Life is hard. Really hard. We can create a culture of encouragement. Media Monday is a series where I focus on something that I have created in another form of media. It's designed to help cross multiple learning styles. Continue reading

In our ever increasingly busy society, I fear that we are losing time to educate and learn about relationships. And because of this, our relationships are suffering. Things like personal, emotional and feeling regulation are minimized. As humans, we crave relationships. And for some reason, we seem to be getting worse at doing something healthy with them. I believe, part of the problem is that we don't seem to know what should comprise a relationship. To exasperate that issue, many of the things that are required for a relationship to be a relationship distress us and we tend to avoid distressful things. So, Let's talk about some key ingredients necessary for any relationship. This list is not exhaustive but it's a good start. We were made for relationships and there are benefits. People who have deep meaningful relationships tend to have an increased sense of belonging and purpose. Their health tends to be better. They have a boost in their happiness and reduced stress. There is even research that suggests a link between healthy relationships and a boost in your immune system. Good friends can help us cope with traumas such as divorce, serious illness, job loss or the death of a loved one. They can also help us to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyles. Relationships are good for us. And yet, for so many they are the cause, or at least the breeding ground, for much trauma. Maybe we need an overhaul in what we seek to put into... Continue reading

Our attempts to remove the tension from things in our life is destroying our relationships. It's time embrace some tension Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

So many people want to change but feel as though they are stuck forever in the same repetitive and destructive cycles. This podcast episode deals with the necessary process to change. Find it here. Continue reading

What's even better than changed behavior is not having to put a fire out. So what's my wife's rule? Well, you've probably figured it out by now, but just in case you have not, here it is. Continue reading

What if you could do two things to be more happy? I believe you can. This episode deals with that exact opportunity. Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

When you hear something, does your mind tend to run to the negative or the positive? This video deals with how you can train yourself to be more free by looking at things with generous assumptions. In the absence of facts to cause you to look elsewhere, consider the benefit of pursuing the most generous assumptions possible. Media Monday is a series where I focus on something that I have created in another form of media. It's designed to help cross multiple learning styles. Continue reading

This past Sunday I was taking my daughter to practice driving. We were driving down the main road here in town and my wife and I were texting (my daughter was driving) and she sent me a text, "Did you hear Kobe Bryant died this morning in a helicopter crash?" At first, I thought maybe she fell victim to an internet hoax. As a side note, what does it say about our society that we actually live in a world where we have to consider the possibility that someone may have purposely started a fake story just to see if it would go viral? Upon checking the news, I realized it wasn't a hoax. It felt like a kick to the gut. A man I never knew, never met, never even saw play in person and it took my breath away. I am a firm believer that if we're going to make sports players our heroes, they should be second tier heroes. Elevating someone simply because they can put a ball through a hoop or use a piece of wood to send a leather ball over a fence seems inherently tricky to me. But, there is something transcendent about sports. Something that many connect with on a visceral level. The responses were interesting as always to me, when a celebrity passes away. There is always someone willing to tell someone else why they shouldn't be grieving the passing of a celebrity. That seems beyond silly to me, it seems downright... Continue reading

On January 26, 2020 Kobe Bryant was in a crash that killed everyone on board. The responses were world wide. What can you and I learn about meaning in the middle of grief? Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

Most resolutions die a painful and quick death barely making it two weeks into the new year. This podcast offers you five questions to help you make the best goals possible in order to improve yourself and your world in 2020. Search the Joe Martino Show in your favorite podcast player or listen here. Media Monday is a series where I focus on something that I have created in another form of media. It's designed to help cross multiple learning styles. Continue reading

You're teaching your kids through your actions, not your words. When you tell them you did whatever poor behavior because you loved them so much, you're being dishonest to both yourself and them. Continue reading

Do we really value diversity? Do we really want to know people who aren't like us? Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

If you ask these three questions, you will improve every relationship that you have. Media Monday is a series where I focus on something that I have created in another form of media. Continue reading

As I prepare for my oldest to transition into her twenties, I imagine I will miss her teenage years. The thing about grief is that it doesn't mean that you don't want the next phase to happen. Grief just means that you can recognize how awesome the last phase was and how much you will miss it. Once my son hits the teen stage, the next Martino I snuggle will probably be a grandchild and that won't be for a while (probably). And it will different. Continue reading

Most estimates say 80% of resolutions don't work. But goals...now goals are a different story! Continue reading

In this video, I discuss three necessary steps for problem solving that all healthy relationships utilize. I blogged about it here for those that prefer reading. Media Monday is a series where I focus on something that I have created in another form of media. It's designed to help cross multiple learning styles. Continue reading

I live in the North. And it's January. In the North in January, there isn't a lot of sunshine. And a lot of people feel that they are more depressed in the winter at least in part because of that reality. You leave the house and it's dark. You leave work and it's dark. It can feel like you shuttle from one place to another in the dark. It's depressing. And certainly, we have good science to suggest that is true. We have copious amounts of research to suggest that there is a direct link between lack of sunshine and increased depression rates. So what do we do about it? Well, there is truly a simple hack that research suggest will help us to be happier and more content. As a side note, I believe that happiness can only be a bi-product of contentment. Most research suggests that people have the same types of interactions throughout the day. The optimist (happy person) and the pessimist (less happy person) tend to have the same types of things happen to them throughout a day, week, month and year. The optimist just has a brain that seeks out the positives over the negatives. I know this sounds overly simplistic, but the research is almost overwhelming. For a quick introduction to this idea, read Adam Grant's book, Originals. What does this mean for us and happiness? Well, there is another guy named, Shawn Achor who tells us that we can train our brain. You... Continue reading

Let's talk about kids getting nicer gifts than my kids and one thing that you absolutely must never tell your kids. Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

It's time to start thinking about what you want to do in 2020 and how you can create time to get it done. Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

How do we deal with all of the different emotional responses to the holiday season? Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

This episode deals with a listeners questions regarding family stress during the holidays. Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

After the turkey and political conversations, let's get started on a great 2020 Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

You'll probably be more trustworthy if you don't get along with everyone. No, really. Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

Are you wasting the potential goldmine of information and knowledge from your arguments and fights? Also, you should probably practice your arguments and fights so that you get better at them. Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

What is emotional reasoning? How does it work against us? How can we combat it? Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading