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Valentine’s Day is here, but instead of feeling loved and cherished, you’re dreading it. Maybe there’s a pit in your stomach because this year is different. Your partner has asked for space. They’ve pulled away emotionally, or maybe they’re physically gone. Now, a day that’s supposed to be about love feels like a cruel reminder of what you’ve lost… or what you still might lose.

Welcome to Love Shack Live, the podcast for people at a relationship crossroads, where daily conflicts, emotional distance, and uncertainty don’t have to mean the end of love, but a chance to rebuild it in a way that actually works.

I’m Staci Bartley, a relationship mentor who’s spent the last decade helping people navigate the hardest moments of their lives. Alongside my co-host and lover, Tom, and our daughter, Brooke, we help you untangle the messiness of love.

So here’s the question we’re tackling today: Why does Valentine’s Day feel so painful when your relationship is in limbo? And more importantly, how do you get through it without making the biggest mistakes that will only leave you feeling worse?

In this episode, we’re unpacking the biggest emotional traps that keep you stuck, the #1 mistake people make when they’re desperate for connection, and, most importantly, how to reclaim Valentine’s Day in a way that strengthens you instead of breaking you down.

By the end of this episode, you won’t just have a survival plan, you’ll have a game plan for making this day something that actually helps you begin to feel good again.

So, if you’re wondering whether your partner will reach out… if you’re tempted to send that “just thinking of you” text… or if you feel like you don’t belong anywhere right now, this episode is for you. Let’s get started.

Timestamps:

01:12 Understanding the Pain of Valentine's Day
01:50 The Stubbed Toe Analogy
05:01 Common Mistakes in Relationship Limbo
09:25 Broadening Your Perspective
22:05 Practical Tips for Self-Love on Valentine's Day
27:34 The Importance of Self-Discovery
36:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

💡 Want to go deeper? If you’re navigating space, separation, or emotional distance, it doesn’t have to mean the end of your relationship—it can be the start of a transformative journey toward clarity, confidence, and connection.

✨ Start Your Self-Paced 30-Day Roadmap: This flexible, step-by-step guide helps you move from obligation and anxiety to self-focus and strength—so you can navigate emotional distance with clarity and purpose. Learn more & start today: https://stacibartley.com/self-paced/30-day-roadmap

✨ Download the Separation Survival Kit: Your must-have resource for staying grounded, managing emotions, and regaining clarity during this uncertain time. Get your free guide here: https://stacibartley.com/separation-survival-kit/optin

✨ Explore All Our Programs: From expert mentorship to proven strategies, find the support you need to navigate this chapter of your relationship. Browse here: https://stacibartley.com/programs/index/

🎉 Podcast Listener Exclusive: Use the code LOVESHACK15 at checkout for a special discount on the Self-Paced 30-Day Roadmap!

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What if the hardest part about your partner asking for space isn’t the space itself—but what it does to you? The sleepless nights, the overthinking, the way every conversation replays in your head like a broken record. You tell yourself to be patient, but inside, you feel like you’re unraveling.

No one teaches us how to handle this moment. Most people react out of fear, chasing, shutting down, or grasping for control, without realizing the way they handle this space is shaping what happens next.

In this episode of Love Shack Live, we break down:

• ✅ The #1 mistake people make when their partner asks for space (and what to do instead).
• ✅ Why space isn’t necessarily the end—but an opportunity for clarity and growth.
• ✅ How emotional weightlifting helps you shift from panic to peace.
• ✅ The truth about why your partner needs space (it’s not what you think).

So how do you navigate this without making things worse? And is it really possible for space to bring you closer rather than push you apart? We need you to hear us say—yes.

Join us for a conversation that will change the way you see space, separation, and yourself.

🎧 Listen now!

Timestamps:

01:45 Why We Need Space
03:47 Personal Growth During Separation
08:47 Emotional Weightlifting
12:40 Autonomy in Togetherness
17:48 Facing the Pain and Growing
19:31 Common Emotional Fears
23:56 The Courage to Request Space
27:01 The Hard Truths of Relationships
32:31 The Cycle of Self-Rejection in Relationships
33:18 Realizing the Need for Autonomy
35:30 The Importance of Self-Understanding
38:27 Building Blocks of Self-Work
41:35 Communicating Needs and Embracing Change
48:55 Emotional Weightlifting and Self-Reflection
53:41 Final Thoughts and Practical Exercises

💡 Want to go deeper? If you’re navigating space, separation, or emotional distance, it doesn’t have to mean the end of your relationship—it can be the start of a transformative journey toward clarity, confidence, and connection.

