What do a silver Christmas tree, a shrimp ring, and a pen from a Pringles can all have in common? They're all part of the wild, wonderful, and sometimes ridiculous Christmas journey of Dr. Glenn and Phyllis Hill!

In this fun and festive episode, Glenn, Phyllis, and Tera open up about their favorite Christmas traditions—from Phyllis's magical German childhood with St. Nicholas bringing candlelit trees on Christmas Eve, to Glenn's silver tree with a spinning color wheel, to their hilariously humble first married Christmas together. They share how they've created over-the-top holiday magic for their kids and now 12 grandkids, including elaborate scavenger hunts, cousin extravaganzas, and Glenn's famous Christmas plays.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Phyllis's German Christmas traditions (so different from American ones!)
• Glenn's confession about thinking Velveeta was "real cheese"
• Their first married Christmas story (you won't believe what they gave each other)
• The legendary "shrimp ring years" their kids still talk about
• How they create magical experiences for 12 grandkids
• The evolution of their family Christmas celebrations
• What happens when your adult kids start their own traditions
• Everyone's favorite Christmas songs, foods, and movies

Perfect for: Anyone who loves Christmas, families creating traditions, parents and grandparents who go all-out for the holidays, anyone curious about international Christmas celebrations, couples building their own family culture

Get the Core Emotion Wheel: www.connectioncodes.co/podcast
Book a Connection Codes Coach: https://connectioncodes.co/coaches

Keywords: Christmas traditions, holiday memories, family celebrations, German Christmas, creating family traditions, grandparenting, Christmas magic, holiday joy, marriage and family, festive season, cultural differences, Christmas stories

Why do the same moments bring one person joy and another person pain? And how can we stop letting those differences destroy our relationships?

In this powerful episode, Glenn, Phyllis, and Tera unpack a transformative truth: we all enter the same situations with completely different backstories, and those differences create conflict faster than anything else—especially during the holidays.

Tera shares a vulnerable story about feeling hurt by Glenn's teasing, only to discover they have polar opposite beliefs about what jokes mean. Glenn grew up believing you only joke about things that aren't true, while Tera learned that every joke contains truth. Same behavior. Completely different experiences.

Glenn and Phyllis walk through real-life examples—from music preferences to days off—showing how our childhood experiences shape what brings us joy or pain today. They share practical tools for conveying your experience without attacking your partner, and how to create curiosity instead of conflict.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why the holidays amplify relational disconnection (and how to navigate family gatherings without losing yourself)
• The simple phrase that stops emotional flooding before it creates an "emotional dam"
• How one couple discovered why the husband's day off was his most dysregulated day of the week
• Why saying "I felt hurt" is completely different than "that hurt me"
• The secret to making space for both people's experiences without anyone being "wrong"
• How to recognize when you're losing your identity and what to do about it

Featured Story: A client discovers his day off triggers fear because he doesn't know his worth outside of work—and the powerful moment when he finds himself through the Core Emotion Wheel.

This episode will transform how you approach conflict, whether it's with your spouse, your kids, your coworkers, or your extended family. Because the goal isn't to change what you like or agree on everything—it's to see each other.

Resources mentioned:

• Get the Core Emotion Wheel: www.connectioncodes.co/podcast
• Book a Connection Codes Coach: https://connectioncodes.co/coaches

Programs referenced:

• Clarity Reset (for identity work and emotion processing): https://www.connectioncodes.co/clarity-reset
• Foundations Masterclass: https://www.connectioncodes.co/foundations
• Late Night Program: https://www.connectioncodes.co/late-night

What if the real problem isn't being alone, but feeling alone when someone's standing right in front of you?

In this powerful conversation, we're diving deep into one of the most misunderstood emotions: loneliness. Dr. Glenn and Phyllis just returned from an incredible journey through Europe, and they're sharing fresh insights about what loneliness actually is, why it's so damaging to our health, and most importantly—what actually helps.

Here's what might surprise you: the solution to loneliness isn't being around more people. In fact, you can feel most lonely in a crowded room, at a family dinner, or even lying next to your spouse.

This episode will help you understand why relational absence is far more painful than geographical absence, and how the "still face" we give each other—even unintentionally—creates chronic pain that affects our marriages, parenting, and overall wellbeing.

You'll hear a jaw-dropping story about a dad who went home from a Connection Codes event and used one simple tool (the "ooh") to transform his child's middle-of-the-night meltdowns from 45 minutes of chaos to 2 minutes of connection. This is the power of being emotionally present instead of just physically present.

Key Topics:

- Why loneliness is more damaging to your health than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day

- The difference between geographical absence and relational absence

- How the "still face experiment" reveals what we're all experiencing in our relationships

- Why going to a hotel alone can feel better than being home with your family

- The chronic loneliness of modern parenting and partnership

- How to identify loneliness when it's hiding beneath anger and frustration

- What your brain actually needs when loneliness fires (hint: it's not a crowd)

- Practical tools to move from isolation to genuine connection

This episode is for you if:

- You feel exhausted doing everything by yourself even though people are around

- You'd rather be alone than feel alone with your family

- You're experiencing chronic irritation and don't know why

- You want to stop the cycle of loneliness in your home

- You're ready to understand what your emotions are actually telling you

The Connection Codes aren't just theory—they're tools that work immediately when you implement them. Whether you're a parent trying to connect with your kids, a spouse feeling disconnected, or someone navigating the holiday season with a deep sense of isolation, this episode will give you clarity and actionable steps forward.

Resources Mentioned:

- The Still Face Experiment- Connection Codes events in Europe

- Cincinnati event testimonials

- Upcoming 2026 events

Ready to go deeper?

Get the Core Emotion Wheel - The foundational tool for processing emotions and creating connection www.connectioncodes.co/podcast

Book a Connection Codes Certified Coach - Work one-on-one with someone trained in these tools https://connectioncodes.co/coaches

Want to bring Connection Codes to your church, business, or organization? Email us! We're booking events for 2026 and would love to come to your community.

Keywords: loneliness, emotional health, mental health, marriage communication, parenting tools, emotional regulation, connection, isolation, relationship advice, family therapy, chronic loneliness, emotional intelligence, still face experiment, authentic vulnerability, emotional presence, marriage help, parenting struggles, mental wellness, emotional awareness, relational connection