Podcasts about unmet

Unmet generative AI promises, flatlining ROI dashboards, and a relentless corporate appetite for unguided technological progress. By all logic, one would assume we'd take a strategic pause to change course and build foundational human competence. Instead, in a desperate panic, we're witnessing the birth of "AI agent sprawl,” autonomous activity deployed without a map, GPS, or off-switch.  This week, I examine what happens when companies try to use autonomous AI as a strategic shortcut to force unfulfilled promises into reality, and how it's fracturing their operational architectures and budgets. You'll see why we have to move past the open-ended rollout hype, put a full stop on unmanaged agental capabilities, and install strict human oversight mandates before these tools trigger a catastrophic bottom-line crisis.  My goal is to get you off cruise control by highlighting the following opportunities to protect yourself and your organization:​Deconstructing the Autonomy Sliding Scale: We need to stop treating AI agents like a mythical, binary technology that just arrived from space. Autonomy is a volume knob we've been turning up for decades. The real danger occurs when you spin that dial to a ten, completely relinquishing task-by-task control to a digital intern running continuously on autopilot without verifying if your structural architecture can handle the noise.  ​Exposing the SharePoint Trap with Fangs: In the cloud migration era, corporate America turned on SharePoint thinking "what's the harm," only to create an unmanaged jungle of duplicate data and orphaned sites that acted as a silent productivity torpedo. Agent sprawl is that exact same mistake on steroids because a messy SharePoint folder couldn't rewrite your product codebase, communicate with your clients, or execute legally binding corporate spend decisions. Agents can, and left running on autopilot after an employee leaves, they become an invisible, permanent liability.  ​Halting the Autopilot Spend Shock: The financial consequences of ungoverned agent loops are hitting corporate balance sheets hard, mimicking the familiar spend shock of dictionary-thick cell phone bills from the early 2000s. I highlight some recent examples like Uber vaporizing its entire annual AI budget in four months due to recursive agent rework loops, Microsoft aggressively clawing back developer licenses, and a jaw-dropping $500 million single-month bill racked up by an enterprise trapped in an infinite loop.  By the end, I hope you're convinced the solution isn't about stopping technology. It's about halting the wide-scale rollouts to reinvest heavily in human AI competence. We must move past the vendor hype, place the right people in the right loops at the right times, and establish the disciplined guardrails required to surgically agentize our operations safely.  ⸻If this conversation was helpful, make sure to like, share, and subscribe. You can also support the show by buying me a coffee at ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/christopherlind⁠  And if your organization is wrestling with how to balance performance, technology, and people, see how I can help at ⁠https://christopherlind.co⁠  ⸻Chapters00:00 – From Tokenmaxxing to the Silent Epidemic of Agent Sprawl03:00 – The Strategic Shortcut: Why More AI Doesn't Fix Flatline Hype04:30 – Demystifying the "Agent" Tech Jargon10:30 – The SharePoint History Lesson: Anarchy in the Cloud16:15 – The 2026 Spend Shock: Inside the Uber and Microsoft Budget Crises19:50 – The Contrarian Position: Why I Discourage Wide Agent Rollouts21:45 – Action 1: Applying the Full Stop to Enterprise Agental Capabilities23:00 – Action 2: Shifting Tech Budgets to Human AI Competence24:15 – Action 3: Involving Power Users for Surgical Agentization27:00 – Conclusion: Autonomous Operational Self-Termination  #AgentSprawl #AIStrategy #OpEx #TechTrends #FutureFocused

Conservatives recently announced proposals for major reforms to the parental leave system in Canada, introducing greater flexibility for parents, allowing learning on leave, and making it easier for parents to earn extra income while watching their kids. Part of the rationale for this policy was the reality of Canada's sharply declining fertility rates – and the growing gap between the number of children that women report they want to have and the number of children they are actually having. Why is this happening, why we should care, and what can be done about it?Joining me for this conversation are Paige MacPherson and Andrea Mrozek, two brilliant policy minds working with two different Canadian think tanks. Both Paige and Andrea are also mothers themselves and are vocal advocates for families and family-first policy.Link to relevant Cardus research:https://www.cardus.ca/in-the-news/media-coverage/canadas-fertility-crisis-is-no-longer-a-minor-concern/https://www.cardus.ca/research/family/reports/she-s-not-having-a-baby/https://www.cardus.ca/research/family/reports/home-alone/

In this video, "Layperson Lisa" offers a reflection on the readings for the Ascension of the Lord (0:00-0:05). To help navigate the challenges of transition, she introduces the acronym C.H.A.N.G.E. as a framework for responding to change:C - Community (0:42-1:55): Apostles relied on one another as they were sent out to new missions. Community provides accountability, encouragement, and support when change feels overwhelming.H - Holiness (1:55-2:37): Growing in holiness through prayer and a relationship with Jesus helps us determine how to respond to new situations in a way that glorifies God.A - Awareness of Expectations (2:37-4:45): Unmet expectations often lead to negativity and resentment. We are encouraged to live in the "eternal now" and be present, letting go of the need to control the outcome.N - Not My Will, but Yours (4:45-6:33): Trusting God's plan—even when change is difficult—allows us to focus on His purpose rather than our own desires. This requires a dedicated prayer life.G - Grace (6:33-7:43): God provides the necessary grace to be "equipped" for the calling He places on our lives. Resistance to change can block this grace; receptivity allows us to move forward.E - Eucharist (7:43-10:02): Living a Eucharistic life means embracing sacrifice and humility. By emptying ourselves, we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us through life's transitions with courage and fortitude.

In Part 2, Pranav Garimella discusses major advances in diabetic kidney disease management. Learn how sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and novel therapies are reshaping disease progression, and why early intervention is critical to improving long-term outcomes. Timestamps: 01:07 – Practice-changing developments 05:10 – GLP-1 agonists 07:00 – Early intervention 08:43 – Unmet needs

Have you ever gotten to the point in your marriage where your spouse felt more like the enemy than the person you committed to stand by in sickness and in health? What used to feel easy now feels tense. Conversations turn into misunderstandings. Small things feel big. Or maybe it's not conflict, it's distance. You're living side by side, but feeling miles apart. Somewhere along the way, everything started to feel… personal. And today, we're talking about why that happens, and how to change it.   Episode Highights: It's not you vs. your spouse. It's you both vs the pattern. Your thought life shapes your marriage Healing and gratitude change everything.    Quotes from Today's Episode: One moment doesn't define your marriage.- Mrs. Nancy The more I'm grateful for who Nancy is in my life, it's so much easier to say "no, I'm not talking this personal." People get ticked off for so many easy things nowadays and it's easy to get sucked into that. We don't want to look at ourselves. If I can blame Nancy then I can stay with that and not have to blame myself. God had to work on me. Our negative thinking can take over so much of the time. That negative thought process- and I have to go back to Romans 12: 2. Renewing our mind. That's the key.- Mrs. Nancy If there are old wounds, we have to take care of those.  Time to Talk About it: Do you feel like I do things just to upset you? If so, how can we resolve this? List out 5 things you are grateful for about your spouse. Share them with one another.    Mentioned in this Episode: Awesome Marriage is on Instagram! Unmet expectations can wreak havoc on your marriage. You need this brand new resource: The Marriage Expectations Worksheet Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Summer is coming and the beach is calling, and the Lord can use the ocean to speak encouragement into your marriage- see for yourself Islands, Tides and the Deep: A Marriage Message from the Sea If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !  It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer this month, you'll receive our brand new Marriage Expectations Worksheet. This powerful tool is going to change the way you think about and talk about expectations in your marriage.  

Have you ever gotten to the point in your marriage where your spouse felt more like the enemy than the person you committed to stand by in sickness and in health? What used to feel easy now feels tense. Conversations turn into misunderstandings. Small things feel big. Or maybe it's not conflict, it's distance. You're living side by side, but feeling miles apart. Somewhere along the way, everything started to feel… personal. And today, we're talking about why that happens, and how to change it.   Episode Highights: It's not you vs. your spouse. It's you both vs the pattern. Your thought life shapes your marriage Healing and gratitude change everything.    Quotes from Today's Episode: One moment doesn't define your marriage.- Mrs. Nancy The more I'm grateful for who Nancy is in my life, it's so much easier to say "no, I'm not talking this personal." People get ticked off for so many easy things nowadays and it's easy to get sucked into that. We don't want to look at ourselves. If I can blame Nancy then I can stay with that and not have to blame myself. God had to work on me. Our negative thinking can take over so much of the time. That negative thought process- and I have to go back to Romans 12: 2. Renewing our mind. That's the key.- Mrs. Nancy If there are old wounds, we have to take care of those.  Time to Talk About it: Do you feel like I do things just to upset you? If so, how can we resolve this? List out 5 things you are grateful for about your spouse. Share them with one another.    Mentioned in this Episode: Awesome Marriage is on Instagram! Unmet expectations can wreak havoc on your marriage. You need this brand new resource: The Marriage Expectations Worksheet Want an opportunity to dig into God's Word with your spouse? Find Awesome Marriage on YouVersion. Summer is coming and the beach is calling, and the Lord can use the ocean to speak encouragement into your marriage- see for yourself Islands, Tides and the Deep: A Marriage Message from the Sea If you haven't browsed our site, you've GOT to check out the marriage resources we have over at AwesomeMarriage.com, and browse our online courses at AwesomeMarriageUniversity.com !  It's the perfect time to become a Marriage Changer! When you become a Marriage Changer this month, you'll receive our brand new Marriage Expectations Worksheet. This powerful tool is going to change the way you think about and talk about expectations in your marriage.  

 430: Every Emotion Comes from Needs, Met and Unmet - featuring Morgane Borzée I thought I understood the connection between emotional intelligence and behavior, but I was missing a key component: "... we talk about feelings, but... At the end, every feeling has an underlying need. If it's a pleasant feeling, it's a met need. If it's an unpleasant feeling, it's an unmet need. And needs drive our behavior." This conversation with Morgane Borzée filled in so many gaps in my understanding of what I've heard referred to as trauma-informed coaching, teaching, and counseling.  If you're anything like me, you associated the word trauma with something dramatic, like abuse or neglect, death, major accidents, war, natural disasters, etc. Many of us don't feel comfortable using the word trauma to describe experiences in our lives that don't seem to compare with what we know others have experienced. But trauma in childhood can be something as innocuous as an underlying current of the repression of anger, financial stress and anxiety, sibling rivalry. And each person experiences it differently. Ask your siblings or cousins about growing up and they'll remember completely different episodes as traumatic - or not. Morgane suffered from severe anxiety as a young adult, and was referred to a therapist that she didn't realize was a trauma specialist. She thought she might be in the wrong place until she heard from the therapist that her anxiety might be coming from repression of anger. And she might be repressing anger because that's how she responded to her fear of the anger she saw expressed in her childhood home, among her family. "... for years, I was shortcutting anger with anxiety. So whenever a situation would make me angry, I didn't feel angry, I felt anxious." Her experience with the therapist not only gave her the tools she needed to start truly addressing the anxiety at that deeper level. It gave her the inspiration she then used to create an incredible platform to make what she was learning more accessible and approachable for others.  She took what she learned in academic, research-based, deeply intellectual settings, and translated into everyday language and characters that the rest of us can apply, learn from, and make real change in our lives and those of the people we influence. Highlights The word trauma feels big, feels significant, and it is, but it's also relative. Each person experiences it differently. Needs met and unmet are what drive our emotions and behavior. Listeners, now it's your turn. During our call, I started writing notes about my own needs and how they affect my behavior when they're not met: My need for respect and how that might show up in emotional responses and anger.   What are yours? A need for basic food staples in your house? If somebody gets upset when you run out of peanut butter or eggs, it may be a need in terms of food security that wasn't. What is a pattern of conflict or frustration that you've experienced yourself or experienced with somebody else that might be related to this issue? When your needs are met, you have a particular emotional response, and when they're not met, you have another emotional response. I'm curious to hear what came up for you, what patterns you've uncovered, and maybe what you're going to do about it.   --- From Morgane: I'm the founder of Equanima. I created it after years of struggling with anxiety and realizing how powerful emotional intelligence can be when you actually understand what's happening inside you. As a designer, I saw a gap between complex psychological concepts and what people can realistically use in daily life. Equanima exists to bridge that gap by turning emotional intelligence into clear, practical, and visual tools that help people understand their patterns, regulate under pressure, and live more aligned lives. Visit my website to learn more, and be sure to connect and/or follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. --- About Sarah Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team's results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other's "language", learning to value each other's strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening.  Sarah's nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness. Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

Joey Remenyi talks with Alea Coburn about estrangement, attunement, disenfranchised grief, ambiguous loss and embodied absence. How do we metabolise grief that goes unrecognised and unwitnessed? How do you notice the red flags of narcissistic relationships? What does it look like and feel like to experience healthy intimacy, attunement and connection. Learn about Joey here: https://www.seekingbalance.com.au/ Learn about Alea here: https://aleatamar.com/

We wrestle with why Palm Sunday swings from celebration to crucifixion, and we let that tension expose how easily our expectations can distort who Jesus is. We choose surrender over control so the Holy Spirit can empower us to live as bold witnesses to the ends of the earth. • Palm Sunday as a test of expectations and allegiance • Psalms 2 as a warning and a promise about the nations • Jesus on a donkey as humility over domination • Unmet expectations turning into rejection and distance from God • “We have no king but Caesar” as replacing Jesus with substitutes • Acts 1:8 as the call to wait for power and then witness • The Holy Spirit's power as fuel for testimony not performance • Purpose requiring surrender not full understanding • Giving away what God has done to be filled again • Practical mission paths through work, serving, and church outreach 

Send us Fan MailApril is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and child abuse isn't always easy to spot. For this episode, our guest expert talks to us about child neglect and its effect on children. Lynn Jennings, Ph.D., assistant professor and assistant program director at the clinical mental health counseling program with the School of Health Professions answers our questions about neglect –- how it affects a child physically and mentally, the difference between the occasional lapse in parenting and neglect, and how being neglected as a child affects someone as an adult and their relationships with other adults. Dr. Jennings also gives us tips on what we can do to help others who might be at risk for neglect. Previously with Dr. JenningsHope and Healing: Preventing Child Abuse in Our Community

Mary stands weeping at an empty tomb, convinced she's alone — until someone says her name. This week we explore what it means to be truly seen, and why that experience might be more essential to our survival than we've been taught.   LINKS:  Current Conversation | Connect | YouTube |  Coming Up TRANSCRIPT: For the next several weeks, we're going to hold some of the Easter resurrection stories up to the light the way you hold a ViewMaster slide up to the light. You don't travel to those places. You hold the image up, and something in it travels into you. The depth, the color, the detail — it gets in you. And when you set it down, you're back in the room — but you've changed. You're carrying something you didn't have before. That's the invitation. We're not asking you to settle theological debates about what literally happened. We're asking: What do you see, when you really look? What wakes up in you? This series follows the thread we pulled on at Easter — "He is Woke Indeed." Woke, in its original 20th-century AAVE meaning: alert, awake, seeing clearly. These stories are about people who suddenly started seeing what they couldn't see before. That's what we're after. The Story: Mary at the Tomb (John 20:11–18)  Read it… invite people to really take it in… "Mary stood outside near the tomb, crying." She's not praying. She's not worshipping. She's wrecked. She looks into the tomb and sees two angels, and even this doesn't pull her out of her grief. Wild. She turns and sees Jesus but doesn't recognize him. She thinks he's the gardener. Then: "Mary." One word of recognition: her name. And everything shifts. She wakes up to what's happening…  Sit with that for a moment. What just happened? He didn't offer an explanation. He didn't prove anything. He simply said her name. And she woke up. This is the moment we're exploring today: the experience of being truly seen. Called by name. Recognized. The Lie We've Been Told: Connection Is a Luxury We live in a culture (and many of us carry a theology) that quietly teaches: survival first, connection later. Get the basics handled. Then, if there's time and you've earned it, relationship. This is, in fact, the story we absorbed from one of the most influential frameworks in modern Western thought: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Food, water, shelter. Safety. Then belonging. Then esteem. Connection shows up only after your survival needs are met. But here's something worth knowing about where that model came from — and what it left out initially In 1938, Abraham Maslow visited the Blackfoot (Siksika) Nation in Alberta, Canada. He was stuck on his theory of human development and went to spend time with their community. (Grow Your WHY article) What he encountered there profoundly shaped his thinking — but when he built his famous hierarchy, he "borrowed generously" from the Blackfoot worldview and then made that source essentially invisible. And here's the deepest problem: he inverted what he found. In the Blackfoot model, which uses a tipi rather than a pyramid, self-actualization sits at the base — not the top. It is the starting point. Community actualization comes next, and the highest aspiration is called "cultural perpetuity" — the ongoing flourishing of the people across generations. In other words: you don't earn love or belonging after you've survived. Love and belonging is what makes survival possible in the first place. While in Maslow's model we find love and belonging only after attending to basic needs and safety, the Blackfoot model describes that our tribe or community is the very means through which we are fed, housed, clothed, and protected. (PACEsConnection) The pyramid we all learned? It's a Western, individualist distortion of an Indigenous communal wisdom that was never given credit. For the record, I think the same distortion has happened to the wisdom of Jesus and his people; it's been whitewashed to center the individual… What Science is Actually Catching Up To The Siksika/Blackfoot Nation understood something our public health system is only now naming as a crisis. In his 2023 report "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation," Surgeon General Vivek Murthy wrote that loneliness is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. In fact, lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. And social neuroscientist Matthew Lieberman's research shows that our brains react to social pain and pleasure in much the same way as they do to physical pain and pleasure. Social connection ensures infants' survival; their safety and physiological needs are dependent on it. Unmet social and psychological needs create pain that is just as real as physical pain. Connection isn't a reward for getting your life together. It is how we stay alive. Back to Mary So when Jesus says her name… this is not a small thing. This is not a warm gesture. This is an act of resurrection in itself… of coming back to life. She was invisible to herself in her grief. She couldn't see clearly. She was looking right at the one she was looking for and couldn't see him. And then: her name. And she sees. This is what being truly seen does. It wakes something up in us that grief, fear, and shame had put to sleep. We can't fully come alive alone. We come alive when we are recognized — when someone looks at us and says, in word or action: I see you. You are here. You matter. From a womanist theological perspective, this moment carries particular weight. Mary Magdalene — a woman, the first witness, the one the tradition has spent centuries trying to sideline or diminish — is the first person Jesus appears to. He doesn't appear to the disciples gathered in the upper room. He appears to her. By name. The people Empire tends to undervalue, or say they don't matter are often the first to see clearly. Invitation: What Does It Mean to See and Be Seen Here? Two movements: First, receiving: Is there a part of you that's still at the tomb — still in grief, still unable to recognize what or who might be right in front of you? What would it mean to let yourself be called by name? To let yourself be seen, not as you should be, but as you are? Second, offering: Who in your life needs you to say their name? Not fix them. Not explain things to them. Just see them. Call them by name. The Easter story suggests that is what resurrection looks like in everyday life. This week's practice: Say someone's name — really mean it. Or let yourself be known in one small way you normally hide. Notice what wakes up.

Why do so many projects go off the rails, even when the team has the right tools?In this episode, the team breaks down the real reasons projects become frustrating, delayed, and messy. They talk about authority, trust, delegation, communication breakdowns, notification fatigue, and why project management software often becomes a substitute for the hard conversations teams actually need to have.They also share strong opinions on tools like Basecamp, ClickUp, Trello, Linear, Monday, Asana, Slack, and even Google Calendar, along with practical advice on how to lead projects more clearly and keep teams aligned.If you lead people, manage clients, or feel like your projects are constantly getting stuck, this episode is packed with honest insight and useful takeaways.Timestamps00:08 Why projects turn into dumpster fires00:29 Authority, trust, and setting people up to succeed03:25 Unmet expectations are what break projects05:24 Do great project managers delegate or just get it done?09:00 How to decide what should be delegated12:43 Are all project management tools trash pandas?21:26 Do teams buy software to avoid hard conversations?24:22 Notification fatigue and why people stop engaging32:41 Best practices that actually make projects run better34:45 Why AI-generated project briefs create problems

In episode 2038, Jack and Miles are joined (in person!!!) by actor, comedian, and co-host of The Last Podcast on the Left, Henry Zebrowski, to discuss… The Right Is Unhappy, Doritos Went Too Hard On Greedflation? Oh Look At That Greedflation Was A Thing! And more! Fox & Friends Admits Trump’s Ceasefire Leaves ‘Objectives’ Unmet — Praise Him Anyway Mark Levin is losing it. Laura Loomer criticizes ceasefire deal with Iran: “Iran practically got everything that they wanted” Megyn Kelly: I don't know about you, but I am sick of this shit. Can't Trump just behave like a normal human? Megyn Kelly: "Trump could drop a nuke and I'd still vote Republican” Doritos prices jumped 50% in four years and PepsiCo waited until it lost billions to do anything about it LISTEN: No Censor (feat. Unruly Bad, Karma, Trizzac, BGody, LR, & Kwengface) by Zone 2See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of our Let Go Series, we continue in The Gospel of John chapter 4 with the story of the woman at the well, a woman whose life had not unfolded the way she hoped.She was carrying disappointment. Unmet expectations. A quiet kind of thirst that nothing seemed to satisfy.And Jesus met her right there.In this conversation, we talk about what happens when the expectations we place on people, circumstances, and even timelines begin to cause pain and disappointment and how gently, but truthfully, Jesus invites us to shift those expectations back to Him.We talk about:• Why misplaced expectations often lead to deeper disappointment• How disappointment can quietly shape the way we see God• What it looks like to release what was never ours to carry• And how Jesus is the living water that truly satisfiesThis episode is an invitation to stop asking temporary things to meet eternal needs…and to trust that even in disappointment, God is still working.Song: Lofi Chill Hip Hop Beat - SpringVibes (youngfrenchy808)We would like to pray for you. Please click here to share your prayer needs with us.To learn more about Beau's Blessings click here.Please consider becoming a Hunter's Hero and supporting Hunter's Hope and this podcast by clicking here.Shop HH x MH Collection here.Learn more about our Podcast, Episode Guests and Hunter's Hope here.

Unmet expectations might be one of the quietest and most painful sources of pressure we carry. We expected God to show up a certain way—and He didn't. Or so it seemed. In the final week of Under Pressure, Teaching Pastor Christian Nichles brings us to the triumphal entry in Matthew 21, where crowds welcomed Jesus with enormous hopes—and He deliberately chose a different path than the one they had mapped out for Him. Not because He failed them, but because He was after something far greater. This Palm Sunday message is the perfect bridge into Easter—a reminder that when God doesn't meet our expectations, He's often exceeding them in ways we can't yet see. Under Pressure is a five-week series exploring what Scripture says about anxiety, burnout, comparison, disappointment, and expectations—leading up to Easter.

Join the dialogue - text your questions, insights, and feedback to The Dignity Lab podcast.This short episode explores "The Impossible Question": Why did they do it? Jennifer discusses why people universally seek reasons after experiencing harm, how this search can deepen emotional disorganization or shame, and why answers often do not heal. The core message: understanding others' motivations rarely brings resolution, since even those who inflicted harm may not fully grasp their own actions. Healing comes from letting go of the need to know why and shifting focus to recognizing unmet needs—both in ourselves and others.TakeawaysWhen harmed, most people instinctively ask "Why?" as a way to make meaning and organize their experience.Not getting answers often triggers shame or confusion about one's worth.The search for motivation rarely helps—explanations, if available, don't resolve pain and can leave us feeling worse.Many people, including those who cause harm, are unaware of their true motivations in the moment; naming deeper needs is often challenging.Unmet needs—belonging, recognition, control, contribution, safety—often drive behavior, though the strategies to meet them may be unskillful and hurtful.Accepting that you may never know why, and that the person who caused harm may not know either, helps release the grip of the impossible question.Moving forward in healing involves shifting the focus from seeking reasons to accepting unmet needs and letting go.Listeners are encouraged to share this episode and explore additional resources on universal needs at www.thedignitylab.com.Exploring what it means to live and lead with dignity at work, in our families, in our communities, and in the world. What is dignity? How can we honor the dignity of others? And how can we repair and reclaim our dignity after harm? Tune in to hear stories about violations of dignity and ways in which we heal, forgive, and make choices about how we show up in a chaotic and fractured world. Hosted by physician and coach Jennifer Griggs.For more information on the podcast, please visit www.thedignitylab.com.For more information on podcast host Dr. Jennifer Griggs, please visit https://jennifergriggs.com/.For additional free resources, including the periodic table of dignity elements, please visit https://jennifergriggs.com/resources/.The Dignity Lab is an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will receive 10% of the purchase price when you click through and make a purchase. This supports our production and hosting costs. Bookshop.org doesn't earn money off bookstore sales, all profits go to independent bookstores. We encourage our listeners to purchase books through Bookshop.org for this reason.

Dr. Kai Qiu, MD is an inner child healing guide who traded the path to psychiatry for something he believes the mental health space is missing. He's the author of Emotionally Immature Parents: A Recovery Workbook and combines psychology, Buddhist practice, and his own lived experience as a second-generation Chinese-Canadian to help successful people heal the patterns they inherited but didn't choose. His content reaches millions worldwide, and he works closely with high-achievers who look like they have it all together but still feel something quietly unresolved underneath. Dr. Kai helps them see those patterns were never personal failures. They were inherited programs. And they can be rewired.In this episode, Kai shares his story, opening up about medical school and the internal conflict and growth that came with honoring what felt more aligned. We share a conversation on the topics of emotionally immature parents, childhood wounds, and the impact these experiences can have on our sense of self. We explore inner child work as a main theme, including common misconceptions, why this work can feel uncomfortable, and how reconnecting with younger parts of ourselves can support healing, self-trust, and authenticity. We also discuss the pressure many people feel to follow certain paths, how childhood experiences can shape our relationships and self-perception, and how inner child work can support us in moving toward a more authentic way of living.Whether you're navigating family dynamics, questioning expectations placed on you, or wanting to better understand your emotional patterns, we hope this conversation can offer a grounding and compassionate perspective.FOLLOW DR. KAI:INSTA: @hellodoctorkaiBOOK: Emotionally Immature ParentsWORKSHOPS AND MORESTAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK: @trustandthriveTHREADS: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

In this episode, Satish Raj and Gert van Dijk explore the diagnosis, clinical burden, and management of orthostatic hypotension. The discussion examines how low blood pressure affects daily functioning, the importance of accurate diagnosis, and current treatment approaches.  Key Discussion Themes Definitions and subtypes of orthostatic hypotension Differential diagnosis and the role of tilt-table testing  Impact on quality of life and daily functioning  Current treatment landscape and clinical guidelines  Unmet needs and future research priorities 

And what to do when it shows up Here's the sequence: Unmet needs lead to disappointment. Disappointment gives rise to grief. Unresolved grief turns into resentment. Holding onto resentment creates anger. Welcome to Earth. Welcome to being a human. There is a 100% likelihood that to varying degrees, we will all feel unseen, unheard, or not loved in ways that we want to be loved. When we're children, we aren't able to fully process not having our needs met. The implicit grief registers in our energy field and we haul it around until we're mature enough to process it on our own or until we can afford therapy, whichever comes first. If we don't treat our grief with compassion, it thickens into resentment over time. Resentment is one of the root causes of cynicism and doubt. Resentment often causes us to hoard resources out of fear. Resentment is a huge obstacle to abundance. Holding onto our unmet needs perpetuates not having our needs met in the present. It becomes this vicious cycle of chasing and not receiving. If you fight your anger, it will fight you right back. Your anger is looking to be seen, to be heard, to be loved. Bless it, and it will stop acting out. What we embrace transforms and makes us more loving. Listen in. Then we're doing the Centering Practice together. We'll work with the full spectrum of colour. This is you being the energy healer. With Love, Danielle As mentioned in this episode: Join The Colours Class — a LIVE class with Danielle on working with the healing frequencies of colour. This Sunday, March 15 at 10am PT | 1pm ET. Use code POD220 for $7 off. Expires at class time: daniellelaporte.com/class Order Bless & Release and get early access to chapters dropped weekly: daniellelaporte.com/bless Join us on Sundays at 9am PT | 12noon ET for Bless Club. A free weekly LIVE practice with Danielle LaPorte. 15 minutes. Every Sunday. Save your seat: daniellelaporte.com/blessclub

Discover why "winning at work" is causing most high-performing men to secretly fail at home. World-leading leadership psychologist Dr. Michael Brabant reveals the "Trustable Leadership" protocol to end burnout and fix the "internal slippage" destroying your focus and relationships. Are you working 60 hours for 40 hours of output? Many high-performers operating in high-stakes environments like banking, energy, and tech are trapped in "Execution Freeze"—a neurophysiological state of overextension. In this episode, we deconstruct the "Success Trap" and identify the "Kingpin" moves required to move from a reactive operator to a strategic architect of your life.   We Cover: The Mask of Strength: Why performative masculinity is actually a sign of leadership failure. Coping vs. Resourcing: The biological difference between "resting" and truly recovering your cognitive edge. Decentralizing the Self: How to let go of the ego to become a vessel for deeper alignment and service. The Implementation Gap: Why self-help books like Atomic Habits often fail high-status professionals.   Chapters: 00:00 – Why most successful men feel isolated and unfulfilled. 04:15 – The "Basement Door" metaphor: Unmet needs and destructive behavior.  08:27 – Trustable Leadership: Why performance is the enemy of trust.  15:42 – Identifying your standard: The power of a high-stakes partner.  21:20 – Why "Self-Soothing" with externals is killing your energy.  28:48 – Coping vs. Resourcing: The gas station metaphor for burnout.  36:10 – The Strength Mask: Why your toughness is actually a liability.  45:24 – Breaking the chain of intergenerational workaholism.   Free eBook Here: Mastering Self-Development: Strategies of the New Masculine: https://rebrand.ly/m2ebook   ⚔️JOIN THE NOBLE KNIGHTS MASTERMIND⚔️ https://themodernmanpodcast.com/thenobleknights   

When Corby Campbell's backflip ended in paralysis, it could have marked the end of his dreams. Instead, it became the foundation of something greater. On this week's episode, Corby and his wife, Tess—whom he met while in his wheelchair—share how love found them in unexpected circumstances, what they've learned about healing, and why they believe the Lord's purpose for Corby's life wasn't ruined in the fall—it was only just beginning.   3:13- A Story Meant To Share 7:42- The Plan Wasn't Ruined 10:57- Challenges and Potential to Improve/Overcome 21:38- Patience  23:56- Grieving Unmet Expectations 28:26- Grateful To Not Be Healed 38:22- "Everyone Is Lame" 42:50- A Default Opportunity for Service 48:13- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ?    "The Savior does not heal people as often as He can and He does that on purpose." -Tess Campbell

