Blended Family Breakthrough – Details, episodes & analysis

Resources

Episode 200.  A Heart-to-Heart Conversation Exploring the Secrets to Lasting Love

Episode 165. How important is your mindset when it comes to blended family life?

Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question  

Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show?  Let us know!

We've made it easy.  Just click here:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/share

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/free-call

Subscribe or Follow the Show 

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet?  If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.  

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us read too! :-)  Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is.  Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

Can you believe it? We’ve made it to our 200th episode! 🎉 We’re so thankful for your support and excited to celebrate with a heart-to-heart conversation. 

Today, we’re diving into the topic of marriage wellness and how generosity can create a foundation for lasting love.  Throughout our candid conversation, we openly assess our marriage and identify areas where we can grow and improve.

Inspired by The Go-Giver Marriage by John and Ana Mann, we explore what it means to be intentional in your relationship. We'll uncover the secrets to lasting love and share personal stories, lessons from our own journey, and practical insights into how generosity plays a vital role in marriage. 

Whether you’re thriving or facing struggles, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable steps to strengthen your bond. 

What You’ll Learn:

• The importance of spoken appreciation in creating connection.
• How attending to your partner’s needs can strengthen intimacy.
• Why allowing your partner to “be” is essential for trust and safety.
• How belief in your partner can fuel their growth—and yours.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Go-Giver Marriage book by John and Ana Mann
• Click here to schedule your Free Blended Family Coaching Session with Mike & Kim

Actionable Takeaways:

1. Start a daily appreciation practice: Share one specific and spoken compliment or thank-you with your partner each day.
2. Notice and act on your partner’s needs: Pay attention to what they need emotionally or physically, and take small steps to support them.
3. Assess your relationship energy: Reflect on the energy you bring to your interactions. Are you supportive, kind, and patient?
4. Communicate belief: Verbalize your faith in your partner’s abilities and character regularly.
5. Focus on personal growth: Choose one area where you can grow, and take intentional steps to improve.

Don’t Miss Out:

Be sure to follow the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss next week’s bonus episode, where we reveal the fifth secret to lasting love!

Thanks for celebrating this milestone episode with us!

Are you ready to join the Blending Together Community?  Click this link:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/blendingtogether

Resources

Episode 195. Connecting with Kim's HARD Child - Facing the Challenges of Parental Alienation 

Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question  

Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show?  Let us know!

We've made it easy.  Just click here:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/share

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence, and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/free-call

Subscribe or Follow the Show 

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet?  If not, we want to encourage you to do that today so you don't miss a single episode.  

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us to read too! :-)  Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is.  Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

We all want to enjoy the holiday season with our family — without experiencing tension, disappointment or conflict. 

Managing all the complexities of blended family life can be overwhelming around the holidays.  You're merging two family cultures with different ideas about how the holiday season should look…

…kids might be looking forward to experiencing past family traditions that are still meaningful to them.  On the other hand, adults are focused on creating a whole new experience around holiday festivities.

This can lead to unmet expectations, hurt feelings and disconnection — which is  the opposite of what you really want for your family.

In this episode, you'll discover how to honor the history of your kids, while creating new traditions and a shared history that's practical and meaningful to everyone — without getting overwhelmed!

You'll Discover:

• A healthy mindset to reduce anxiety and pressure
• A practical framework to use while making decisions around holiday traditions and activities
• Why it's important to honor the history and preferences of each family member
• How to let go of unrealistic expectations
• Creative ways to start some meaningful, new family traditions

Resources from this Episode:

• Episode 70. 5 Simple Ingredients for Healthy Tech Habits with Your Kids
• Episode 118. Meaningful Insights & Practical Strategies to Help Your Blended Family Navigate Holiday Challenges
• Episode 10:  8 Practical Tips for a Successful Holiday Season
• Episode 148. 5 Tips to Negotiate Holiday Plans and Avoid Scheduling Conflicts with the Ex
• Episode 71. How to Help Kids Cope with Painful Holiday Disappointment 
• Episode 84. How to Cope with Sadness, Anxiety and Longing While Your Kids are Gone
• Blog Article:  Blended Family Holiday Blues:  3 Tips for When You're Missing Your Kids
• Episode 83. 4 Everyday Favoritism Traps that Dishearten Kids in a Blended Family
• Episode 12:  4 Meaningful Mindsets for Budgeting Your Happy Holiday
• Resource for Fun, Festive Activities, Ideas and Traditions:  imom website

 Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Are you ready to join the Blending Together Community?  Click this link:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/blendingtogether

Resources for this Simple Step

Episode 41. Are You Unintentionally Putting Your Kids in the Middle?
 
Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question

Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show?  Let us know!

We've made it easy.  Just click here:  https://www.mikeandkimcoaching.com/share

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Subscribe or Follow the Show 

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet?  If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.  

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us read too! :-)  Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is.  Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

Isn't there just something fun and exciting about the Holidays?  

It seems to be a time of excitement and high hopes for family "togetherness".  You probably want to plan fun, festive activities so that you're able to enjoy memorable moments with your kids.

But to make all that fun happen, you might need to negotiate a few logistics with your former spouse…

…which could lead to stress and conflict — YUCK!

We hear you and have been there more times than we've wanted to be.  

Yet, over the years we've discovered 5 practical tips that can reduce the headaches and avoid the heartaches that often come when negotiations break down.

If you're anticipating changes to the visitation schedule this holiday season, don't procrastinate!  We'll help you navigate the negotiations so they don't rob your joy.  

Hop into this episode to discover how you can approach negotiations well and enjoy more peace this Holiday Season! 

You'll Discover:

• 5 tips for negotiating schedule changes with your former spouse that can increase cooperation and ease tension 
• How to stay focused on what's best for the kids and set them up for a peaceful Holiday Season 
• Practical strategies for responding to your child's disappointment when they miss an activity
• Simple thoughts for managing your own emotions when things don't go as planned 

Resources from this Episode:

• Episode 67. The Best Co-Parenting Strategy That You Already Know
• Episode 112. 3 Dangerous Dynamics That Can Destroy Co-Parenting - And Hurt the Kids
• Episode 113. How to Respond When Being Disregarded, Devalued or Dismissed by Your Former Spouse
• Episode 135. How to Set Appropriate Boundaries and Negotiate Well with Your Ex-Spouse 
• Episode 33. How to Cope with a Difficult Ex and Protect Your Kids
• Episode 31. 3 Unexpected Ways to Improve How You Cope with Your Ex
• Episode 71. How to Help Kids Cope with Painful Holiday Disappointment
• Episode 84. How to Cope with sadness, anxiety and longing while your kids are gone

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesessio 

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

We would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too.   Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is.  Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

Are you ready to join the Blending Together Community?  Click this link:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/blendingtogether

Resources From This Episode:

Episode 36. How to Change Your "Stories" and Grow Connection with Special Guest Mark Warren 

Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question  

Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show?  Let us know!

We've made it easy.  Just click here:  https://www.mikeandkimcoaching.com/share

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Subscribe or Follow the Show 

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet?  If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.  

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us read too! :-)  Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is.  Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

Have you ever felt like you got stuck in a difficult conversation before it even got started?

You know that feeling — like this is going downhill fast and you just don't know how it got so heated and emotionally-charged so fast.

We've experienced this kind of interaction hundreds (maybe thousands) of times over the years!  Those are the moments we feel disconnected and divided.  And we're left wondering how we'll ever be able to talk about sensitive topics and work through problems.

But almost 12 years ago, Mike kinda stumbled across a communication strategy in a training where he worked.  It was a simple little framework for getting a difficult conversation started without kicking off defensiveness and anger.

As we both started learning this framework together, it was amazing how much better our communication became.  We were able to learn how to navigate the critical first 30 seconds of a difficult conversation well and after a bit of practice we were able to communicate on a whole new level.

We're sharing that simple little framework today on the podcast because we want you to experience that same transformation in your communication.

The truth is, communication is a skill and we can all get better at it. 

You'll Discover:

• The 'Hazardous Half Minute' of a conversation that can set you up for disaster OR success
• A simple 3-step framework to positively influence communication around sensitive topics and help you work through touchy issues

Resources from this Episode:

• Book:  Crucial Conversations
• Episode 35:  Are You Controlling Conflict or is Conflict Controlling You?

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Subscribe or Follow the Show 

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet?  If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.  

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us read too! :-)  Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is.  Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

Are you ready to join the Blending Together Community?  Click this link:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/blendingtogether

Suggest a Topic or Ask a Question  

Would you like us to discuss something specific or answer your question on the show?  Let us know!

We've made it easy.  Just click here:  https://www.mikeandkimcoaching.com/share

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Subscribe or Follow the Show 

Are you subscribed or following the podcast yet?  If not, we want to encourage you do that today so you don't miss a single episode.  

Click here to subscribe in Apple Podcasts

Click here to follow on Spotify

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us read too! :-)  Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and then select “Write a Review” — let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is.  Thank you, we really appreciate your feedback!

Do you remember that vibrant sense of friendship you had early on in your relationship?  It was a strong connection and it created this pull toward each other that was almost irresistible.

But somewhere amid the crazy schedules, complex relationships, and differences of perspective, maybe you feel more like business partners or roommates these days.  Or worse yet, battling foes rather than friends.

If you can relate to any of that (or if you want to avoid getting to that point) — this episode is for you!

The truth is, we all need to experience genuine friendship with our partner.

But when the common stress and busy-ness of blended family life hits, it's easy to deprioritize your friendship — or even neglect it altogether.

When that happens, the closeness you once enjoyed begins to wane and you slowly begin feeling disconnected from one another.  

But that doesn't have to be you.  It's time to get intentional about growing and maintaining your friendship and focus on rekindling genuine connection in your relationship.

In this episode, we'll share how a challenging season in our journey led to an 'easy wrong turn' that unintentionally slid our marriage to the back burner and we ended up losing friendship for a while — it was pretty sad.

We'll also share some specific steps we took to revive our friendship and save our marriage — even when we didn't like each other very much.

You'll Discover:

• Why friendship is so important in marriage
• The most common 'easy wrong turns' couples make that can dissolve their friendship and their connection
• Practical steps you can take to grow and maintain your friendship — or rekindle it

Resources from this Episode:

• Episode 79. 4 Conflict Communication Patterns that are Hurtful and Toxic to Your Relationship
• Episode 98. Is Fear of Being Vulnerable Keeping You From Loving Your Spouse Wholeheartedly
•  Episode 129. What Does It Take to Build and Maintain Trust in Your Relationship
• Episode 123. How to Connect More and Rekindle Romance in Your Relationship - Even If Your Super Busy 
• Episode 78. Cultivating More Passion, Intimacy and Commitment in Your Marriage
• Article from The Gottman Institute:  F is for Friendship
• Book from The Gottman Institute:  Eight Dates

Ready for some extra support?

We all need some extra support along the blending journey — we're here to help.  You can connect with us for a free coaching call to see how we might help you experience more clarity, confidence and connection in your home.  Schedule your free call here:  https://calendly.com/mikeandkimcoaching/freesession

Leave a Review in Apple Podcasts

If you’re feeling extra helpful, we would be so grateful if you left us a review over on Apple Podcasts too. Your review will help others find our podcast — plus they’re fun for us read too! :-)  Just click here to Review, select “Ratings and

Are you ready to join the Blending Together Community?  Click this link:  https://www.blendedfamilybreakthrough.com/blendingtogether