Episode 3: The Importance of Creating Traditions in Your Relationship

Episode #7: Empty Nest Proof Your Relationship

One of the biggest transitions in a relationship often arrives quietly. The kids grow up. The house gets quieter. The routines that once filled every hour suddenly shift. In a recent conversation on the podcast, Freeman Michaels and I explored what many couples don’t talk about enough: the emotional and relational shift that happens when the kids leave home. For some couples, the empty nest can feel like a crisis.But what if it’s actually something else? What if it’s an invitation? Freeman shared a perspective I really love: this stage of life isn’t just about letting go of parenting—it’s about rediscovering your partnership. When the focus on raising children eases, couples have a rare opportunity to re-vision their shared life. It becomes a moment to ask new questions: Who are we now?What do we want the next chapter of our relationship to look like?What dreams have we put on hold? Instead of seeing the empty nest as a loss, it can become a powerful turning point—a chance to renegotiate the relationship, reconnect emotionally, and honor the desires that may have been waiting patiently in the background. In other words, it’s not the end of something meaningful. It’s the beginning of a new adventure together. So here’s a question worth sitting with today: What is one small thing you could do today to embrace this next chapter in your relationship? Sometimes the most powerful transitions in life begin with a single conversation. Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to In Love with Susan Patrick at relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe [https://relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode #6: The Many Transitions of Love: Why Healthy Relationships Never Stay the Same

Relationships are not static.They move, evolve, stretch, and change over time. In this conversation with my longtime friend Freeman Michaels, we explore the many transitions of a healthy relationship—from the excitement of falling in love, to the challenges that test us, to the deeper connection that can emerge when two people grow together. So many couples think something is wrong when their relationship changes.But the truth is that every healthy relationship moves through stages—from the early spark and attraction to deeper attachment and commitment. What matters most is how we navigate those transitions together. In this episode we talk about: • Why relationship transitions are normal• How conflict can actually deepen connection• The difference between falling in love and building love• Why growth—individually and together—is essential for a thriving partnership A healthy relationship isn’t about staying the same.It’s about learning how to evolve together. This was such a rich conversation, and it’s the first part of a two-part series. In the next episode we dive into another major life transition—becoming empty nesters. But first… let’s talk about the many transitions of love. Watch the conversation at relationshipmentor.substack.com Get full access to In Love with Susan Patrick at relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe [https://relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode #5: Are You Multitasking Your Partner?

In this episode of Relationship Happy Dance, I’m exploring something subtle but powerful: the way our distracted, scrolling, always-on brains are quietly impacting our primary relationships. We live in a world of constant input. Notifications. Conversations. To-do lists. News. Memes. Plans. It’s no wonder our attention is fractured. But here’s the hard truth: you cannot scroll through your relationship and expect it to stay strong. This conversation is an invitation to slow down. I walk you through a simple grounding exercise (just five breaths) and share a practice Jared and I use in our marriage that has made a real difference. It’s rooted in a concept from my years teaching Robert’s Rules Made Simple — the idea of “seconding” a motion. In our relationship, it has become a shorthand for: I’m ready to give you my full attention now. We talk about: * Why “smiling and nodding” creates disconnection * How to set a time frame so you can truly listen * What to do when you genuinely can’t engage in the moment * Why micro-moments of presence matter more than grand gestures You don’t have to solve your partner’s problems. You don’t have to fix anything.You just have to hear them. If you’ve been feeling even a subtle drift — or if you simply want more movement, more life, more energy in your relationship — this episode is a gentle place to begin. Come listen.Take a breath.And ask yourself: Am I fully here? This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to In Love with Susan Patrick at relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe [https://relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode #4: In a Heavy World, Your Relationship Is Not Fluffy — It’s Foundational

