We talk a lot about the Origins Protocol—how our childhood shapes our reactions. There is no greater time for "Origin" stuff to pop up than when you are back around the people you grew up with! Holidays can be amazing, but they can also be triggering. You might feel like a teenager again around your parents, or feel old insecurities flaring up. Watch for your internal "Check Engine Light." - Is your chest tight? - Are you snapping at your kids/spouse? - Do you feel the urge to shut down or run away? These are signals that you are flooded. Do not try to resolve conflict when you are flooded. If the light comes on, take a "Time Out." Go to the bathroom, step outside for fresh air, or offer to run a quick errand. Regulate your nervous system before you engage. A 10-minute break can save the whole day. Application Question: What is your "go-to" move to calm down when you feel stress rising? (Deep breaths? A walk? Prayer?)

It’s easy to see what’s wrong. The house is messy, the schedule is tight, the relationship feels distant, or the budget is strained. Our brains are actually wired to look for threats and problems—it’s a survival mechanism! But to thrive, we have to retrain our brains. This is where Gratitude comes in. Gratitude isn't about pretending hard things aren't happening. You might be in a season of heavy grief or marital uncertainty right now. Gratitude doesn't invalidate that pain. Instead, it widens your view to include the grace that is also present. When we practice gratitude, we are telling our brains: "Yes, this is hard, BUT there is also good." It shifts the atmosphere of your heart, and often, the atmosphere of your home. The Challenge: For the next 4 days, try the "3 Things" practice. Before you go to sleep, find 3 specific things from the day you are grateful for. Dig deep. Not just "food and shelter," but "the way the sun hit the table" or "a moment of laughter amidst the stress." Application Question: Let’s practice right now. Drop ONE specific thing you are grateful for today in the comments.

Fighting About Your Marriage More Than Enjoying It? Me too. Until I discovered the simple system I'm sharing in today's workshop recording. - No more walking on eggshells - No more same fights on repeat - No more feeling like roommates Any couple can use this approach to create the connection they actually want. I'll be showing you how Sean and Mindy used it to go from signed divorce papers to what they call an "11 out of 10 marriage." During the workshop, you'll also see some eye-opening "Behind The Scenes" stuff like: • Why most marriage advice doesn't work (it treats symptoms, not the disease) • How their "perfect" date nights almost destroyed their connection completely • Why what you DON'T say matters more than what you do say • The rule about how many times you need to feel safe before you can actually connect The recording is only available for 5 days, then it's gone forever. Because here's what I know... If you're reading this, you're probably tired of pretending everything's fine when it's not. Tired of those Sunday night disconnects where you both just... exist in the same house. Tired of wondering when you stopped being best friends and became polite strangers. This system changes all of that. Not because it's magic. Because it actually works. Comment "WORKSHOP" below and I'll send you the link. P.S. - One woman said: "I finally stopped trying to fix my husband and started working on me. That's when everything shifted." You'll hear her full story in the recording.

One of the most important principles in our SEA Change Method is "S" for Self-Awareness. And at the core of self-awareness is a simple, powerful truth: You can't fix what you can't feel. But many of us get stuck because we don't have the right words. Most of us grew up with a few basic emotions: "Happy," "Sad," and "Mad". The problem is, "Mad" is a huge, blunt instrument. - Are you "mad" or are you "frustrated"? - Are you "mad" or are you "displeased"? - Are you "mad" or are you "irate" or "furious"? As we always say, "words mean things". The difference between "frustrated" and "furious" is massive. One means you've hit a roadblock; the other means you're in a full-blown crisis. If you tell your spouse, "I'm mad," they have no idea what level of problem they're dealing with. But if you can pause and say, "I'm feeling frustrated because I feel stuck," that gives you and your partner a specific problem to solve. This is why emotional intelligence is so critical—it's the ability to understand and manage your own emotions so you can communicate effectively. This is why we created the "Catalog of Emotions". It's not a test. It's a tool to help you get more precise. When you can name your feeling with accuracy, you move from being reactive to being reflective and in control. Application: Drill Down 1. Download the "Catalog of Emotions" PDF attached to this post. 2. The next time you feel one of the "big 3" (Mad, Sad, Scared), pause for 30 seconds. 3. Look at the list under that category in the catalog. 4. Find the word that actually describes what you're feeling. Let's practice. Share in the comments: What's an emotion you often "default" to (like "stressed" or "mad"), and what's a more accurate, nuanced word you found on the list that you could use instead?

Unspoken expectations are resentments in waiting. This is the core of the "E" in SEA Change. Most fights aren't about what happened; they're about what was expected and never said. I (Sean) was a master at this. I'd be fuming that an empty pizza box was on the counter, thinking, "She knows I hate clutter!". But I had never clearly communicated that need. I was mad about a rule I never shared. That is a recipe for resentment. Application: What is one "rule" you have in your head that you've never actually shared with your spouse?