Married and Connected

This week’s podcast episode features Alicia Krasko, a pilot wife, mom, stepmom, flight attendant and stepmom coach! This episode is truly conversational and you hear all the nitty gritty of divorce, dating after divorce, being a stepmom and so much more. Part of the conversation we do talk about me dating after divorce and that was a continuation of the conversation we had before the show. So no, you didn’t miss anything earlier in the podcast- it was just from earlier in the day.

We talk about parenting, setting expectations, how to parent with boundaries and respect. We discuss behavioral problems and how to address them in a way that reduces conflict.

Alicia and I dive into so many situations step parents may experience and talk about things we learned, things we wish we would’ve done differently and ways that our parenting styles helped us and our children thrive in those moments.

If you are a step-parent, you will definitely get a great deal of information out of hearing Alicia. If you’re a parent, divorced or not, you may also get some golden nuggets out of this episode!

Also, this was another interview I did the same week as last week’s. I promise I won’t use my airpods again to interview anyone. Thanks for your patience on this learning experience.

Another thing I’m learning and trying to do better with is being more inclusive. I understand that not all parents are “bio-parents”. Parenting looks like so many different scenarios! My apologies for saying “bio-parent”. I am learning and should in the future simply say “THE parent”. I will try to do better with that as well!

Here are the links to contact Alicia:

www.aliciakrasko.com

www.Thestepmomside.com

Email: [email protected]

Support the show

First of all, I apologize for the audio on this one. I was truly heartbroken when I heard the playback. I used airpods to record because for whatever reason, my microphone wasn't working that day. This won't be a mistake I make again.

This episode features Dr. Joli Hamilton. She is a research psychologist, AASECT (pronounced ay-sect) certified sexuality educator, TedX speaker, and professor of human sexuality. She's the author of the bestselling book Project Relationship: The Entrepreneur's Action Plan for Passionate, Sustainable Love. Joli holds a doctorate in depth psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute where she studied the impact of jealousy on relationships. Joli has spent the past two decades studying and reimagining what love can be if we open our imaginations to possibility. She helps people create partnerships that are custom-built for their authentic selves, no more shrinking, pretending, or hiding required. 

We dig into so many topics of relationships, specifically- jealousy. What is it? Where does it come from? How does it show up in the relationship and how do you get rid of it? 

Dr. Hamilton and I dive into communication styles and what to do if yours are different than your partner's, how to create a relationship that is more than average, it's elite level! She talks all about her book Project Relationship as well as her own podcast. We have a conversation around so many aspects of relationships and marriage! This episode is sure to improve your relationships with yourself and your spouse. 

**We do talk about sex. Non-Monogamous relationships are mentioned and a few other topics that little ears aren't developmentally ready to hear.**

You can grab her free relationship guides here: https://www.jolihamilton.com/bundle1
You can also find her at:https://www.jolihamilton.com/
IG: @drjoli_hamilton

Support the show

I'm planning an aviation summit mainly for pilot wives but really will help anyone in the aviation industry. We have over 10 speakers speaking over a two day period, giveaways and so many resources. If you're in the aviation industry and want to join that- go to www.facebook.com/groups/aviationsummit22

One of the intake questions for that group asks what you're struggling with. Almost half of the group said communication in one form or another. That made me realize that maybe everyone can benefit from some communication tips that aren't talked about often or thought of truly as communication. That's where this episode stemmed from. The ridiculous chant we heard as a kid that sticks and stones may break our bones but words will never hurt me, so untrue! Couldn't possibly be further from the truth, in fact. Words have the power to build your partner up or tear them down, to provide solace and comfort or harm and hurt. When you're talking about the person who is supposed to be your number 1 only behind God, wouldn't you want to make sure those words are only being used in the utmost of ways? Of course you do! Here's how. I give you 7 communication tips in this episode, some of which you probably haven't thought about in a long time, if ever! Take a listen and be sure to apply what you learned to your marriage. Each one of these can be implemented as soon as you're finished listening to this episode!