This week we discuss the current status of Mental Health Care.   Mental health care is changing, but most experts argue it is not changing fast enough relative to the need, especially on access, equity, and workforce. Where change is too slow Unmet need is huge. In the U.S., millions with a diagnosable condition still receive no treatment each year; a recent national report notes that many adults with mental illness remain uninsured or unable to access care.​ Global workforce shortages. Nearly 50% of the world's population lives in countries with fewer than 1 psychiatrist per 100,000 people, which severely limits access.​ Specialist shortages in high‑income countries. Projections for the U.S. estimate a shortage of roughly 14,000–31,000 psychiatrists, with over half of counties having none at all, and this gap may persist for decades without major policy changes. System design still hospital‑centered. The WHO notes that two‑thirds of scarce mental health budgets still go to stand‑alone psychiatric hospitals rather than community‑based services, despite all countries having signed on to a reform plan.​ Persistent inequities. Underserved groups (rural communities, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, low‑income populations) face additional barriers like providers not taking Medicaid/Medicare, language gaps, and local provider deserts.​ What is changing quickly Telehealth and virtual care. Teletherapy and virtual mental health visits expanded dramatically and now make it easier to reach people regardless of location, with greater scheduling flexibility and fewer logistical barriers. Digital mental health tools. Apps and web programs delivering structured therapies (for example CBT modules) can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety with moderate to high effect sizes, including in low‑resource settings. New care pathways. Systems are experimenting with brief interventions, stepped‑care models, peer‑support programs, and task‑sharing where general health workers and community providers deliver basic mental health support. Policy and parity efforts. Some U.S. states are strengthening mental health parity enforcement, improving network adequacy, and changing insurance rules to make psychiatric medications and services easier to access.​ Stigma is slowly decreasing. Recent commentary highlights that more people are willing to seek help, pushing demand higher and driving interest in more personalized, data‑driven psychiatric care.​ Big picture: mismatch between need and pace Demand is outpacing innovation. Trauma, pandemic aftereffects, economic stress, and social unrest have increased mental health needs faster than systems can expand the workforce or redesign care, deepening inequities. Technology helps but isn't a cure‑all. Digital tools and telehealth extend reach, but quality is uneven, many apps lack strong evidence, and people with the most severe conditions still need intensive, in‑person, multidisciplinary care. Global agencies explicitly say pace is inadequate. The WHO's own assessment is that "change is not happening fast enough," framing the current situation as one of ongoing need and neglect despite clear evidence of what would work better.​ What would "fast enough" look like? Large‑scale investment in community‑based services and integration of mental health into primary care, shifting funding away from institutional‑only models.​ Aggressive strategies to grow and sustain the mental health workforce (training, better reimbursement, support to prevent burnout, incentives for underserved areas). Wider, evidence‑based use of digital interventions and telehealth, with standards for safety, privacy, and effectiveness so people can trust what they are using. Stronger parity enforcement and policies that make it actually practical—not just theoretically covered—to find and afford care. If you think about your own community or the people you work with, do you feel the main barrier is access (finding/affording care), quality (getting the right care), or something else like stigma or navigation?

It's already March, and we are quickly approaching Spring Break season when different school districts have those breaks scattered over the next 4-6 weeks. Seeing a flare-up in behavior problems is not unusual during this time. There are highly severe sensory and emotional dysregulations happening with many students, and our goal should not be punishment. We need to appropriately address these behaviors that might be outside of the student's control, especially those that are a result of a disability. Join us for today's discussion about Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs) and Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIPs).Show Highlights:The first step in an FBA is to collect data to define and describe the behaviors.Sensory overload, avoidance, and seeking attention are common challenges that cause dysregulated behaviors.Unmet needs have to be understood and met before behaviors can be regulated; this is where a BIP comes in.A BIP can be helpful when “the behavior is affecting a student's learning or the learning of others.”Autistic students may use masking behaviors at school and explode later.How FBAs compare to the former Functional Analysis AssessmentDefining behavior in assessments should follow the ABC format: antecedent, behavior, and consequence.We must teach both preventive and reactive coping skills.The BIP should be checked and thoroughly evaluated after 30-60 days.Amanda's advice to parents about getting the most out of a BIPVickie's advice to teachers about implementing a BIPResources:Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.Thank you for listening!Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. Connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, the IEP Website, and Email.

Brian From wrestles with whether capital punishment belongs in the abortion debate and why a consistent pro-life ethic must extend from womb to tomb. He explores the historicity of the resurrection, asks what Christians would do if extraterrestrial life were discovered, and reflects on the difference between doubt and unbelief. Plus, a pastoral reminder that when dreams fall apart, contentment isn’t found in circumstances—but in Christ who strengthens us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know the moment. Your kid spills cereal and suddenly you're reacting at a level 10… when the situation was maybe a 2. And afterward? The shame spiral starts. Why did I react like that? What is wrong with me? Why can't I just stay calm? Here's the truth: your overreactions aren't random. And they're not proof that you're a bad parent. They have roots. Under most “overreactions” is either unrecognized shame… or a deeply held value that just got stepped on. When you understand that, everything shifts. In this episode, we unpack what's really happening beneath those big emotional moments — and how emotional awareness creates choice where you used to only have reaction. In This Episode, We Talk About: Why shame often hides underneath anger, defensiveness, or shutting down How feeling “too much” or “not enough” fuels emotional overreactions The surprising way your personal values drive your parenting triggers Why the same situation can upset you deeply — but not bother someone else at all How identifying patterns (not just isolated conflicts) helps you understand your reactions The CPR framework (Conflict, Pattern, Relationship, Process) and how to use it in your relationships How emotional awareness strengthens communication and self-regulation Why This Matters for Parenting When you believe your reactions are flaws, you try to suppress them. When you understand your reactions as information, you start learning from them. Shame thrives in the dark. Unmet values react loudly. But once you name what's actually happening — whether it's a fear of being “too much,” a value like growth or connection being violated, or a long-standing relational pattern — you gain power. You're no longer stuck in automatic self-judgment. You can pause. You can choose. You can respond instead of react. And that's emotional intelligence in action. This episode isn't about becoming perfectly calm. It's about becoming aware enough to understand yourself — and that changes everything in your parenting and your relationships. Resources Mentioned The Best Mom Is a Happy Mom by JoAnn Crohn (includes access to the Values Sort bonus tool) Crucial Conversations No Guilt Mom Inner Circle If this episode resonated, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever been told that you need to "heal the root" of your eating disorder, but no one ever really explained what that actually means, this episode is for you. Maybe you've done the meal plans. The behavior tracking. The symptom management. And yet… something still feels unresolved. Fragile. Like the eating disorder quiets down for a while, only to resurface later in a different form. In this episode, we slow the conversation way down and talk honestly about unmet childhood needs. Not as a way to blame parents, caregivers, or anyone else, but as a way to finally understand why your eating disorder made sense in the first place. Tweetable Quotes "Relapse isn't the end of recovery. It's a moment inside of it." - Rachelle Heinemann "Eating disorders don't just happen. They happen within the context of the rest of your life." - Rachelle Heinemann "When emotional needs aren't consistently met, we still develop strategies internally to help us survive." - Rachelle Heinemann "You can stop the behaviors temporarily, but if the underlying emotional needs remain unmet, something else will pop up." - Rachelle Heinemann "Healing means giving yourself now what you didn't get then." - Rachelle Heinemann "Part of the process in therapy is creating a pause between the urge and the behavior." - Rachelle Heinemann "Your behaviors make sense in the context that you grew up in." - Rachelle Heinemann Resources Group Training for Clinicians, led by Jack Heinemann. Details:  • 6 weekly sessions (75 minutes each) • Thursdays at 12pm EST • Begins 2/12 • $85 per session • Limited spots Looking for more information? Email jack@jackheinemanntherapy.com or info@bergenmentalhealthgroup.com  Grab my Journal Prompts Here! Looking for a speaker for an upcoming event? Let's chat! Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode. Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here! You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at rachelle@rachelleheinemann.com

On Tuesday Feb 3, the state legislature held a public hearing on the transportation portion of the state budget. There was a surprising lack of testimony advocating increased funding for mass transit, though the NYS association for Public Transportation submitted written comments, mainly focused on the underfunding of mass transit update. The State provided $245.5 million in capital aid to non-MTA systems in FY 2025-26. The Executive Budget proposes a reduction to $223.5 million. With aging assets and rising costs, investment must grow to avoid worsening infrastructure conditions. The American Public Transportation Association estimates that you can save over $13,000 annually by using public transit instead of driving. Overall, Unmet transportation needs in New York State center on gaps in rural transit, limited "last-mile" service, and inadequate access for seniors and people with disabilities, particularly for medical and work-related travel. The MTA seemed relatively pleased with its funding, noting that 2025 was the biggest year ever for capital commitments -- $15.8 billion. More than $5 billion of that came from congestion pricing. Other speakers noted that state funding for the passenger rail program is currently smaller than it was during the Pataki Administration. In this segment we hear mainly about safe streets and accessibility issues for individuals with disability. First is Amy Cohen of Families for Safe Streets. Followed by Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives, Christopher Grief of the ADA Accessibility Transportation Group and Alexandra Mikowski of Access to Independence of Cortland County

In this episode, I explore why the struggle to speak up isn't usually about communication skills, but about what our discomfort reveals regarding boundaries, emotional maturity, and internal safety. Rather than focusing on what others are doing wrong, this conversation turns inward, helping listeners understand what's happening inside them when needs arise and why those moments can feel so charged. You'll learn how early experiences shape your relationship with needs, how to tell the difference between needs, demands, and boundaries, and why recurring reactions like guilt, over-explaining, or shutting down are important signals — not personal flaws. This episode sets the foundation for a deeper month-long exploration of boundaries, choice, and healthy communication, offering a grounded starting point for anyone who wants to speak up without losing themselves.   Unmet needs don't disappear — they leak out as resentment,  exhaustion, or self-doubt.      Get your FREE Boundaries Ebook here! If you're ready to find your voice, set healthy boundaries, and create more fulfilling relationships, this guide is your roadmap!   Need more?  Check out the Masterclass on Reclaiming Your Voice:   https://www.findyourvoicecourse.com/beyond-words     Hey! My signature course is live!  I am so excited to also offer a free upgrade to the group coaching program.  Be sure to click here to check it out: https://findyourvoicecourse.com/

