t handle it that well, but I knew I had to change my ways to where I knew if I wanted things to work out I had to adjust myself.” - EdithThe now happily married couple is so grateful that she took the chance, and so are the many other couples whose marriages have been enhanced thanks to Kaymon and Edith’s joint venture, Double Amor. Double Amor is a social platform that connects married couples who want to strengthen their marriages by surrounding themselves with other strong married couples, leading to stronger families, and ultimately stronger communities around the world.In this episode, Kaymon and Edith uncover what it takes to become your greatest self (hint: you’ve got work to do, but it’s worth it!), share intimate moments where they grew together as a couple, and provide invaluable advice for couples who are thinking about going into business together. Everything these two amazing people do is about giving value to others and giving love back to those who support them.“I feel like we overcame a lot. We handled it. And we never broke” - KaymonTo learn more about Kaymon and Edith's start-up, check out: https://doubleamor.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/doubleamor/ https://www.instagram.com/doubleamor/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/400470817078861/ https://twitter.com/doubleamorKaymon's book, #AnotherDayofGREATNESS:  https://www.amazon.com/AnotherDayofGREATNESS-Mr-Kaymon-Farmer/dp/1717401813Show Notes:https://loveintently.com/blog/double-amor

Tiffany and Joseph Kong are a true model of married couple #goals for so many people. Together they create content and resources to help thousands of other couples through their marriage journeys, available on their blog, Discovering We. What started out as a private way for Tiffany to document her learnings and growth on her own marriage journey, turned into an amazing resource for young married couples who are feeling stuck, looking to connect, and need practical tips to deepen their marriage.Head to their website discoveringwe.com to check out the Organized Wife Binder Bundle, a downloadable PDF with 14 different templates to help you stay organized and intentional in your life and marriage. Included are templates for things like date nights, vacation planning, financial planning, meal planning, and more.In this episode of Love Intently, you will get to hear in detail the journey of growth for a couple who was long distance for five years, who describe themselves as total opposites, and who went through the heartbreak of a miscarriage."Even though you go through something like a miscarriage, you will overcome it and there are other blessings coming your way, even if it may not be a child." -Tiffany"While we were dating I wish I knew how to cope with her feelings. I wouldn't know how to handle it if she came home crying. I had to learn I need to be a supporter, a shoulder for her to cry on." -Joseph"We had to realize early on that we're not each other's enemies. We're here to support, encourage and love each other so we can bring out the best in each other" -Tiffany"Love Intently means we're doing things for each other so we can grow our marriage for the future." -JosephResources: https://discoveringwe.com/ https://www.instagram.com/discoveringwe/www.loveintently.com/blog/discovering-we 

On this episode, Jen and Jonathan Lewis share how they make both work and love work! They just had their first baby girl, who is the most precious sweet angel. They are frank with the evolution of their relationship as they have pursued making an impact and entrepreneurship. They have the relationship they have and do the work they love because... they have because they’ve worked on it not because it just came to them quickly. That’s what we find to be most true, it isn’t just happily ever after. It's let’s choose to make this happily ever after every day, which they do and share wisdom nuggets of the "how" behind it all.Jen is the founder of Purse & Clutch a socially conscious handbag brand working to break the cycle of poverty by connecting you to talented artisans in Guatemala, Mexico & Ethiopia. Their mission is to help support sustainable, long-term employment for men & women with limited opportunities. They know the names of the men & the women who are making their handbags. Their commitment to ethical fashion starts at the very beginning of the process & ends with you carrying the most beautiful bag in the room.Jonathan is the director at ThinkTiv, he also teaches at Austin Center for Design, where Sophie went to graduate school and also where Love Intently was birthed. Go back to episode one for all the details about that.https://www.purseandclutch.com/ https://www.instagram.com/purseandclutch/?hl=en https://thinktiv.comShownotes link: www.loveintently.com/blog/jen-and-jonathan-lewis

Marci Gleason is an associate professor of human development and family sciences at the University of Texas. She has been in the field for over a decade and shares her insights and learnings with us today.This episode we discuss the data and psychology behind the science and art of relationships. She breaks down her work with social support and what is actually helpful versus hurtful. She shares her personal insights around relationships and her learnings through her research over the last ten years. Link to shownotes: www.loveintently.com/blog/marci-gleason

