The Connected Life

We've all had times where we've had to interact with people we don't like. These experiences can feel uncomfortable and frustrating, but often short lived. But what happens when we can't escape the person we don't like because they're a family member, part of a friendship group, or they're employed at the same place we work? In this episode Abi and Justin share their own stories about dealing with difficult people they haven't liked in the past. Together they break down 8 powerful keys to successfully navigating life with people you don't like but can't avoid while maintaining a lifestyle of love and connection. If you've ever had to interact with someone you don't like on a consistent basis, this episode will help you move past plastic smiles and pleasantries to authentic exchanges and care for even the most difficult people! You won't want to miss this massively empowering episode! Also, enrollment for The Pathway to Freedom 2022 is NOW LIVE! Head to https://justinandabi.com/courses/the-pathway-to-freedom/ to get enrolled and learn more!

Most parents are trying their best to raise their kids. Since there's no official handbook on parenting, each parent can find themselves overwhelmed and feeling like a failure from time to time. No parent is perfect, but what if there were some fundamental tips that could change the game altogether? In this episode Abi sits down with Speech Pathologist Kelsey Brown to talk about Positive Parenting the Highly Sensitive Child. As a balanced voice on positive but not permissive parenting, Kelsey shares vital keys to being with children in their emotions, but not letting them run the home. Through video recording her journey in parenting, Kelsey has created a reflective understanding of herself and her children. Her study of her own highly sensitive child has created a roadmap to help others understand their kids during meltdowns. Her study of herself has helped her develop practical tips on how to regulate yourself as a parent so you can help your kids settle their emotions. If you're a parent that wants to break shame in the places you've made mistakes and better understand yourself and your children, this profound episode will help change the course of your life. You won't want to miss it!

Freely serving other people can be incredibly gratifying. For many of us service can have a history of pain because we've lost ourselves in others. Then there are some of us that are so absorbed in our own lives, that the thought of freely giving ourselves away to others has rarely if ever crossed our minds. But what if it was possible to live a balanced life full of intentional impact? In this episode Abi and Justin discuss the varying approaches to serving, the signs of over-giving, the messiness of creating an identity out of service, and how loving others betters your own life. Together they explore what it is to come alive to other-centered love. To top it all off they announce a major give away! If you're ready to experience some of the best that life has to offer, this episode is an invitation to understand what that could tangibly look like!

The hope for finding love is something most of us can relate to. The desire to love and be loved is woven into our humanity. For many of us, dreaming of a fulfilling future can be scary, especially when we've had so many disappointments. But is there hope for goodness when the worst case scenario seemingly destroys the promises we've been believing for? In this episode Abi and her best friend Pietze sit down with Rachel and Joshua, a newly married couple. Rachel and Joshua reveal the messy beginnings of their own lives that shattered their hope for a future filled with love and connection. They share their journey of picking up the pieces and the miraculous story of redemption that found them through a serendipitous set up that will blow your mind! If you're looking for a reminder that good things happen without having to figure it all out on your own, this inspiring story will ignite your faith to believe that the most beautiful things have a way of emerging out of ashes. If you want to be part of a redemptive love story, be sure to listen all the way to the end for Abi's invitation to participate in the beauty that is already unfolding! You can return here to give https://www.amazon.com/baby-reg/3TRSO63J17OTZ

For many people it's easy to go with the flow of life. It's much more difficult to show up and share what you feel or go against the grain and do what you want. But what if there's an invitation around every corner to shake things up and change the way you've been living? In this episode Justin sits down with his executive assistant Nicole to discuss her process of coming out of hiding and finding her authentic voice. Nicole shares vital insights into her history that defined her approach to life and how relating to Justin has challenged her to change the way she's showing up to the life right in front of her. If you're wanting to develop more confidence and experience the most out of life, this episode will help to inspire you to take your own steps towards a fulfilled and authentic lifestyle!

