Relationships Made Easy

Have you ever noticed how your partner's bad mood can completely derail your day? Or how when your sister calls upset, suddenly your heart is racing even though nothing's wrong in your life? Maybe you walk into the office and instantly feel tense because your coworker is stressed, or you leave a phone call with your mom feeling drained and anxious for hours afterward.

What's happening isn't a character flaw or a sign that you're "too sensitive." It's called co-regulation, and it's one of the most powerful forces in all your relationships. The problem? Most of us are doing it unconsciously, using patterns we learned as babies that no longer serve us.

Today, you're going to learn exactly how co-regulation works in your brain and body, why your childhood experiences are still running the show in all your relationships, and most importantly, three practical skills you can use right now to stop the cycle of mutual dysregulation. By the end of this episode, you'll understand why you can't think your way out of emotional reactivity, and what to do instead.
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Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/what-is-co-regulation

Download The Co-Regulation Quick Start Guide: 5 Tools to Calm Your Nervous System in Any Relationship: https://abbymedcalf.com/co-regulation-guide

Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack.

You'll get...
✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes
✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations
✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby
_________

Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!
https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/

👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Easy and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries

👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook

👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book
____________________________
Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.

Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

Say hello on social:
Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving
YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deciding whether to have kids isn’t just a practical decision. It’s one of the few choices in life that can feel irreversible, identity-shaping, and loaded with expectations you never asked for. Maybe part of you imagines a future with children and feels something warm and meaningful. And another part of you imagines the same future and feels panic, grief, or a quiet sense of “I’m not sure this is for me.” In this episode, I’m breaking down what the research actually says about parenthood, happiness, and meaning, why this decision feels so emotionally charged, and the five questions that genuinely help you figure out what you want, not what you’re supposed to want. If you’ve ever felt stuck between fear, pressure, and honesty about your own life, this episode is for you.
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Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/how-to-decide-whether-to-have-kids

Download The Kids Decision Snapshot. It will help you start to think this through in a grounded way without pushing you toward any answer: https://abbymedcalf.com/kids-decision-snapshot

Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack.

You'll get...
✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes
✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations
✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby
_________

Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!
https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/

👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Easy and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries

👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook

👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book
____________________________
Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.

Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

Say hello on social:
Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving
YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you love someone who shuts down, pulls away, or goes emotionally quiet when things get close, this episode is for you. You might feel confused, lonely, or like you’re constantly guessing where you stand. Today, you’ll learn why people are avoidantly attached, why pursuing closeness backfires, and how to love an avoidant partner without chasing, over-explaining, or disappearing yourself.
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Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/avoidant-attachment-in-relationships

Get the Scripts! Loving an Avoidant Partner: 10 Things to Say and Not Say When They Pull Away. This guide gives you clear scripts, common traps, and repair language so you can show up grounded, direct, and self-respecting: https://abbymedcalf.com/avoidant-partner-scripts

Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack.

You'll get...
✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes
✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations
✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby
_________

Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!
https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/

👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Easy and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries

👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook

👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book
____________________________
Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.

Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

Say hello on social:
Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving
YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you love someone who needs a lot of reassurance, clarity, or emotional check-ins, this episode is for you. Today you’ll learn what anxious attachment is actually responding to, why reassurance doesn’t work long-term, and how to love an anxious partner in a way that creates real safety without losing yourself in the process.
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Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/how-to-love-an-anxiously-attached-partner

Download Loving an Anxious Partner: 10 Things to Say (and Not Say) When Anxiety Shows Up: https://abbymedcalf.com/anxious-partner-scripts

Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack.

You'll get...
✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes
✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations
✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby
_________
Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!
https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/

👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Easy and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries

👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook

👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book
____________________________

Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.

Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

Say hello on social:
Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving
YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever been in a romantic relationship where one of you keeps reaching for closeness while the other pulls away just when things feel important, this episode is for you. If part of you feels like you’re always chasing connection, or part of you feels like too much closeness makes you want to escape, you’re not broken. You’re likely in an anxious-avoidant dynamic. Anxious and avoidant partners don’t randomly fall in love. This pairing is common for very specific psychological and nervous system reasons. Today I want to help you understand that pattern so you can stop personalizing what’s happening and start seeing it clearly. This is Part One of a three-part series. Today is about naming the dynamic. The next two episodes will focus on how to love an anxious partner and how to love an avoidant partner without losing yourself.
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Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/anxious-avoidant-relationships

Download Where Are You in the Anxious-Avoidant Cycle Right Now? It’s a quick self-assessment to help you understand how you’re showing up in your relationship when things get hard: https://abbymedcalf.com/anxious-avoidant-cycle-assessment

Join my online community, One Love Collective, on Substack: https://abbymedcalf.com/substack.

You'll get...
✨ Early drops + ad-free podcast episodes
✨ Worksheets, journal prompts, downloads, and guided visualizations
✨ Community chats and live Q&A calls with Abby
_________

Subscribe to the Love Letter and get my little messages each week!
https://abbymedcalf.com/loveletter-opt-in/

👉 Pick up a copy of my new book, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Easy and Joy: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries

👉 Pick up The Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier to use as a companion to the book or as a standalone masterclass: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook

👉 Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won’t Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book
____________________________
Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you’ll find past episodes.

Ready to dig deeper? Take one of my online courses (some are FREE!) or grab a workbook: https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you’ve got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop

Say hello on social:
Substack: https://substack.com/@abbymedcalfphd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthriving
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthriving
YouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.