On this episode, Matt and Steph, share their journey together and how they’ve stayed intentional through the startup life and an acquisition. Matt is a classic serial entrepreneur. He’s had a few successes including an acquisition in his last as well as some failures, including a dating app called date while you wait. Matt is currently the founder of two startups, Optie and Arramu.Arammu is preventative maintenance for your personal and professional relationships. They believe in treating your relationships like you treat your body, with annual check-ups. Couples who have participated report higher levels of relationship satisfaction, intimacy, and healthy communication... with lower levels of conflict, divorce, and depression. Arammu has been featured on Rachel Ray, CNN, New York Times, and Oprah Magazine.Optie started as a frustration with ESPN's app has grown into a full-fledged AI based marketing platform helping companies build robust, smart profiles for their customers and better target them.Steph is currently in real estate, if anyone needs an agent to help find a home in Boston she’s your person. Additionally, on this episode, she bravely and openly shared her journey with ADHD and depression, and they share practicals on how to best support each other through these bumps in the road.Speaking of Arammu, we are partnering together to giving away one relationship check up to one of our lucky listeners. To find the details of our giveaway go to our Instagram and find the podcast release graphic of this episode for details to enter. You must follow both @relationshipcheckup and @love.intently to qualify. This has a $200 value we will announce giveaway winners in one week from the podcast release!https://www.instagram.com/relationshipcheckup/ For giveaway details go to www.instagram.com/love.intently and find the podcast release post for this episode.Be sure to follow both accounts to qualify! https://www.instagram.com/relationshipcheckup/https://arammu.com http://optieapp.comwww.loveintently.com/blog/arammu

Parham met Jen during grad school and were friends for quite a bit of time before they ever dated. Let’s just say he knew way before she did that he was going to marry her. Jen played a critical role in the growth of their company which enables them to be acquired eventually.Parham is a seasoned entrepreneur and author of perfect pain, Where he shares his journey of pursuing the American dream. After fleeing Iran as a child, he had built the perfect life for himself: a multi-million-dollar business, his dream home, a loving wife, and three beautiful children all while nursing a secret $2000 cocaine addiction.Eventually, his wife finds out, and Parham commits to seeking help. What follows is the hopeful memoir of a man searching to find his most authentic self. Perfect Pain is the story of becoming reacquainted with yourself when your childhood is smeared by trauma, of being willing to open the darkest doors and look inside, of the joy that comes when you recognize that nothing was enough, but you are enough.On this episode, Parham discusses his journey of overcoming his cocaine addiction, depression, and recovery all while being a successful entrepreneur and father. Jen shares her side of the story of keeping a multi-million dollar business afloat while raising their beautiful children and supporting Parham through his recovery journey.www.loveintently.com/blog/parham-parastaran-and-jen

Harris and Kate, are most known through their work as an illusionist, the Story conference and Istoria a collective of artists, producers, and storytellers who create and execute transformational experiences for some of the worlds biggest brands, including Chik-fil-a, Pinterest, International Justice Mission and the GRAMMY’s.They fell in love as teens, when Harris was already a full time traveling illusionist. Since then, they have traveled to hundreds of cities, creating transformational experiences through magic. From the start of their marriage, they had to learn really quickly how to navigate traveling full time together, being a team in both life and work. They shared gems of knowledge of their previous seasons, and how they are approaching the current season, they transition their business for less travel and to allow for more time with their kids.For more information on their incredible conference and community for creatives go to storygatherings.com.Shownotes Link: www.loveintently.com/blog/harrisiii-and-kate

This episode we share our full interviews with each couple from the #LOVEAGREATSTORY collaboration with Live a Great Story.First, we have Taylor and Jared, Taylor is a phenomenal lifestyle design coach and business consultant - she really is so good at what she does. And Jared is the marketing director for a financial media company. They tried their hardest to keep things light and casual ... but in reality, they fell pretty hard for each other instantly.Morgan and Jeremy met at the gym but quickly started dating shortly after. They always dreamt of opening their own franchise and are now both the owners of Tru Fusion South Austin which opens in March!!Shruthi and Hank who was on episode 11 of our podcast. Shruthi is a uber talented writer, content creator, blogger and influencer and Hank is an architect. Their interview will have you rolling laughing and leave you with practical tips on conflict resolution.Lastly, we have CJ and Erin, who was on episode 22 on The Love Intently podcast. Both have overcome adversity between losing Erin's father unexpectedly and autoimmune disease. However, through their story, together inspire and empower entrepreneurs and our wellness and fitness journeys.It was a blast sharing these stories. They are some of our most cherished couples in our community. Special thank you to each one of these couples who took their time to share their love story with us.Links to more on the couples found in show notes: https://loveintently.com/blog/love-a-great-story/2019/1/24Shop the limited edition Love A Great Story Collection at www.liveagreatstory.com/pages/love

BT and Brett were "late bloomers" in the dating game. BT and Brett grew up knowing they were attracted to the same sex at a very young age. However, coming from a conservative Christian background, they believed their whole life that they would never have the opportunity to be married. On this episode, they share their journey to swiping right on each other (on Tinder) to where they are now.You might know BT as Brett Trapp from Blue Babies Pink both a written series and podcast on his southern coming out story. Since releasing this series, he has had 1 million downloads to date. Since then he swiped right on his now Husband, Brett. Yes, they had the same first name, when they got married BT decided to change his name and to take on his husband's last name, Harman.Currently, BT is a Freelance Creative Strategist, and Brett is a producer at CNN. This episode they dive into navigating the online dating world for the first time in their adult life and their journey to finding each other.Links https://btharman.com/about https://www.instagram.com/bt_harman/ https://bluebabiespink.com htpps://loveintently.com/blog/online-dating-sucks-until-it-doesnt-with-brett-bt-harmanLink to shownotes: htpps://loveintently.com/blog/online-dating-sucks-until-it-doesnt-with-brett-bt-harman

Hunter caught Sarah’s eye first when they were 12 and she would sneakily find ways to spend more time with him….for instance, she signed up to be a soccer trainer on his soccer team. Then Sarah started dating his best friends, and Hunter realized… “Oh shoot, she’s not going to wait around forever…” Finally, when they were 17, they became official. Hunter knew Sarah was going to be more than just a girlfriend when he decided to attend the University of Texas with her. Somewhere along the way, Hunter picked up a camera and never put it down. He started with weddings, and as his craft grew, one day by accident on a whim, they became overnight Instagram influencers because of a random trip to Canada and a photo of their beloved pup, Aspen. They share the details behind this story of building a following of close to half a million followers on this podcast episode. Since then, they have been featured in National Geographic, CNN, Instyle, Mashable, and People to name a few.Contrary to popular belief, it has not been a quick journey to becoming full-time content creators and storytellers. It took them almost five years of hard work and intentionally treating their business, as a business to go full time on The Lawrence House. Sarah and Hunter share the details of their journey of becoming full-time storytellers in both domestic and international locations through photography, film, writing, and experience curation.Staying connected while building a stainable business together hasn’t always been easy. They share practicals on what’s worked for them and how they draw boundaries to leave room for their marriage to thrive.Links: https://www.thelawrencehouse.com/ https://www.instagram.com/hunter_lawrence/ https://www.instagram.com/sarah_michelle_lawrence/ https://www.instagram.com/aspenthemountainpup/Shownotes: www.loveintently.com/blog/sarah-and-hunter-lawrence

This week’s episode is with CJ and Erin Finley who also happens to be a part the love a great story collaboration in partnership with Live a Great Story! Both CJ and Erin play many roles in the Austin Fitness and Entrepreneur community. They’re never shy to help, shout out, or champion anyone. Both engineers by trade turned into business, fitness and wellness enthusiasts and experts. They bring immense value to anyone they interact with.CJ and Erin have the love story that romcoms are made of. CJ first asked her to be his girlfriend when they were ten… and not long after Erin broke up with him over aim. Despite the breakup, they remained close friends but, in CJ’s eyes, she was always the girl that got away. Listen in for their full story of how tragedy and losing her father brought them back together.Their passion for fitness and wellness stems from autoimmune diseases they’ve both had to continue to work through. They share how they have supported each other despite seasons of having more questions than answers when it comes to their health.They’re honest with where they started to where they are now. They have very different personality types but have learned how to leverage each other's strengths for the better!Links: https://www.instagram.com/erin.spiration/ https://www.instagram.com/thriveonlife/www.loveintently.com/blog/cj-and-erin-finley

Harville Hendrix Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt Ph.D. are internationally-respected couple's therapists, educators, speakers, and New York Times bestselling authors. Together, they have written over 10 books with more than 4 million copies sold, including the timeless classic, Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples. In addition, Harville has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey television program 17 times. However, marriage—even for marriage experts—is never easy. They share insights from their own marriage as well as their best practice suggestions for other couples centered around imago, safe conversations, and zero negativity. This episode we go into the science behind how and why we choose the partners that we do. They share the Imago method and how we can have safe conversations which become healing rather than damaging. These two are world changers and movement makers. They are starting the movement of Safe Conversations through their Non-profit Relationship’s First in Dallas and have plans to expand to the rest of America and beyond. Any conversation with them is one worth listening to as their insight, expertise, and wisdom is not one to ignore. www.loveintently.com/blog/harville-and-helen/2019/1/30

Alora Rachelle Brown and Ken Brown are a precious couple met as kids and slowly became best friends. He first professed his love for her, and she freaked out leading to a summer of not talking. Luckily, that summer Alora realized she really liked Ken too.Alora is a self-made top-rated wedding photographer in Michigan. She has a massive heart to see other people rise with her and to empower other women to step into their calling, whether it be a full-time mom or something else or both. She’s the kindest and truest overachiever you’ll ever meet.Ken is an automotive engineer and an incredibly supportive husband and father. In this episode, he redefines what providing for your family as a man means, and it really struck home with me.We’ve talked about the enneagram quite a bit on this episode, if you don’t know what that is, go back and listen to the episode with Brandon and Ashley Hill, we go way more into depth there. For those of you that do know, Alora is a 3w2, and Ken is a 5, and if you know what that means it totally shows in this episode.https://www.instagram.com/alora.rachelle/ https://www.alorarachelle.com/ https://www.loveintently.com/blog/alora-rachelle-brown-and-ken-brown

On this week’s episode, our founder Sophie Kwok and Annabelle Dura share their journey of moving from an avoidant or anxious attachment style to a secure attachment style. Shortly after Sophie read the book Attached by Amir Levine, she shared it with Annabelle and it completely shifted how they approach love and relationships. Annabelle Evangeline is a Los Ángeles based writer and entrepreneur who believes that the key to unlocking life’s purpose is by living vulnerably, practicing creativity, and embracing community.She is the author of into the darkness, a workbook for trauma survivors created from her own experience with mental health and sexual trauma. Since then, she has been passionate about creating tangible worksheets, experiences, and tools to heal through hardship and live a purposeful life.Since reading the book, Annabelle has entered a relationship with a secure partner and she shares her experience thus far. Sophie and Annabelle discuss how digging into their attachment styles brought greater healing, self-awareness, and healthier relationships in their life.Links:https://www.instagram.com/annasbanana123/ https://www.instagram.com/itdarkness/https://www.instagram.com/sophie_kwok/

Brandon and Ashley Hill share their journey of getting out of debt (they ate red beans and rice for every meal...for way too long), career changes, pursuing their passions and being married to the opposite personality type.They started as best friends first but slowly Ashley caught the feels for Brandon. She eventually told him through stick figure drawings but not wanting to ruin their friendship, Brandon expressed he wanted to stay friends first. He came around eventually and they got married young and they share how they grew together through their many career and life changes. Brandon Hill is a phenomenal storyteller, photographer, videographer, and thought leader. Ashley currently works at the Thinkery as School and Gallery Experience Manager.This conversation is incredible, with lots of laughs, some tears, practicals, and heart. In part one, they share their story of meeting, giving each other tattoos, writing music together, and diving deep into the Enneagram and how it transformed how they understand each other and themselves. In part two, we talk about how they got out of debt, entrepreneurship, and how they’ve navigated their faith evolving. If you typically attract the opposite personality type, this episode is for you - chock-full of good practicals they have learned through years of trial and error. Linkshttp://howdybrandon.com/https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-howdybrandon-show/id1318467311?mt=2 http://instagram.com/howdybrandon https://www.instagram.com/ablove/ 

Brandon and Ashley Hill share their journey of getting out of debt (they ate red beans and rice for every meal...for way too long), career changes, pursuing their passions and being married to the opposite personality type.They started as best friends first but slowly Ashley caught the feels for Brandon. She eventually told him through stick figure drawings but not wanting to ruin their friendship, Brandon expressed he wanted to stay friends first. He came around eventually and they got married young and they share how they grew together through their many career and life changes. Brandon Hill is a phenomenal storyteller, photographer, videographer, and thought leader. Ashley currently works at the Thinkery as School and Gallery Experience Manager.This conversation is incredible, with lots of laughs, some tears, practicals, and heart. In part one, they share their story of meeting, giving each other tattoos, writing music together, and diving deep into the Enneagram and how it transformed how they understand each other and themselves. In part two, we talk about how they got out of debt, entrepreneurship, and how they’ve navigated their faith evolving. If you typically attract the opposite personality type, this episode is for you - chock-full of good practicals they have learned through years of trial and error. Linkshttp://howdybrandon.com/https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-howdybrandon-show/id1318467311?mt=2 http://instagram.com/howdybrandon https://www.instagram.com/ablove/ 

Ameerah is the brains and grit behind Brunch and Slay, a wonderful lifestyle company helping women and brands forge life-long relationships and partnerships. They offer courses, content, and experiences to help women build and win. Ameerah is a brilliant mind who has worked with incredible brands including Soul Cycle, Microsoft, Kendra Scott, and Kroger. On this episode, Chad and Ameerah talk both heart and practicals on how they’ve supported each other’s careers. They share what they’re dreaming and working towards. Adding kids to the mix can make entrepreneurship tricky, but they share some practicals on how they make it work. They share how they create healthy boundaries to the content they protect their space and the things they consume. They both met through serving in the military but their love story is rooted in their deep genuine friendship. Linkshttps://brunchandslay.comhttps://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/straight-out-of-corporate-with-k-renee-ward/id1266388229?i=1000394525193&mt=2https://brunchandslay.com/podcasts/https://www.instagram.com/brunchandslay/

Clay Olsen was on a date when he first met his wife. Captivated by her presence and beauty, he convinces a friend to hack the school system to get her number and email… and that’s just the beginning!Clay Olsen is also the founder of Fight the New Drug, an organization devoted to educating our generation the impacts of pornography neurologically, emotionally, and globally.88% of the most popular scenes in porn has physical, aggression or verbal harm towards women. Join us as we discuss how porn is shaping the way we view women, love, and intimacy.To Clay, Love is focus: giving people our time and attention and ultimately our focus.https://fightthenewdrug.org/about/ p.s. Curious about learning your love personality?! www.loveintently.com/beta

“I feel super, super blessed everyday that I married someone who is up for the adventure,” says CJ Casciotta of his wife Kelly. When CJ, speaker and author of Get Weird: Discover the Surprising Secret to Making a Difference, appeared on writer Kelly’s porch as the only stranger in a group of friends, they couldn’t possibly have foreseen the path that lay ahead of them. A year later, they found themselves on that very same porch as CJ proposed lifelong partnership. Since then, CJ and Kelly have been discovering and embracing their weird through the joys and hardships of marriage, navigating a miscarriage, entrepreneurship, and parenthood.Join us this week as CJ and Kelly share the fears of their early relationship, the bravery, faith and love that helped them overcome it and how discovering and utilizing your unique weird may just be the secret to becoming a better leader, partner and parent.Get a copy of Get Weird: Discover the Surprising Secret to Making a Difference at getweirdbook.com!

As college winded down, the last thing Kelly and Lou thought they’d want is a relationship. Lou was moving to San Diego and six months later, Kelly decided to follow, moving in with him. A while after, they decided to break up as things got hard between them. At the time, Lou was your typical frat bro with drugs and partying until a life changing moment. Within four days he decided to quit his job to pursue a higher calling. People called Kelly frantically thinking he was going to end his life, and within 24 hours they found themselves engaged. You don’t want to miss their full version of this.Lou and Kelly have certainly had their fair share of nontraditional milestones. Join us this week as Lou and Kelly share their unique story, their advice for building the life you dream of, and their recipe for individual growth within a relationship.You can find more Kelly and Lou at: https://www.instagram.com/liveagreatstory/https://www.instagram.com/louredmond_/https://www.instagram.com/kellymargerum/ https://www.facebook.com/liveagreatstory/For more info on what the subscription accountability journals Kelly has been working on with Live a Great Story https://liveagreatstory.com/ Check out Lou’s meditation specifically for couples here: http://insig.ht/gm_37786Read more on Lou at Louredmond.com and https://mindfulnessforteachers.com/

Brad and Tami Miller, authors of Tandem Marriage, are experts on staying married while going up against seemingly impossible odds. Between their immediate families, there are 13 divorces - not exactly a good model for a healthy marriage. Brad and Tami knew that they would need to look elsewhere to learn how to stay married - and now, they’re sharing their knowledge with others, both through a marriage counseling business and their new book, the first in a series of relationship advice books they plan to write. We discuss everything from tandem bicycles, personality quizzes, and the highs and low points in Brad and Tami’s relationship and marriage. You’ll even get to hear the best relationship advice they ever received - from complete strangers! Shownotes Blog Post: www.loveintently.com/blog/tandem-marriage-with-brad-and-tami-miller/2018/9/5

Shruthi and Hank had clear intentions when they met: a relationship with someone that could result in a lifelong partnership. They just didn’t know they wanted it with each other. For the duration of Shruthi’s college mission trip to India, they shared stories, puns and the occasional deep conversation. After getting to know one another without the pressure of trying to impress a possible partner, they realized an authentic connection beyond friendship. For a first generation Indian American and a native Texan, recognizing and overcoming cultural differences became necessary and eventually second nature in their beginnings as a couple. This first year built the foundation on which their perspective on healthy conflict and resolution was built.After four years of partnership, Shruthi and Hank tied the knot and immediately moved to London where they began their married life together. The Parkers share with Sophie how their devotion to communication, harmony, and one another led to the realization of the life they’d imagined before they even met.You can keep up with the Parkers at thehonestshruth.com or @TheHonestShruth on Instagram.www.loveintently.com/blog/shruthi-and-hank-thehonestsruth

Heather and Aaron Hale are an inspirational couple - not only are they following their dreams as creatives (Heather is a designer and Aaron is a musician) - but they’ve also experienced the adoption process and are now raising two children. Though the path they took to get to where they are today wasn’t exactly a smooth one, they tackle their problems with a positive attitude and admirable openness - Heather kept a blog throughout the entire adoption process. They are truly #relationshipgoals! Join us as we explore everything from the perfect first date to the challenges of being creatives with children to the triumphs and challenges of adopting a child. https://www.instagram.com/heatherhale/ https://dribbble.com/halehouse https://www.instagram.com/aaronhale/ https://www.instagram.com/halehousecreative/ https://www.halehouse.co/ http://aaronghale.com/ https://twitter.com/AARONHALEBlog Post: www.loveintently.com/blog/heather-and-aaron-hale/2018/9/5

Ever wonder if getting into a fight with your partner impacts your physical health and not just your mental health? Dr. Lisa Neff has the answer - it does! She has spent most of her career digging deep into couples, and how their relationships evolve over time, and the results are fascinating! Dr. Neff is also an advisor to Love Intently, and has helped us shape our program in a research-based way! Join us as we discuss some of the trickier topics in relationships - conflict, stress and the impact on your health! Book https://www.amazon.com/Science-Relationships-Answers-Questions-Marriage/dp/1465201408/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534106194&sr=8-1&keywords=lisa+neffhttp://austinmarriageproject.com/researchers

Ever wonder if getting into a fight with your partner impacts your physical health and not just your mental health? Dr. Lisa Neff has the answer - it does! She has spent most of her career digging deep into couples, and how their relationships evolve over time, and the results are fascinating! Dr. Neff is also an advisor to Love Intently, and has helped us shape our program in a research-based way! Join us as we discuss some of the trickier topics in relationships - conflict, stress and the impact on your health! Book https://www.amazon.com/Science-Relationships-Answers-Questions-Marriage/dp/1465201408/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534106194&sr=8-1&keywords=lisa+neffhttp://austinmarriageproject.com/researchers

