Episode 161: How Feelings Make Us Feel

Episode 161: How Feelings Make Us Feel

Author: Mr & Mrs Jones's Swinging Adventures August 29, 2026 Duration: 1:28:45

Emotions are having a moment—and they're affecting everything from our broader culture to our most intimate relationships. In this episode, Kel from Expansive Connection joins us to explore how fear of uncomfortable feelings, emotional manipulation, codependency, and unregulated emotional expression can influence our decisions and cause harm. These challenges can become even more intense in ethical non-monogamy, where jealousy, insecurity, vulnerability, and uncertainty often bring powerful emotions to the surface. Navigating these adult relationships successfully requires an equally mature ability to understand and manage what we feel.

In this episode we'll examine how emotions are created in the brain, why they are essential, and how "affective realism" can cause us to mistake what we feel for what is objectively true. Kel also shares practical ways to strengthen emotional intelligence and emotional fitness—including noticing and naming feelings, pausing before reacting, separating feelings from facts, and communicating more effectively. Uncomfortable emotions are inevitable, but avoiding them means missing valuable opportunities for growth, deeper self-awareness, and stronger relationships.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Feelings Wheel

How We Feel

Expansive Connection Coaching

Join the We Gotta Thing Community


Ever wondered how a shared adventure might change the view from your own front porch? That’s the space explored in We Gotta Thing-A Swinger Podcast, hosted by a couple who’ve been married for years. As Mr. and Mrs. Jones, they’re not here with a rulebook or a checklist. Instead, each episode unfolds from their own ongoing journey, focusing on how the swinging lifestyle has become a surprising tool for connection and self-discovery within their long-term partnership. You’ll hear their candid reflections on the conversations that happen before, during, and after, tackling everything from navigating jealousy and setting boundaries to the unexpected ways this path has influenced their fitness goals and overall well-being. This podcast is less about instructions and more about exploration-a series of "what if" discussions designed to spark genuine dialogue between partners. It’s for those who are curious, those who are just starting, and those already within the lifestyle who recognize the value of shared stories. By weaving together topics of relationships, sexuality, and personal health with broader cultural perceptions, they offer a grounded, personal narrative. Tune in for honest talk that demystifies and humanizes, helping you and your partner consider where, or if, you might find your own place in such a lifestyle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

We Gotta Thing - Exploring Non-Monogamy
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