It's often said that we can only connect with others to the extent that we've connected with ourselves, first.

But what does that actually mean, and how can we use deep self-connection to actually improve our relationship with someone else?

In this week's episode, the role of self-connection comes up twice, and we discuss a method for processing through triggers outside of the relationship before bringing those feelings to our partner.

 Processing through our own emotions and reactions in a safe and calm space away from our partner allows us to determine what work is our responsibility outside of the relationship, and what work needs repairing within it.  

Being intentional about what we choose to work on in our relationships helps us create really clear requests, and allows us to calmly observe how our requests are welcomed by our partner. 

Show notes:
(1:20) I have romantic feelings for my friend who doesn't feel the same way.  What do I do?
(8:00) How to choose what to bring up to my partner
(16:10) I want my partner to grow with me.  How can I make that happen?
(18:10) How do I tell my partner I want to go to couples counseling?
(28:09) My mother dominates holiday conversations.  What can I do?
(39:18) How do I know whether to make a request or ask for feedback?
(42:46) How can I respond to someone else's negative reactions?
(54:43) Outro

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