 In this episode of Hema Now, Catherine Glass sits down with senior leaders from the European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders (EAHAD) to go behind the scenes of the EAHAD 2026 Congress. The discussion explores the vision shaping the meeting, how the scientific programme is developed, and the key advances and challenges influencing haemophilia care across Europe, offering valuable insight for clinicians and researchers alike.  Timestamps:   00:00 – Introduction  01:41 – Vision of the EAHAD 2026 Congress  03:09 – Overview of the programme  06:46 – Behind the scenes of planning a congress  09:38 – New sessions to look out for  11:03 – Their programme highlights  13:38 – How the programme is curated  15:21 – Current landscape of haemophilia care in Europe  18:09 – Major advances in the field  20:25 – Unmet needs for patients  23:31 – Real-world data and registries  25:58 – Advice to young clinicians  27:28 – Hopes for the future of haemophilia care  30:21 – Their wishes for healthcare 

Have you ever noticed that your anger or frustration as a mom doesn't come from what actually happened, but from what you thought should have happened? You start the day with good intentions, the kids don't listen, your plans fall apart, your husband doesn't step in the way you hoped, and suddenly you find yourself snapping, shutting down, or feeling overwhelmed with guilt.In this episode, you'll learn:Why unmet expectations—not circumstances—are often the real source of anger and frustrationHow beliefs and thoughts quietly drive emotional reactivity in motherhoodThe difference between accepting reality and approving of itHow to redirect expectations onto yourself and focus on what's actually within your controlYou will walk away with practical implications to move from reactive anger to calm, confident, and Christ-centered responses—even when life doesn't go as planned.Coaching support: Calm Christian Mom - 12-week transformation guaranteed Intensive Coaching ProgramCourse: Renewed Mindset Course - 5-week Passive Course Listen to related episodes:190. Mindset: Adjusting Unrealistic Expectations of your Children to have more Patience as a Mom. 234. How to adjust your mindset 'in the moment' when your expectations are unmet in motherhood285. Want more Patience with your Kids Today? Start with this Simple Expectation Shift.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Next Steps: 1. Watch FREE TRAINING: 5 Steps to Break free from Mom Rage Shame ⬇️2. Learn about Calm Christian Mom Coaching Program ⬇️3. BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION CALL if you are ready for support and accountability in overcoming damaging anger patterns. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~How to Be More Patient with Your Kids (So You're Not Screaming Over Spilled Milk)Leave a 5 star rating and review on the Podcast and email me (hello@emotionallyhealthylegacy.com) a screenshot of the REVIEW for free access the training or buy it HERE for $27. Website: emotionallyhealthylegacy.comContact: hello@emotionallyhealthylegacy.comQuestions? Form / Voice memo

Vilte E Barakauskas, Samantha Pawer, Wee-Shian Chan, Benjamin P Jung. Unmet Clinical Needs and Remaining Challenges of Pregnancy Reference Intervals. Clinical Chemistry, Volume 72, Issue 1, January 2026, Pages 47–60. https://doi.org/10.1093/clinchem/hvaf150

