Connexions Classroom

Hosted by Jodi Hildebrandt. In this episode, Jodi tells a powerful personal story illustrating the connecting power of emotional vulnerability and the disconnecting power of the desire to control one’s experiences. The Truth is, we are all vulnerable all the time. And when we have an experience that shows us our vulnerability, The Voice (shame) entices us to attempt to control the experience so that we “don’t have to” experience the discomfort of being out of control. Everybody is looking for connection. It’s so easy to become addicted to anything, precisely because addictions give a false sense of connection! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Attempting to control fearful or uncomfortable situations is so natural. However, control is an illusion. Every one of us is, truthfully, not in control of our life or our circumstances. Surrendering the illusion of control does not mean 'giving up' -- it means beginning a paradoxical way of thinking and perceiving. Surrendering control means we can begin to live free in the true Reality, which generates energy, focus, strength, maturity and great peace. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Jodi explains boundaries in great detail. She answers questions including:What are boundaries?Why do we need boundaries?What is the purpose of boundaries?How do I make boundaries?How do I share and hold boundaries?How do I model boundaries for others? Jodi also explains why we ALL need boundaries both within ourselves and in our relationships with others. The Truth is, boundaries communicate (and translate into / become) deep feelings of self-love and honor for oneself. And honor and love for self very naturally leads to love and honor for others. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Emotional honesty includes me expressing my emotions in Truth. If I am in a relationship that includes me expressing to another how I am thinking and feeling. Honesty proceeds connection. Connection cannot exist without emotional honesty. How emotionally honest are you? And your relationships? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode is about parenting. We’ve received many requests to talk on this subject. In this episode, Jodi explains what children need physically and emotionally, and then zeroes in on one need that, if met, will enable a child (or any person) to have all their other needs met. That need is RESPONSIBILITY. When a child is taught to be responsible for their own thoughts, feelings, and choices, they learn to live life empowered, to meet their own needs, and to ask for help when they need it. Teaching a child to engage in personal responsibility is a large task, and in this podcast, Jodi lays the groundwork for how to do it. Jodi explains 4 tenets of teaching children to be personally responsible: Teach children that they have the ability to choose—and they are ALWAYS choosing (even when they don’t want to). Teach children boundaries Teach children vulnerability Teach children how to think rationally and choose their responses to their emotions.Jodi answers several questions from paren

Hosted by Jodi Hildebrandt What is the difference between mercy and enabling? In this episode, Jodi precisely differentiates co-dependent enabling (which is destructive) from mercy. So often, we want to be merciful, show love, “help,” give support, and enable (make things easier for) someone else—or ourselves—to show up in life and keep commitments. We want to empower the person to feel loved, build confidence, and accomplish something. But often, instead of holding behavior accountable (which is merciful) and assisting the person to move through processes of repentance and restitution (which is merciful), and thereby recognize their potential and power (which is merciful), we enable, ignore behavior, and disempower the person we so much want to empower. After listening to this episode, you will be able to distinguish clearly between enabling and mercy, and armed with accurate knowledge, you’ll be able to give the gift of true mercy and truly empower your relationships and yourself, and ex

Hosted by Jodi Hildebrandt In this episode, Jodi explains how to confront and resolve conflicts with loved ones. Confrontation, when done appropriately, is extremely loving to others and to self. In every relationship, there will be conflict. Conflict is not a bad or scary or wrong thing; it is a human thing. In every conflict, there is some issue that needs to be confronted and addressed. We need to learn to address conflicts—or else the conflict will never go away; it will only be avoided or ignored or pushed down. When issues are addressed, they are truly dealt with and healed. If I avoid or ignore conflicts, I will inadvertently create conflict for the rest of my life, and I will automatically engage addictive behavior and/or substances, and as a result, I will create even more conflict! Although the situation of every conflict is different, it is not unique; all conflicts have similar components. Conflict is usually the result of fear, lack of education, and confusion.&

Distractions are disruptions of thought or perception. A distraction is anything which I give time or attention to, which pulls my vision away from the complete Reality going on around me. I become hyper-focused on one aspect or one thought, to the exclusion of all else. Distraction becomes desirable to us whenever our Reality is uncomfortable, painful or otherwise disagreeable to us. We want to “check out” and alter how we feel and what we experience. Rather than remain in Reality, we enter some type of fantasy. Distraction is not bad—it is human. However, when when you or I choose to use distraction as a coping mechanism to avoid feeling and experiencing Reality—or as a reaction to The Voice (shame)—we will attempt to live in distraction, and we will enter state of persistent fantasy. When we live in any type of fantasy (faulty core belief / illusion) we will be deceived about who we are and about the Reality of our life. We will act out our deceptions and become destructi

Often, the revelation that a loved one is hiding an addiction is a devastating blow. Yet, there are signs and symptoms of addictive behavior and addictive patterns that you can recognize in yourself and others, before a full-on addiction is created. Dishonesty, secrets, lying, selfishness, manipulation, and deception support addictions to fester and grow. If you want to know whether you or your loved one is moving towards addiction, please don't wait until the consequences have mounted so large that you can't ignore them. Learn the signs and symptoms of a developing addiction, and address it. If addressed early (before they become full-blown, out-of-control addictions), addictive behaviors and patterns are far, far easier to resolve. What are the common signs of addiction? How do people talk and present themselves when addiction or addictive behaviors are present? What is the difference between addictive behaviors, vs a full-blown ADDICTION? In this episode, Jodi explains the signs, patterns and presentations

Hosted by Jodi Hildebrandt What is the difference between love and lust? In this episode, Jodi breaks it down in detail and explains why it is crucially important for us to proactively choose to love rather than complacently choose to lust. On vacation in Page, Arizona, Jodi also conducts some street interviews and gets some great answers to the question, “What is the difference between love and lust?” Sneak preview: love is mutual, with an underlying desire to give, while lust is selfish, with an underlying desire to take. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jodi explains how motives are created, how we react or respond to them, why we need to know our motives, how we change them, and how our choices reinforce or change our motives and create the types of outcomes we choose. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hosted by Jodi Hildebrandt This episode is a follow-up to episode 10, which is about the RAISE process. The final step of RAISE – Engage Truth – is all about recognizing and declaring the Truth about your false beliefs and distorted thoughts. Jodi gives examples and explains how to activate the power of Truth Declarations in your life. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Jodi introduces a very simple skill called “R.A.I.S.E.” – a way to stop distortion, become conscious of Reality, and move out of distortion and into peace. Recognize your emotions, feelings & triggers, ask for validation, invite feedback, spot distorted thoughts/false beliefs, and engage the Truth. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hosted by Jodi Hildebrandt. What is the purpose of pain? Why do we all experience it — as though it is a rite of passage in life? What does pain teach us? In this podcast, Jodi explains how pain can be the catalyst to love–if you use your power of choice to learn from the pain. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Drama is a strategy we all use to attempt to connect with others. However, when we are in drama, we are lacking in responsibility for self. Instead, we want others to be responsible for us, and/or we want to be responsible for others. In this episode, Jodi explains the three positions or “characters” of drama: the victim, the rescuer and the persecutor. Whether or not you realize it, you (and everyone else!) have an intimate relationship with all three characters—they show up in many of our relationships. Being conscious about drama empowers you to choose proactive and conscious choices about how you will relate with yourself and others, and to create deep, true connections.Jodi discusses the power we each have to exit the cycle of drama, through making conscious, honest, responsible choices. If you are willing to become conscious of the lies inside our own emotional and spiritual system, you can change your perceptions and beliefs about yourself, and you will exit drama. Th

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Empathy truly is spiritual medicine. The act of empathy is an act of validation and pure love, where we say to another person, "I see you. I know who you really are. You matter. I understand how you feel, and why feel that way, and it makes sense." Empathy means letting go of oneself and experiencing another person's emotions with them. How do we develop, give and receive empathy? It requires vulnerability and a willingness to risk emotionally with another person. Empathy is a skill, and anybody can learn it if they are willing to be vulnerable, humble, and emotionally honest and responsible. In this episode I talk about what empathy is, how we develop the skill set to give and receive it, and what incredible healing power empathy has for any human soul. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The act of empathy comprises three vital principles of emotional and spiritual intimacy in relationships: vulnerability, validation and emotional risk. Validation is the skill of being emotionally present with another person, of dropping self and experiencing emotions of another person for a time, to accurately see and understand and empathize with them. Vulnerability is the act of being emotionally open, raw, and willing to share oneself. Vulnerability is vital in order to allow self or others to validate us. Vulnerability requires us to risk emotionally--to put oneself in a position where we could suffer pain, upset, discomfort or hurts. We must learn to risk in healthy, conscious manners, rather than in unconscious and unhealthy manners. Healthy emotional risk is absolutely necessary in order to create any type of intimate relationship with self, other people and God. These three skills create empathy, which creates intimate, strong and stable connection and healing. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and o

What are boundaries? Why are they important? How do I make them? This week, I talk about personal boundaries. Paradoxically, boundaries are extremely important in relationships. We've each got to have boundaries to separate us as individuals, in order to be intimate with another person. If I don't have boundaries, it means I don't know myself. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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