Living Fullness

Friends, Circle of Influence, and BFF - What's the difference?

Our hosts take a look at the difference between friends, COI - Circle of Influence (close friends) and a BFF (best friend) using the 5 Key elements of a relationship. If you haven't heard the previous episodes, that's ok, you'll be able to follow along from this episode. 
This episode also talks about pulling up your friends, and fraternal correction especially as it needs honesty, respect and charity but also clarity and specificity. 
Our hosts talk a bit about vulnerability in relationships and speak of the ups and down of that in their own relationships. Stina is able to pull Padre up on certain things even when he doesn't want to hear it, and Padre is able to hold Stina to her standard, even when she tries to wriggle out of it - all in the name of a friendship of goodness. 
Our hosts also make a BOLD statement about whether men and women can be best friends - See 13'40
Truth. Beauty. Goodness
Padre - Fr Rector's birthdayStina - Friends Marry & Friend's having their first child. 
Podcast video on Youtubehttps://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKxismgs5Z25X-41DgGDklumR1AWQUHbv
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New Year 2021 - S.M.A.R.T Resolutions, clerical creativity, and tough reflections

As 2020 Draws to a close our hosts take a look at the year that was and begin to consider what needs to be taken stock of in order to prepare for the year that is to come 
This episode includes some thoughts on the Global Pandemic of 2020, and some clerical creativity that come through it. A shout out to Fr. Thomas Cassanova. Highlights of 2020 included the installation of Bishop Mark Edwards and his encouragement during these strange times. 
Our hosts talk resolutions that were made, adjusted and kept during 2020, and some things to take into consideration when setting 2021 goals including ensuring they are S.M.A.R.T Goals - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Also bring onboard an accountability, someone who will show you tough love and hold you to your commitment, as well a motivator; where you will go when the high of the new year dissipates and you find yourself losing the desire to maintain the commitment. 
Unexpected Joys of the year, including all the dancing and to consider in what ways they have grown either physically, emotionally, spiritually or with others this year.  
Then our hosts asked each other 2 questions each. 
For Stina:
1. Who is someone you will turn to this year?
2 If you lived exclusively according to your values, what would that look like?
For Padre:
1. What will be your biggest risk in 2021?
2. What is ONE change you could make that will bring you more peace?
 
From all of us at Virtue Ministry, Thank you for all your support this year, and we're all Wishing you a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 
 
For more info.www.virtueministry.org/au/social/
 

Christmas Cheer & Conflict, Traditions and Wish for our listeners

This is the Christmas Episode for Living Fullness. Episode that discusses all things Christmas Traditions and what role Santa played in our hosts lives. 
Along side Christmas cheer, there is a tendency for Christmas Conflict to also rise. We also cover what to do when this happens at different Christmas events, and how to prepare before hand. 
If you're alone this Christmas, we have a segment in this episode for you also. The FREE retreat guide can be found here for download
http://www.virtueministry.org.au/social/
Finally our hosts talk about what their ideal Christmas would look like, which fictional characters they would invite to their fantasy Christmas party including Dr Who, the Avengers and Father Brown; and their Christmas wish for our listeners, and viewers of Virtue Ministry and the Living Fullness Podcast. 
Podcast Video can be found on https://youtu.be/SvIp01q5kPI
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God - Final of 5 Key elements of growing in a relationship

This is the final of the 5 key elements required for a healthy relationship, as coined by Sarah Swafford at Emotional Virtue. 
If God is everywhere, and in our relationships, why do we need to talk about this?
Love never forces itself upon another, and so because God loves us so much, he waits for our invitation, to be invited into our every day and into our every relationship. 
We need to talk to him as we would a friend, about anything and everything from asking for his help to enhance our friendships on earth, being thankful for what he has already done in our lives, figuring out what our vices and virtues are and where we should head from here. 
Conversation with Christ - Teresa of Avila by Peter Rohrbach on personal prayer. 
Our relationship with God directly impact the way we relate to and love one another. Not only because we allow ourselves to be surrendered to God to move in our lives, but also because the way we learn to love God teaches us how we should properly love our neighbour, the way they ought to be loved. 
Isn't it easier and more fun without the seriousness of religion, and faith playing into our relationships?
A Christian life means living a life where Joy is visible, that includes the relationships we have. The notion of God complicating friendships and relationship, and stealing the joy, is quite simply, false. It's precisely because of God, that the most authentic and satisfying friendships, virtuous friendships, can form and stand, because it's foundation is Christ himself. 
What about those who are not Christian, can they have virtuous relationships? 
Truth beauty and goodness:
Padre spoke about transcendental properties of being; that being truth, beauty and goodness.  
Video episode available on youtube
https://youtu.be/bskM9OEpJ7c
 
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Backstory and Personal Convictions of the Hosts

So far, Living Fullness has covered 4 out of the 5 Key elements required in growing a relationship; Trust, Honesty, Time, and Virtue. Before talking about the very last component, our hosts share in this episode a bit about their backstory of how they have come to where they are now, and the way each of them see themselves and the world.
In this episode they cover the following 7 Questions:
1. What beliefs and values were you taught in the home, at school and within your culture?
2. When did your personal relationship with Jesus begin, and what was your first impression of him?
3. Has it changed over time? And did anyone or anything help strengthen that or anything weaken it?
4. What does it look like now?
5. What season of life are you in now and what is God calling you into at this time?
6. Why does any of this matter to you?
7. Regarding faith; what if you're wrong?
 
