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As the new year approaches, many couples hope their marriage will feel different—but without intention, January often looks a lot like December.

In this episode of AwakenYou in Your Marriage, Christine invites you to slow down and reflect on who you are becoming and how that inner evolution shapes the way your marriage feels over time. Through a guided visualization, simple habit-setting, and practical tools, you’ll learn how to approach the new year with clarity, compassion, and direction.

This episode is designed to be one you return to—especially as you begin forming new habits in January and beyond.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• A guided visualization to connect with your future self
• How small daily habits create meaningful change in marriage
• Using visual reminders to stay focused on your intentions
• The role of accountability in ongoing growth

🎧 Listen, reflect, and take one small step toward the marriage you’re creating.

If this episode resonates, consider sharing it with a friend you’d love to grow alongside—and when you’re ready for support, book a Courageous Love Conversation.

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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Can a marriage really change after years of struggle and effort?

In this episode of AwakenYou in Your Marriage, Christine reflects on more than a decade of inner and relational work and shares what truly shifts when couples stay committed to the long work of healing. This is an honest, hope-filled conversation for anyone who’s been doing the work and wondering if it’s worth it.

Christine explores the seasons most couples move through—from early attempts to fix things, to the lonely middle where growth can feel one-sided, to the quiet transformation that happens over time when inner work reshapes the relationship from the inside out.

If you’re feeling discouraged, tired, or uncertain about your marriage, this episode offers perspective, encouragement, and a gentle invitation to keep going.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Can your marriage really change?
00:35 – Reflecting on over a decade of marriage work
07:05 – The early years: when therapy helped us talk, but not heal
11:12 – The turning point: when inner work became non-negotiable
13:57 – The lonely middle: doing the work before your spouse is ready
15:59 – The long view: why inner work still matters
17:53 – When both partners begin the work
21:59 – A gentle invitation to stay with the work

💛 Next Step:
If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like support in taking your next step, Christine invites you to book a Courageous Love Conversation. You’ll find the link in the show notes.

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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As the year comes to a close, this episode invites you to pause and reflect on how your marriage has actually felt—not to judge it, but to learn from it. Christine shares a personal story, practical reflection tools, and simple next steps to help you move into the new year with clarity, intention, and hope for deeper connection.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Reflecting on Your Marriage as the Year Ends
• 01:06 Welcome to AwakenYou in Your Marriage
• 03:01 A Long-Awaited Vacation and Choosing Connection
• 06:55 A Simple Year-End Marriage Reflection Exercise
• 09:37 Understanding Patterns in Your Marriage
• 10:45 Recognizing Seasons of Marriage
• 12:20 Self-Examination and Personal Growth
• 13:11 Practical Steps to Improve Your Marriage
• 14:36 Guided Reflection and Planning for the Year Ahead
• 18:37 Final Thoughts and Next Steps

🎧 If this episode resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need this conversation.
💛 Ready to explore what the next season of your marriage could look like? Book a Courageous Love Conversation.

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how many couples quietly stop having fun together—not because they don’t care, but because life gets heavy and serious and… well, slowly you start feeling more like you’re running a household than living inside a relationship.

You’re managing schedules.
Paying bills.
Getting through the week.

And one day you look up and realize…
the lightness is gone.

You can’t remember the last time you laughed together.
Or were silly on purpose.
Or even felt playful inside your own body.

And if I’m honest, I know this feeling well.
Jeff and I lived there for a season—two reserved people doing life side by side, with that quiet spark buried somewhere under responsibility and exhaustion.

So this week on the podcast, I’m talking about something that feels tender and hopeful:

How to bring fun back into your marriage—

even if it’s been years,
even if it feels awkward,
even if your spouse is more stoic than spontaneous.

We explore why fun disappears, why it feels vulnerable to bring it back, and the tiniest little ways to reintroduce lightness without it feeling forced or fake.
(And yes… I share what my own awkward journey into playfulness has looked like.)

If your marriage has felt serious for far too long…
or if you’ve been craving just a little more joy…
this one’s for you.

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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There are moments in marriage when something small hits a tender place inside of us, and suddenly our reaction feels much bigger than the moment itself. If you’ve ever surprised yourself during an argument or wondered why you “snap,” this episode will help you understand what’s really happening beneath the surface.

In this conversation, I break down the deeper emotional and physiological forces behind ugly fighting — and why these moments don’t mean your marriage is failing. They’re signals pointing to a wound that needs tending.

We explore:

• Why your nervous system can hijack your reactions
• How old childhood stories and emotional injuries show up in marriage
• The role of shame in escalating conflict
• What your big reactions might actually be trying to say
• The healing power of slowing down and repairing
• Gentle, doable steps to help you shift the pattern

If you want to start responding differently — with awareness, compassion, and emotional safety — this episode will give you insight and tools you can use right away.

Timestamps:
00:00 The Moment That Snaps
01:25 Understanding Ugly Fights
02:00 Welcome
02:59 Common Issues
04:06 Normalizing Conflict
05:29 Nervous System Hijack
09:12 Old Stories Activated
11:00 The Shame Loop
12:12 Emotional Needs Beneath Reactions
14:53 The Power of Repair
17:39 Practical Steps
24:30 Reflection
25:20 Courageous Love Conversation
25:41 Closing

If this episode speaks to you and you’re longing for more clarity or direction in your marriage, I’d love to invite you to a Courageous Love Conversation — a one-hour session where we gently explore what’s happening beneath the surface and uncover your next steps forward.

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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If it feels like you’re the only one doing the emotional work in your marriage—planning the date nights, initiating the hard conversations, circling back after conflict—you are not alone.

In this episode of AwakenYou in Your Marriage, I’m unpacking the quiet weight that builds when one partner carries all the relational responsibility. I share a real-life coaching story, offer a playful mindset shift to break the stalemate, and walk you through tools that invite both spouses into the work of connection.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Are You Carrying the Emotional Weight?
• 00:56 – Welcome to AwakenYou Podcast
• 02:02 – The Burden of Emotional Labor in Marriage
• 03:44 – A Real-Life Example: The Silent Stalemate
• 05:24 – Creating New Habits Together
• 07:10 – The Importance of Shared Responsibility
• 07:44 – Overcoming the Silent Stalemate
• 13:32 – Practical Tools for Shared Investment
• 15:19 – Encouragement and Final Thoughts
• 18:27 – Invitation to Connect and Closing Remarks

Ready to stop carrying the weight alone?
Let’s talk. Book a Courageous Love Conversation
and let’s explore what shared connection could look like in your marriage.

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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Have you ever started working on your marriage — maybe reading the books, having deeper conversations, or getting professional help — and suddenly everything feels heavier instead of lighter?

You’re not doing it wrong. You’re doing it right.

When couples begin opening up about what doesn’t feel right, emotions that have been buried finally come to the surface. It can feel like things are getting worse, but really… they’re just getting real.

That’s what I explore in this week’s episode of AwakenYou in Your Marriage:
“Why It Feels Worse Before It Gets Better: The Real Work of Changing Your Marriage.”

We’ll talk about:

• Why awareness often feels painful at first
• What’s really happening under the surface when old patterns are being challenged
• How to tell if you’re actually making progress (even when it feels like you’re not)
• Why discomfort is the most reliable sign that transformation is underway

Marriage growth isn’t supposed to feel easy. It’s supposed to feel true.
And truth — when faced with courage and compassion — is what makes intimacy possible again.

If you’re in that messy middle right now, take a deep breath. You’re not breaking down; you’re breaking open.

🎧 Listen to Episode 240: Why It Feels Worse Before It Gets Better

00:00 – Introduction: The Unexpected Challenges of Self-Improvement

00:51 – Why Marriage Coaching Feels Tough Initially

02:49 – Understanding the Quiet Discontent in Marriages

04:13 – Illuminating Hidden Issues in Your Relationship

05:40 – Navigating Emotional Turbulence in Marriage Coaching

06:40 – Real-Life Example: Overcoming Conflict Avoidance

09:29 – The Importance of Emotional Awareness

12:13 – Rewiring Your Nervous System for Better Communication

16:09 – Signs of Progress in Your Marriage Journey

19:02 – Encouragement to Continue the Hard Work

21:05 – Conclusion: Embracing Discomfort for Deeper Connection

And if this episode stirs something in you — that quiet knowing that it’s time to do the deeper work — I’d love to help you begin.
Bo

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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Learn how to stay in love in marriage through daily intentionality, self-growth, and simple habits that keep connection alive.

In this final episode of the Falling Back in Love series, Christine Bongiovanni-Stiff shares what it really takes to stay in love in marriage once the spark returns.

Drawing from her own story and five seasons of facilitating Re|Engage, Christine explores how daily intentionality, emotional safety, and self-awareness help couples build lasting connection. You’ll learn simple daily rituals, how to navigate disconnection with grace, and how to become each other’s safe place over time.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction: The Power of Falling Back in Love
00:26 – The Challenge of Staying in Love
01:02 – Series Conclusion and Episode Overview
01:47 – Welcome to Awaken You Podcast
03:20 – Re|Engage Marriage Ministry Experience
06:20 – Building Lasting Habits for Love
07:55 – The Importance of Self-Examination
12:00 – Daily Rituals to Nurture Love
15:39 – Handling Disconnection with Grace
17:23 – Creating Safety and Trust in Marriage
19:48 – Commitment to Growth and Love

Listen now, follow the show, and share this episode with someone who needs hope that lasting love is possible.

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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So often, couples tell me, “If we could just fix our sex life, everything else would feel better.”
And while that makes sense—because when physical intimacy fades, everything feels off—the truth is that sexual disconnection usually begins long before the bedroom.

When we lose emotional safety, trust, or connection, our bodies follow.

In this week’s episode of the AwakenYou in Your Marriage Podcast, we’re exploring how emotional and sexual healing are beautifully intertwined. I’ll share parts of my own story—how Jeff and I had no idea how to fix our growing disconnection and how, over time, we learned that what needed healing first was our hearts.

Inside this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why your sexual disconnection isn’t a surprise when emotional closeness has faded.
• How emotional safety and trust create the foundation for lasting desire.
• What emotional betrayal really is—and how to rebuild safety after it.
• Why early-stage attraction feels effortless but often lacks depth.
• How to rebuild the “emotional house” of your marriage so intimacy feels real, not transactional.
• Practical ways to reconnect that don’t start in the bedroom.

This isn’t about blaming or fixing—it’s about understanding. Because when your heart begins to heal, your body follows. When trust is rebuilt, passion can grow again.

If this conversation resonates with you, I encourage you to go back and listen to my Sex in Marriage series—it’s a compassionate guide to understanding desire, shame, and emotional safety in intimate connection.

And if you’re ready to take a next step, now is the perfect time to book a Courageous Love Conversation. Before the holidays sweep you away, give yourself and your marriage the gift of space—to talk, to be seen, and to begin again.

If this episode encouraged you, would you take a moment to

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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Do you ever feel like you’re the only one trying to fix your marriage?
You’re reading the books, listening to podcasts, showing up differently—and your spouse? They’re just going about life as if everything’s fine.

It’s one of the loneliest and most discouraging places to be. You start to wonder if there’s any point in all your effort.

In this week’s episode of the AwakenYou in Your Marriage Podcast, I share my own story of being in that exact place—of over-functioning, trying to manage my husband’s growth, and burning myself out in the process.

When I finally turned the focus back on myself, something shifted. I learned how to love without losing myself, to hand the steering wheel over to God, and to trust that my work mattered even when I couldn’t see change happening yet.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to love your spouse without losing yourself in the process.
• Why one person’s growth can shift an entire marriage dynamic.
• How to hold onto faith and hope when your spouse isn’t ready to do the work.
• Why healthy boundaries are essential to stay strong and connected.
• And the freeing truth that your worth and peace don’t depend on your partner’s participation.

Whether your spouse is indifferent, skeptical, or simply unaware, there is a way forward. The change you’re creating in yourself isn’t wasted—it’s the beginning of something new.

If this message encourages you, please take a moment to leave a review for the podcast—it helps other couples find hope when they’re feeling alone.
And if you know someone who’s quietly doing the work on their own, share this episode with them. It might be exactly what they need to hear today.

And if you’re ready to take your next step, I’d love to invite you to book a Courageous Love Conversation—a free call where we can talk about what’s happening in your marriage and how you can begin creating change, even if you feel like you’re doing it alone.

You’re not powerless. You’re the spark.
And sometimes, all it takes is one br

CBS News Interview: 6 Tips For A Healthy & Loving Relationship

Unlock deeper connection in your marriage with my free guide, Daily Prompts for Deeper Connection with Your Spouse—get it now!

Start feeling more connected and loved in your marriage today with my free Reclaim More Love in Just 3 Days process. This process will have you learning how to shift your focus, in a healthy way, and nurture thoughts that build connection and transform how you feel about your marriage.

More resources and how you can start the process of Awakening(YourTrue)You and being the partner who creates your best version of what marriage looks like for you: https://christinebongiovanni.com/

Join my AwakenYou newsletter for weekly marriage tips and early announcements of upcoming offerings.

Subscribe to the podcast here!

Book your free Courageous Love Conversation here.

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