Living Fullness

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. 

Toxic Relationships Part 2

This is episode 2 of 2 on Toxic Relationships. In this episode Fr. Byrnes and Stina, have a closer look at the ways toxic relationships play out and what we can do about them. 
 
They introduce a helpful template for dealing with toxic behaviours in our lives, as well as the lives of those we care about., such as when our friend is in an unhealthy relationship, and they just can't see it. 
 
Template 
1. This is what I've noticed
2. This is how I feel about it/the impact it has on me
3. This is not ok
4. This is what I intend to do about it

Toxic Relationships Part 1

Part 1 of 2. In this episode, Fr. Byrnes and Stina, start to look at toxic behaviours and ways of recognising unhealthy relationships especially in our friendships. 

Not low value, but low intensity relationships - Acquaintances

In this episode Fr Sean Byrnes and Stina talk about Acquaintances vs Friends, the human need to fit in and belong and some thoughts about pressures and expectations for being friends with everyone.
They also ask the Question; As Christians, we're called to lay down our lives for another, how can we do this, if we're not first friends with everyone?
Join our Facebook Community for further discussion and share your thoughts about this episode. A new Podcast Episode is available via streaming sites every Wednesday, and a new podcast video on our youtube channel every Thursday.
 
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Best friends for life (we just met)

In this 2nd episode of Living Fullness, Stina and Fr Byrnes, start to unpack the need for friendship, the health benefits, early stages of wanting to be best friends for ever, YOLO, and what is so wrong with jumping straight in when we meet someone we click with immediately?

Living Fullness - Meet the Hosts

Stina Constantine sits down with her long standing friend Fr. Sean Byrnes to talk about the joys and challenges of friendship especially between men and women. This episode introduces the hosts, how they met and some of the ways they pick on each other, rather regularly. Stina and Fr. Byrnes also begin to set to scene for conversations to come, due to many of the issues that have risen in our world because of the lack of authentic friendships.
Enjoy the episode, and join our Facebook Community Living Fullness and let us know what you think. Also follow our social media pages Virtue Ministry on Facebook and Instagram 
You can watch our Video Podcast on youtube