"Money and Fame is loud, jail was quiet." Sebastian Telfair former NBA star No truer meaning of the word Pivot then the rise and fall of success, money and fame to hit rock bottom, accept the consequences and figure out how to move forward. In his first conversation since being released from prison, former NBA guard Sebastian Telfair joins The Pivot for a raw, honest, and long-awaited conversation. Once one of the most hyped prospects in basketball history, Sebastian made headlines as a teenager—gracing the cover of SLAM Magazine alongside LeBron James and becoming the symbol of New York City basketball before ever playing an NBA game. He opens up about the highs of making it to the league straight out of high school—and the lows that followed, including the choices that led to his time behind bars. Once celebrated for his basketball talent and condemned for his mistakes, Sebastian Telfair is now facing the hardest opponent of all: himself. A couple weeks after being out of jail, Sebastian addresses the legal trouble that led to his sentence, taking full responsibility for his actions and reflecting on the consequences that changed his life. Being at Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution, same place Sean Combs (P Diddy) is serving his time, he chats about thier encounter and lessons that come with freedom. Now on the other side, he shares what prison taught him, how it reshaped his perspective, and what redemption, growth, and purpose look like today. Once a teenage phenom turned NBA pro, Sebastian Telfair's story is a reminder that talent opens doors—but choices decide the outcome. Drafted straight out of high school, Telfair opens up about the pressure that came with early fame, the expectations he carried, and why his NBA career never fully reached the heights many predicted. He speaks candidly about decisions on and off the court, navigating the league at a young age, and how distractions, environment, and accountability played a role in his journey. This is more than a basketball story—it's a conversation about hype, hardship, accountability, and what it really means to pivot when life forces you to. Real talk. Real lessons. Real growth. You don't want to miss this one. Pivot Family, please like, subscribe and comment, we love hearing from you and your support keeps us going! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Summary: Today we’re tackling a topic that hits many people hard each January: “Blue Monday.” You may have heard it called “the most depressing day of the year”: a day when motivation runs low, bills come due, and the sparkle of the holidays fades into the grayness of winter. But is “Blue Monday” real? Why do so many people feel down this time of year? And what can you do, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, to climb out of the slump and find renewed hope? If you’ve ever felt like the light of Christmas faded too fast or that you’re struggling to find joy in January, this episode is for you. In this episode, I share How to Beat the Blues: Finding Hope When “Blue Monday” Hits. We unpack where the idea of “Blue Monday” came from, what really contributes to winter sadness, how to recognize when it’s more than just a passing mood, and how God invites us to nurture our mind and soul even in the darkest season. Quotables from the episode: Every January, the search engines light up with people looking for answers about “Blue Monday.” Some call it the most depressing day of the year. But here’s the truth: God doesn’t mark any day on His calendar as hopeless. Even when science can explain some of the factors that make us feel low, Scripture reminds us in John 1:5 that “the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” So today, let’s uncover both the science and the Savior’s invitation to find peace, joy, and renewed perspective, no matter what your calendar says. Part 1: Where “Blue Monday” Came From The term “Blue Monday” actually originated not from a psychologist or neuroscientist, but from a marketing campaign in the early 2000s. A British travel company wanted to boost winter vacation sales and partnered with a psychologist to create a formula that supposedly calculated the “most depressing day of the year.” They based it on factors like weather, debt level, time since Christmas, failed New Year’s resolutions, and low motivation. The date usually lands on the third Monday in January. But here’s what’s interesting: the science behind it was never validated. It was largely pseudoscience; a catchy idea meant to sell trips to sunny places! Yet it resonated with people because, truthfully, many do feel a dip in mood this time of year. Why? There’s a real physiological and psychological basis for that. Shorter daylight hours disrupt our circadian rhythm and lower serotonin levels—our brain’s natural mood stabilizer. Colder temperatures mean less outdoor activity and fewer endorphins. Holiday aftermath leaves us financially stretched and emotionally fatigued. Unmet resolutions of ourselves or others stir up shame or disappointment. So while “Blue Monday” may not be an official scientific day, it does point to something many experience: what we might call the post-holiday blues or seasonal affective slump. Part 2: How to Identify It Let’s talk about how you can tell if what you’re feeling is just a short-term dip or something more concerning. Here are some common symptoms of the “Blue Monday” slump: Low motivation or energy Irritability or tearfulness Difficulty concentrating Changes in sleep or appetite Feeling disconnected or unproductive Hopeless thoughts like “What’s the point?” If you’ve noticed these for a few days after the holidays, you’re not alone. Our brains and bodies crave rhythm and light—and winter often disrupts both. But sometimes, what starts as a temporary funk can evolve into something more serious like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or Major Depression. Part 3: When to Seek Professional Help Seek professional help if: Your sadness lasts more than two weeks. You lose interest in things you usually enjoy. Your sleep or appetite drastically change. You feel worthless, helpless, or hopeless. You find yourself withdrawing from others. You experience thoughts of death or suicide. Those are not signs of weakness—they’re signals from your body and brain that you need care and support. Just as you’d seek medical help for persistent pain, it’s wise to seek mental health help for persistent sadness. As a neuropsychologist, I’ve seen firsthand that depression and anxiety are treatable. There are excellent therapies, medical interventions, and lifestyle approaches that can help. But the first step is reaching out. And as a believer, I want you to know this: needing help does not make you a failure of faith. God often works through professionals to bring healing. He created our minds and bodies with complexity, and He delights when we care for them wisely. Remember Elijah in 1 Kings 19? He was exhausted, afraid, and said, “It is enough; now, Lord, take my life.” God didn’t rebuke him. God fed him, let him rest, and then gently spoke truth to him. That’s a model of divine compassion toward our emotional distress. Part 4: How to Take Care of Yourself If you’re feeling those “Blue Monday” blues—or a longer winter sadness—here are practical, biblically grounded ways to care for your mind, body, and spirit. 1. Get More Light Exposure to sunlight—or a light therapy box—can boost serotonin and regulate your circadian rhythm. Genesis 1:3 says, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Light was His first gift to creation, and it still brings life today. 2. Move Your Body Exercise increases endorphins and dopamine, improving both energy and outlook. You don’t need to run a marathon—start with a short walk or stretch. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 reminds us our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Caring for them is an act of worship. 3. Nurture Connection When we isolate, sadness grows louder. Reach out to a friend, attend a Bible study, or volunteer. Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 says, “Two are better than one… if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. 4. Adjust Your Expectations After the holidays, it’s easy to compare today’s ordinary moments to the excitement of December. Give yourself permission to slow down, to reset. The Bible gives us multiple examples of Jesus, the Son of God, taking time to rest. If He needed rest, why would we expect differently of ourselves? Matthew 11:28—“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”* 5. Feed Your Spirit Immerse yourself in Scripture, prayer, and worship music. Depression dims perspective, but God’s Word renews it. Psalm 42:11 “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him.” 6. Practice Gratitude Gratitude activates brain regions associated with joy and resilience. Even small blessings count—warm coffee, a friend’s text, a sunset. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 7. Set Rhythms of Rest Winter is nature’s reminder to rest. God Himself modeled rest on the seventh day—not from exhaustion, but completion. Rest refuels your mind and aligns your soul with His peace. Part 5: Reframing the Season Maybe this January feels heavy. Maybe you’re tired of gray skies or unmet resolutions. But let’s reframe it: What if winter isn’t a punishment, but an invitation? An invitation to slow down. To nurture your inner life. To rediscover hope not in circumstances, but in Christ Himself. Remember: no day is truly “blue” when it’s covered by God’s grace. He specializes in turning mourning into dancing, ashes into beauty, and despair into praise (Isaiah 61:3). The same God who paints the sunrise after the darkest night will bring light to your soul again. Friend, if you’re listening today and feeling the weight of winter, know this: you are not alone. God sees you. He is not disappointed by your sadness; He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). There’s no shame in reaching for help—from Him, from loved ones, or from professionals. Healing doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine; it means letting God meet you in the reality of your pain. Scripture References: John 1:5 “the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” 1 Kings 19 “It is enough; now, Lord, take my life.” Genesis 1:3 says, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, “Two are better than one… if either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Psalm 42:11 “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Isaiah 61:3 “and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Recommended Resources: Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host: For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Episode Summary: Emotional Exhaustion and holiday burnout are very real experiences. Today we’re going to be talking about the post-holiday aftermath that many of us feel for a myriad of reasons. We are going to cover expectations—unmet and unspoken; the subsequent disappointment which follows and the straight up exhaustion of making Christmas happen for our loved ones. If we don’t pause for a moment following the holidays, we rush headlong into the long winter months with unresolved sadness, which impacts our mental and emotional well-being, making those January blues stronger. Our goal today is to equip you with space to process what happened or didn’t happen, reminders that you are not alone, and practical hope-filled tools to apply to the post-holiday aftermath you may be experiencing. Quotables from the episode: The living room is scattered with wrapping paper, ornaments are askew on the tree, and a fine layer of dust covers everything. Family has wandered off to pursue individual pursuits and you’re sitting alone. You did it. You curated gifts based on personal interests and desires. You planned special meals and made the once-a-year Christmas treats. But now the exhaustion sets in. You wonder if your family appreciates your effort, and you question whether it’s worth it. Crawling into bed and skipping the big family get together later that day sounds great. Instead, you pull yourself up and put another foot in front of the other. “Do the next thing,” you whisper, but wonder if you actually can. Today we are talking about How to Heal from Emotional Burnout and Holiday Exhaustion. Emotional burnout and holiday exhaustion is a real experience that many of us deal with. It can start as early as October or November and lingers into January. I love the reminders in Psalm 46 to be still, but it can be so hard to do. But when I keep reading, I see that knowing God and bringing him glory helps me frame being still inside the comforting knowledge that God is with me through it all. It’s the “all” that trips us up during the holidays. How do we determine how much or how little to do? How do we manage our expectations within the framework of stillness wrapped in God’s presence? One of the contributing factors in emotional exhaustion and holiday burnout comes from a motive to serve others and to create a special experience for them. It’s a good and noble desire to do this. The gift of hospitality, even to our own families, is a special way to show them God’s love. That’s where my desire comes from: I want to show my family love by doing for them. But when we neglect the best thing, we find ourselves running through the holidays in our own strength, which creates emotional burnout and holiday exhaustion. I love the sisters, Mary and Martha, found in Luke 10:38-42. These two women show us how to both serve and be still. I’ve never liked how Martha is shown as wrong and Mary as right. If we take the time to read what Jesus said, we learn there is a good way and a better way. Martha had good motives in serving Jesus and the other guests. In the context of healing from holiday exhaustion and emotional burnout, the desire to create a beautiful holiday experience is a good desire. Martha’s mistake was her unspoken expectation that her sister should be helping her create this amazing experience for the Lord. However, Mary spent her time listening at the feet of Jesus. While it looked like she was doing nothing, she shows us how being still is an active response. Spending time with Jesus is a better desire. It changes us from the inside out. Let’s explore how to hold both the good and the better in the same space and time. I’ve always had mixed feelings when it comes to the account of Mary and Martha. I want to be a Mary, but I definitely relate to Martha’s personally as a get-it-done kind of person. I can’t tell you how often I hear “I don’t know how you do all you do!” And in transparency, for many years, I wore that as a badge of honor, until doing became my downfall. One thing that has always stood out to me in the account of these two sisters is when Scripture says But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. It’s not that what Martha was doing was bad…it just wasn’t the best thing. It’s so easy to set aside our private, personal time with Jesus during the crazy, busy holiday season, and embarrassingly, I have succumbed to that at times. But what you’re saying is that healing from emotional burnout and holiday exhaustion starts with being still with Jesus. It’s within the stillness with Jesus where we can be refreshed and guided for our next thing. We can ask the Holy Spirit to show us where we may have expectations that could lead to disappointment. I must continually remind myself that life is not a movie script, with perfectly plotted responses. There is no call for “Cut!” or “Go again.” Our family members deal with their own internal angsts, expectations, and disappointments, which clash with ours. If we start the day with Jesus and invite him into every part of our day, we can hold the good with the better and reveal both a Martha and a Mary side to our families and ourselves. Unmet expectations (of others and ourselves) can contribute to emotional exhaustion and holiday burnout. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, so we have to be intentional when we want to change course. Addressing expectations by making time with Jesus a priority during the holiday season is vital, but let’s turn our attention to some practical steps. One step we can do post-holiday is to ask our families what traditions or activities are important to them. We may be doing all the things, but maybe we don’t need too. Taking the time to talk about expectations, and adjusting them going forward both helps to heal, and create self-guards going forward. A second aspect that crucial for our healing from emotional exhaustion and holiday burnout is to Create space in your life to rest and recover. There’s no universal required day to take down the decorations and return the gift bags to their storage space. Lay on the couch post-Christmas and New Years. Turn off the lamps and turn on the Christmas lights. Take time to rejoice in Jesus coming to earth for you. Contemplate God with us. Be still and know he is God. Depending on how depleted, fatigued, or burned out you may feel, I would add to that to create a “recovery zone”. Pick a short window every day, even if only 10-20 minutes, where you intentionally do nothing that requires output. Instead, sit with a cozy drink, listen to calm music, step outside for a breath of fresh air. This sends your nervous system the message: “I am safe. I can rest.” The fourth suggestion we have for how to heal from emotional exhaustion and holiday burnout is where we can learn from Mary. I’d suggest a brief post-holiday evaluation can be very helpful by answering two questions. First, What wore you out? Second, What gave you life? Taking the time for a post-holiday evaluation helps heal from emotional burnout and holiday exhaustion because self-reflection helps our brain release what is internally keeping our mind in a state of stress, and is a way to prepare and protect your mental and emotional strength for the next year. This is where we realize where we may have lost sight of “God with us.” It’s easy to keep saying yes and to add more. Some years we have the capacity for a lot and other years we need to scale back. Three of my kids have birthdays in November, January, and February. Reserving energy for their births changed how I did Christmas, from the décor to the gifts to the food. And I discovered an important truth—it’s not so much what we do that makes Christmas special but the who. Who we are with and who we focus on. A fifth tip, which is really important, is to Replenish What Was Depleted. To do this, I would add a third question to the self-evaluation, and that is to ask yourself What did the holidays season drain the most? If it was sleep, commit to earlier nights for a week or two. If it was social energy, block out quiet evenings. If it was finances, enact a low-spend month or two. If it was emotions, journal what you carried and release it to God. We know that the level of emotional exhaustion or holiday burnout is different for everyone, and some years are worse than others, but with a shift in our perspective, a bit of self-reflection, communicating with our family, creating space to rest and recover, and intentionally replenishing what was depleted, we can experience healing from emotional burnout and holiday exhaustion. Scripture References: Psalm 46:11-12 “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Luke 10:38-42 “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Recommended Resources: Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything By Jessica Van Roekel Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Jessica Van Roekel: Website / Instagram / Facebook For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Co-Host: Jessica Van Roekel is a worship leader, speaker, and writer who believes that through Jesus, personal histories don’t need to define the present or determine the future. She inspires, encourages, and equips others to look at life through the lenses of hope, trust, and God’s transforming grace. Jessica lives in rural Iowa surrounded by wide open spaces which remind her of God’s expansive love. She loves fun earrings, good coffee, and connecting with others. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Hey HomeGirls

Sex is one of the most sensitive, and misunderstood, areas of marriage. When intimacy struggles go unspoken, couples often feel alone, ashamed, or disconnected. In Episode 273 of The Family Meeting Podcast, we talk honestly about the real sex struggles married couples face and how to move toward healing, connection, and God-honoring intimacy. This episode addresses issues many couples deal with quietly, including: One spouse wanting sex without emotional connection. A spouse with little or no desire for sex. How poor personal hygiene impacts attraction. Lust, pornography, and masturbation. Unmet sexual expectations and comparison to past relationships. Lingering memories of an ex. Premature ejaculation and performance anxiety. Difficulty climaxing due to overthinking or stress. Low self-esteem and its effect on intimacy. Rather than offering shame or quick fixes, this conversation focuses on understanding the roots, rebuilding emotional safety, and rediscovering intimacy as a gift meant to unite, not divide, married couples. If sex has become a source of tension, avoidance, pressure, or quiet pain in your marriage, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and biblical wisdom to help you take a healthier next step. Subscribe for weekly content to help your marriage, your parenting, and your walk with Christ. Bonus Resource: Send an email to info@familymeeting.org for our Rebuilding Sexual Connection in Marriage. For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting

RELATIONSHIP ACADEMY IS NOW ACCEPTING MEMBERS Free through the end of the year! Get access to courses and live coaching with the hosts. ⁠⁠CLICK HERE TO JOIN This episode explores why affairs happen even among people who genuinely value their relationships and never imagined crossing that line. The hosts break down the emotional, psychological, and relational dynamics that make secrecy, novelty, and unmet needs so compelling. They also examine how betrayal impacts identity, trust, and a couple's shared narrative — and what healing realistically requires. MAIN TALKING POINTS Secrecy & allure Emotional rupture Unmet needs Fantasy vs. reality Identity confusion Rebuilding trust Give Me Discounts! Cozy Earth -  Black Friday has come early! Right now, you can stack my code “IDO” on top of their sitewide sale — giving you up to 40% off in savings. These deals won't last, so start your holiday shopping today! Beducate - Use code relationship69 for 65% off the annual pass. Skylight - Use code “IDO” for $30 off your 15 inch calendar.  Function - 160+ Lab Tests for $365. Amazfit - Use Code “IDO” to get 10% off Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Summary: Christmas is often described as the most wonderful time of the year, but for many, it doesn’t feel that way. Whether because of grief, loneliness, financial strain, or painful memories, the holidays can intensify sadness instead of joy. Today on Your Hope-Filled Perspective, Jessica Van Roekel and I want to talk about what we call a ‘Blue Christmas.’ Together, we’ll explore why it’s important to give ourselves and others permission to grieve during the holiday season, how God meets us in our pain, and ways to navigate December with compassion and hope. Quotables from the episode: For some, Christmas brings laughter, lights, and loved ones. But for others, it’s a season that magnifies loss, heartache, or isolation. If you or someone you know is struggling this Christmas, you’re not alone. On today’s episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, Jessica Van Roekel and I will share how to give space for what we call a ‘Blue Christmas’—a time when we acknowledge that the holidays can be hard, while also discovering God’s gentle presence and the hope He offers, even in the midst of sorrow. I wanted to acknowledge that while Christmas is often referred to the most joyous time of year, it isn’t for everyone, and it’s important for us to acknowledge our thoughts and feelings, but simultaneously continue to put our hope in God. Often, Christmas is portrayed as magical, joyous, and full of peace. But for many, that’s simply not the reality. Grief, depression, loneliness, or broken family relationships can make Christmas feel heavy. And pretending everything is fine when it’s not only deepens the ache. God invites us to bring Him our honest emotions. Think about the Psalms—David poured out his sorrows, and yet found hope in God’s presence. Let’s name some reasons people might struggle at Christmas: Grief from losing a loved one. Family estrangement or broken relationships. Loneliness, especially for singles, widows, or those far from family. Financial hardship that makes gift-giving stressful. Mental health battles like depression or anxiety. Unmet expectations. Christmas can amplify those pains. Lights and carols may remind us of what we don’t have. But Jesus came into a world of darkness. Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” His presence is especially near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). Sometimes we pressure ourselves to “put on a happy face.” But it’s okay to grieve at Christmas. Lament is part of worship. Jesus Himself wept (John 11:35). If the Son of God cried at loss, then tears are holy too. Giving yourself permission to be real is not a lack of faith. We can also set boundaries. Maybe we can’t attend every party. Maybe we create new traditions that feel gentler for our souls this year. Sometimes the best gift is presence, not presents. Just sitting with someone, listening, or sending a simple “thinking of you” note can mean the world. And don’t say, “You should be happy, it’s Christmas.” Instead, validate their feelings. Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Another practical tip—invite them into your traditions in small ways, without pressure. Even a quiet cup of cocoa together can bring comfort. At the heart of Christmas is Emmanuel—God with us. That truth doesn’t change, whether our Christmas is merry or blue. We can both acknowledge sorrow and cling to hope. One way is through Scripture meditation. Even reading Luke 2 slowly and remembering that Christ entered a broken, chaotic world can remind us we’re not alone. Some practical things that help: Create a memory box or light a candle in honor of a loved one. Simplify expectations. You don’t have to do all the traditions. Prioritize rest and self-care. Spend time with safe people who encourage your heart. And when emotions overwhelm, breathe a prayer like: “Lord, hold me in this moment.” God doesn’t require eloquence—He wants our honesty. Friend, if you’re facing a Blue Christmas, know this: You are not broken because you feel sorrow. God sees you, loves you, and promises to draw near. He is “Immanuel—God with us.” That’s the real miracle of Christmas. Whether your Christmas is filled with joy or tears, His presence is your anchor. Scripture References: Psalm 42:11 “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Put your hope in God…” Matthew 1:23 “They will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God with us.’” Ecclesiastes 3:4 “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” Isaiah 9:2 “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” Psalm 34:18 His presence is especially near to the brokenhearted. Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Recommended Resources: Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything By Jessica Van Roekel Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Jessica Van Roekel: Website / Instagram / Facebook For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Co-Host: Jessica Van Roekel is a worship leader, speaker, and writer who believes that through Jesus, personal histories don’t need to define the present or determine the future. She inspires, encourages, and equips others to look at life through the lenses of hope, trust, and God’s transforming grace. Jessica lives in rural Iowa surrounded by wide open spaces which remind her of God’s expansive love. She loves fun earrings, good coffee, and connecting with others. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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We all know communication is key to a healthy marriage—but what if what you think is communication… really isn't? In this solo episode, Dr. Kim unpacks five common habits couples mistake for communication and how these patterns can quietly erode connection over time. Learn how to create safety in your conversations, break unhealthy rhythms from your past, and build new habits that foster real understanding. Because clarity is kind, connection takes intention, and communication is about more than just words—it's about being truly heard.   Episode Highlights: Communication is the number one struggle couples mention in counseling. Talking at someone isn't the same as talking to someone. Unhealthy rhythms stem from our past experiences.  The first step in breaking these patterns is recognizing they are there. Clarity is kind. It's important that both spouses feel safe to hear and be heard. Digital communication cannot replace connection. Daily touch points and weekly check-ins can help combat the negative rhythms.    Quotes from Today's Episode: When couples say they can't communicate, what they mean is "we can't connect." We tend to overestimate how well we communicate. We think our spouse should just know what we want to say. Silence communicates rejection and punishment. Your spouse can't read your mind. Unmet expectations are just resentments waiting to happen. Sarcasm is a shield that prevents real intimacy. Use technology to enhance communication not to replace it. Don't wait for problems to arise before you communicate. Pause before you react. James 1:19 that's countercultural advice in a world that rewards quick comeback and hot takes but it's exactly what healthy communication looks like.   Couple's Conversation Starters: Which of the "five things that aren't really communication" do we each tend to slip into most often, and how can we help each other recognize it with grace? When was the last time one of us felt unheard or misunderstood, and what could we do differently next time to make both of us feel safe to share honestly? How can we build more intentional rhythms of connection—like daily touch points or weekly check-ins—to keep our communication strong and consistent?   Mentioned in this Episode: Awesome Marriage is on Instagram! If Communication is a struggle in your marriage, check out this free webinar: 7 Communication Mistakes Couples Make In Marriage We gathered all 685 answers, organized them into the top 10 themes, and added 1 practical step for each theme so husbands can better meet their wife's needs.

Friendship When Expectations Unmet Gen 14:11-24 Jeremiah Morris

It doesn't start with scandal. It often doesn't even start with feelings. It starts with a smile. A moment of connection. A conversation that feels easy—maybe easier than the ones you've been having at home. You walk away thinking, That was nothing. But somewhere deep down, you also know—it could become something. If that's where you find yourself today (or even if you've seen the warning signs in someone you love), please take a deep breath. You're not broken. You didn't marry the wrong person. You haven't done an irredeemable thing with no going back. You're human. And this conversation is meant to bring you hope, not shame. In my conversation with Gary Thomas today—pastor and bestselling author of Sacred Marriage—he shared that when a group of wives was asked "How many times do you think a married man has had extramarital feelings for someone?", they all responded with zero. When he asked the same question to a group of husbands, they all said somewhere from 4 to 6. What we are saying is that attraction and feelings for someone other than your spouse are not often talked about, but are pretty common- for both husbands and wives. And we believe that bringing this into the light will take some of the shame off of these feelings and also help people not to go down a road they think has no return. Gary Thomas on Attraction and Integrity Gary has been married for over 40 years, and he's seen a lot—as a pastor, counselor, and husband. He told me, “The reason we make a commitment is because we know there will always be another person who draws us for a moment. Commitment means we already know what to do with it—and what not to do with it.” We don't often talk about attraction outside of marriage unless it's already turned into an affair. But Gary's heart is to normalize awareness before it becomes destruction. In our talk, Gary referenced a romantic comedy movie where a married bus driver begins to become attracted to a girl on a bicycle. Finally, a friend of the bus driver gently confronts him and says: “There will always be a girl on the bicycle.” In other words, there will always be someone who catches your eye. The key isn't pretending that will never happen—it's learning how to respond when it does. Gary reminded me that having an attraction isn't the sin. Entertaining it is. The feelings themselves don't make you unfaithful—they make you human. But where you let those feelings go next? That's where faithfulness begins. The Subtle Steps Toward an Affair Gary shared that most affairs don't start with a dramatic choice—they start with small, quiet ones. Little compromises that feel “innocent.” He shared with a story of a woman who did end up having a physical affair. She recounted that it wasn't just one day to the next, but that there were actually several steps that happened before they were physically intimate. She shares that she could have turned back at any of these step, had she known before. She also shares the grief after it was all done at waking up to "just a dude in her bed"– not the escape or rescue or romance the temptation had promised. Here are the steps she shared and the pattern Gary's seen over and over again: You share marriage frustrations with someone of the opposite sex. You sense a spark—and feel seen or understood. You start caring how you look around them. You think about them when they're not around. That's the prelude. It doesn't feel dangerous yet, but it's where hearts begin to shift. Gary said, “If you can recognize it early, you can stop it before it ever grows.” From there, people will often begin to have an emotional affair:      5. You fantasize about being together.      6. Manipulating circumstances to spend more time together.      7. You start playful banter or flirtation.      8. Friends notice—and ask what's going on. This is a wake-up call. Gary said, “If people around you see it, something's already happening.” They're seeing what your heart is trying not to admit. Then, comes the actual physical affair:     9. Meeting together in secrecy.     10. Texting or calling in ways you hide from your spouse.     11. Physical intimacy. This is the final step—but it's never the first. We don't share this to shame. Maybe you've already partaken in some of these steps. We share because it is not too late to turn back. Gary said, “If you know the steps, you can stop at any one of them." When You Have Extramarital Feelings, Here's What to Do If you do end up experiencing feelings or attraction for someone other than your spouse—don't panic. Don't spiral into guilt. Instead, bring it into the light. Tell a trusted, godly friend of your same sex. Talk to your spouse if it's wise to do so. And most importantly—talk to Jesus. Ask Him to help you see the truth: that this isn't love, it's a lure. Temptation often feels like relief at first—but always ends in ruin. Then, put up strong, unapologetic guardrails: Stop all unnecessary contact with that person. Don't text, call, or “just check in.” If you work together, keep everything professional and public. And don't justify emotional intimacy as “just friendship.” And when your spouse asks you to stop interacting with that person, don't respond with pride. See that they are feeling threatened and care for them deeply in that. As Gary said, “You can't make your wife (or husband) feel cherished if you're protecting a relationship that threatens them.” What Makes Us Vulnerable to Affairs Gary also reminded me that temptation doesn't appear out of nowhere—it finds cracks that already exist. Stress. Loneliness. Unmet needs. Disappointment. He said, “There was a time early in my marriage when everything felt like failure—our baby cried constantly, money was tight, and I felt like I couldn't get anything right. So when someone made me feel ‘perfect,' it was intoxicating.” Can't we all relate to that in some way? When life feels heavy, a moment of admiration feels like oxygen. But the healing you're seeking isn't found in a new connection—it's found in deeper connection at home and with the Lord. But that's why we must run to the right source for validation. Your worth isn't in who smiles at you—it's in the God who delights in you.That's right. Not a perfect wife who is doing the perfect things, or a perfect husband who is saying the perfect words. But the Lord who is constant. Guarding Your Heart and Protecting Your Marriage Let Gary's wisdom anchor you: “Be as faithful to your spouse as God is faithful to you. Be as committed to your marriage as Christ is committed to His Church.” That kind of faithfulness isn't built on fear—it's built on love. When you keep Jesus at the center, attraction loses its power and intimacy becomes holy again. So today, ask yourself: What boundaries do I need to strengthen? Where have I let my guard down? And how can I draw closer—to Jesus and to my spouse—starting now? Again, we don't share this to frighten or shame. We are sharing to let you know that if you've had feelings for someone other than your spouse- you are not alone. You are not dirty, you are not broken. It doesn't mean you married the wrong person and it doesn't mean this new person is your soulmate. It means there was attraction and you are human. That is it. We love you and we are rooting for you!   Blessings, The Delight Your Marriage Team   PS - Want to bring our material to your churches? Check out delightyourmarriage.com/ipt to learn more about our In-Person Trainings and our January pilot programs! PPS - Ready to take the next step for yourself? Schedule a free Clarity Call with one of our Advisors at delightyourmarriage.com/cc. PPPS - Here's what one of our recent graduates had to say about our program: "My wife and I were roommates at best. I felt that she only wanted me around for a paycheck and to take care of the house. When we had sex it was duty sex where she wasn't present and there was no connection. I hated myself but I was wanting to cheat on her just to feel wanted and desired...[Now,] I have learned about how I was causing problems and putting way too much pressure on my wife...if I am not cheering her on, who is?  The truth was no one was, no wonder she was depressed, withdrawn, and suicidal.  I would be too. I now take pride in knowing that God entrusted her to me to lift her up, cheer her on, show her how good she is, encourage her, listen to her, and cherish her so she can grow...[Recently,] she told our daughters to move because she wanted to sit by me during movie night.  She has taken steps towards intimacy with me on her own without me pressuring her." #marriagepodcast #marriedlife #marriageadvice

