160 Virtually in Love - Possibilities and Pitfalls of Virtual Connections with guest Jim Thomas

Hi, and welcome to The Couples Expert with your host Stuart Fensterheim. This is episode 160 of our show. Thank you for listening today as Stuart welcomes guest Jim Thomas back to the show. They will be discussing social media and some of the pitfalls of getting connected through the Internet and the impact of that on your life and relationships. Listen in as Stuart and Jim discuss this very important and timely subject.

What you’ll learn on today’s podcast:

Tech advances allow access for everyone, worldwide even those people in remote places 4:34 Being conscious of where you go online and how it impacts you, feeds or frustrates you can make all the difference 8:41 How we influence each other and ourselves online? 11:25 How the intensity of what we’re bombarded with reminds us how fragile we are as humans 16:15 When everything is on Facebook nothing is private! 17:42 When phones are present we lose our ability to empathize and communicate in real time by 40%  22:48 The power of balance in using devices 28:36

Use those devices to build connection. Check and inventory your usage on a regular basis so that you know how far into the habit you are getting. You need to be aware of the place these devices have in your life. How often do you check your phone? Do you have it with you always?  

Pain or loneliness of isolation comes from you and your partner spending too much time on your devices, instead of connecting in the real world.

Curiosity can lead into infidelity easily because you’re getting a connection that you’re craving and you may not be receiving from your partner. You can get close to someone before you know it. Online affairs happen that quickly. The flirtation you have with someone, even if you intend no harm is a big deal in your marriage. You can get so heavily involved and really sucked into virtual connections.

If you feel that your partner is too distracted by devices, you can speak up and ask your partner to put that device down and connect directly with you and avoid the possibilities of reaching out to the wrong person.

It’s just too easy to get online, get distracted and excited in a way that leads to a habit. We all need to be aware and cautious about it. Try a cellphone free evening or a day of the week that you connect face to face without your phone and devices. Make it important in your life to have these REAL emotional connections with the people you love and avoid the pitfalls of inappropriate virtual connections.

Email Stuart: podcast@thecouplesexperts.com

Stuart loves to hear from you!

We’d like to thank you for joining us and Jim Thomas for being our guest on The Couples Expert.  Learn more about his work at www.jimthomas.care

Please join us next week when Stuart will talk about the need for total investment in your relationship with I’m One Foot out the Door, and how do we fix it?

Thank you for spending part of your day with us here at The Couples Expert Podcast. Stay Connected.

The Couples Expert Podcast is sponsored by:  Before You Tie the Knot, 12 Essential Conversations for newlyweds to have. This is an online course with support and direction from The Couples Expert. This course makes a great shower or wedding gift. Learn More: http://www.thecouplesexpertscottsdale.com/12-conversations/