3 Tips to Navigating Holiday Stress with Ease and Connection

12/10/24 • 29 min

Marriage and Intimacy Tips for Christian Couples: Secrets of Happily Ever After

Want to navigate this holiday season with ease and connection rather than stress and conflict?
Join Nate Bagley and I as we discuss the complicated dynamics of holiday traditions, family gatherings, and the financial strain that often accompanies this joyous time. We offer insights into recognizing stress indicators in ourselves and our relationships—like emotional reactivity and perfectionism—and provide you with practical strategies to shift from a season of obligation to one filled with genuine joy and happiness.
We talk about the importance of communication and planning to ease holiday tensions. Especially the importance of setting clear expectations for events, aligning on gift-giving preferences, and updating traditions to reflect shared family values. Nate and I swap personal stories and strategies on budgeting and creating thoughtful gift lists, emphasizing how these approaches can help maintain harmony. By focusing on what truly matters, we want to help you in transform holiday chaos into a time of meaningful connection with loved ones.
Finally, we bring in the transformative power of gratitude. Discover how a shift in perspective can turn holiday stress into moments of magic. We share heartfelt stories about our own experiences of staying positive amid daily challenges, illustrating how gratitude can be a powerful, cost-free tool to uplift your spirits.
Make sure you tune in and try these 3 tips for improving your connection with your Sweetheart this holiday season and let us know which ones worked best for you!

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Previous Episode

Parenting and Partnership Adventures and an Announcement

Are you ready for a BIG Announcement and fun surprise?
Introducing my new co-host, Nate Bagley. Listen in as we reminisce about our first meeting at a Tennessee marketing conference and how his work with marriage legands like John and Julie Gottman first piqued my interest.
Nate shares his experiences as his life took an unexpected turn during the pandemic. Nate and his wife made the bold decision to relocate to Costa Rica for a period of time and learned so much there. Hear Nate's heartfelt reflections on prioritizing his marriage amidst the chaos of a world-wide pandemic and his growing family.
Parenting is a world unto itself, filled with both tender moments and unimaginable pressures. Hear the secret behind Nate's pink fingernails to the warmth of family traditions that make parenting rewarding. I share my woes about kids growing up and leaving home and we conclude that we must cherish every precious moment and show up for our marriage and family first and foremost.
We are excited to share more great content with you as this season of the Secrets of Happily Ever After Podast unfolds!!!

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Next Episode

How to Plan a Year-End Trip to Set Yourself Up for a More Passionate Connection in 2025

After returning from a rejuvenating, phone-free escape to Cancun with my husband, I'm back with insights on how to create a year-end wrap-up experience. Joined by my faithful co-host, Nate Bagley, we share how undivided attention can transform your partnership, even if a luxury getaway isn't in the cards this year.
Discover creative ways to carve out meaningful moments at home or on a simple staycation, ensuring that no barrier, whether financial or logistical, stands in the way of bonding with your partner. Plus, learn more about an exciting class coming up on January 7th that promises to help couples reflect on the past year and strategize for the future.
In this episode, we discuss ways to set relationship goals, tackle conflicts, and prepare for an end-of-year meeting that sets the stage for a thriving new year together.
Goal setting in relationships can be a double-edged sword, offering both opportunities for growth and potential pitfalls. In our conversation, we unpack the nuances of sharing goals and holding each other accountable, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and boundaries. Whether you're using apps, coaches, or each other for support, knowing how to strike the right balance is key.
As the year wraps up, we encourage you to conduct a year-end review with your partner to ensure a harmonious start to 2025. We will take a brief break for the holidays, returning on New Year's Eve to explore the differences between a mediocre marriage and a passionate one.
In our conversation, Nate refered to several books on marriage that he has read. Here are links to them on Amazon if you want to check them out.
Want to attend my webclass all about Setting Goals as a Couple and Making 2025 your BEST Year Yet? Use this link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/plan-for-relationship-success-in-2025-tickets-1115977291119?aff=oddtdtcreator
The All Or Nothing Marriage by: Eli Finkle
Everything Isn't Terrible by: Kathleen Smith
What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love and Marriage by: Amy Sutherland

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Marriage and Intimacy Tips for Christian Couples: Secrets of Happily Ever After - 3 Tips to Navigating Holiday Stress with Ease and Connection

Transcript

Speaker 100:00:00.059

Hey , hey , everyone , welcome back to the Secrets of Happily Ever After . I'm your host , monica Tanner , and I'm super excited to be sitting down with my friend , nate Bagley , today , and we are gonna be talking about a topic that I know is kind of up front in everybody's mind , and that is how to navigate the stress of the holidays , maybe without killing your partner .