We are living in a moment that feels different. The pace of change is relentless. Conversations about artificial intelligence are accelerating. The geopolitical landscape feels unstable. News cycles are saturated with fear. Even here in Playa del Carmen, where my family is safe, we are not immune to the emotional weight of what’s happening around us. The world feels heavier. And in the middle of that heaviness, I find myself more committed than ever to one essential conversation: How do we stay in love? Not fall in love.Stay in love. Love Is Not a Luxury. It’s a Skill. There’s a subtle cultural narrative that relationship conversations are “soft” or secondary. That they are indulgent. Fluffy. I disagree. To partner with another human being — to create connection, empathy, intimacy, and collaboration — is one of the most uniquely human experiences available to us. In a world increasingly shaped by automation and AI, our capacity for: * Connection * Communication * Collaboration * Emotional responsibility …is not decreasing in value. It is becoming more essential. And yet, we are not trained for it. We are trained for careers. We are trained to perform. We are trained to compete. But we are rarely trained in how to: * Create emotional safety at home * Advocate for someone else’s joy * Take responsibility for our own happiness * Speak to a partner in a way that strengthens rather than fractures If we want to heal anything in the larger world, we cannot ignore what is happening inside our homes. I Am Not Responsible for Your Happiness — But I Can Advocate for It One of the most important distinctions I’ve made in my own life is this: I am not responsible for my husband’s happiness.I am not responsible for my children’s happiness. But I can advocate for it. That shift changes everything. Advocacy looks like: * Holding space for your partner’s desires * Witnessing their excitement * Encouraging their growth * Gently reminding them of their power when fear creeps in This week, my husband sent a simple text to our family. The news cycle was loud. Fear-based headlines were everywhere. He reminded us: There’s a lot of fear out there. You get to choose how you respond and what you give your attention to. He wasn’t controlling us. He wasn’t minimizing reality. He was advocating for our mindset. That is partnership. Traditions as Advocacy In a recent episode, my husband joined me to talk about the traditions we’ve created in our marriage — simple monthly breakfasts where we sit in gratitude and talk about what excites us. Those breakfasts are not about logistics. They are about witnessing. We advocate for each other’s: * Dreams * Goals * Anticipations * Needs That ritual is a uniquely human act of connection. It anchors us. It reminds us that beyond the noise of the world, we have this shared space. And that space matters. If we do not intentionally create these touchpoints, the world will gladly fill our schedules with distraction. Emotional Safety Starts at Home If your primary partnership does not feel safe, your children do not feel safe. Children absorb tone. Energy. Dynamics. The way you speak to your partner is teaching your children what partnership looks like. The way you speak to yourself is teaching them how to speak to themselves. We cannot demand better leadership in the world while neglecting leadership inside our own homes. Stable, respectful partnerships don’t just benefit two people. They shape families. Communities. Culture. It starts small: * How are you speaking today? * How are you listening? * Are you advocating for joy, or amplifying fear? Women and the Energetic Context of the Home In many homes — not all, but many — women hold the emotional context. My husband has often said to me: Your job is to be happy. Not because happiness is frivolous.But because my energy affects the entire household. When I take responsibility for my own emotional well-being: * The home softens. * The tone shifts. * My children feel it. * My marriage reflects it. That doesn’t mean I suppress reality. It means I become intentional about what I cultivate. Your happiness is not selfish. It is stabilizing. Parenting in a Different Era When I was young, I felt excited about the world I was stepping into. Many teenagers today feel something different — more uncertainty, more fear, more ambiguity about the future. We cannot erase that. But we can create one place that feels steady. A home where: * Conversations are open. * Emotions are respected. * Partnership is modeled. * Responsibility for mindset is encouraged. We may not control the world our children inherit.But we can control the emotional climate of our home. And that matters. Healing the World From Your Corner I see myself as energy. As vibration. The most powerful contribution I can make to the world is not through outrage or argument — it is through integrity at home. If I: * Love my husband well * Speak with dignity * Model emotional responsibility * Create safety for my children That energy ripples outward. Do not underestimate the power of healthy dynamics in the home. We do not change the world only through policy or platforms.We change it through the way we treat the person sitting across the table from us. Don’t Just Fall in Love. Stay in Love. In a heavy world, love is not naive. It is disciplined.It is intentional.It is practiced. Don’t just fall in love.Stay in love.Grow in love.Revel in love. Because in an age where machines may replicate efficiency,they cannot replicate devotion. And that devotion — practiced daily inside your primary partnership —may be the most radical, stabilizing force available to us. If this conversation resonates, share it with someone you love. Let’s keep advocating — for joy, for responsibility, and for relationships that strengthen rather than fracture the world. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to In Love with Susan Patrick at relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe [https://relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 3: The Importance of Creating Traditions in Your Relationship

Welcome to Relationship Happy Dance — the podcast where we talk about something almost everyone wants… but very few people are intentionally practicing. Falling in love is easy.Staying in love? That’s an art. Hi everybody, I’m Jared Patrick.And I’m Susan Patrick — and yes, I really do love love. This podcast was born out of our own 20+ year marriage — the real kind. The kind with laughter, tension, growth, reinvention, parenting, living abroad, business building, and all the ordinary Tuesdays in between. What we’ve discovered is simple but powerful: Love doesn’t sustain itself.It moves. Or it stalls. Relationship Happy Dance is about bringing movement back into your primary relationship — emotionally, physically, energetically. It’s about making love feel alive again. Not dramatic. Not heavy. Not something you have to “fix.” Just alive. We’ll explore: * How to fight fair without damaging the foundation * How to create rituals that anchor you during stressful seasons * Why energy matters just as much as communication * How playfulness can dissolve resentment * And how to embody love instead of just talking about it This isn’t therapy.It’s not abstract theory.It’s lived experience mixed with practical tools. Susan brings her background in behavioral science and mentoring. Jared brings decades in storytelling and creative direction. Together, we bring conversation — honest, sometimes playful, sometimes direct — about what it really takes to build a relationship that feels happy, healthy, loving, and fun. Because here’s the truth:Most people talk about how they met.We’re talking about how to still choose each other — years later. If you want more energy, more intention, and more joy in your relationship… you’re in the right place. Welcome to the dance. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to In Love with Susan Patrick at relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe [https://relationshipmentor.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]