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Relationship Coach PodcasterAward-Winning Author JOHN CERTALIC

HELPING PEOPLE OF FAITH FIND THE JOY WE WERE MADE FOR IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS.

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Actionable relationship insights delivered weekly to your inbox

    You Were Made For This

    Our relationships are so important to living a fulfilling life, we do ourselves a favor when we do what we can to make those relationships the best they can be. To that end, listen to Episode 139 of You Were Made for This. You’ll learn the benefits of listening to this podcast in helping you find more of the joy God intends for you in your relationships.

    Latest Episodes

    “At the end of the day, nothing matters MORE than relationships.” — John Certalic

    • A better Christmas joy is the joy shared when people visit.

    207: How to Help the People We Love At Christmas

    December 6th, 2023|Categories: Family Relationships, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    In the 1947 classic Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life!, George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, goes through a tough time during Christmas in dealing with two serious

    206: Thankful for the Stories of Others

    November 15th, 2023|Categories: Finding Joy in Relationships, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    The Thanksgiving holiday will soon be upon us here in the US, so I’ve been reflecting on what I’m thankful for. And this year I’m thinking about things

    • A meaningful conversation deepens a relationship

    205: How to Have a Meaningful Conversation

    November 1st, 2023|Categories: Finding Joy in Relationships, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    To deepen our current relationships, or to develop new ones, it’s helpful to ask ourselves an important question. Namely, “How do I have a meaningful conversation with someone?”

    • Be stingy in sharing your story when listening to others

    203: Three Reasons for Being Stingy in Sharing Your Story

    October 4th, 2023|Categories: Becoming a Better Listener, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    There’s a school of thought out there that says to make friends it’s important to be vulnerable by sharing your story. Some call it “being authentic.” Yet it’s

    • Listen to someone's story

    202: The Best Stories

    September 20th, 2023|Categories: Becoming a Better Listener, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    Most of us like a good story. I have found that the best stories are those that draw us in with emotion. They’re usually about relationships and often

    • like wild flowers. we bloom and die

    201: Three Relationship Tools to Remember in September

    September 6th, 2023|Categories: Podcast, Relational Skills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    Hello everyone, I’m back!  To start season 8 of this podcast we’re going to talk about three relationship tools we can use to become better listeners this fall

    Episode Topics

    Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Social Isolation

    I recently read Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Social Isolation 2023. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. A little long, but what

    211: A Men’s Breakfast Like No Other

    A men’s breakfast can be fun and still have a greater purpose than eating and conversation. When organized with a larger objective in mind it can be a

    210: Word of the Year for 2024 – Curious

    CURIOUS. It’s my pick for the 2024 Word of the Year. Curious. It’s an important relational skill we need to help us deepen our relationships with others.  Today’s

    217: God Will Surprise Us

    In the past dew episodes I’ve been talking about how I tracked down my birth father and met him for the first… and last time in my life.

    202: The Best Stories

    Most of us like a good story. I have found that the best stories are those that draw us in with emotion. They’re usually about relationships and often

     Recent Articles

    The WAIT Listening Principle

    Hi Reader, A while back, someone who attended a better listening workshop I put on shared some interesting feedback. It had been several years since we met at the workshop, but when I ran into him, he offered this comment - completely out of the blue: “You know, when you were here a few years ago to put on that listening seminar, the thing I remember most is the W.A.I.T. principle you taught us. I think about it all the time when I’m talking with people.” I thought you might like to know...

    Listeners Weigh-in About Silence

    Hi Reader, In last week’s email, I listed several quotes about silence and asked for reader feedback about them. The quote from Mother Theresa drew the most response. "We need to find God; he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…We need silence to be able to touch souls." Reactions to the Mother Theresa quote Sue from Los Angeles said she...

    Silence: An Important Listening Skill

    Hi Reader, In response to one of my recent blog posts about listening, one of our podcast listeners wrote to tell me, “John….I’m sure you know that the words ‘listen’ and ' silent’ are spelled with the same letters.” Yes, I did know this, and I’m grateful for the reminder. It’s taken from a quote by Alfred Brendel. Now, if you don’t know who Alfred Brendel is, I’d be happy to tell you all about him over dinner at your house. Wednesdays work best for me, but I’m flexible. This all reminds me...

    “Is That What You Want to Do?”

    Reader, In last Wednesday’s email I mentioned this quote from Emily P. Freeman, Good listeners can change the world. I know this because they changed mine. I asked you to think of someone who changed your world because they listened to you. I said I would tell you today about a person who changed mine because they listened to me. And what an unlikely person this was: my high school guidance counselor. One day at the beginning of my senior year, Mrs. Roller, someone I had never talked to...

    Writer's Digest Best Inspirational Book of 2016

    THEM is all about relationships and how to make them better. You’ll read real-life stories showing the joy found in bringing out the best in others, which brings out the best in ourselves.

    Have you ever wanted to understand and help someone who is depressed or angry? How about someone who is fearful, or has trouble forgiving and reconciling with others? Maybe you want to know how to better encourage someone.

    In THEM – The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others, John Certalic weaves together real-life stories that practically show how to help others – and ourselves – deal with the challenging relational issues that affect us so deeply.

    Winner of Writer's Digest Best Inspirational Book of 2016. Endorsed by Dr. Laura Mae Gardner, Ruth Van Reken, Dr. John Powell, Stuart Briscoe, and numerous missionaries.

    Writer's Digest Best Inspirational Book of 2016

    THEM is all about relationships and how to make them better. You’ll read real-life stories showing the joy found in bringing out the best in others, which brings out the best in ourselves.

    Have you ever wanted to understand and help someone who is depressed or angry? How about someone who is fearful, or has trouble forgiving and reconciling with others? Maybe you want to know how to better encourage someone.

    In THEM – The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others, John Certalic weaves together real-life stories that practically show how to help others – and ourselves – deal with the challenging relational issues that affect us so deeply.

    Winner of Writer's Digest Best Inspirational Book of 2016. Endorsed by Dr. Laura Mae Gardner, Ruth Van Reken, Dr. John Powell, Stuart Briscoe, and numerous missionaries.

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