If you love this episode, please review and share! It absolutely makes my day when listeners do that as it helps get the content into other people's hands so they can better their marriages as well! Also, if you'd like to tag me when you share, you can find my marriage coaching group at www.facebook.com/groups/recognizingpotential and on IG you can find me at www.instagram.com/divorce.proof.marriage

Support the show

Happy New Year!! 

I'm not gonna lie, this might be my best episode in a long time! It is NOT, however, in the best interest to listen with little ears as we do talk about sex on a deeper emotional level.

In this episode I talk all about how to know if your marriage is lacking the emotional intimacy you need to really be meeting your fullest potential as a couple. I explain in detail the differences between men and women in terms of communication styles, what is needed to build emotional connection, how to get back to that place you were when you were dating, and how to build better emotional connection so your life in the bedroom is FIRE! This episode also has some parenting hacks thrown in as emotions and emotional communication in parenting is concerned. Emotional regulation is not taught in public schools, as former educator, I know. Teachers try but it's really an icing on the cake thing, not something that's given a lot of time or effort, sadly. So it's up to parents to teach our kids and how can we do that if we don't have those skills in the first place? Additionally, we teach our children and our spouses how to communicate with us and I give examples of that in this episode!

Listen to this episode and if you love it or it helped you, please consider sharing it on your social media feeds. Don't forget to review it as well. It would absolutely make my day! 

As always, if you had a revelation during this episode that you need help with anything I've talked about, please reach out to me at [email protected] for any course openings or 1:1 coaching options. 

Talk to you next week! :) 

Support the show

WOW! The last episode before 2022! Can you believe it? In the beginning of this episode, I talk about what I have open for coaching possibilities and you can find or sign up for those at www.recognizingpotential.com/courses  The rest of the episode is on how to set goals that you'll actually accomplish for the New Year! I talk about all the things to think about for reflective purposes and learning, how to see patterns in your life and what to do to fix those patterns. I talk all about what I'm doing and give you real examples of goals and how to set those. There is a lot of little nuggets in getting to know me in this episode as well so I hope you enjoy that too. 

If you have any topics you want to hear in the new year, please email those to me at [email protected]. Also, if you haven't already, please go leave a review for the show! It helps get the show into more people's ears and also helps influencers that I'm wanting to interview say YES to being interviewed for the show! Did you know that's how they choose what they will and won't be interviewed for? 

Support the show

This week's episode is with Dr. Tiffany Nguyen- a spiritual life coach and full-time pharmacist. Her story involves moving here from a different country and needing to find happiness. She found that and so much more! Dr. Nguyen helps people rediscover themselves after a break up or before a new relationship so they can get rid of old patterns and habits to build the best version of themselves. This allows that person to enter a relationship as a healthy, whole individual to create a healthy, whole, happy relationship/marriage. 

On this episode, we talk a lot about self-awareness, what happiness is and how to achieve it, how relationships are formed from a healthy place, how to break unhealthy patterns in relationships and how obtaining inner peace is the key to having outer peace and fulfillment. 

Note: the viewpoints of Dr. Nguyen do not reflect the viewpoints of Recognizing Potential Coaching or Kameran Thompson Al-Areqi. They are solely based on Dr. Nguyen's viewpoints, experiences and beliefs. 

Dr. Nguyen's website is https://spunkyspiritualist.com/

If you have any other relationship/marriage topics you'd like to hear on the podcast, please email me at [email protected]

Support the show

This is the first ever episode where I have jumped into the topic of sex on this podcast. I asked you to give me your questions regarding sex and boy did you deliver! Sex coach Shannon Burton is an erotic poet and certified sex coach that answers all of your questions and dives into the importance of communication, making sure she comes before he does, what to do if you aren't "as good" in bed as your partner, E.D., how to make scheduled sex fun and so much more! This conversation lead into so many different topics! If you are struggling in the bedroom, a few pieces of advice that Coach Shannon offers is: 

1. Don't wait to ask for help! Reach out! You can find her on Twitter @sexcoachshannon,  on FB: Sex Coach Shannon, LinkedIn: Shannon Burton, SXI and on her website www.sexcoachshannon.com. 

