{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Wired to Connect: How Strong Couples Stop Missing Each Other with Kathy Rushing","description":"Relationship coach Kathy Rushing shares practical ways ambitious couples can recognize unhealthy patterns, communicate through conflict, understand their different wiring, and remain connected when work and life become demanding.   TOP 3 TAKEAWAYS 1. Stop looking for the person to blame and start recognizing the dance. Most couples develop a recurring pattern in which each person\u2019s response triggers the other person\u2019s next move. Kathy compares it to a dance: sometimes couples move together beautifully, and sometimes they repeatedly step on each other\u2019s toes. The breakthrough comes when couples learn to say, \u201cThere\u2019s that dance again,\u201d instead of deciding that one person is the problem. Naming the pattern creates enough distance to interrupt it and choose a different response. 2. Listening requires more than remaining quiet. Kathy introduces the speaker-listener technique as a simple but powerful way to work through difficult conversations. The speaker uses \u201cI\u201d language: \u201cI think\u2026\u201d \u201cI feel\u2026\u201d \u201cI observed\u2026\u201d \u201cI need\u2026\u201d \u201cI want\u2026\u201d The listener then has three responsibilities: Mirror: Repeat what you heard without adding your own interpretation. Identify the emotion: Name what the person may be feeling. Validate: Show why the response makes sense from that person\u2019s perspective. Validation does not mean agreement. It means communicating, \u201cI hear you, I see you, and I understand why this affected you.\u201d 3. A strong relationship needs intentional maintenance. Love alone does not prevent couples from drifting. Work pressure, parenting, life transitions, stress, and different communication styles can slowly consume the time and energy a relationship needs. Kathy encourages couples to establish small rhythms of connection rather than waiting for a crisis. A weekly 20- to 30-minute conversation can help couples anticipate the week ahead, discuss personal and professional needs, express appreciation, and ask for support before resentment builds.   KEY QUOTES \u201cThe quality of your relationships is your wealth.\u201d \u201cValidation is not the same as agreement.\u201d \u201cWe\u2019re not trying to find who is at fault. We\u2019re trying to recognize the dance.\u201d \u201cWe assume everybody sees the world the way we do.\u201d \u201cThe things that initially draw us to another person are often the things that later become an irritation.\u201d \u201cHome is not work. I\u2019m not in charge of all these people. These are people who want to be known and seen.\u201d \u201cI just want to be more present with the people I love.\u201d \u201cWhat is it like to be married to me right now?\u201d \u201cI can\u2019t fix the stress in your life, but I am here for you.\u201d \u201cYou don\u2019t have to sacrifice your marriage, your family, or your own life for the sake of a business.\u201d \u201cIt doesn\u2019t just work out. It works because we practice intentionality.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t assume your marriage is in a good place. Take time to look under the hood.\u201d   PRACTICAL APPLICATION Try a 20-Minute Relationship Check-In Set aside 20 minutes this week when neither person is distracted, rushed, or already upset. Ask each other: 1.      What is on your plate this week that I need to know about? 2.      What are you feeling excited, concerned, or overwhelmed about? 3.      What do you need from me this week? 4.      Is there something I have done recently that made you feel supported? 5.      Is there one thing we could do differently to feel more connected? 6.      What is one thing you appreciate about me right now? Do not use the conversation to solve every problem. Listen, mirror what you heard, name the feeling, and validate your partner\u2019s experience before offering ideas. Use the Speaker-Listener Technique When discussing a difficult subject: The speaker: \u00b7       Uses \u201cI\u201d language. \u00b7       Stays with one topic. \u00b7       Explains their experience rather than assigning motives. \u00b7       Speaks for no more than five to ten minutes. The listener: \u00b7       Mirrors what they heard. \u00b7       Identifies the emotion. \u00b7       Validates the other person\u2019s perspective. \u00b7       Asks whether they understood correctly. Once the speaker feels heard, switch roles. Create a Transition from Work to Home Before walking through the door, pause and remind yourself: \u201cI\u2019m home now. Home is not work. I do not need to direct, correct, or solve everything. I want to be present with the people I love.\u201d The transition might include three quiet minutes in the car, a short walk, several deep breaths, or putting the phone away before entering the house. Ask the Courageous Question Ask your spouse or partner: \u201cWhat is it like to be in a relationship with me right now?\u201d Listen without defending yourself. The goal is not to agree with every detail. The goal is to understand the other person\u2019s current experience.   ABOUT THE GUEST Kathy Rushing is a relationship coach, former licensed marriage and family therapist, and the founder of Lodestar Relationship Coaching. Drawing on more than 30 years of professional experience and more than four decades of marriage to a serial entrepreneur, Kathy helps couples\u2014particularly entrepreneurial and high-achieving couples\u2014strengthen communication, navigate demanding seasons, and build lasting connection. Kathy combines relationship expertise with practical tools, including DISC and relationship assessments, to help couples better understand themselves and each other. Her work focuses on helping people align life, love, and work without losing themselves\u2014or each other\u2014along the way.   FULL SHOW NOTES ","author_name":"The Wake Up Eager Workforce Podcast","author_url":"https:\/\/www.pricelessprofessional.com\/wakeupeagerworkforce.html","html":"