Ma-Honey's

What does it actually take to become more emotionally intelligent? In this episode, Brielle and Michael share how they each work on it day to day: journaling, check-ins, getting curious instead of reactive, and changing the beliefs underneath our emotions. We're not perfect, and we're not experts. This is what's working for us. 00:00 Welcome back to the Ma-Honeys 01:09 Today's topic: emotional intelligence 02:05 Why affirmations alone don't work (the thermostat analogy) 03:12 Taking feedback and growing up emotionally 04:41 Music as a metaphor for the mind 06:09 Brielle's routine: journaling and asking herself questions 09:58 Autopilot, and setting check-in timers 13:30 "Emotions validate what you believe, not what's true" 14:50 Shadow work: whose voice is that? 16:09 Useful and resourceful vs. right and wrong 17:02 Why the best athletes stay calm 18:05 Getting triggered: pause, get curious, respond 20:20 How we handle disagreements in our marriage 21:06 The cost of holding grudges 25:15 Emotions and the body 27:08 Why kids should be taught emotional intelligence 28:25 You can't breathe your way into a new belief 29:37 How do you change a belief? Step by step 34:57 Core beliefs and confirmation bias 37:05 Why coaching and being pushed helps you grow 39:13 A message for anyone going through a hard time 41:36 Brielle on changing her beliefs during a hard season 42:56 Man's Search for Meaning and the power of faith 44:40 Wrap-up Books mentioned: When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté You Are the Placebo by Dr. Joe Dispenza Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with a friend. Send us your comments, questions, or topics you'd like us to cover! CONNECT WITH US The Ma-Honeys: @ma_honeys.podcast Michael: @the.michaelmahoney Brielle: @brielle_colleen @brielle.colleen.music

Our son Roman isn't even two yet, but we're already thinking about his education. In this episode, Brielle and Michael share why they're leaning toward homeschooling Roman and their future kids instead of traditional public school. 00:00 Welcome back to the Ma-Honeys 00:45 Today's topic: why we're leaning toward homeschooling 02:13 Looking at school like any product: who's behind it and what are their values? 03:25 Respect for teachers: it's the system we question 04:25 How much of what we learned in school do we actually use? 06:04 The Industrial Revolution roots of public school 08:20 Brielle: everyone learns differently 09:50 The "father of American education" homeschooled his own kids 10:47 Keeping other people's beliefs out of our kids' education 11:40 Our views on gender topics in schools 12:39 Napoleon Hill's "Outwitting the Devil" and the power of suggestion 15:12 Brielle's public and charter school experience 19:17 Intermission: we're back, recording from Utah! 20:30 Our homeschool vision: creativity first 22:07 Letting kids move and burn off energy 23:33 "What about socialization?" Social interaction vs. social conditioning 24:43 Entrepreneurship, door knocking, public speaking, and sports 26:50 What we were exposed to in school 29:13 Core subjects and the freedom to fail 31:40 The NASA creativity study (Dr. George Land) 34:05 Losing and rediscovering our creativity 38:20 Gratitude, and a challenge to working parents 40:54 What about single parents? 41:58 Homeschool families: we want to hear from you! 42:58 Wrap-up Are you homeschooling or thinking about it? Comment below or reach out. We'd love to learn from you! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with a friend. CONNECT WITH US The Ma-Honeys: @Ma_honeys.podcast Michael: @the.michaelmahoney Brielle: @brielle_colleen @brielle.colleen.music

