Having It All: Conversations About Living An Abundant Loving Life

Have you heard of the concept of a "sponsoring thought"? Whether or not you're aware of it, sponsoring thoughts are driving the way in which your life is playing out. In today's episode I'm breaking down the concept of a sponsoring thought, showing you the essence of what all of life's choices really boil down to, and helping you get down to the weeds of what might be keeping from your abundant loving life. And as always, I'm sharing my examples of how I'm flowing with the idea of sponsoring thoughts, and how I'm utilizing the tools at my disposal to have it all (and in the process giving you permission to do the same, in your own way). Resources: I highly recommend checking out the book Conversations With God by Neale Donald Walsch if today's conversation resonates with you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does it feel so hard at times to not take things personally? We hear the phrase "don't take this personally" all the time. You've probably said it to someone before making some potentially hurtful or offensive statement. It's such an easy idea, but boy can it be tough! For me, I used to take things very personally. Growing up, my emotions would be triggered by the slightest look or question that I felt was off or directed at me in a malicious way. I made villains out of a lot of people, I felt small and hurt often, and I just plain took things personally really frequently. But I had my breakthrough moment! Yes, I was able to connect with some deep truths about myself and others that have helped me learn to not take things personally. And today I'm going to share those truths with you so that you too can break free from the trap of taking things personally in life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you feeling like life has you struggling in all sorts of ways, and you just need to get back to some self-care basics? 2020 has been a year where a lot of things have been upended, including self-care habits. If you've been feeling stressed, overwhelmed or imbalanced throughout the year, and your self-care routine has taken a back seat to life's never-ending demands, then tune in because I have a simple approach for you. In today's episode I'm breaking down "bare-bones self-care" habits that can quickly and easily be incorporated into even the busiest schedule. I'm not here to remind you of the importance of taking care of yourself. Rather, today I simply want to help you get to just bare-bones. If you don't have any other self-care routine, then this is one to adopt. These habits are super simple, some take seconds to perform and can be done virtually anywhere. But adding them into your life can be a game changer. So get ready to take a baby step towards your health!  Learn more about your ad choices. Vi

How do you process the periods in life of prolonged sadness or overwhelm? We've all experienced sadness and periods where we felt like life was overwhelming. This year alone has been a major source of stressful circumstances that have brought on the sadness and overwhelm BIG TIME! But do you have to simply suffer through these periods, or can you learn methods of coping and dealing with your feelings that create an entirely different (and more favorable) experience? Well, you already know my answer to that question, and in today's episode I'm sharing with you my strategies for dealing with sadness and overwhelm in a healthy way that allows you to honor the feelings while creating momentum to rise above them. Tune in and you'll walk away with habits, mindsets and strategies to more powerfully deal with the circumstances that life is throwing at you right now. Want to get in touch with me? You can email me at matthew@matthewbivens.com or DM me on Instagram @matthew_bivens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

When was the last time you intentionally stopped and expressed some gratitude? You've probably heard all throughout your life of the importance of "gratitude". In personal development circles it's touted as a powerful tool for happiness and success. As kids many of us are reminded constantly about the importance of being grateful. But is it a part of your everyday routing and a strong tool in your toolbox? Do you even believe in the power of gratitude? In this episode I'm talking all about Gratitude. I'm giving you 7 things you probably haven't heard before about gratitude. We're talking about gratitude in your personal finances, tools for helping you form a gratitude habit, how gratitude can improve your relationships, the power of gratitude to totally flip your mood, how we feel more gratitude for experiences rather than things, and why gratitude in conflict is more powerful than forgiveness or acceptance. If you have some tips, thoughts or stories on gratitude, I'd love to hear them. Reach me on my persona

What patterns of unhealthy behavior did you pick up from others (perhaps the environment you grew up in), that you're continuing to do yourself? In today's episode I'm introducing an idea and exercise to help you break the cycle of unhealthy ways of thinking, acting and being. It's called "the buck stops here!". The phrase comes from US President Harry Truman, who used the phrase to communicate to others that he was taking responsibility for decisions that he made, accepting all the consequences of his decisions. For this conversation, I'm asking you to think about those unhealthy or disempowering habits and tendencies you have, and to make a commitment to stop the spread down to future generations.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really mean to treat your partner like a King or Queen?  As Sarah and I have grown in our marriage, the concept of treating one another as a King and Queen has grown as well. At first the idea brought up our own issues with self worth, love and relationship roles. But today, we both powerfully fill our roles of King and Queen respectively, and we make it priority to not only treat one another with the utmost love and respect, but the do the same for ourselves as well.  In today's episode I'm joined by my Queen, Sarah Bivens, and we dig into the topic of "how to treat your partner like a King or Queen". This is a powerful conversation for anyone who has struggled with feeling like they deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, or anyone who feels their current relationship dynamic has room for growth.  For questions, comments and feedback on this episode, email me directly at matthew@matthewbivens.com or DM me on Instagram @matthew_bivens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm

In your relationships would you say you lean more on the side of Courage or Consideration? We each fall somewhere in the spectrum of Courage vs Consideration. When there's an imbalance, relationships suffer and life gets challenging.  In today's episode I'm teaching you how courage and consideration come together to create mature, synergistic relationships, and I'm giving you the tools to evaluate for yourself whether you need to amp up the courage or the consideration in your life.  Don't forget! Get yourself a copy of 7 Habits Of Highly Successful People by Stephen Covey. And if you have any questions, comments or feedback for me, email me at matthew@matthewbivens.com or DM me on Instagram @matthew_bivens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you feel about challenges in your life? Challenge is a part of life.  My belief is that challenge is a necessary ingredient to growth. It helps us step up to and through our comfort zones. It helps us come to know ourselves on a deeper level.  Challenge is what makes you dig deep into parts of yourself you may not have known were there.  But we don't always relate to challenges in that way. For today's episode I'm sharing with you a post I first saw on Instagram about challenges, and giving you some food for thought around how you may be approaching those uncomfortable moments in your life.  Your abundant loving life may be on the other side of your comfort zone, and my intention for you is that you see your own areas of opportunity, and boldly step into them.  Want to get in touch? Email me at matthew at matthewbivens dot com, or message me on Instagram at matthew_bivens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you doing what you love in life? Many times a question like this make us think about turning our passions into a career. Pro athletes come to mind, the men and women who have taken a love for a childhood game and turned it into a lucrative career.  But that’s not the only way to do what you love and live a life with passion. You can 100% live with passion, joy and excitement, EVERYDAY, without changing careers or completely shifting your life around (you can of course do that too if you want). In this episode I’m sharing with you questions to ask yourself that can help you identify your passions and build a life where you’re practicing and living them regularly.  Living life with passion is a key ingredient of “having it all”, and today’s conversation will help you get there! **Check out the Running With Dave podcast here: https://runningwithdave.buzzsprout.com/ **Interested in learning more about the Having It A.L.L. Blueprint or 1-on-1 coaching? Drop me a note and let me know how I can serve you: https:

Are you aware of the most important piece of equipment for working out? It's your BRAIN! Your mental chatter and internal conversation will either elevate your workouts, or can take you out. And right now (especially if this is something you haven't been paying attention to) it's probably doing more of the latter. I've been an athlete my entire life, and over the past 4 years I've trained hundreds of people in health & fitness. During that time I've learned and spotted patterns of effectiveness when it comes to exercising and working out. In today's episode I'm sharing with you 6 of my top mental tricks that will help you power through your workouts, and can even help you turn your exercises into a fun and enjoyable experience!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you let go when you’re feeling very attached? How do you gain closure when you felt like you’ve been wronged? Those are some million dollar questions right there! Figure that out, and you might just be able to life a happy, drama free life for the rest of your years! But that's the thing about letting go and closure - they are simple in concepts, but very hard to accomplish in reality. In today's episode I'm going to take on both of these big ideas, and I'm going to help you navigate your way to letting go and gaining closure. I share a personal account from my life where letting go has been a challenge, and I give feedback on a listener email all about getting closure after years of unrest. My goal for this episode is that you walk away with not only tips on how you can let go and gain closure, but examples of what it looks like in real life that you can use as a model and inspiration. If you're looking for help letting go and gaining closure in your life, I can help you. Email me at matthew@matthewbi

When was the last time you wanted something so strongly, but it just wasn't happening and you had no answers as to why? Each one of us knows what it's like to experience the vast range of emotions that come with having unmet desires. For Sarah and I, it's no different. In this episode we’re sharing in the spirit of vulnerability and transparency - we’ve been “open to conceive” for 6+ months now. At the time of publishing this episode we are not yet pregnant. The process over these past 6+ months has been incredibly emotional for both of us, with ups & downs of all types. We decided to get on the mic and record our raw feelings about where we're at. No fluff. No filter. Just our honest emotions. We wanted to do this while we were in it, rather than after we get to the other side (whatever that may look like), because we feel there's something important about visceral, "this is happening right now", sort of sharing. Both Sarah and I feel this is important to share this conversation with you all. In the spirit o

