We're in part three of our gratitude series, and this one's about what happens when life is grinding you down. When you're exhausted, burnt out, working different shifts, tag-teaming everything, and somehow your partner ends up last on the list.

We've been there. We went through a long stretch where we were both so deep in the grind we almost lost each other. It was the small, real moments of gratitude that kept us connected when everything else was falling apart.

In this episode, we get honest about:
- How gratitude keeps you present when you're just trying to survive
- Why gratitude isn't about being positive — it's about being truthful
- The practice that helped us rebuild when we were at our lowest
- How choosing each other when it's hard creates lasting love
- A powerful study from the Gottman Institute about what actually keeps couples together (86% vs 33%)
- Our bedtime gratitude ritual that shifts the whole day

**GOTTMAN INSTITUTE STUDY BREAKDOWN:**
The Gottman Institute studied married couples for 6 years. When partners made small gestures (like "Can you watch this video with me?"), they found three response types:
1. Turn TOWARDS (give attention)
2. Turn AWAY (ignore)
3. Turn AGAINST (dismiss/fight)

Couples who STAYED MARRIED turned towards their partner 86% of the time.
Couples who DIVORCED turned towards only 33% of the time.

**THIS WEEK'S PRACTICE:**
Before bed, share one real moment of gratitude with your partner. If you're not in a relationship, share it with a friend or say it to yourself in the mirror. Gratitude isn't just about feeling it — it's about naming it. Try it for seven days and see what shifts.
**WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:**
What's one small, real moment of gratitude from your week? Not "I'm grateful for my family" — we want the tiny thing. Like "My partner brought me coffee without me asking" or "I sat in my car for five minutes and nobody bothered me." Drop it in the comments or DM us.
**🎧 30-DAY GRATITUDE CHALLENGE:**
We launched a 30-day gratitude challenge on November 1st! Join us in practicing gratitude that's real, not performative.

**📍 SHOUTOUT:**
Shane Boys - Craft Hawaiian BBQ & Shave Ice.
Lillian, Texas / MON - FRI, 11-3 / IG: @shaneboys

Share what you vibed with. We would love to hear!

📸 Instagram: @TheLoveSuite.Podcast

Steve: @Limon413

Grace: @TheGraceRobles

📘 Facebook: @TheLoveSuite.Podcast

Steve: @Steven.Robles.756

Grace: @Grobles1

👥 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:

Facebook Group: Blended & Blessed (for multicultural couples)
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18uQ6UT3g9/

🎥 Watch the video version on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TheLoveSuite
💌 Got thoughts, questions, or your own story to share? Email us at: TheLoveSuite.Podcast@gmail.com

🎧 Tap in for more: The Love Suite Linktree

__

✨Married over 20 years. Parents of four. Survivors of trauma, grief, betrayal, burnout and proof that love can still last.

This podcast is where Brooklyn grit meets Queens heart. We keep it raw about marriage, parenting, money, intimacy, and culture. We don’t preach. We don’t sugarcoat. We tell the truth about what it really takes to stay connected when life gets real.

Grace brings depth from her journey as a Filipina mother, nurse, coach, and survivor. Steve brings the layered view of a Puerto Rican husband, father, and law enforcement officer who’s still learning to speak his heart out loud.

We’re not perfect. We’re still choosing each other every day.

You already know what it is. This is The Love Suite. Pull up. 💜

New episodes weekly. Subscribe for l...

You can be grateful for what your parents gave you and still need something different for yourself. Both can be true.

In this episode, we get real about the weight immigrant and first/second-gen kids carry; the guilt that comes with gratitude when your parents sacrificed everything so you could have more.

We talk about obligation versus choice, the cultural pressure to repeat your parents' struggles, and what it really means to honor their sacrifice without staying stuck. We share personal stories about deserving abundance, breaking out of blue-collar expectations, and making big life choices when family obligations are heavy.

This isn't about being ungrateful. It's about building on the foundation your family laid and not repeating their struggle.

IN THIS EPISODE:

· Why gratitude and guilt get tangled up for first/second-gen families

· The difference between survival mode and abundance mindset

· How cultural concepts like "utang na loob" shape your choices

· When obligation becomes a prison instead of love

· How to communicate boundaries without dishonoring your family

· Real gratitude practices that feel authentic (not performative)

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Nicole Cruz - Grace's life coach who teaches about honoring your parents' foundation while building your own life
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolecruzcoaching/

Dr. Marinette Asuncion-Uy, Psy.D. - Filipino psychologist/psychotherapist with a program on "utang na loob." 🌿 Roots & Rebirth: Healing the Filipino Inner Child
A 30-day guided journey and soul fundraiser.
Live circles on Dec 8 & 15 | 10 AM or 8 PM EST.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.brown.psych/

SHARE THIS EPISODE with the friend who's always performing strength, the sister who's always saying "I'm fine."

Share what you vibed with. We would love to hear!

📸 Instagram: @TheLoveSuite.Podcast

Steve: @Limon413

Grace: @TheGraceRobles

📘 Facebook: @TheLoveSuite.Podcast

Steve: @Steven.Robles.756

Grace: @Grobles1

👥 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:

Facebook Group: Blended & Blessed (for multicultural couples)
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18uQ6UT3g9/

🎥 Watch the video version on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TheLoveSuite
💌 Got thoughts, questions, or your own story to share? Email us at: TheLoveSuite.Podcast@gmail.com

🎧 Tap in for more: The Love Suite Linktree

__

✨Married over 20 years. Parents of four. Survivors of trauma, grief, betrayal, burnout and proof that love can still last.

This podcast is where Brooklyn grit meets Queens heart. We keep it raw about marriage, parenting, money, intimacy, and culture. We don’t preach. We don’t sugarcoat. We tell the truth about what it really takes to stay connected when life gets real.

Grace brings depth from her journey as a Filipina mother, nurse, coach, and survivor. Steve brings the layered view of a Puerto Rican husband, father, and law enforcement officer who’s still learning to speak his heart out loud.

We’re not perfect. We’re still choosing each other every day.

You already know what it is. This is The Love Suite. Pull up. 💜

New episodes weekly. Subscribe for l...

We're kicking off our 3-part gratitude series this November, and we're starting where it matters most: the dinner table.

Thanksgiving hits different when you're first or second-gen. Your parents tried to blend in with turkey and stuffing, but the rice and beans still showed up. The pancit made an appearance. The traditions collided. And honestly? That's the beauty of it.

In this episode, we're talking about what it means to celebrate holidays when your family comes from multiple cultures. How do you honor where you came from while building something new? What does gratitude look like when you're navigating immigrant guilt, family expectations, and a holiday that wasn't built for your story?

Steve and Grace get real about their own Thanksgiving experiences; from Grace's mom never making turkey to Steve's family blending Puerto Rican dishes with "American" traditions. They talk about the pressure to perform, the beauty of making it your own, and why you don't owe anyone a seat at your table just because it's a holiday.

This isn't about perfection. It's about presence. It's about choosing what traditions you carry forward and which ones you leave behind.

If you're doing our 30-Day Gratitude Challenge with us, keep going. Tag us @thelovesuite.podcast and use #LoveSuite30Days so we can celebrate with you.

Next week: Part 2 — Gratitude Without Guilt.

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📸 Follow us on Instagram: @thelovesuite.podcast
💬 Connect with Steve: @Limon413
💬 Connect with Grace: @thegracerobles
💌 Email us: TheLoveSuite.Podcast@gmail.com 👥 Join our Blended & Blessed Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/17ehBnWDGZ/

🔗 More ways to connect: linktr.ee/thelovesuite.podcast

Share what you vibed with. We would love to hear!

📸 Instagram: @TheLoveSuite.Podcast

Steve: @Limon413

Grace: @TheGraceRobles

📘 Facebook: @TheLoveSuite.Podcast

Steve: @Steven.Robles.756

Grace: @Grobles1

👥 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:

Facebook Group: Blended & Blessed (for multicultural couples)
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18uQ6UT3g9/

🎥 Watch the video version on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TheLoveSuite
💌 Got thoughts, questions, or your own story to share? Email us at: TheLoveSuite.Podcast@gmail.com

🎧 Tap in for more: The Love Suite Linktree

__

✨Married over 20 years. Parents of four. Survivors of trauma, grief, betrayal, burnout and proof that love can still last.

This podcast is where Brooklyn grit meets Queens heart. We keep it raw about marriage, parenting, money, intimacy, and culture. We don’t preach. We don’t sugarcoat. We tell the truth about what it really takes to stay connected when life gets real.

Grace brings depth from her journey as a Filipina mother, nurse, coach, and survivor. Steve brings the layered view of a Puerto Rican husband, father, and law enforcement officer who’s still learning to speak his heart out loud.

We’re not perfect. We’re still choosing each other every day.

You already know what it is. This is The Love Suite. Pull up. 💜

New episodes weekly. Subscribe for l...