Brielle and Michael are back after a short break to fix their audio! This week they talk about how becoming parents to their son Roman (21 months) has changed them as individuals and as a couple. 00:00 Welcome back to the Ma-Honeys 00:18 Back after a break (goodbye, audio issues!) 01:04 Recording from home 01:20 Today's topic: how parenthood changed us 02:13 The biggest change: going from zero kids to one 02:40 Brielle: less independence, more structure 04:50 Michael: living and modeling your values 06:35 Sleep, schedules, and night wakings 08:30 More intention in our daily routines 09:33 Filling your cup: faith, prayer, and energy 11:30 Releasing expectations 12:20 The diaper blowout story 14:00 Learning joy from a toddler 16:50 Slowing down and being present 17:45 Mother's intuition and "what if I'm not a good mom?" 20:40 Brielle chasing her music dreams 24:10 Being an example for our kids 28:35 Honoring stay-at-home moms 30:40 Better communication as a couple 31:50 A word for those who aren't parents yet 33:20 Michael on becoming a dad later in life 36:35 The twin baby boys debate 38:07 Wrap-up If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with a friend. Send us your comments, questions, or topics you'd like us to cover! CONNECT WITH US The Ma-Honeys: @ma_honeys.podcast Michael: @the.michaelmahoney Brielle: @brielle_colleen @brielle.colleen.music

Ep. 5: Roman's Birth Story — Our At-Home Birth Brielle and Michael share the full story behind their decision to have an at-home birth — from frustrations with the hospital system to the 46-hour labor that brought Roman into the world. Show Notes: - Intro & static noise apology - Life update: sold the Arizona house, new Jeep, Roman's diaper blowout story - Why they chose to share their at-home birth story - Starting with the hospital system — feeling like "just a number" - C-section statistics & suggestive language from hospital staff - Brielle's anxiety and the weight of restrictive hospital guidance - Talking to friends who'd done an at-home birth - Researching doulas and midwives - Doula vs. midwife — the difference explained - The birth class & taking accountability - Cost comparison: doula/midwife vs. hospital - Finding out it's a boy - Labor begins — November 22, 2024, Brielle's birthday - Early labor, walking, and natural positioning exercises - Hip pain & signs the baby wasn't positioned well - Active labor intensifies — the belly-lift technique - Stalling at 7cm for 10 hours - The tub, wine, and calming the nervous system - The "shock" scare & considering a hospital transfer - Brielle's mental shift — surrendering into the pain - Water breaking & the meconium scare - Final stretch — pushing begins - Roman is born — Michael catches him - The spiritual moment of catching Roman - Brielle's recovery & would she do it again - Wrap-up & final thoughts on the decision Follow along: Ma-Honeys Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/ma_honeys.podcast Michael IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.michaelmahoney Website: http://www.iamconductr.com Brielle IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle_colleen/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle.colleen.music

Ep. 4, Pt. 2: Our Relationship with God (Continued) Part two of Brielle and Michael's conversation on faith — including the story of a life-changing trip to Israel, how they pray now versus how they used to, and what they hope Roman inherits about faith and gratitude. Show Notes: 0:00 – Intro, picking up the story 0:16 – The 2023 trip to Israel begins 1:16 – Meeting IDF soldiers & the mission behind the trip 2:22 – Michael's naivety about religion going in 4:03 – Arriving at the King David Hotel 5:16 – The Garden of Gethsemane & meeting the Catholic priest 7:00 – Michael starts feeling something shift inside 9:38 – Sitting with the weight of Jerusalem's history 11:36 – The priest, the rabbi, and the guitar song 13:06 – Why God put him there — searching for the purpose 15:15 – Sharing the story with Brielle afterward 17:35 – Present day: no church home yet, watching Elevation Church on Sundays 18:00 – The song "Let You Go" & letting go of a fear-based God 20:04 – Wanting Roman to find God through love, not fear 21:00 – Brielle's hopes for how their kids come to faith 22:00 – Relationship with God as a two-way relationship 23:01 – Morning gratitude practice & nightly prayers with Roman 25:00 – Brielle on praying from vulnerability and gratitude 27:04 – Praying from gratitude vs. praying from need 29:18 – Letting go of timing and expectations 30:22 – Learning to ask different questions in prayer 33:14 – Wrap-up, Roman wakes up 34:00 – Clarifying: Mormons are Christian 35:15 – Outro & call to action Mentioned in this episode: Elevation Church IG: https://www.instagram.com/elevationworship Follow along: Ma-Honeys Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/ma_honeys.podcast Michael IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.michaelmahoney Website: http://www.iamconductr.com Brielle IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle_colleen/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/brielle.colleen.music Website: http://www.theballroomedit.com