

Relationships Made Easy
Dr. Abby Medcalf
The research says the key to a happy life is happy relationships. But how exactly do you make your relationships better? That’s what this show is all about. I’m Dr. Abby Medcalf, psychologist, best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and (according to my kids) the bossy Jewish mom you didn’t know you needed. With decades of experience and millions of listeners in over 180 countries, I give you the no-fluff, research-backed strategies to make all your relationships better: with your partner, your family, your friends, and (most importantly) yourself. Every week on the Relationships Made Easy podcast, I mix straight talk, humor, and science to help you communicate effectively, set healthy boundaries, and stop second-guessing yourself. Because great relationships aren’t built in a day. Great relationships are built daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 10, 2023 • 47min
248. How to Make Happier Joint Decisions with Your Partner (in 5 Easy Steps)
When you’re single, you get to make 100% of your decisions, from what color you paint your bedroom to how much you spend on eating out every week. But if you want to make a long-term, committed relationship work, the majority of your decisions now need to be shared because just about every decision you make affects your partner. The problem is that decision-making in a couple often boils down to arguments that devolve into one person acquiescing or both sides thinking they’re “meeting in the middle.” In the end, no one is really happy because each person thinks they gave up more. Today we’re putting all that in the past because you’re about to learn my five steps to making happier joint decisions with your partner so you can walk away feeling like a loving team. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/how-to-make-happier-joint-decisions-with-your-partner-in-5-easy-steps Grab my FREE List of Collaborative Questions: https://abbymedcalf.com/collabques Have you subscribed to my YouTube Channel yet? I’ve got tons of videos full of actionable tips and tools so you can have some quick wins and find more ease, joy, and happiness in your life and in all your relationships! https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube ____________________________ Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find every single episode. Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/ A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag, or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/ Say hello on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 3, 2023 • 1h 2min
247. Adult ADHD at Work: How to Get Shit Done
Last week I taught how to deal with a loved one with ADHD. You learned what exactly ADHD is and how it’s diagnosed, what causes it, and my 12 steps to finding connection and peace if your partner has ADHD. Today I’ll talk about the top five problems you’ll likely face at work (whether that’s at home or in an office) if you have ADHD and my top tools to deal with each. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/adult-adhd-at-work-how-to-get-shit-done Grab my FREE Mindfulness Starter Kit: https://abbymedcalf.com/product/mindfulness-starter-kit Have you subscribed to my YouTube Channel yet? I’ve got tons of videos full of actionable tips and tools so you can have some quick wins and find more ease, joy, and happiness in your life and in all your relationships! https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube ____________________________ Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find every single episode. Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com/ Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag, or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop Say hello on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbymedcalfphd YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 26, 2023 • 55min
246. How to Deal with a Loved One Who has ADHD
Your partner said they’d be home by 6:00 but showed up at 8:30 because they got caught up in something and lost track of the time (again). Your partner zoned out (yet again) during an important conversation, and you’re left feeling unloved and unimportant. Your partner promised to figure out vacation plans but now says you never even had that conversation, and they never promised anything! You love someone who is distracted, disorganized, and impulsive. Yup, your partner has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD or ADHD), and it’s driving you nuts! Well, I’m here to help! Today you’ll learn all about ADHD and my 12 steps to finding connection and peace with your partner. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/how-to-deal-with-a-loved-one-who-has-adhd Grab my FREE List of Collaborative Questions: https://abbymedcalf.com/collabques Have you subscribed to my YouTube Channel yet? I’ve got tons of videos full of actionable tips and tools so you can have some quick wins and find more ease, joy, and happiness in your life and in all your relationships! https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube ____________________________ Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find every single episode. Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag, or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop Say hello on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 19, 2023 • 40min
245. Why People Chase Toxic Relationships and Unavailable Partners
Why do we want to date people who are bad for us? Why do we get into relationships with people that bring out our worst, most unhealthy selves? Today I’m teaching you the top four reasons why you chase toxic relationships and unavailable partners and three tips to help you stop. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/why-people-chase-toxic-relationships-and-unavailable-partners Grab my FREE Meditation Starter Kit: https://abbymedcalf.com/product/meditation-starter-kit Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find every single episode. Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com For more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop Say hello on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 12, 2023 • 1h
244. How to Deal with Annoying (I Mean Difficult) Coworkers
Ahhh, that annoying (I mean difficult) coworker. You know the one… they get under your skin every time you interact with them. Today I’m going to teach you the top seven difficult types of coworkers and my effective tools to deal with each one. It’s time to move from frustrated and stuck to more connected and collaborative. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/how-to-deal-with-annoying-i-mean-difficult-coworkers Download my FREE I Feel Formula! https://abbymedcalf.com/I-feel-formula Watch my TEDx talk to Learn the Real Reason Relationships Fail: https://www.ted.com/talks/abby_medcalf_the_real_reason_relationships_fail ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find every single episode. Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com/ For more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/ A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag, or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/ Say hello on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalf/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbymedcalfphd/ YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 5, 2023 • 47min
