Emotions are having a moment—and they’re affecting everything from our broader culture to our most intimate relationships. In this episode, Kel from Expansive Connection joins us to explore how fear of uncomfortable feelings, emotional manipulation, codependency, and unregulated emotional expression can influence our decisions and cause harm. These challenges can become even more intense in ethical non-monogamy, where jealousy, insecurity, vulnerability, and uncertainty often bring powerful emotions to the surface. Navigating these adult relationships successfully requires an equally mature ability to understand and manage what we feel.
In this episode we’ll examine how emotions are created in the brain, why they are essential, and how “affective realism” can cause us to mistake what we feel for what is objectively true. Kel also shares practical ways to strengthen emotional intelligence and emotional fitness—including noticing and naming feelings, pausing before reacting, separating feelings from facts, and communicating more effectively. Uncomfortable emotions are inevitable, but avoiding them means missing valuable opportunities for growth, deeper self-awareness, and stronger relationships.
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This episode of We Gotta Thing is presented in three segments:
Segment 1 | Keeping Up With Expansive Connection
Segment 2 | Feelings Conversation with Kel
Segment 3 | Closing
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We are Mr. & Mrs. Jones, and we gotta thing goin’ on! The We Gotta Thing podcast began in 2014 as a way for us to chronicle our journey though the swinger lifestyle and share content that is meant to be interesting, useful, entertaining, and supportive of others who are in or considering entering the lifestyle. We have released an episode every month (with one exception) ever since, offering insight on relevant topics and sometimes comical glimpses into the ups and downs associated with being a married couple that swings, along with a sexy snapshots of our experiences.
If you listen straight through from Episode 1 to the present, you’ll undoubtably notice our growth as we navigate the journey. (You’ll also notice that our podcasting equipment and skills get a lot better after the first few episodes!)
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