Did you know there are TWO types of anxiety?

(By the way, there’s a difference between feeling anxious and having an anxiety disorder. This email is about the common, everyday experience of feeling anxious. I just want to make sure we don’t trivialize a mental health disorder that can be really challenging to deal with… ok, onwards.)

“My husband and I have been going to therapy off and on for over a decade. We made more progress in our marriage during the Epic Wives Experiment than we ever did during our time in counseling.”

Over 500 women have gone through the Epic Wives Experiment, and I’ve literally spent hours sitting at my computer overwhelmed with emotion as I read the breakthroughs, testimonials, and transformations experienced by these Epic Wives.

So, why does the Epic Wives Experiment work so well?

“It’s the little things done often that make the difference.”

This is my favorite quote from the world’s most notable marriage researcher, Dr. John Gottman.

It’s easy to dismiss the quote as a great soundbite and miss all the wisdom that’s packed into it. So I want to spend a minute and tell you how this quote can change your life.

“5. 4. 3. 2. 1. 0. All engine running… Liftoff! We have a liftoff!”

In the summer of 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldren, and Michael Collins were strapped to the tip of a rocket containing over 500,000 pounds of fuel, staring at the sky.

The burners had been lit, and the rocket catapulted them towards a mission that had never been accomplished before: Putting a human on the moon.

A reader reached out to me a few weeks ago.

“My husband hasn’t talked to me in 3 days. We had an argument, and he just shut me out. Is that normal? I want to talk about it… but maybe he still needs time to process. Maybe I just need to lower my expectations.”

Gerritt was working long hours as a police officer.

The job was intense and stressful.

He’d come home at the end of the day exhausted after a long 13-hour shift, dealing with criminals and paperwork.

He’d walk through the door, and it often felt like he was just met with a to-do list from his wife.

I saw another heartbreaking announcement on my Facebook feed a few weeks ago.

“If you haven’t heard yet, my partner and I are getting a divorce…”

This couple had been married for over a decade.

They had multiple children together.

The news, as it almost always is, was heartbreaking.