How do you deal with stress? For many people, one big goal in life is to reduce the amount of things that stress them out. Getting the "stress inbox" to zero is a noble feat, but one that I believe is completely missing the point! The goal should not be to eliminate stress -- because guess what, that's never going to happen! Life is stressful and that's just a fact. Instead, the goal should be to work on your RELATIONSHIP to the stress, ie how do you FEEL about the stress and what decisions do you make in the face of that stress. These are things that can be learned, but first you must un-learn your conditioned response to stress, trigger, anxieties, worries, etc. In today's episode I'm recommending that you stop running from stress and quit trying to get your stressors down to zero, and instead you focus on mastering your SELF in relation to the stress. Can you sit in an incredibly stressful situation, and be cool, calm and peaceful? The answer is YES, but are you able to do it right now? As we continue our

How do you feel about affirmations: Do you do them? Do you feel they can be effective? Do you believe they are bogus? Affirmations can be a tool to help you on your growth journey. But a tool is only as effective as the user's knowledge and wisdom. In this episode I'm talking about affirmations and positive self talk, and giving you my perspective as a self-diagnosed pragmatist.  I've tried my hand at affirmations many times, and have had mixed feelings and experiences. I do believe in the power of planting new thought seeds, however, and so I've stuck with affirmations and found methods for making them "work" to create the experience in life I'm seeking. In this episode I share my method for making affirmations and positive self talk work for you.  Notes: Louise Hay Affirmation Calendar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you feel like the only way to get what you want in life is by doing MORE? I held this belief for a LONG time, and the result was that I absolutely got more….more stress, more worry, more tension in my shoulders, more anxiety looking at my bank account, more feelings that I wasn’t doing enough, more frustration, more fights with my partner.  In today’s episode I am giving you permission to do LESS, and I’m telling you exactly why doing less is actually the key to more peace, presence and joy in your life.   Want to get in touch? If you have some episode topic suggestions, feedback about the podcast, you want to share something from your life or just ask me a general question, best way to do it is by emailing me at matthew@matthewbivens.com or by DMing me on Instagram @matthew_bivens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the difference between sex and intimacy? How does this play out in your relationship and how you feel about your own sex and intimacy both before and after kids? In today's episode I'm bringing you a raw and honest conversation that Sarah and I had about sex and intimacy. Sex is on all of our minds, but how often are you able to listen in to an empowering, healthy and mature discussion on the topic? This conversation took a lot of turns that we didn’t expect, and we share a lot of our own personal experiences in healing our relationship to ourselves as individuals and then as a couple. Our desire is that someone listening can take something from our examples and use it to create magical and pleasurable experiences that they are so worthy of! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where are you lacking in patience right now? In what area of your life would your experience be greatly improved if you could just be patient? For me, it's a lot of things! In the past I did not consider myself a very patient person. When things weren't happening on my timeline, I would brood over it constantly. Internally I would complain, feel like a victim to time, and just not handle it well. That's changed today, as I now consider myself a very patient person (I think fatherhood has honed that for me). Yet, there are still things that come up where I find myself fighting against divine time and my ego. In today's conversation I'm sharing with you a concept "infinite patience yields immediate results" and I'm passing along some stories to help you connect with your most patient self. It's in there, trust me! And when you connect with your infinite patience, you'll feel like you have it all. Links from the episode: DrBeth's website Get in touch on my Instagram page Learn more about your ad choices. Vis

Does your ego run the show? If you answered anything other than "Yes, at times", then today's episode for you! In our conversation today I'm digging into humility and talking about why a healthy practice of humbling yourself regularly is a necessary ingredient to any significant change or growth you're seeking. The more you think you don't need this conversation, the more you want to open your ears (close your mouth) and just receive the message. All of the things you're playing for in life might just rest in you cultivating humility and keeping your ego in check. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever found yourself up late at night, scrolling through social media, feeling worse and worse with every thumb flick, but unable to break away? That my friend is known as "doomscrolling" and it's robbing you of your happiness, peace and mental health.  Doomscrolling is when you find yourself deep into an internet or social media hole, looking at posts and stories that leave you feeling anxious, depressed, hopeless, angry, disheartened, but you just cannot seem to break away. Doomscrolling has been going up since the pandemic and racial tensions of 2020, and as a result mental health and emotional health has taken a huge hit. In today's episode I talk about Doomscrolling, break down why we do it, and give you some expert advice on how you can break the cycle and reclaim your health! Struggling with Doomscrolling? I can help you. Email me at matthew@matthewbivens.com or DM me on Instagram @matthew_bivens. My programs are designed to help you break bad habits, form new healthy ones, and reclaim your hap