243. Do You Have Relationship OCD?
Relationship OCD, or R-OCD, is a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder where people experience intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors related to worries, fears, and doubts in their relationships. While R-OCD can apply to any kind of relationship, we’re going to focus on romantic ones. Today I’ll be teaching you what exactly Relationship OCD is, why you might have it, and the top evidence-based ways to make lasting change. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/do-you-have-relationship-ocd Have you checked out my YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe to my channel and get weekly tips on how to be in successful relationships with others and yourself! https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube ____________________________ Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find every single episode. Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com/ Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag, or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/ Say hello on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbymedcalfphd YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 29, 2023 • 59min
242. Six Habits to Make All Your Relationships Successful
We all want to have connected, happy and fulfilling relationships with the important people in our lives. The problem is that we often feel frustrated, resentful, and annoyed with those very same people! How do we get from irritated to connected? Today I’m teaching you the six habits to make all your relationships successful. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/six-habits-to-make-all-your-relationships-successful Grab my FREE list of Collaborative Questions: https://abbymedcalf.com/collabques Have you subscribed to my YouTube Channel yet? I’ve got tons of videos full of actionable tips and tools so you can have some quick wins and find more ease, joy, and happiness in your life and in all your relationships! https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube ___________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find every single episode. Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag, or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop Say hello on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbymedcalfphd YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 22, 2023 • 56min
241. The Key to Letting Go of Resentment
Someone has done you wrong and you can’t let it go. You’ve tried to breathe, meditate, or find closure, but nothing seems to work long-term. Maybe you even have moments of relief, but before long, you’re back to bitter thoughts of this person or situation taking up prime real estate in your mind. If left unchecked, resentment will poison your life and happiness. But what to do? Today I’m teaching you how you’ve been approaching resentment all wrong and the one evidence-based way to get it right. ____________________________ Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/the-key-to-letting-go-of-resentment Listen to my Loving Kindness Guided Meditation to develop feelings of acceptance, compassion, love, and kindness towards yourself and other people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzP24O1O7lE Enjoying the Relationships Made Easy podcast? Please leave a review! This helps more people find us and helps the podcast grow, so scroll down and write a review! ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives/ where you’ll find every single episode. Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com/ For more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/ A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/ Say hello on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalf/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbymedcalfphd/ YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 15, 2023 • 36min
240. What to Do When Your Partner Changes the Rules of Your Relationship
How do you get past your partner changing the rules of your relationship? Maybe they quit smoking when you first got together but then started again two years in. Maybe they gained weight and no longer care about a healthier lifestyle. Maybe you’ve had kids, and now they don’t want to have sex as often, or they promised to be a stay-at-home mom and now want to go back to work? What do you do when your partner is doing something now that would have been a deal breaker before you moved in together or got married, so now you feel stuck? If this is you, you’re in the right place because we’re about to go deep about what this all really means. ____________________________ Show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/what-to-do-when-your-partner-changes-the-rules-of-your-relationship ____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives/ where you’ll find every single episode. Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book Subscribe today to get my love letter to you! This biweekly reminder will keep you on the path to creating connected, happy relationships (especially the one with yourself!). https://abbymedcalf.com/ For more quick tips, subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/ A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop/ Say hello on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalf/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbymedcalfphd/ YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 8, 2023 • 1h 10min
239. What to Do if You're a Control Freak
Learn the difference between being controlling and being in control, explore the negative consequences of control issues in relationships, and discover tips for finding inner peace and security. Delve into the difference between love and fear as triggers for control behavior and explore relaxation techniques for alleviating stress. Consider the idea of featuring a separate podcast or bonus episodes discussing parenting and relationships with the speaker's child.