✨ Start Your Self-Paced 30-Day Roadmap: This flexible, step-by-step guide helps you move from obligation and anxiety to self-focus and strength—so you can navigate emotional distance with clarity and purpose. Learn more & start today: https://stacibartley.com/self-paced/30-day-roadmap

✨ Download the Separation Survival Kit: Your must-have resource for staying grounded, managing emotions, and regaining clarity during this uncertain time. Get your free guide here: https://stacibartley.com/separation-survival-kit/optin

✨ Explore All Our Programs: From expert mentorship to proven strategies, find the support you need to navigate this chapter of your relationship. Browse here: https://stacibartley.com/programs/index/

🎉 Podcast Listener Exclusive: Use the code LOVESHACK15 at checkout for a special discount on the Self-Paced 30-Day Roadmap!

Send us a text

Ever feel like you’re the only one holding your relationship together? You keep showing up, biting your tongue, doing what needs to be done—not out of love, but out of obligation. And yet, the more you give, the more exhausted, disconnected, and unseen you feel.

The hard truth? Obligation isn’t just draining you, it’s destroying the very emotional connection you’re trying so hard to save.

Welcome to Love Shack Live, the podcast for people at a relationship crossroads. If you’re struggling with daily conflict, emotional distance, or feeling like your partner is slipping away, you’re in the right place. I’m Staci Bartley, a relationship mentor with over a decade of experience helping couples navigate the hardest moments of love and life. I’m joined by my co-host and partner Tom, and our daughter Brooke, and together we help you understand what’s really happening in your relationship—and what you can do to change it.

So here’s the question: What if the thing you think is holding your relationship together, obligation, is actually pulling it apart?

In today’s episode, we’re unpacking:

• 💔 How obligation slowly replaces intimacy, passion, and connection
• ⚡ Why unspoken expectations and hidden resentments build over time
• 🔄 The difference between commitment and obligation—and why confusing them leads to burnout
• 🛠️ How to shift from obligation-based love to genuine choice and emotional freedom

If you’ve ever felt trapped in a relationship that’s more about duty than desire, this episode is a must-listen. Because love isn’t about checking boxes, it’s about showing up because you want to, not because you have to.

🎧 Press play now and start breaking free from the weight of obligation.

Timestamps:

02:46 Marriage and Obligation
04:04 The Impact of Unspoken Expectations
07:58 The Balance of Obligations and Relationship Health
09:21 Emotional Exhaustion and Coping Mechanisms
13:46 Commitment vs. Obligation
16:46 Psychological Resistance to Obligation
21:22 The Emotional Weight of Obligations
26:21 Burnout and Self-Preservation
27:30 Dealing with Overwhelming Obligations
28:48 The Impact of Self-Imposed Obligations on Relationships
32:40 Reframing Obligations as Choices
37:39 Practical Tips for Managing Obligations
43:53 Communicating Boundaries and Needs
44:54 Making Obligations More Manageable
46:33 The Importance of Variety in Relationships
47:54 Final Thoughts on Navigating Obligations

💡 Want to go deeper? If you’re navigating space, separation, or emotional distance, it doesn’t have to mean the end of your relationship—it can be the start of a transformative journey toward clarity, confidence, and connection.

✨ Start Your Self-Paced 30-Day Roadmap: This flexible, step-by-step guide helps you move from obligation and anxiety to self-focus and strength—so you can navigate emotional distance with clarity and purpose. Learn more & start today: https://stacibartley.com/self-paced/30-day-roadmap

✨ Download the Separation Survival Kit: Your must-have resource for staying grounded, managing emotions, and regaining clarity during this uncertain time. Get your free guide here: https://stacibartley.com/separation-survival-kit/optin

✨ Explore All Our Programs: From expert mentorship to proven strategies, find the support you need to navigate this chapter of your relationship. Browse here: https://stacibartley.com/programs/index/

🎉 Podcast Listener Exclusive: Use the code LOVESHACK15 at checkout for a special discount on the Self-Paced 30-Day Roadmap!