Every where we look, the world is filled with people in need. It's easy to see the enormity of this need and to get overwhelmed. Some times it feels easier to turn a blind eye than to try and figure out how to tackle the problems of this world. But what if we didn't need to help everyone? What if we only needed to intimately and deliberately invest in one or two people? In December of 2021 The Connected Life hosted a giveaway of $1,000 to someone who had a great idea of how to give that money away. A generous Connected Life listener matched that donation and not one, but two people got a chance to love someone extravagantly. In this second episode, Abi and Justin sit down with Angel, who turned her world upside down in her late 40's to go back to school to learn how to teach English to immigrants and refugees. She shares her heartwarming interaction with a widowed woman from Laos who's worked rigorously to take care of her two children (one is special needs) while fighting to learn English and adapt to the American culture. Through compassion Angel partnered with love to help change the course of another person's future. If you're looking for hope and inspiration in your life, this is a MUST listen to episode!

Loving others can be difficult, especially the ones that can't help but make a mess so bad they hurt everyone in their path. Getting past the anguish they inflict can sometimes feel impossible. But what if behind all the years of chaos and destruction was an innocent child desperate for kindness, compassion, and care? In December of 2021 The Connected Life hosted a giveaway of $1,000 to someone who had a great idea of how to give that money away. A generous Connected Life listener matched that donation and not one, but two people got a chance to love someone extravagantly. In this episode Abi and Justin sit down with one of the winners Kaira, and she shares the inspiring idea that led to a month long experience for her uncle Rick. Though Rick's life is seemingly filled with reasons he doesn't deserve such a gift, Kaira's story paints a compassionate and moving picture of just how much the messiest people are in the most need of undeserving love. If you're looking to be inspired and gain hope for humanity, this episode will move you to be a better person, while giving you hope for how a simple act of love can change the world right in front of you!

An affair is one of the most sensitive and painful subjects in a committed relationship. The effects of an affair spill over onto children, extended family, and friends. With so much pain connected to the issue, it's no wonder that very few relationships rebound after such broken trust. But, what if there's hope in the midst of a mess that hasn't been fully resolved? In this episode, Justin and Abi sit down with Jess and Justin Beard as they bravely share the details of their difficult journey in the midst of it unfolding. Together they explore their history of trauma prior to marriage and examine the far reaching affects of their upbringings. Through compassion and empathy they're able to shine a light on reasons they got to this place, while extending grace to anyone that's had and affair. Through vulnerability and honesty, Jess and Justin give hope to anyone attempting to repair what could feel permanently broken. If you or someone you know has been affected by infidelity, this episode will give hope for healing and compassion for all parties involved, even in the midst of the messiness. This episode is a MUST share!

As humans, we are universally messy. Our actions and reactions are often times in conflict with what we want to do and who we want to be. It can feel much easier to ignore and deny the reality of parts of our lives that don't seem very flattering or socially acceptable, but what if there's something powerful about embracing the truth of our messiness? In this episode, Justin and Abi examine some of the reasons we avoid acknowledging the messy parts of our humanity. They talk about the ways we can experience a life of greater freedom and healing from getting honest with ourselves and others. They explore how embracing and shining a light on their own messiness is transformative for the world around them. If you have areas in your life that you feel disqualify you, this episode will give you the courage to embrace the reality of where you're at while giving you hope to move towards your dreams just as you are!

As time passes, all of us go through stages of change, for the better or worse. In the midst of creating ups and downs for ourselves, being known and understood is foundational to discovering how to thrive. For those that are willing to sacrificially love others, while choosing others that will love them in return, long-term friendship is possible and powerful. In this episode Justin is joined by his friend of almost 20 years, Craig Pickerill. They laugh up a storm as they reminisce about their rocky beginning and explore how powerful it's been to have someone in their corner for so long. They talk about the ways loving one another has impacted them and how time or distance hasn't been a determining factor to choosing each other. Together they investigate the difficulties many people face in letting someone get so close, yet cast hope for how a long-term friendship can impact those brave enough to allow someone to fully know them. If you've had pain in friendships, or are wanting to go deeper in the friendships you have, this episode will help you to heal from what was, be courageous towards and grateful for what is, and give you hope for what could be. You won't want to miss this fun and heartfelt episode!