Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 2817:

Dr. Lisa Firestone invites us to transform our relationships by recognizing how much of our emotional reactivity stems from old wounds and unconscious projections. By pausing to consider that our partner's behavior may be shaped by their own past rather than something we caused, we can shift from being reactive to being curious, creating space for empathy, compassion, and deeper connection.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.psychalive.org/stop-projecting-in-your-relationship/

Quotes to ponder:

"In a couple, one person always has 100 percent control of 50 percent of the dynamic."

"Sometimes rather than react and pounce all over the present issue, it's better to give it a little time and space."

"Whatever is happening inside our partner isn't always about us."

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 2816:

Nicholas Kraft reflects on the surprising skepticism he and Adam Shell encountered while filming Pursuing Happiness, exploring why some thoughtful, creative individuals believe happiness is overrated, selfish, or even counterproductive. By engaging with these dissenting perspectives, Kraft uncovers deeper insights into fulfillment, arguing that happiness is most powerful when it's a byproduct of meaningful work and service, not the goal itself.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://livehappy.com/is-happiness-important/

Quotes to ponder:

"Being happy or wanting to be happy does not make you selfish."

"There is practically no limit to the happiness you can create."

"Let happiness be the pleasant byproduct of your pursuits, not the pursuit itself."

Episode references:

Can Seeking Happiness Make People Happy? Paradoxical Effects of Valuing Happiness: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21517168/

The Pursuing Happiness Documentary: https://pursuinghappiness.com/

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 2815:

Karl Staib shares practical strategies for cultivating a gratitude habit in children that can create lifelong emotional resilience and stronger family bonds. By modeling gratitude, using creative prompts, and embedding it into daily routines, parents can help kids develop a more positive and grounded outlook on life.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://digtofly.com/how-to-build-a-gratitude-habit-with-your-kids/

Quotes to ponder:

"Gratitude is one of the best habits we can help our kids develop because it teaches them to focus on the good in their lives."

"When we express gratitude, we shift our mindset from what we lack to what we have."

"A simple prompt like 'What made you smile today?' can help a child focus on the positive."

Episode references:

5 Minute Journal for Kids: https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/the-five-minute-journal-for-kids

Greater Good Science Center: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/

Atomic Habits: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 2814:

Crystal Karges offers practical strategies to help parents navigate picky eating by focusing on connection over control. By creating a stress-free, emotionally neutral mealtime environment, parents can foster a child's positive relationship with food, encouraging progress without pressure and strengthening family bonds.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.crystalkarges.com/blog/how-to-get-a-child-to-eat-when-they-refuse-does-encouragement-help

Quotes to ponder:

"Instead of worrying about what your kids are eating from the food you've served, focus instead on connection and communication."

"Pressure-to-eat can come in the form of negativity or positivity. Either way, it has the same effect on a child who is learning to eat."

"Feeding kids is a marathon, not a sprint."

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 2813:

Crystal Karges challenges a common parenting instinct by showing how even well-meaning praise can backfire when it comes to picky eating. Through a compassionate, research-backed lens, she explains why encouragement at the table can feel like pressure to children, and how removing it can actually help kids build a healthier, more intuitive relationship with food.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.crystalkarges.com/blog/how-to-get-a-child-to-eat-when-they-refuse-does-encouragement-help

Quotes to ponder:

"At the end of the day, positive encouragement is a form of pressure, though in a more subtle form that often goes undetected."

"When children feel pressured to eat, this can unintentionally trigger other mealtime stressors."

"A child may associate eating with recognition, acceptance, etc. and may learn to eat for these reasons."

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 2812:

Tonya Lester explores the deeply personal and often painful dilemma of knowing when to leave a relationship, offering thoughtful questions that prompt self-reflection rather than black-and-white answers. Her compassionate yet direct framework helps listeners distinguish between temporary discomfort and long-term incompatibility, empowering them to recognize whether staying is costing them more than leaving ever would.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.tonyalester.com/blog/when-is-it-time-to-leave-a-relationship

Quotes to ponder:

"Conflict is healthy and productive: Only people who have no boundaries are never angry."

"If you try to edit away who you truly are just to be the person your partner wants, you'll slowly lose those parts of yourself."

"Staying in an unhappy situation because you've already stayed in it so long is a terrible reason for sticking it out even longer."

Episode references:

The Sunk Cost Fallacy: https://www.behavioraleconomics.com/resources/mini-encyclopedia-of-be/sunk-cost-fallacy

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 2811:

Kat Medina shares a raw and heartfelt reflection on 15 years of partnership marked by love, laughter, heartbreak, and growth. Through hilarious college memories and hard-earned life lessons, she reveals how embracing gratitude, humor, and vulnerability fuels lasting connection, even in the face of life's messiest moments.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.katmedina.com/article?id=relationship

Quotes to ponder:

"He led me to realize that there are strength and beauty in vulnerability."

"My goal is to reduce the time it takes for me to truly appreciate the challenges, allowing myself to see the beauty in each moment before it's too late."

"As long as we continue to get back up and try again, we'll be able to take on life together...and have a damn good time."

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.

Episode 2810:

Evan Marc Katz explores the delicate balance between staying open to love and protecting oneself emotionally, validating the emotional risks of vulnerability while offering logical strategies to maintain clarity in relationships. By recognizing early misalignments in values and goals, women can experience deep connection without sacrificing self-respect or long-term happiness.

Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.evanmarckatz.com/blog/dating-tips-advice/how-do-i-remain-open-to-love-and-also-protect-myself-emotionally

Quotes to ponder:

"It is still 'better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,' isn't it?"

"Even if your theory that 'love is blind' is true, it doesn't mean that it should be impossible to objectively evaluate the quality and compatibility of your relationship."

"If he NEVER talks about marriage, kids, family, future, houses, etc…, the writing is largely on the wall. And it's not his fault if you never choose to read it."

Episode references:

Predictably Irrational: https://www.amazon.com/Predictably-Irrational-Revised-Expanded-Decisions/dp/0061353248