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It's not easy to put your finger on the problem, until you figure it out, and then it becomes obvious. We're exhausted by the constant stream of BS and gaslighting coming from every area of life; politics, business, and culture.  We want the truth, and we can handle the truth. George G digs into our collective frustration, and talks about the way out of it and back to real, sincere conversation and discourse! You can learn more about us at LifeBlood.Live, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook or you'd like to be a guest on the show, contact us at contact@LifeBlood.Live.  Stay up to date by getting our monthly updates. Want to say “Thanks!” You can buy us a cup of coffee. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeblood Get your copy of The Purpose Book here: https://amzn.to/47Y2u98  You can get a free digital download of The Purpose Book here: https://moneyalignmentacademy.thinkific.com/enroll/2554435?price_id=3360279  Get our monthly updates here: https://george-grombacher.aweb.page/ Thanks, as always for listening! If you got some value and enjoyed the show, please leave us a review here: ​​https://ratethispodcast.com/lifebloodpodcast You can learn more about us at LifeBlood.Live, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook or you'd like to be a guest on the show, contact us at contact@LifeBlood.Live.  Stay up to date by getting our monthly updates. Want to say “Thanks!” You can buy us a cup of coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lifeblood Copyright LifeBlood 2025.

In today's episode, we have the pleasure to interview Rick Walker, author of 9 Steps to Build a Life of Meaning: How to Unlock Your Mind, Happiness, Power, and Your Enemies' Demise.Rick is a high-impact founder, philosopher, and private equity leader who built a 400-person company by age 26, scaled a 2,000+ team member nonprofit across 53 countries, and helped bring $5 billion in capital investment to his hometown. He's advised billionaires, met privately with a U.S. President, and draws his insights from a lifetime of studying ancient texts, world religions, and strategic leadership.In this episode, you'll learn how to escape a life of comfort that's killing your potential, why choosing a worthy enemy is the fastest way to unlock purpose, and what it truly takes to sacrifice the present to win the future.We hope you enjoy this incredible conversation with Rick Walker.To Learn More about Rick and buy his book visit: The Book: https://a.co/d/flqGgNfWebsite/Socials: https://rickwalker.com/https://twitter.com/RickWalkerTXhttps://www.facebook.com/RickWalkerTXhttps://www.youtube.com/@rickwalkertxhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rickwalkertx/Chapters: 0:00 Intro0:48 Men rarely value what they don't earn3:35 Victimhood & what you attract5:41 Wisdom is trading short term discomfort for long term gain9:08 Choosing a worthy enemy to fight12:14 Regret as an enemy15:32 Your attention is a form of love17:51 Priorities and saying no21:06 Unmet potential as an enemy to fight23:12 Rick's morning routine & habit system27:12 Wisdom that stands the passing of time33:08 Stories on doing what is right39:05 A warrior in a garden vs A gardener in war41:38 Having something to fight for as a country47:33 Where to connnect with Rick49:08 Hope threatens the world's threats50:01 Rick's book recs & biggest mentors________________________________________________Join the world's largest non-fiction Book community!https://www.instagram.com/bookthinkers/The purpose of this podcast is to connect you, the listener, with new books, new mentors, and new resources that will help you achieve more and live better. Each and every episode will feature one of the world's top authors so that you know each and every time you tune-in, there is something valuable to learn. If you have any recommendations for guests, please DM them to us on Instagram. (www.instagram.com/bookthinkers)If you enjoyed this show, please consider leaving a review. It takes less than 60-seconds of your time, and really makes a difference when I am trying to land new guests. For more BookThinkers content, check out our Instagram or our website. Thank you for your time!

This week in our IN the Scriptures episode Clare Dalton and Hannah Bryan discuss Doctrine and Covenants 94-108. These sections outline the intense persecution of the early Church members living in Missouri. As a transgender woman, Hannah has faced violence in her own life that mirrors that experiences of the early Saints.Clare and Hannah dive into the formation of the United Firm and Zion's Camp. These groups faced challenges and didn't achieve every purpose they set out to do—reminders that not all of God's promises are fulfilled right away or how we expect.

Unmet expectations can quietly drain your energy, distort your focus, and damage your relationships. In this episode, we explore a better way to confront and resolve them—before they grow into something bigger.

Send us a textHave you ever been in a wilderness season for an extended period of time? I'm in one now, and Jamie MacDonald's song Desperate resonated deeply with me. When we explore the stories of desperate people in Scripture, we find that God consistently shows up in powerful ways. This week, we follow the example of one such person—the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings—and discover how faith-fueled contentment can coexist with crisis.Scripture References2 Kings 4:8-37Key PointsDesperation comes in many forms. Scripture reveals both positive and negative responses to desperation—such as the woman with the issue of blood versus Esau trading his birthright for a bowl of stew.Faith-fueled contentment is not denial. The Shunammite woman's “all is well” was not a pep talk—it was a declaration rooted in deep faith.Desperation doesn't have to drive you from God—it can drive you to Him. In her moment of crisis, the Shunammite woman didn't send word—she went to the prophet herself and clung to his feet.Unmet desires don't negate contentment. Even though she didn't ask for a son, the longing was still there—and God met it. But when the promise seemed lost, she chose action rooted in belief.Observing biblical narrative carefully leads to powerful insight. Repetition, character details, and implied time gaps all deepen our understanding of the text and help us engage more fully.Bible Interaction Tool Exercises (BITEs) UsedRead in context – Engage with the full narrative in 2 Kings 4:8-37.Repetition – Read and re-read the passage to become familiar with the details.Make observations – Write down what you notice in the text.Use your imagination – Picture the setting and feel the emotions in the scene.Define words – Look up and explore both meanings and antonyms.Consider the opposite – What does it mean not to be desperate? What does contentment look like?Use the SPECK method: S – Is there a sin to avoid?P – Is there a promise revealed?E – Is there an example to follow?C – Is there a command to obey?K – What should I know about God?Additional ResourcesLyrics and chords - New Release TodayMy friend Denise Pass's book Make Up Your Mind and her speaking live on the Shunammite woman has informed this episode - link to Make Up Your MindFree Episode Guide Logos Bible Software Affiliate Link resources - Logos Bible Software Affiliate LinkThis Week's ChallengeRead this narrative for yourself in 2 Kings 4:8-37. Give yourself permission to slow down and imagine the details (written, implied, and in between the lines). Read this narrative repetitively and talk about it with a friend. Make some observations and write them down. Then consider what you've observed in the Shunammite woman that can serve as an example for your life and respond accordingly. If you'd like a guide to walk you through this, download the free episode guPurchase your copy of A Seat at the Table today! Change your music. Change your life. Join my free 30-Day Music Challenge. CLICK HERE.

How does expectation affect our relationship with Jesus Christ? Sister Courtney Rich explores the healing nature of the Savior's Atonement. She discusses healing anxiety, depression, the importance of commitment through difficulties and the personal nature of Jesus Christ's Atonement.SHOW NOTES/TRANSCRIPTSEnglish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC216ENFrench: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC216FRGerman: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC216DEPortuguese: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC216PTSpanish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC216ESYOUTUBEhttps://youtu.be/PKs6TpKy6bAALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTESfollowHIM website: https://www.followHIMpodcast.comFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookWEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletterSOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE00:00 - Part 1 - Sister Courtney Rich01:45 Sister Rich's childhood Easter memories3:00 Bio of Courtney Rich07:19 Come, Follow Me Manual09:13 The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a personal experience10:28 Throwing mom under the bus14:42 “Death makes us all children again”16:13 Reasons to love Mary Magdalene21:02 Unmet expectations23:13 How can we forget?28:19 Forever changed through waiting on the Lord30:53 Stay, seek, and make cake32:55 Jesus never turns away37:56 He knows you41:11 He is there, we just don't see Him42:10 The Road to Emmaus44:11 Unmet expectations48:21 We knew it was Him all along52:18 A Book of Evidences56:15 Jesus exceeds expectations57:43 - End of Part I - Sister Courtney RichThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesJamie Neilson: Social Media, Graphic DesignWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications Director"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com