Having It All: Conversations About Living An Abundant Loving Life

When did we buy into this idea that we have to be proficient and skilled at all things at all times? I know for me, as I started working on myself more and more, whenever I'd read about some new technique or practice that I could envision myself doing, I would add that to my "Must get great at" list and then I'd be hard on myself for not doing it consistently. Gratitude journaling, meditating, clean eating, you name it -- at some point I held the belief that if I wasn't really good at them all (and consistent 100% of the time) then I was a lazy failure who obviously didn't really love themselves. What is that all about?!? In today's episode I share with you how I kicked that way of thinking, and I give you a different way to approach gaining new life skills.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you made a mistake in a relationship? Did you clean it up?? In relationships it's hard to admit when you've did something wrong or made a mistake or just stepped out of line with your character. I've had a tough time in the past admitting to and owning my relationship missteps, and I've had plenty of instances where I powerfully owned them and plenty when I did not. In the instances that I DID clean it up, it always felt so much better afterwards! I felt lighter, felt like I could move forward (move on), felt more excited and energized. Even when the conversation didn't go well. Cleaning it up is important because there's a big impact when something is off in a a relationship that's important to you. Those missteps and tensions weigh heavily on us emotionally, mentally and physically. It's a weight and drain when you have messy relationships. Not just relationships with others, but with your self too. Cleaning it up is a way to acknowledge what you did or where you messed up, own it, do

Do you approach your life more with a sense of Play or Work? One of these perspectives creates joy and sustainability, the other will wear you out. Which do you think is which? In today's Having It A.L.L. Moment I talk to you about the Play Perspective and invite you to imagine how different areas of your life would look and feel if you approached them from the space of Play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your ability fall asleep? How about the quality of your sleep? If you're like many folks, sleep does not come easily. The act of getting to sleep can be frustrating and can have you thinking that you need sleeping aids, drugs or a whole host of other things to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. I struggled with sleep for many years, and I turned to a number of things to help me out. But the one thing I didn't try until many years later, was investigating the ways in which I had taught myself to be a poor sleeper. That idea of conditioning myself for bad sleep didn't even cross my mind. In today's episode I'm going to share with you what has helped me become one of those people who falls asleep instantly and wakes up feeling rested and energized! I believe it's totally possible for you to change both your relationship to sleep and the quality of sleep you're getting. Episode link: https://www.matthewbivens.com/get-better-sleep/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m

Have you seen the film Life Of Pi? If you. haven't, put it on your list because not only is it a film with an incredibly powerful story and the visual chops to go with it, the movie delivers some invaluable lessons about life. I watched the film this week for the first time and was inspired by the themes of faith, surrender, trust, and gratitude that were peppered through the movie. But even more humbling than that was the lesson the main character learns about how God and the Universe answers our requests. In today's Having It A.L.L. Moment I break down a central theme from the movie and relate it to your life in a way that will have you thinking differently about challenges and adversity. If you have thoughts, questions or feedback from this episode, share it with me at matthew@matthewbivens.com or on Instagram @matthew_bivens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you were in chronic stress (that’s stress lasting over a long period of time)? You might be in the midst of some chronic stress right now! Work, kids, relationships, and just the responsibilities of daily life put mild stress on your body that persists over a long period of time. When you don’t know how to deal with chronic stress, it always turns into acute stress. There are 2 ways to relate to chronic stress: you can be PRESENT or you can be ABSENT.  In today’s episode I’m teaching you how to coach yourself through the chronic stress of life, and I’m sharing with you a very recent example of how I overcame some incredible chronic stress using the very tips from this episode.  If you need some help with dealing with the chronic stress in your life, I can help you. Get in touch with me to learn how I can teach you the mindsets, practices and tools that can literally allow you to coach yourself through the ups and downs of life. Email me at matthew@matthewbivens.com. Learn more about yo

Are you looking for a quicker path to growth, happiness and success? Sorry to burst your bubble, there is no shortcut to getting what you want! And if you're seeking out a shortcut in the first place, that's a clue as to why you're stuck and not seeing the results you want in your life. Brands and influencers in all industries have done an excellent job in making you believe that a quick path to getting what you want, feeling better about yourself, being happy and prosperous actually exists. They have you thinking that you can swipe a credit card, get some surgery, take some pills, or wish your way to what you want. But the truth is that THERE IS NO QUICK PATH TO GROWTH, HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS! It does not exist. There are no shortcuts, there is no fast track, there is no magical wand you can wave to get to where you want. You cannot fast track the process to growth. The reason why there are no shortcuts is because arriving at the place you desire to arrive in -- whether it's greater health, a better economic

Do you have any hobbies? I'm talking about those things you do during your down time simply because you enjoy doing them. Maybe you're laughing to yourself thinking, "I don't have any leisure time, I'm way too busy" or maybe you have one or two things you enjoy but don't do them frequently enough to consider them hobbies. Well at the end of this episode you're going to feel inspired to intentionally create new hobbies in your life. Hobbies provide so many benefits including stress relief, improving physical health, better performance and creativity at work. Hobbies also help you stay in an abundant mindset, because you don't fully enjoy a hobby unless you have let go of time scarcity. Today you'll learn why hobbies are important, how to change your feelings around being "busy", and what the three different types of hobbies are.  If you want to get in touch with me to ask a question, suggest a topic, or just say what's up, you can email me at matthew@matthewbivens.com or DM me on Instagram @matthew_bivens Lear

Have you considered starting a podcast? If yes: Awesome! If no, why the heck not?? This is an amazing time to start a podcast: more and more people are listening each day, the space is not too crowded yet, your voice/story/message need to be heard right now, and you've got the time on your hands

What kind of conversations and stories are you hearing these days? I've been hearing and seeing such amazing examples of love, humanity, abundance and sharing. It's been so inspiring and it has been so intentional. The reason I'm receiving such empowering vibes, is because my tuner is set to those frequencies. The beliefs and thoughts I'm choosing to hold in my mind support me seeing examples of love and abundance. So again I ask you, what examples are you picking up? Just like a car radio, you can tune your awareness to whatever station you want to pick up. Being aware of the station you're picking up and the impact that station is having on you is so important, if you want to remain in your peace, joy and centeredness throughout the whole situation.  In today's episode I help you bring more awareness to the station you're tuned into, and discuss ways to change the station so you can enhance your experience of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you feeling more stressed out than usual? I get it. The global situation that we all find ourselves in the midst of currently has added a whole new layer of stress, anxiety and fear out into the world. And even the most steadfast self-care junkies aren't immune to feeling the impact of this. If you're having a hard time kicking the fear, stress and anxiety of corona virus and covid-19 talk, then I have something for you. For today's episode I'm bringing you a meditation that was created specifically for coronavirus anxiety. In fact it's called the "Coronavirus Anxiety Meditation" and it comes from Katie Krimitsos of the Women's Meditation Network. I'll let Katie tell you a bit about herself: "I’m a woman who is deeply interested in continually evolving herself, in becoming more mindful, trying to live the most vibrant life I can possibly live. I’m a mom, a wife, a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. I’ve been a podcaster since 2014 and have had the privilege of supporting women in business under my Biz Wom

Do you have little faith in your ability to achieve your big goals? I used to feel pretty low on myself as it related to setting goals and achieving them. Didn't matter if it was a work goal, fitness goal, money goal or just a life goal -- a part of me seemed to always believe that no matter how much I wanted it, I just wouldn't achieve it. The problem wasn't that I didn't know what I wanted. I had PLENTY of things I desired to accomplish (my Big Hairy Audacious Goal list was massive). I was just ineffective at everything AFTER coming up with the goal. I didn't know how to plan, how to strategize, how to help myself overcome my own obstacles, how to check in with my goals, how to be smart with my goals --- none of that. And so 95% of the time I ended up quitting and feeling crappy about myself. Each failed goal made me feel less and less capable, and that led me to set less and smaller goals. Can you relate? In today's podcast I'm tackling the big hairy beast that is GOAL SETTING and ACHIEVING MORE IN YOUR LI

Give me a virtual hand raise if keeping a "normal" schedule has been tough right now! Keep it up if your date nights were one of the first things to go as you shifted to staying at home.  At the time of publishing this episode, much of the country is entering week 3 of the stay-at-home experience because of the Covid-19 situation. Schools are closed, businesses are closed, and daily life has been thrown on its head. I'm sure one of the first things to go has been date time, whether that's with your partner, with yourself or with your family.  But I know that you know the importance of making that deposit. Carving out time for dating is one of the most powerful deposits you can make into a relationship, and it's even more important now with emotions high and fear prevalent. For today's episode I'm doing something different, and I'm bringing you a great conversation from the Sex, Money & Real Estate podcast hosted by my friends Nancy and Bill Jamison.  The Jamison's are a badass pair of business owners, real es