On this episode, Joanna and Nolan share the origin of their hustle, taking initiative to create the spaces you want to see, and how they intentionally make their love work. The Waterfall’s unique blend of empowering bravery and practical solutions give us insight on the sustenance for a busy and actualized personal and professional life!Joanna Waterfall, the founder of the Yellow Conference, a gathering for creative, entrepreneurial minded women to be equipped, inspired, and connected for the greater good. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her hubs and cat, loves coffee, and sometimes goes days without washing her hair.Nolan Waterfall, a licensed insurance broker who works on behalf of smaller companies to form coverage coalitions, providing better coverage to small businesses.This creative and impact driven couple have made a tremendous difference on thousands of people. They share the in’s and out’s of how they’ve made it work. Joanna and Nolan have been supporting each other as spouses and business owners for seven years of love, lessons, and some serious leaps of faith.You can find the Waterfalls at @joannawaterfall and @nolanwaterfall on Instagram. Keep in the loop and look out for information about the upcoming Yellow Conference at https://yellowco.co/.In this Podcast, Sophie, Joanna and Nolan discuss: -The empowering origin story of Joanna and Nolan’s freelance careers -The founding story of Yellow Co and Nolan’s new venture. -Methods of sustaining yourself and your relationship as you navigate the financial and personal pressure of starting a business. -Foundational practices for effective communication with your partner -Guiding principles and philosophies to help you stay balanced in work and loveWhere you can find Nolan and Joanna https://yellowco.co/retreats/bali/ https://www.instagram.com/joannawaterfall/ https://www.instagram.com/nolanwaterfall/ https://www.instagram.com/yellowco.co/ http://yellowco.co/ https://twitter.com/yellowconf https://twitter.com/joannawaterfall https://www.facebook.com/yellowconf/ (edited)www.loveintently.com/blog/joanna-and-nolan-waterfall-relationshipgoals/2018/8/31

Ashley and Dan Behnke are the very definition of a power couple. Ashley is the CEO of SpotLoc8r, Dan is a non-profit founder and current college volleyball coach. They’re raising 2 beautiful children! Their relationship blossomed from a combination of business and volleyball, and they’ve been going strong ever since, working together to achieve both their marriage and business goals. Though they’ve had some obstacles thrown their way, they handle it all with grace and a great sense of humor.Join us as we discuss a huge range of topics - everything from tackling what comes with being in an interracial relationship to handling depression as a team to being supportive when one member of the relationship is an entrepreneur. https://www.instagram.com/ashleybehnkedesign/ https://www.instagram.com/spotloc8r/ https://twitter.com/SpotLoc8r https://twitter.com/AshBehnkeDesign https://www.facebook.com/SpotLoc8r/Sign up for the beta at https://spotloc8r.com/Shownotes Blog post: www.loveintently.com/blog/power-couple-ashley-and-dan-behnke-tackle-hardship-together/2018/8/31

Elizabeth Carroll is best known for her time on the TV show Marriage Bootcamp, alongside her husband, Jim.In this episode, we explore everything from the 10 killers of marriage, the secrets behind the highly effective Marriage Bootcamp, the quirks of online dating, finding your true self, sex addiction and its impact on relationships, and so much more!Elizabeth has been busy working alongside Jim to build up Marriage Bootcamp and empowering countless marriages to thrive.Join us as we explore everything from the quirks of online dating to finding your true self, to sex addiction and its impact on relationships.Link to shownotes: https://www.loveintently.com/marriage-bootcamp-with-elizabeth-carroll/2018/8/21https://www.marriagebootcamp.com/ https://www.instagram.com/marriagebootcamp_official/ https://twitter.com/MBCElizabeth https://www.instagram.com/ecarroll7/

