Thriving in Relationships
Episode 1: Thriving in Relationships: What’s the secret to thriving relationships? Corey and Tracy have no idea, but Alain de Botton does, and we spend time bantering about his highly-watched talk from The School of Life! Author and speaker on the topic of romanticism, Botton shares how we are taught to believe in perfection, finding the right one, intuitive love, communication without words, brutal honesty, and the notion that practical life should just come naturally . . . although he readily points out that poets and authors in the 18th and 19th centuries writing on romanticism didn’t seem to talk about whose turn it was to do laundry. Tune in as Corey and Tracy discuss Botton’s ideas for thriving relationships, including providing a list of our flaws on the first date, the role of patience and not yanking the garage door off the track, as Corey says, avoiding mind reading, and forgiveness, which Tracy embraces quite handily. Both agree, though, that to thrive in a relationship, both parties must do their own work and thrive as individuals.
Episode 2: Cracking the Code on Relationships with Dagmar Kusiak: Do you want to learn the secret to building a lasting relationship? Don’t we all!!? Tune in as we explore attachment, communication, perfection, and boundaries with relationship coach, Dagmar Kusiak. She shares ways to unglue yourself from childhood dynamics in order to shift relationship expectations and how her journey to better understand her father helped her process her past relationship patterns. She also asserts that “If you want to change, do things differently.” And, that it’s vital for both partners in a relationship to commit to learning and growing as “one of the best ways to learn about yourself is by being in a relationship.” Tracy shares about her changing roles as both the unprocessed and processed partner and the impact of both experiences, whereas Corey leans into the discussion on emotional boundaries, sharing that “who you want to exchange energy with, even friends, is different when you are focused on self-growth and want to be surrounded by others who are too.” In the end, they all agree that a commitment to working on yourself before entering a relationship, but also during, is the key to a lasting relationship.
Episode 3: The Secret Energetics of Relationships with Astrologer, Bethany Nicole: What does thriving in a relationship mean? According to our resident astrologer, Bethany Nicole, it involves having ease, flow, and joy. How can you ensure a thriving relationship, though? The most important way is to set yourself up from the beginning by using the dating funnel, which can help in clarifying compatibility. Once that is established, it is critical to seek energetic alignment, which involves understanding if the blueprints we use to navigate life “vibe” together. In long-term relationships, the mutual vibe might be absent or have faded over the years. While we can all “force” a relationship using our free will, it is the deep introspective work that will help us figure out if we are energetically aligned or engaging in spiritual drifting, which involves pulling our partners along for the self-growth ride, despite their disinterest in going. However, Bethany offers some great suggestions for each partner to raise their vibrations individually and together, if they are willing to put in the work. And, if you want to know how Corey and Tracy fit in with all of this, hear Bethany’s take on both their Virgo-ness and the kind of vibe they put out in the world!
Episode 4: Spiritual Elevation in Relationships with Xandra Hawes: Join us for this amazing conversation with therapist and spiritual coach, Xandra Hawes. It’s easy to see why her friends refer to her as their galactic librarian as Xandra’s wisdom on the intersection of mental health and spiritual transformation is unprecedented. We chat with her about the importance of having a strong mental foundation in order to trust spiritual messaging, how partners with different spiritual evolutionary paces can support each other, the process for karmic healing, and the notion of “dropping density.” If you are looking for validation, explanation, or just inspiration about how you can spiritually thrive while in your relationship, this is an episode you won’t want to miss! Plus, Corey and Tracy have some insight to drop too . . . this time about high vibe friendships and heartthrob, Rob Lowe.
Episode 5: How Much is Too Much Transparency?: Are there ever reasons to not disclose something to preserve the relationship, or are you a believer in “radical transparency?” Where do you draw the line between privacy and secrecy? Listen as Corey and Tracy talk about their thoughts on sharing every fleeting thought to non-disclosure to dishonesty in relationships. They discuss how defining transparency with your partner is key and how being transparent with yourself is also important in living your own truth. Hear about Corey’s hairdressing skills as a kid and the secret she harbored for years, along with Tracy’s teen behavior that she kept quiet from her parents, and how both decided back then that secrets were not their thing. Tune in to find out more!
Episode 6: Centering Each Other with Dr. Kristen Donnelly: Sometimes, you come across that episode that just inspires you to be a better human. And, this one certainly does. Join us as we talk with Dr. Kristen Donnelly about centering people, treating others with kindness and respect, and engaging in radical, inclusive hospitality. Corey and Tracy can’t agree more with this philosophy as Tracy pipes in about why complimenting everyone at pickleball can have a profound impact, and Corey shares that how you treat restaurant servers says a lot about you. All in all, you will learn ideas for setting boundaries with kindness, ways you can create a supportive partnership, the value of communication, and about the importance of figuring out what makes you feel loved and not loved and then finding a way to explain both to your partner without blame. You will surely leave this episode feeling inspired to bring out the best in others.
Episode 7: The First Four Words to Better Communication with Tucker Miller: What if you knew the secret to having a productive conversation, especially about a difficult topic? Tune in for wisdom from executive coach, owner/founder of Onward Leadership, speaker, and author of The First Four Words, Tucker Miller, to find out. Along the way, discover why Tracy is bothered by emails with multiple question marks, how Corey can see right through a fake apology, and what Tucker means by having a “good” goodbye. This episode is chock full of great tips on how you can diffuse a tricky situation and invite a discussion with someone using only four words. Listen to find out what those four words are!
Episode 8: Money Management for a Thriving Relationship: Join Corey and Tracy as they ponder the intricacies of “money” in thriving relationships. They share about their own experiences, where Tracy’s visceral reaction to having a shared bank account with a partner and Corey’s exasperation of having to Venmo half the utilities each month without one serve as yet another reason the two of them are not in a relationship! What they do agree on is that money and trust are synonymous, building wealth at a young age is vital, how people handle their finances is usually a reflection of how they navigate life, financial independence during a relationship is key, and that communication early on is critical to learning whether you are financially compatible. Most of all, feeling financially safe is fundamental to a thriving relationship. And, if that isn’t enough, you get to learn more about Tracy’s credit card points and impromptu purchase of a whole home filtration system and Corey’s methodical process for buying a lamp!
Episode 9: Financial Date Nights with Melissa Murphy Pavone: Tune in for tips, strategies, and inspiration from Certified Financial Planner® and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, Melissa Murphy Pavone. Whether your finances are blended, you keep separate accounts, or have a hybrid setup with your partner, talking about money is essential for ensuring financial fidelity. She suggests having these conversations, not just at the beginning of a relationship, but also consistently during what she calls, “financial date nights.” Each month, couples set a time to talk about topics around financial values, priorities, mindsets, and tactical decisions. She says that a person’s “money language” is liken to a love language and that making sure there is financial compatibility or at least a mutual understanding of the differences is a key to a thriving relationship. And, what is more romantic than a financial date night? And, if you’re curious about Corey’s view on teens riding in Ubers and thrift store clothes and Tracy’s desire to sleep in a tent on vacation and consume food like the Jetson’s did, you’ll definitely want to listen in!
Episode 10: Ideas for Thriving in Relationships: Learn about what dozens of people have to say about thriving in a relationship – what it means and how to foster it. Corey and Tracy explore themes like radical honesty and vulnerability, respectful receptance, being on the same team, patience, acknowledging/apologizing/validating, defining the unique norms of your relationship, clarifying expectations and boundaries, attuning to yourself, and using intentional strategies to foster intimacy. Tune in for examples and resources to help your relationship thrive! And, find out about Corey’s and Tracy’s friendship agreement on communication and wellness checks. You won’t want to miss this season finale!