Are you having a hard time staying present, optimistic and focused with the corona virus situation that has gripped the world and seems to be never ending? You might be having a really tough time not feeling anxious, worried, scarce and stuck in your head right now. As the news seems to get worse everyday, it's understandable that your perspective and hope for a resolution seems to get more dire each day. This as an opportunity for us all, and even if you're not in that headspace just yet, I want to share with you a question that can help you get back into a more grounded frame of mind where you can have a more empowering influence and impact over your unique situation. The question is: If you were to fast forward to when all of this has blown over, and you reflect on how you showed up during the time of crisis, what will have you feeling inspired by how you chose to show up? Literally, think about when all of this is over and you're reflecting back on how YOU handled it all, what is going to make you say to

Are you now being asked to work-from-home and you're a bit nervous you won't be able to do it successfully? Fear not! I've been successfully working from home for 8 years, and I'm here to give you tips, strategies and ideas that will help make this time productive, enjoyable and easy.  The myths that working from home are impossible, or that it's a time for relaxing and taking it easy, have created a bit of a bias around the concept of being productive outside of the office. But truthfully, you can get MORE done at home in LESS time than you would in an office, and I'm going to show you how.  Timestamps: Magic (03:42) Listener Love (10:25) Working from home episode agenda (12:58) My story of working from home (16:18) Tips for successfully working from home (24:01) What to watch out for when working from home (45:06) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In these interesting times we find ourselves in, are you coming from a place of LOVE or FEAR? What a few weeks it has been! The world is being gripped by a couple of things right now, one of them being a FEAR virus. And the impact is being felt by just about everyone. In this episode I'm taking a moment to talk about how we can all spread some love instead of fear right now, and I'm giving you some tips for how you can get yourself back into a loving and centered place when those around you seem to be caught up in the fear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does the idea of taking risks scare the mess out of you? I know it did for me, and for much of my life I was completely risk averse. But thankfully I grew to realize that everything I wanted -- a fulfilling career, a deep and loving relationship, healthy and vitality -- all could be mine if I was willing to take the necessary risks, and I started pushing my comfort zones. And the beautiful thing is that it's a learned behavior, something that ANYONE can improve at. In today's episode I help you become more bold when you're afraid of taking risks, and I break down simple things you can do and think about that will get you moving in the direction of your abundant loving life. Links: Take A Risk: The Odds Are Better Than You Think - https://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2013/06/18/take-a-risk-the-odds-are-better-than-you-think/#715d993345c2 The Incredible Power Of Taking Risks In Life - https://www.thedailypositive.com/taking-risks-in-life/ Afraid Of Risks? How To Be Bolder - https://www.success.com/af

Do you feel like you're in a rut in some area of your life? Chances are there is some person somewhere that knows exactly how to get you unstuck. Well, why aren't you asking that person for some help? The time, money and headache that you could save is incredible, but still you'll fight to remain frustrated. In today's Having It A.L.L. Moment I recommend you get over yourself already and ask for some help!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's play a game! Imagine I told you I was putting together a book of all the cheat codes to life, and I asked you to contribute: what life cheat codes would you share? Today's episode is cool because I'm sharing with you an interview that I did on another show called Young Legends. In it, host Kaption Red explores the "cheat codes for life" and brings empowering conversations meant to inspire greatness. I had a blast on the show as we explored everything from personal identity and trusting your intuition, to deprogramming unhealthy learned behavior and building healthy habits. I really think you'll like this conversation! Links: Young Legends Website - https://www.younglegendspodcast.com/ Young Legends on iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-legends/id1461522242 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you find and cultivate faith when you haven't felt it before? And what can you do when your partner uses passive aggressive behavior when faced with conflict? These are things that we all face, life situations that feel unclear, frustrating and unenjoyable. I've been there and I've had to navigate my way through them.  In today's episode I'm reading a couple of listener emails, and sharing my thoughts.  If you have a question you'd like to ask me or a topic you'd like to suggest, you can reach me at matthew@matthewbivens.com or matthew_bivens on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices