Continuing our series on the Having It A.L.L. framework, today's episode is all about LOVE. I have a special guest on this episode with me today, one perfectly suited to chat with me about love.

In this episode, and for the next several weeks, I’m exploring the framework that I developed thanks to my curiosity, experimentation, mentoring, researching and reflection. Today’s episode is about ABUNDANCE and what that word truly means.

What does "having it all" mean to you? In this episode I dive into that framework, breaking down the meaning behind A.L.L. - Abundant Loving Life. I open up my toolbox for "having it all" and introduce concepts that I will dig into deeper in future episodes.

We have all been in a situation where another person has challenged a belief that we held. Big or small, we know what it feels like to be questioned and to then feel like we need to defend our beliefs. Well, I'm no stranger to this either, and I had an excellent opportunity to experience this very thing during a recent podcast interview! The episode that you're about to listen to was recorded just minutes after I had my belief challenged on air. I decided that I wanted to capture the moment as it was happening, and share my experience with you.

Monique Ruffin is a celebration of living. She is one of those people that folks say has “A beautiful soul”. Growing up in an area impacted by crack, with parents in and out of jail, many wouldn’t have been surprised if Monique failed to transcend her environment. But she did, and in a big way. Monique is a mother, writer, creator, coach, radio host and group facilitator. But most of all she’s an example of what it looks like to live with heart, authenticity, courage, vulnerability and realness.

“We are all creators. Whether or not we create is not up to us. We are human, and creating is what we do.” - Michael Gungor. You are a creator! Yes, you. Whether you not you believe it is irrelevant, because like Michael Gungor said, “We are human and creating is what we do.” Today’s episode is an exercise in creation. I followed the advice of a friend and fellow podcaster, and recorded this episode with no notes and no script. Every part of this episode was created organically, on the spot.

This week I have an incredibly awesome guest with me, live in the studio (first episode with a guest in the flesh with me), and we get down and dirty on everything about Personal Mission Statements.

I’m a firm believer that life is always going to throw circumstances your way, especially when you say (or think) you’re ready to handle them. Circumstances can look like a fender bender, a letter from the IRS, a pet needing to go to the vet, and pretty much whatever other not-sought-after experience that you can think of. Enter Faydra Koenig, a woman who has been through her fair share of circumstances! I was inspired to connect with Faydra after watching a personal and candid video on the circumstances that she has experienced in her life.

We’ve all been through situations that, at the time, felt never ending. Time crawls by. Our bodies respond to the tension. Our minds race from present to future to past. Colleen Crain knows that is like. A traumatic event as a child left her physically impaired fora time, and emotionally shaken. But she also know, first hand, that rising above circumstances is what we are designed todo.

What is simultaneously the most significant factor and biggest barrier to becoming your greatest self? Without this thing, airplanes would not make it to their final destination, corporate managers would have less work to do, and you would reach a ceiling with your potential. It's something that confronts the ego so directly that many people shy away from it at any cost. Yet, it is a powerful tool for self realization, growth and transformation. Any ideas yet?!?

This powerful conversation stemmed from a tip a friend gave me, “Matthew, you have got to interview this guy!” The guy I was being encouraged to speak with was Mike Mills. Mike is an exceptionally unique guy. He has what I call the Small “s” success and Big “S” Success. Mike is the owner and operator of the Buffalo Outdoor Center, a lodging and outfitting resort sitting on the historic Buffalo River in Ponca, Arkansas.

We are all influencers. Everyday we influence, without fail, we influence three groups: our Selves, Others and Life. However, many of us go through life unaware of just how much we influence these groups, and unconscious of the power of influence we really have. In today’s episode I share a powerful story of influence and ask you to ponder a question that will change how you look at your ability to influence your Self, Others and Life.

Love and Fear. It's what all decisions in our lives can be boiled down to. I JUMPED out of a plane, and in that choice I connected with so many other choices I had made throughout my life that illuminated the fact that when it boils down to the essence we always have a choice between FEAR and LOVE.

How do you define "wellbeing"? How about breaking down the word into it's two parts -- WELL and BEING -- what do those words mean to you? My guest in today's conversation is clear on what those words mean to her, and is on a mission to spread her message of whole wellbeing.

You have been lied to about success. Like most of us, we've been told that success is determined by factors "out there". Achievements, accolades, possessions, titles, certifications, promotions - you know the deal. But you've also been told that success is simply a mindset. You are successful if you feel successful. But I'm introducing a new concept to the mix. The concept of little "s" success and big "S" Success. We may all define success in our own unique ways. But the big "S" and little "s" concepts are universal.

What would your life look like if you were fully engaged? If you were living your life to the max? If you were experiencing a "guttural brushfire"? That’s the question that my guest today has been meditating on.

Have you experienced true discontent in your life? That’s totally a rhetorical question because if you’re alive then that means you’ve been in situations that you haven’t liked. The real question is, how did you handle those situations? My guest in today’s conversation is Dianne Crampton, and she would guess that you did one of three things: blamed someone else, ignored it all together, or asked yourself “What is this here to teach me?”

In this episode, Paul Colaianni shares what he’s learned through a life of exploring what living authentically means to him, and he gets personal with me and he talks about his experience of growing up in an alcoholic home, destroying relationships with judgement and fear, and going through life not being his true authentic self.

What does it mean to “lead from center”? It's a question that many high achievers ask themselves (or are asked of themselves), and it's a question that my guest today is going to help us answer. To Amy Balog, leading from center means being so in-tune with yourself -- knowing who you are, and what makes you tick -- that you're able to create amazing results in your life and the life of others. It's about gaining clarity, calmness and conviction, and being acutely aware of the environment inside of yourself so that you may more powerfully impact the environments around you. Amy’s passion is helping leaders tap into their center to create massive results within their organizations, and within themselves. In this conversation Amy and I dive into what leading from center truly means and looks like, and we examine the impact that understanding your bigger WHY has on your life and the lives of those around you. Amy shares her journey of stepping into this work and the watershed moment that changed her career trajectory forever.

In this episode, Colleen and I have a powerful conversation on the practice of manifestation, self compassion and the truth behind how we make a difference in this world (spoiler: you are ALWAYS making a difference, the question is whether you’re providing value or taking it away).

Here we are, my friend, the final episode of Having It A.L.L.! It has been an awesome 8 years, and in today’s episode I’m going to share my thoughts, memories and takeaways with you all. Let’s do this!

What is emotional regulation and what part does it play in having it all? In today’s episode I’m diving deep into the world of emotional regulation and emotional intelligence because these two concepts (and their related parts) are critical components of living a self fulfilled life.

Can every relationship be improved? And if so, how would you actually do it?? Today I'm sharing with you an incredibly effective way to improve any relationship in your life, from a marriage to a friendship to your relationship with your boss or neighbor. This episode pulls from my own personal life and the relationship experiences that I have created. The conversation today will impact how you engage in your current relationships, and will help you create amazing future relationships.

Which of life’s circumstances do you feel a victim to? There was a time in my guest's life when his answer to this question might have been very lengthy. In today’s episode I’m bringing you a conversation I had with my friend, Brian Thomas. Brian is an author, husband, father, and a man who is boldly choosing to have it all in his life. When Brian was 13 he underwent the first of several kidney transplant operations. The experiences leading up to and after the surgery played a significant role in shaping how Brian viewed himself, his capabilities and his future.

What does it really mean to treat your partner like a King or Queen? In today's episode I'm joined by my Queen, Sarah Bivens, and we dig into the topic of "how to treat your partner like a King or Queen". This is a powerful conversation for anyone who has struggled with feeling like they deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, or anyone who feels their current relationship dynamic has room for growth.