Make sure you subscribe to the podcast and share it with someone. The video podcast is available on youtube. Send us your thoughts, comments and questions either using the Living Fullness facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/livingfullness
OR on Virtue Ministry on facebook or Instagram.
The final episode on the 5 key elements will be released in the coming days.

Virtue & Values and Human Excellence - NPR

In this episode Fr Sean and Stina finally tackle the topic of Virtue - habitual goodness and human excellence. Virtue is more than signalling, or an old and impractical concept in our time; and it's more than tapping our toes and calling it patience, or being prudish. Virtue is not just how we act but an all encompassing integration of thoughts, emotions, desires and behaviour. It's a true and healthy integration of the whole human person where love is at the core. 
Our hosts also look at the way in which our value systems play into how we choose to live out our lives; including universal values of living and societal values of friendship, encouraging listeners to consider 'Looking at my personal values, why do I value these?' 
For those who don't know their personal values - some questions to start reflecting - 
1. Who do I admire and why have they made a positive impact on me?
2. What is it in life that inspires me to take action? 
3. Where are the circumstances/situations where I am living life most fully myself, and most like the person I was made to be? Also, where are the situations and circumstances where I am least like who I am made to be?
 
Fr Sean and Stina share their personal values and discuss the importance of considering whether personal values match in relationships such as friendship and romantic relationship. Fr Sean outlines the number one value for a Christian, and Stina asks the question of what happens when Goodness is not a common value within a relationship. 
20'30'' - Fr Sean asks Stina 'This all sounds too hard, why should we bother with Virtue?' 
 
Truth, Beauty and Goodness
24'40 - Transcendental Properties of Being 

Has it been long enough; are we friends now?

Fr Sean and Stina, continue the conversation on the Natural Progression of a Relationship and the 5 key elements required for any relationship, as coined by Sarah Swafford from Emotional Virtue. 
This episode focuses on the 3rd Element 'TIME'. 
Who says how much time needs to be spent in order for a solid friendship to be present? Instead look for trust, honesty, genuineness and sincerity; good things take time. 
There is time, then there is timing. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything,    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2     a time to be born and a time to die,    a time to plant and a time to uproot,3     a time to kill and a time to heal,    a time to tear down and a time to build,4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,    a time to mourn and a time to dance,5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,6     a time to search and a time to give up,    a time to keep and a time to throw away,7     a time to tear and a time to mend,    a time to be silent and a time to speak,8     a time to love and a time to hate,    a time for war and a time for peace.
 
Not all friendships are meant to last, and there is a time and place for solid friendships to be acquainted and grow. School may be a time for education, and there may be some friendships which form here, but it is not fair to expect that friendships formed here will last a lifetime. In a space of education where your primary goal is to learn content and about yourself, it's ok to allow that space to simply be that and not become the arena to find and secure your Best Friend for Life.
 
Truth, Beauty and Goodness 
Judi Limbers - CEO of AV Workshops. All.U.Re and Valour Workshops.  

Can we just be real for a second? Honesty and Clarity in relationships

In this episode the hosts continue the conversation on the 5 key elements necessary for any relationship.
This episode talks specifically about HONESTY. S.W.O.T Analysis - Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. They answer a brilliant question that was posed by one of the young men at Chosen Youth, and give direction for intentionality right from the outset of the start of a relationship and friendship, and not pretending about what's ACTUALLY going on here.
They also talk about the risk of rejection and why sometimes the knock back hurts so much more; and about how to know how much honesty is too much.
Truth. Beauty. Goodness
Rise Challenge - Christ Stefanik

How to build trust - B.R.A.V.I.N.G - NPR

This episode continues to unfold the Natural Progression of a relationship by looking at the 5 key elements outlined by the founder of Emotional Virtue, Sarah Swafford. This episode tackles the first element, Trust, which is necessary in any form of healthy relationship whether friendship, family, romantic or work relationships. 
The hosts unpack Brene Brown's work on vulnerability as a way of clarity for building trust through Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Vault, Integrity, Non-Judgement, and Generosity. 
 
Join the Living Fullness facebook group to join the discussion. A new Episode video is released on Virtue Ministry's Youtube channel every Thursday. Join our Instagram page on Virtue.Ministry for updates. 

Natural Progression of a Relationship - NPR - Friends

In this episode Fr. Sean Byrnes and Stina introduce the NPR - Natural Progression of a Relationship, coined by Sarah Swafford, founder of Emotional Virtue. The natural progression showcases the path a healthy relationship can take from acquaintance to Friendship. Swafford's NPR also includes dating, courtship, engagement and Marriage. The hosts of Living Fullness focus mainly on friendship. 
 
The episode also includes Aristotle's outline of 3 Types of friendship - Utility, Pleasure and Goodness.