{"podcast":{"title":"Practicing Love: Have the Best Love and Sex of Your Life After 40","slug":"practicing-love-have-the-best-love-and-sex-of-your-life-after-40-7053593","podcast_index_feed_id":7053593,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/549852/rss","website_url":"https://shanajamescoaching.com/podcasts/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/d/0/6/2/d062780b2af2a37116c3140a3186d450/105728.png","author":"Shana James","episode_count":63,"summary":"Love between humans is not easy, and most of us never had great examples or education about emotions, communication, sex, or what keeps love alive. When you add the challenges of aging to the mix, love becomes even more complicated. Many people end up settling, or giving up on what they want most. But you don't have to! Dating and relationships become easier when you hear people share vulnerably about their struggles, and how they've created more connection and excitement. I bring my 20 years of experience, coaching thousands of people, to help you see what's possible, and how the practice of love makes it possible to have the best love and sex of your life! Find out how to have the best love and sex of your life! https://shanajamescoaching.com/goodies","last_synced_at":"2026-07-23T18:18:23.393961+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/practicing-love-have-the-best-love-and-sex-of-your-life-after-40-7053593"},"episode":{"title":"#49: What to Do When Your Partner Doesn't Meet Your Expectations","slug":"49-what-to-do-when-your-partner-doesn-t-meet-your-expectations","published_at":"2026-04-02T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/practicing-love-have-the-best-love-and-sex-of-your-life-after-40-7053593/49-what-to-do-when-your-partner-doesn-t-meet-your-expectations","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/practicing-love-have-the-best-love-and-sex-of-your-life-after-40-7053593","url":"https://55a15c30-fab8-4111-89c4-b7c13a31ff7f.libsyn.com/49-what-to-do-when-your-partner-doesnt-meet-your-expectations","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/55a15c30-fab8-4111-89c4-b7c13a31ff7f/49.mp3?dest-id=4744482","summary":"Why do so many relationships feel frustrating, confusing, or disappointing, even when there's real love? What if the biggest source of conflict in your relationship isn't your partner, but your expectations of them? In this episode, I talk with psychologist and author of Better Man: A Guide to Consent, Stronger Relationships, and Hotter Sex . We explore how quickly we create stories about who our partner should be, and how those expectations erode connection, create resentment, and leave both people feeling like they're failing. You'll hear why your partner may feel like an \"alien\" at times, and how differences in wiring, nervous systems, and past experiences shape the way we love, communicate, and respond in conflict. This conversation also unpacks what actually creates win-wins in relationships, and why trying to \"fix\" your partner, or get them to change, often backfires. In this episode, we explore: How expectations get out of alignment with reality (and what that costs your relationship) The hidden fear of \"not being enough\" that increases conflict Why your partner's strengths are often also their blind spots How to work with differences in personality, pace, and nervous systems What to do when your partner shuts down, pulls away, or seems unresponsive How to create connection without pressure, demands, or ultimatums Why people get defensive and how to stop unintentionally making things worse A more effective way to repair and create real understanding If you've ever thought, \"If they loved me, they would…\" this episode will challenge that assumption in a way that opens the door to more connection, compassion, and possibility. Find out how to have the best love and sex of your life! Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/burble Licen…","meta_description":"Why do so many relationships feel frustrating, confusing, or disappointing, even when there's real love? What if the biggest source of conflict in your re…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2386,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/practicing-love-have-the-best-love-and-sex-of-your-life-after-40-7053593/episodes/49-what-to-do-when-your-partner-doesn-t-meet-your-expectations/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/practicing-love-have-the-best-love-and-sex-of-your-life-after-40-7053593/49-what-to-do-when-your-partner-doesn-t-meet-your-expectations.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}