Lynette Cenée and Corey Ferrugia met under unlikely circumstances - while Corey was dating (and eventually engaged to) someone else! Seven years later, they met again intending to be just friends… but that friendship unexpectedly blossomed into a relationship full of joy and fun. After struggling for a bit to define their relationship and decide what they were looking for, they eventually realized that they had found “the one” - and the rest is history. Join us as we discuss everything from growing up with parents who are missionaries and magicians to approaching life with child-like wonder to telling their story in the public eye. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTDkZ9zRLosCorey James https://www.instagram.com/themistercorey/ https://www.facebook.com/TheMisterCoReyMystery https://www.youtube.com/user/coreyferrugia https://twitter.com/coreyferrugia https://open.spotify.com/user/1211197660?si=BZ5d0KFuR1qfuWzIwuPmWgLynette Cenee https://www.instagram.com/lynettecenee/ https://www.youtube.com/user/NailsWithLynette https://www.facebook.com/lynettecenee/ https://twitter.com/LynetteCenee Together https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAgjTsxDJn60g68novIsLhgBlog: http://loveintently.com/blog/lynette-cenee-and-corey-ferrugia/2018/8/17

Last time, we met Lynette Cenée and Corey Ferrugia and learned all about their relationship and history together. This time, we’ll be diving deeper into the ways Lynette and Corey keep their relationship strong through the trials and tribulations of being strong, creative personalities in the public eye. Join us as we explore everything from how your environment can impact your relationship health to how their shared passions have kept their relationship strong and moving forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTDkZ9zRLosCorey James https://www.instagram.com/themistercorey/ https://www.facebook.com/TheMisterCoReyMystery https://www.youtube.com/user/coreyferrugia https://twitter.com/coreyferrugia https://open.spotify.com/user/1211197660?si=BZ5d0KFuR1qfuWzIwuPmWgLynette Cenee https://www.instagram.com/lynettecenee/ https://www.youtube.com/user/NailsWithLynette https://www.facebook.com/lynettecenee/ https://twitter.com/LynetteCenee Together https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAgjTsxDJn60g68novIsLhgBlog: http://loveintently.com/blog/lynette-cenee-and-corey-ferrugia/2018/8/17

Kimberly Holmes, CEO of Marriage Helper, knows a thing or two about divorce and reconciliation - she was born after her parents divorced and remarried… each other! They used that experience to create Marriage Helper, a series of workshops to help couples headed for divorce, and now Kimberly is following in their footsteps, to great success. Over 250,000 people have gone through Marriage Helper, and 3 out of 4 couples end up reconciling after the experience! As Kimberly says their mission is “saving marriages and strengthening families.” Join us as we discuss some of the secrets to Marriage Helper’s success - did you know there are more types of attraction than just physical? - to tips from Kimberly on balancing being in a relationship with being a wife. You’ll even get some insight as to why Marriage Helper doesn’t work for that last couple! https://www.instagram.com/kimberlybeamholmes/ https://www.instagram.com/marriagehelper/ https://twitter.com/marriagehelper https://www.facebook.com/MarriageHelper/Link to blog post http://loveintently.com/blog/meet-kim-beam-holmes-ceo-of-marriage-helper/2018/8/15

In this episode, Love Intently’s Founder and CEO shares her founding story. A Texas native, and the first American-born child in her family, Sophie began her personal journey with a sincere desire to rebuild her relationship with her parents. In learning to connect with them, she realized the disagreements didn’t stem from a lack of love but a lack of understanding. She stumbled upon frameworks and relationship science, deciding to apply it to her life. By better understanding how people give, receive, and communicate love differently, it transformed her relationship with her parents. Although there was a lot of trial-and-error, she came to see any relationship could benefit from intentional acts of love. The journey with her parents inspired her to empower others to strengthen their relationships too - paving the way for Love Intently. Sophie shares how she pivoted her career from working as Interior Design to interaction design to where she is today. For the inaugural episode, Sophie is interviewed by Brandon Hill from @howdybrandon. Learn all about where Love Intently came from and where it’s going next! Join the Love Intently Beta www.loveintently.com/betaJoin the Love Intently community on instagram @love.intentlyFollow Sophie on instagram @sophie_kwokFollow Sophie on Twitter @sophkwok Special thanks again to Brandon Hill. Please find his work at http://howdybrandon.com/ or @howdybrandon on instagram. Blog post link: http://loveintently.com/blog/love-intentlys-founder-story-with-sophie-kwok/2018/7/23

The Love Intently Podcast with Sophie Kwok is centered around empowering a world that loves intently. Join us each week as Sophie brings first-class relationship experts, researchers, and couples to discuss what it takes to make modern love work today.