After nearly a year away... we’re back.

The last year tested us.

Family challenges.

Business pressure.

Financial stress.

Long stretches where nothing seemed to move forward.

In this episode, we talk about where we’ve been and what it took to stay connected when things got hard.

Most people start a new year by trying to add more.

More habits.

More goals.

More pressure.

That usually doesn’t work.

Real growth starts somewhere else.

It starts by cutting away what no longer serves you.

We use a simple plant story to explain why dead branches drain energy, even when you don’t notice it.

And why removing them creates space for new growth.

We talk about distraction.

Social media.

Comparison.

Why men and women struggle with it in different ways.

And how it quietly damages focus, confidence, and intimacy.

We also share the four simple games that helped us reconnect during our hardest season.

They’re easy to use.

They don’t require fixing each other.

They help people feel seen, heard, and appreciated again.

If you’ve had a tough year.

If you feel distracted or disconnected.

If you want 2026 to feel different.

This episode is for you.

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CHAPTERS:

00:00 – We’re Back: Where We’ve Been

02:30 – The Hard Year No One Talks About

05:10 – Business, Family, and Survival Mode

08:20 – Seasons in Relationships

11:00 – The Plant That Looked Dead

14:10 – Why Cutting Back Creates Growth

17:30 – When to Cut vs When to Keep Watering

19:10 – Why Adding More Usually Fails

20:30 – Social Media and the Comparison Trap

23:50 – Why AI Makes This Even Worse

26:30 – The Male vs Female Distraction Problem

31:40 – The Woman in the Red Dress (Matrix Analogy)

33:50 – Why Distraction Kills Intimacy

36:40 – Boundaries, Trust, and Eyegate Control

41:20 – How Men and Women Are Driven Differently

46:10 – Misunderstanding, Resentment, and Repair

49:00 – The Secret Relationship Games

52:10 – Game 1: Tell Me a Secret

55:20 – Game 2: Toot Your Horn

58:40 – Game 3: I’m Aware

01:02:30 – Game 4: I Give You Permission

01:05:10 – What to Cut Before 2026

01:06:30 – Final Thoughts and New Year Message