Are your most intimate relationships (sexual and otherwise) creating healing, empowerment and joy within you?   For years my paradigm around sex and intimate relationships was fixed. I viewed sex as a way to have fun, make babies, and relieve stress. And all of my sexual encounters pretty much fell into those boxes.    I also had a very fixed view around relationships, marriage, and masculinity. I had beliefs about how relationships were supposed to look and operate, what marriage meant and the rules of engagement within that type of agreement, and how men were supposed to act and feel within all of that.    The result of these viewpoints: I was pretty fucked up inside.   My head and my heart were pulling me in opposite directions. What I was modeled and taught was clashing with how I felt, and I didn't know what to do.   The result was an immense amount of guilt, shame, confusion, frustration and a whole host of other emotions that I laid onto myself to deal with this internal state of flux.   Today I am at a much different place. I have a new understanding of what's possible within the most intimate of relationships.     This episode is incredibly vulnerable for me because I'm talking about something that I've only hinted at before. I share the style of LOVING and the style of LIVING that I've chosen for myself, one that created the biggest opportunities within me for personal growth, healing and transformation.  If this episode resonates with you and you'd like to connect with me, you can reach me at mattcbivens@gmail.com or through the contact page on my website: https://www.havingitallpodcast.com/contact   SPONSOR This episode is brought to you by Health I.Q. Go and check out Health I.Q.! They are an insurance company that helps health conscious people like yoga lovers, runners and vegetarians get lower rates on their life insurance.  Go to HEALTHIQ.COM/ALL to support the show and see if you qualify.