Why do some relationships feel so draining?

Do you ever feel stressed when you hear those studies talk about how important healthy relationships are?

I know I do! When I hear relationship and happiness experts say how important the quality of the relationships we’re in are, I can sometimes feel overwhelmed and drained, with a “but wait, this is my kid?”

Well this is the episode for you! I have looked back over the past 381 episodes of the Love Your Life Show to teach you the thing to help you feel less stressed and more peace and calm. Just in time for the holidays!

Whether you’re feeling drained after interacting with a partner, a parent, a teen, or a friend, this will help! We’ll let them be emotionally immature or reactive while we learn this basic shift to feel less reactive and more in control of your emotions. 

So, for those relationships we want to keep, click play to feel lighter, calmer, and more empowered.

🎁 Resources Mentioned:
✨ Free Relationship PDF for Narcissistic & Emotionally Immature Relationships → www.smbwell.com/narc

✨ Subscribe to the weekly wellness newsletter for holiday wellness tips and fun gift ideas →http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA



If you liked this show, you’ll like these two:

Let Them [Emotional Freedom] on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/love-your-life-show-personal-growth-mindset-habits/id1434429161?i=1000619325997

Let Them [Emotional Freedom] on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/5o6LzBpYFIB7QvEZJwiLp9?si=v4wKTmRyQeqXAyTwS7ECzQ

Expectations and Expectation Hangovers in Relationship on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/love-your-life-show-personal-growth-mindset-habits/id1434429161?i=1000644436619

Expectations and Expectation Hangovers in Relationship on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/1YQcTIJ6D2mPLMS2n1kIDz?si=gnv9ikccRuuS3wEiQ8Uu1g

Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/382

⭐️Work with Coach Susie: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/

🤓The Love Your Life School Membership-http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com

🙌🏾 Support Susie’s Mission: https://patreon.com/susiepettit

🩷Let’s be friends on Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness

Do you feel like you’re carrying everyone else’s needs on your shoulders? Or maybe you struggle to set boundaries without feeling guilty? You are not alone.

In this episode of the Love Your Life Show, Susie Pettit sits down with Dr. Zoe Shaw, a licensed psychotherapist, life coach, podcast host, and author of Stronger in the Difficult Places. Dr. Zoe specializes in helping women heal from complex shame™ and codependency so they can experience healthy love, freedom, and stronger relationships…including the one with themselves.

Together, Susie and Dr. Zoe unpack:
✨ What complex shame really is and how it sneaks into our daily lives
✨ The difference between healthy guilt and toxic shame
✨ Why so many women struggle with codependency in midlife
✨ How to set boundaries without the guilt
✨ The first steps to breaking unhealthy patterns and creating a lighter, freer life

If you’ve ever thought, “It’s too late for me to change,” or felt exhausted from always taking care of others before yourself—this conversation will give you the hope and tools you need.

Press play and discover how you can become stronger in your own difficult places.

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one:
How to STOP Over-Functioning and FEEL BETTER on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/188-how-to-stop-overfunctioning-and-feel-better/id1434429161?i=1000554161604
How to STOP Over-Functioning and FEEL BETTER on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/2JPETjXq221KsocVrQkXrR?si=ec41e2c71af74168

Find Dr. Zoe Shaw’s book, podcast and all other great things mentioned here👉🏾https://SMBwell.com/381

Get her book here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593601084?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzstmibo-20&creativeASIN=0593601084&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1ZD9W98EKL8GL&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_d_asin


Want more support?


📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA so you never miss an episode.

💬 This is a great episode to share with a friend. Didn’t you love getting to know Dr. Zoe? Send a quick text with the link now 🙏🏾

👩🏼‍🎓Take it to the next level and join the Love Your Life School http://theloveyourlifeschool.com/

📸 Tag me on Instagram @smb.wellness https://instagram.com/smb.wellness so I can cheer you on!

What if this holiday season you could walk into family gatherings feeling calm, grounded, and at peace—no matter what your relatives do? 🎄🕎 

In this episode of The Love Your Life Show, Susie Pettit reveals a surprising secret that can help you handle the aunt who always criticizes your clothes, the dad who brings up politics, the uncle who drinks too much, or the sibling glued to their phone.

Instead of dreading the drama or wishing people would change, Susie will show you how this one mindset shift can free you from frustration, help you set boundaries that actually work, and let you enjoy your holidays in a whole new way.

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one:

How Lowering Your Expectations Helps Your Relationships on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/71-how-lowering-your-expectations-helps-your-relationships/id1434429161?i=1000459268579

How Lowering Your Expectations Helps Your Relationships on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/0FX8n9nQk2d7hRAyUzJ6eV?si=N6K73wYJSvuCEkCM7p39rg

Boundaries AND Unconditional Love on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/217-can-you-have-boundaries-and-unconditional-love/id1434429161?i=1000581490495

Boundaries AND Unconditional Love on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/0M5zIyHvryHm26EiEbqXXF?si=1389340e9cf94cff



Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/380

CONNECT WITH COACH SUSIE:

⭐️Work with Coach Susie: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/

🤓The Love Your Life School Membership-http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com

🙌🏾 Support Susie’s Mission: https://patreon.com/susiepettit

🩷Find and follow her on YouTube-LOVE YOUR LIFE VLOG - YouTube

Or Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness

What can the Australian outback and a Dr. Seuss story teach us about perfectionism and anxiety?

Ever hear yourself saying “I’ll feel better once ‘this’ is over” or ‘this’ is done? Like, once your kid gets through this thing or your partner learns how to manage his anger or you lose that weight or you check off that last goal? That’s the trap of the arrival fallacy, and it keeps so many of us stuck in worry and self-criticism. For me, I find that it steals my present day happiness and calm. I’m always feeling like there’s something more to do or fix or change.

Well, listen to this episode as I share two powerful life lessons that were reinforced for me when I was on my Australian camper van adventure through the outback and Great Barrier Reef. With wisdom from Dr. Seuss’s Solla Sollew, I’ll share how perfectionism and anxiety sneak into our daily lives (and how to kick those joy stealers out!)

If you’ve ever felt weighed down by worry, waiting for “someday” to feel better, this conversation will help you see why life doesn’t need to be perfect to be meaningful—and how to experience more peace and joy today.

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one:

How To Worry Better: https://smbwell.com/how-to-worry-better/

Lovingly detached on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-your-life-show/id1434429161?i=1000642743348

Popcorn parenting on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-your-life-show/id1434429161?i=1000648160327

Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/379

CONNECT WITH COACH SUSIE:

⭐️Work with Coach Susie: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/

🤓The Love Your Life School Membership-http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com

🙌🏾 Support Susie’s Mission: https://patreon.com/susiepettit

🩷Find and follow her on YouTube-LOVE YOUR LIFE VLOG - YouTube

Or Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness

Are you struggling to set boundaries with a parent? 
Do you feel responsible for other people’s emotions? 
Are you having trouble breaking free from codependent behavior?

Well great news….you might be experiencing enmeshment! Enmeshment and enmeshment trauma can deeply affect your sense of self, your peace, and your current relationships.

In this episode of the Love Your Life Show, I sit down with expert Dr. Kate Balestrieri, to break down:
- What enmeshment and enmeshment trauma really are
- How it shows up in families, divorces, and romantic relationships
- Red flags that you might be stuck in an enmeshed dynamic
- How to begin healing and individuating (even if this has been your “normal” for years)
- How to be the CYCLE BREAKER 🙌🏾


Whether you were the child who had to emotionally support a parent, or the parent realizing you may have leaned too heavily on your kids, or you’ve heard of emotional incest or none of those but love learning about new things, this episode is a must listen! 

🎧 Listen now to understand enmeshment and take the first steps toward freedom.

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one: Eloisa, please hyperlink and make this prettier 🤓

Codependency + Over-Responsibility on Apple Podcast: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/love-your-life-show-personal-growth-mindset-habits/id1434429161?i=1000673249931

Codependency + Over-Responsibility on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5fet9LWWFslZJODHpjV3or?si=6f6a7b675e394bdf

Connect with Dr. Kate and get the links we mentioned here👉🏾

https://SMBwell.com/378

⭐️Break your enmeshment patterns! Join the Love Your Life School now: http://TheLoveYourLifeSchool.com

⭐️Get one-on-one support from Coach Susie here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=11643751

⭐️Find this video on YouTube here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9PibXJfNpKk5Yr6rpNVq4P_utWFkvYS

Have you ever left a conversation replaying it in your head, wishing you had had the perfect response? In this episode, Susie Pettit shares two powerful tools that will help you stay calm, protect your energy, and know exactly what to say when someone is rude or disrespectful.

Whether you’re dealing with a moody teen, a critical parent, or a dismissive co-worker, you’ll learn simple strategies to stop pleasing people, set boundaries, and step into your self-authority without guilt.

Because while you can’t control rude people…you can control how much power they have over you. 🙌🏾

🎧 Tune in now to learn how to:
- Stay calm when others get disrespectful
- Use short phrases that stop arguments before they start
- Protect your peace with toxic people
- Step into the season with more confidence and freedom

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one:

How to Deal with Emotionally Immature People on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-communicate-with-narcissists-and/id1434429161?i=1000711108596

How to Deal with Emotionally Immature People on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/0FTaNbB8tCwPfI0sLyix92?si=80962a636d7144f7

Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/377

CONNECT WITH COACH SUSIE:
⭐️Work with Coach Susie: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/
🤓The Love Your Life School Membership: http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com
🙌🏾 Support Susie’s Mission: https://patreon.com/susiepettit
🩷Find and follow her on YouTube: LOVE YOUR LIFE VLOG - YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9PibXJfNpKk5Yr6rpNVq4P_utWFkvYS
Or Instagram: https://instagram.com/smb.wellness

Do you ever feel guilty taking time to do something you enjoy? 

Or have you ever said things like “I don’t have time for that” (and by that, you mean basic human needs, like you don’t have time to eat, to sleep, to pee?!?)

Maybe you are running around so much taking care of everyone and everything that you find yourself fantasizing about hiding in a closet somewhere for a couple of days? 

I’ve been there/thought that and am so excited for you to listen to this interview. This week I’m joined by Jenny Lytle, a nurse with over 30 years of experience in end-of-life and hospice care. She now helps caregivers stop running on empty so they can keep showing up without losing themselves in the process.

Together, we talk about:

How to keep caring without collapsing

What we get wrong about being a “good caregiver”

How to survive caregiving and being in the sandwich generation

Tiny, doable ways to refill your energy tank (even if you only have 10 minutes)

If you’re the one holding everything (and everyone) together, caring for aging parents, supporting kids, managing the household, this episode is for you.

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one:

Self Care is NOT Selfish on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/7-self-care-is-not-selfish/id1434429161?i=1000420602956

Self Care is NOT Selfish on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/55jg3Kwif8eFiGKbf2OBJe?si=39e0b2dbb11240f9

Get all the links we mentioned and connect with Jenny Lytle go here👉🏾https://SMBwell.com/376

Watch the interview on YouTube here: 

⭐️ NEW OPPORTUNITY: 20-min Life Consult https://smb.as.me/lifeconsult ⭐️

🤓The Love Your Life School Membership: http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com

👋🏽 Let’s be friends on Instagram: https://instagram.com/smb.wellness

📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode. http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA

Last week, in part one, we talked about three common behaviors many of us carry after leaving a narcissistic relationship: hypervigilance and people-pleasing, difficulty trusting our perceptions, and emotional dysregulation or numbness.

In this week’s episode of The Love Your Life Show, we’re talking about how to break free from those patterns so you can move forward with more peace, confidence, and joy. You’ll learn practical, compassionate steps for:

Calming hypervigilance and reclaiming your energy
Rebuilding trust in your own thoughts and feelings
Regulating emotions and reconnecting to yourself

If you’ve ever wondered “I’m out… but why do I still feel stuck?” this episode will give you the tools to start shifting your life in small, powerful ways. This is your next step in healing — and you don’t have to do it alone.

If you liked this show, don’t miss part one last week! 

Also, here’s another great one:

How To Raise Emotionally Intelligent Kids on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/62-how-to-raise-emotionally-empowered-kids/id1434429161?i=1000452847373

How To Raise Emotionally Intelligent Kids on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Yp3R4Un5XBfMtcPczNp7l?si=d3d8d72f989a422c


This is an extra special important one to share with someone you care about in your life. Please click the link and share away.

Also, it’s my birthday week! ☕️For the price of a coffee, please head to  https://patreon.com/susiepettit to support my mission and me, while I sit here week after week, year after year, bringing you tips and support to live a life you love. You  matter to me, warrior! 💗

Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/375
⭐️Work with Coach Susie: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/
🤓The Love Your Life School Membership: http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com
👋🏽 Let’s be friends on Instagram: https://instagram.com/smb.wellness

If you’ve ever been in a narcissistic relationship (with a partner, parent, boss, or friend), you know the effects don’t magically disappear when you leave. In fact, sometimes that’s when the real work begins.

In this episode of The Love Your Life Show, I share three common behaviors many of us carry after narcissistic abuse:

Hypervigilance and people-pleasing

Difficulty trusting your own perceptions

Emotional dysregulation or numbness

These aren’t signs you’re broken. Rather, they’re survival patterns your brain and body learned in unsafe environments. Coping techniques you learned to protect yourself in complex PTSD. 

Today is part one of a two-part series, and we’re starting with awareness: how these behaviors show up, what they look like in everyday life, and why you might still be doing them even years later.

Whether you’re early in recovery or decades out, this episode will help you see your patterns with compassion — and prepare you for next week’s conversation about how to heal and move forward.

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one: 

Narcissistic Abuse Recovery on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/narcissistic-abuse-recovery/id1434429161?i=1000679967740

Narcissistic Abuse Recovery on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/4LZOMV5GGxgk21Tt2oMtYu?si=fe90af4f7cb24793

This is an extra special important one to share with someone you care about in your life. Please click the link and share away.

Also, it’s my birthday next week! And I’d love to share a cup of coffee with you! For the price of a coffee, please head to  https://patreon.com/susiepettit to support my mission and me, while I sit here week after week, year after year, bringing you tips and support to live a life you love. You  matter to me, warrior! 💗

Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/374

⭐️Work with Coach Susie - https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/

🤓The Love Your Life School Membership - http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com

👋🏽 Let’s be friends on Instagram - https://instagram.com/smb.wellness

Are you questioning whether that nightly glass of wine is actually serving you? Feeling like you're stuck in the "wine mom" cycle but not sure how to break free? I'm sitting down with Emily Allen, a certified alcohol-free life coach, to have an honest conversation about what it really means to live alcohol-free in midlife - and why it might be the game-changer you've been looking for.

Emily shares her personal journey from wine o'clock to freedom, including the wake-up call that shifted everything for her. We're talking about why the alcohol industry has specifically targeted midlife women, how "wine culture" keeps us feeling trapped, and what actually happens when you choose to step away from drinking. From navigating social pressure and family dynamics to discovering energy and clarity you forgot you had, Emily and  Susie speak of their personal experiences and surprise at the benefits of sobriety and alcohol free living. You don’t want to miss this!

If you've ever wondered if there's more to life than managing your days around when you can have your next drink, or if you're simply curious about what an alcohol-free lifestyle could look like, this conversation will open your eyes to possibilities you may not have considered. It's time to consider if an alcohol free lifestyle might be part of you living a life you love and thriving in midlife!

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one:

Living Sober with Lori Massicot on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/love-your-life-show-personal-growth-mindset-habits/id1434429161?i=1000501793535

Living Sober with Lori Massicot on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/7htBqSLD923uj4W2v23bj8?si=Ecfk_hWsQwerUUeDkQ1KPw

One Percent Better on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/love-your-life-show-personal-growth-mindset-habits/id1434429161?i=1000569733995

One Percent Better on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/0jwwj6ulR7MPAMMGjbvxzo?si=IWhiUBKpSp-shpiF0fVHIw

Get all the links we mentioned and connect with Emily go here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/373

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Join us in the Love Your Life School next month as we QUIT SOMETHING! (maybe your thing is alcohol?) If you haven’t yet, why not? I know your health and wellbeing matter, what do you have to lose (except hangovers, weight, poor sleep, and anxiety)? http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com

🙌🏾 Support Susie’s Mission: https://patreon.com/susiepettit

🩷Find and follow her on Instagram-https://instagram.com/smb.wellness

Did you know that you can email me suggestions of subjects to podcast on? And, did you know I often ask my Instagram followers what they think I should podcast on? Please remember, whether this is your first episode of the Love your Life Show or your 372, I make these for you! This episode is because you let me know that you want to feel more confident in your everyday life? Well yahoo because I know how to help!

In this episode, I share two simple daily habits you can start using today to boost your confidence and quiet that inner critic. These are quick practices that have helped me and my clients show up with more ease: whether as a mom, at work, in relationships, or just in how we feel about ourselves.

You’ll hear why confidence is something you create (not something you’re born with), how self-doubt sneaks in, and exactly how to start building self-trust. 

These are two things that I do daily that help me and I can’t wait for you to listen so they help you too. Thanks for listening to shows like this!



QUICK JOIN NOW: Get the September trainings and be all set to QUIT SOMETHING when October arrives 

💫http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com💫

 

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one:

 

Confidence and Self-Doubt on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/269-confidence-and-self-doubt/id1434429161?i=1000630128440

Confidence and Self-Doubt on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ulyPw9nzAckprVPswHSS8?si=86443f3feda044f6

 

Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/372

⭐️Work with Coach Susie: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/

🙌🏾 Keep this podcast ad free! https://patreon.com/susiepettit

🩷Find and follow her on Instagram https://instagram.com/smb.wellness

Is food addiction real — and what does it mean for you?
In this episode of the Love Your Life Show, I talk with neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Susan Peirce Thompson, founder of Bright Line Eating. We talk about the surprising science behind food addiction. You will want to listen in and hear what she says about willpower and our brain chemistry. 

We explore:

- How dopamine and food cravings create compulsive eating patterns
- Why certain brains are more susceptible to sugar and processed food addiction
- The four “bright lines” that help people find freedom from dieting — not restriction
- The pros and cons of GLP‑1 medications like Ozempic for sustainable weight loss

If you’ve struggled with emotional eating, yo-yo dieting, or feeling “out of control” around food, this conversation will help you understand the brain science of weight loss. Even greater news? It will give you hope that freedom is possible.

Listen now to shift how you see food, addiction, and yourself.

If you liked this show, you’ll like this one:

Who's Running the Show? Your Adult or Your Child Brain? on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/94-adult-brain/id1434429161?i=1000475156589

Who's Running the Show? Your Adult or Your Child Brain? On Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3i1cf87rqHtZVAyBzJbUlm?si=-tq3h4NJRgGo6iDx51pDPA

To find the food addiction quiz, the Bright Line books and how to connect with her further, click here 👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/371

📩 Subscribe to the weekly newsletter http://bit.ly/2gYQMlA so you never miss an episode.

💬 Share this with a friend who’s sick of feeling out of control with food.

👩🏼‍🎓Take it to the next level and join the Love Your Life School http://theloveyourlifeschool.com/. We are working on this very thing through the end of October. If something from this episode spoke to you, take the next step and join the school today. 

📸 Let’s be friends on Instagram https://instagram.com/smb.wellness @smb.wellness

Do you ever feel like people tune out when you're trying to help? You’re listening, offering advice, maybe even sharing your own story…but somehow, they shut down? 

In this episode, I break down the powerful communication skill of active listening. It’s a simple, often overlooked tool that deepens connection and builds trust in your relationships.

Whether you’re a parent, a partner, or a leader, learning how to listen without fixing can transform how others respond to you. I will walk you through the four essential steps of active listening in relationships, how to recognize the type of conversation you're in (thanks Charles Duhigg!), and why your good intentions might be missing the mark.

If you want to improve communication, connect more deeply with your kids, or stop feeling like you’re doing all the talking and none of the bonding, this episode is for you.


You’ll leave with tools you can use today to feel more confident, calm, and connected in the moments that matter most.



If you liked this show, you’ll like this one:

Communication Tool: Less Drama, More Connection on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/communication-tool-less-drama-more-connection/id1434429161?i=1000658725819

Communication Tool: Less Drama, More Connection on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/4t8QgA2UAiFkB9a9XrZszU?si=7877a605f3f34350

 

Get the full show notes here👉🏾 https://SMBwell.com/370

⭐️Work with Coach Susie: https://smbwell.com/work-with-me/

🤓The Love Your Life School http://theLoveYourLifeSchool.com

💬 Share this with a friend who feels disconnected or is frustrated by her teen’s behavior. https://smbwell.com/listen

🙌🏾 Support Susie and keep this show Ad Free: https://patreon.com/susiepettit

🩷Let’s be friends on Instagram - https://instagram.com/smb.wellness