The Happy Wanderers

We care about our partners. We also judge them! Matt and Sunaina share what it means to accept your partner for who they are, and how they’ve learned to move past their judgments to find acceptance, gratitude, and even love for the qualities that they sometimes struggle to face. Find the feelings and needs list we talk about here. Read the transcript. Watch on YouTube! Sign up for Matt and Sunaina’s mailing list for new episodes and 5 word-for-word scripts to instantly defuse any fight. Schedule a relationship coaching call or free discovery call with Matt. Visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

Fights are inevitable in every relationship, but we can also use them to create more trust with our partners. Matt and Sunaina explain how to do that with three of their favorite tips to stop fights with your partner. Read the transcript. Watch on YouTube! Sign up for Matt and Sunaina’s mailing list for new episodes and 5 word-for-word scripts to instantly defuse any fight. Visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

When Matt was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year, he learned a lot about how scary and isolating pain can be. In this episode of The Happy Wanderers podcast, Matt (who is now cancer free!) and Sunaina talk about how well-meaning words of encouragement added to his pain, and how people can offer support without accidentally causing more suffering. Read more about how to support your loved ones with care and respect. Watch on YouTube! Read the transcript Sign up for Matt and Sunaina’s mailing list for new episodes and 5 word-for-word scripts to instantly defuse any fight. Visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

At the height of the pandemic, moving to Texas seemed like the perfect decision for the Happy Wanderers, so why was Matt so angry about it? In this episode, Matt and Sunaina explore what was really going on underneath Matt’s anger, and why anger feels like a “safe” emotion to express, especially for men, but can often trap us into thinking that fighting and conflict is our only solution. Learn more about The Gottman Institute’s Anger Iceberg analogy. You can also read more about what Matt and Sunaina have been up to the last few years, including some lessons they’ve learned. Sign up for Matt and Sunaina’s mailing list for new episodes and 5 word-for-word scripts to instantly defuse any fight. Visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

Recently Matt found himself feeling trapped and on the verge of escalating an argument with his dad. But using the kung-fu powers of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), he was able to redirect his rising emotions into a non-judgmental request that not only avoided the argument but ended up strengthening their relationship. In this episode of The Happy Wanderers, Matt and Sunaina explore how to ask for what you want in the midst of a challenging situation and how listeners can use this same method to communicate and connect with others--an especially useful skill in these difficult times. Use this Nonviolent Communication feelings and needs cheat sheet to communicate your needs without judgment so others are more likely to hear you. Sign up for our mailing list for new episodes and visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

Strong emotions like anxiety, anger, and sadness can sometimes derail us. In this episode, the Happy Wanderers interview Shawn Elliot Russell, who developed crippling anxiety that almost forced him to abandon his dream to create and perform positive hip-hop. He shares a process he developed through years of exploration and experimentation that enabled him to escape his anxiety, which can be used to weather other emotional storms like sadness and embarrassment. For more on Shawn Elliot Russell, you can read his picture book Be Still, Little Tree, Be Still, or listen to him perform it on his YouTube Channel. You can connect with Shawn on Facebook or through his website. You can also look out for his TEDxMcAllen talk in November 2019! Sign up for our mailing list for new episodes and visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

We've all had moments where we look at a loved one and think, "WTF?" It could be something they said or did that makes us feel confused, angry, or hurt, and often disconnected. In episode 7 of The Happy Wanderers Podcast, Matt and Sunaina share a powerful way to reconnect: by understanding the needs the other person is trying to meet in that moment. Matt and Sunaina share examples of their prior conflicts (juicy!) and how needs can be found underneath (apparently!) bizarre behavior. This needs sheet can help you explore what needs you think another person is trying to meet by behaving in a way that confuses you. It really is a cheat sheet to life and relationships! Sign up for our mailing list for new episodes and visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

Every day we tell ourselves that we "have to" or "should" do certain things, and this thinking can take the joy out of our daily lives. In this episode, Matt and Sunaina chat with Clara Moisello from the New York Center for Nonviolent Communication about how we can view our responsibilities through a more beautiful lens, by seeing how everything we do is to meet an underlying need. Clara Moisello is a facilitator at the New York Center for Nonviolent Communication and teaches yoga in Brooklyn. She moved to New York City from Italy in 2009 to work as a neuroscientist before leaving the field to be where she is today. Clara is available for coaching and workshops on Nonviolent Communication and can be contacted at ClaraMoisello.com. The Compassion Course recommended by Clara provides the “how to” of creating more connection, understanding, and compassion in our daily lives – a way to create a world we will be happy to leave our children’s children. Learn more about this wonderful online course at CompassionCourse.org. Sign up for our mailing list for new episodes and visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

What does it mean when we say, "I love you"? Matt and Sunaina share how these words can be an expression of appreciation for needs being deeply met by another person, and how relationships are only one beautiful way among many to meet our needs. Needs Inventory As Sunaina mentions in this episode, you can take a “needs inventory” of your life! Print out the above needs list and rate from 1 to 10 (a) how important each need is for you, and (b) how met each need is for you at this point in your life. Understanding yourself can empower you to find creative ways to enhance your well-being! If you like these tools, the Compassion Course (run by the folks who trained Sunaina in this work) may be a great resource to learn more. Sign up for our mailing list for new episodes and visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

Matt and Sunaina talk about how to set intentions, instead of resolutions, that can lead to growth and joy. What are your intentions for the week, month, or year? Sign up for our mailing list for new episodes and visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

Matt and Sunaina talk about how to fight! Arguments can be painful, but if we use empathy and deep listening (even when it's f*@!ing hard), then arguments could even strengthen our relationships. Sign up for our mailing list for new episodes and visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

In this episode, Matt and Sunaina discuss the super power of self-empathy and its ability to find joy, especially in moments of self-judgment. Sign up for our mailing list for new episodes and visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!

In this introductory episode of The Happy Wanderers Podcast, Matt and Sunaina discuss their intentions for the podcast and what happy wandering means to them. Sign up for our mailing list for new episodes and visit GrowMoreJoy.com for more helpful resources. Thank you and happy journeys!