2. Communicate! If you struggle to communicate about sex because it's uncomfortable or you aren't sure where to start in getting a better sex life, again- reach out! Myself or Coach Shannon would be happy to dive into that with you to help you have a more fulfilling sex life.

3. Get to know yourself. Get to know your partner. It's the only way you're going to gain the fulfillment you are needing in the bedroom.

If you have any other questions that you'd like to ask, Coach Shannon has a blog where she answers your questions anonymously or directly. 

There is a large stigma around getting help with your relationship and especially with your sex life but it doesn't have to be that way. Normalize getting help and accepting that everyone has things they need to be successful- maybe a coach is what you need, and that's ok! 

Support the show

Better Me, Better Us is open! This is THE course to teach you how to save your marriage by yourself! If you're ready to start making BIG changes in your marriage and your home without your partner being on board, jump in! We start Jan 4, 2022! Spots are limited and going fast! www.recognizingpotential.com/product/better-me-better-us

This week's episode is all about what the happiest marriages have- FILTERS! Everyone needs a filter on their mouth, a filter on their eyes and one for their heart to create a safe, peaceful marriage. So often it comes down to rewording your truth so that it's gently received instead of a blow to the gut, seeing your partner for who they are instead of who we want them to be, seeing marriage for what it is instead of the fairytale that Disney movies put into our heads from birth and filtering your heart so you have the ability to regulate your emotions. In this episode, I'm laying it all out there with specific examples from my own marriage how we do (and don't) apply these filters and what the results are from that. I give you tips and tricks on how to word things so they come off less abrasive to your spouse. These are tips you can start applying as soon as you hit end on this episode. If you need help with these, please email me at [email protected]. Additionally, if this helps you at all, don't forget to like, subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with others so they can have a beautiful marriage too!  

Support the show

Did you know we have over 400 thoughts a minute? Our self-talk creates our words, our decisions, and what we ultimately live into. If we are primarily engaged in negative self-talk, the environment around us is also going to be primarily negative. Change that script to being primarily positive and now we have a whole new world to live in that gives us and those around us more energy, more love, light and happiness. Here's my story of self-talk and how I changed mine to begin to better my marriage. I get very vulnerable with you about my marriage and what it was like 3 years ago before I started coaching so you can understand where I was, how bad it was and what I did to change my marriage...by myself. Yes, it's possible! I teach an entire 8 week full course on bettering your marriage by yourself! If you'd like to jump in on that, the link is- www.recognizingpotential.com/courses/better-me-better-us

If you're like me and you have a spouse who isn't on board with coaching, therapy or counseling, it's ok. There's PLENTY you can do to save your marriage by yourself. Changing your self-talk is only the start, the tip of the iceberg, if you will. 

Take the challenge and start being mindful of your self-talk. Email me at [email protected] to let me know how it's going for you! I'd love to hear from you and celebrate your success! 

Support the show

Week 3 of our mini-series on marriages that aren't your typical togetherness every night of the week and how we make it work. This week is all about aviation life from a Pilot Wife's perspective. I talk about how my husband, Moe, and I make our relationship work when he's gone anywhere between 15-23 days a month. There is one disclaimer I need to mention. I talk in there about how pilot's don't make any money. I need to add to that. In the beginning when they're a first officer, flying for regionals like my husband does, they make very little. However, as they upgrade to captain and then onto the majors (United, Delta, American, etc) they do make good money and even better as they become a captain with seniority with those major companies. It's a VERY. LONG. ROAD. though. I do give a lot of good connection tips for long distance relationships in this episode and I am, true to who I am, quite honest about this life and how I feel about it. ;) It's not all sunshine and roses. These are things that a lot of people don't understand when they fly. They get to go see their families and that's fantastic but on the other side of that flight is a pilot who hasn't been home in several days and a family who is sacrificing a lot of family time so others can be with theirs. Next time you fly, thank your flight crew. Be kind to them. Show empathy. (Starbucks gift cards are ALWAYS appreciated as well.) PW life isn't all bad. Hard but also rewarding. I hope you find tools you can use in your own marriage.

Support the show