The Love Retreat Written by Cynthia & David Stamation, founders of The Love Retreat — guiding couples back to connection through polarity, safety, and shared growth. When “Group” Becomes the Gateway to Connection If you’ve ever considered joining a couples retreat and hesitated the moment you heard the words “group experience,” you’re not alone. It’s natural to want privacy. To want the weekend to be about just the two of you, without eyes, opinions, or outside energy. But w

Why people hesitate to hire a Personal Development Coach and how to move past it.

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach Wow. Just wow. It’s hard to put into words what unfolded at The Love Retreat 2025 , but if there’s one thing I can say with absolute certainty, it’s this: the depth of transformation was beyond anything we imagined. Over three days, we witnessed couples break through walls that had been standing for years, discover truths about themselves and each other, and walk away more connected, more aligned, and more in love than when they arrived.

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach Toxic Team Members: How Negativity Derails an Endodontic Office Working closely with endodontists, I see how toxic team members drain energy, sap morale, and erode trust—and the costliest effect is that they drive away top talent. Left unchecked, even one difficult employee can slow an entire practice. Here’s a story that shows the impact—and how to turn it around. The Toxic Anchor By 8:30 a.m., the office energy was heavy. Most of the te

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach The cost of avoiding leadership is always higher than the discomfort of stepping into it. Working closely with endodontists, I see how drama drains energy, erodes trust, and drives away top talent. Left unchecked, it slows everything down. Let me show you how easily it happens—and what to do about it. A Morning That Went Off the Rails By 9:15 a.m., the day was already slipping. At the front desk , Maria slammed the phone down after anothe

David Stamation, Legacy Life Consulting Too often, people wait until divorce, illness, or loss forces them to change. But crisis doesn’t have to be the teacher. Coming out of my health sabbatical, I’ve realized my mission is simple: to help people choose growth before life leaves them no choice.   The Relationship Between Denial & Change Denial  is the first shield we raise when faced with change. It protects us from uncertainty and loss, but at a steep cost: it delays growth

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach The Long Read Coming out of my health sabbatical, I needed a way to regain focus and momentum. Like many people, I had a history of setting big goals, chasing them with energy, then watching motivation fizzle. What changed everything for me wasn’t another clever goal-setting system—it was discovering my North Star . Take the quiz . This simple, enduring tool has kept me steady through distractions, setbacks, and shifting circumstances. To

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach This quiz will help you: See how aligned you are with your North Star Identify areas where you may be drifting Highlight the next steps to reconnect with what truly matters Answer honestly , trust your instincts, and see where you stand. Your results may surprise you and guide you toward a clearer, more purpose-driven path. Pay attention to what sparks a jolt of truth. Chasing goals can feel like running on a treadmill: lots of motion, li

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach After last week’s series on conflict and chaos, conversations with clients highlighted that there’s more to explore on chaos. Read Part 1  and Part 2   Exploring Conflict and Chaos One discussion with an endodontic coaching client offered a fresh perspective. They described chaos in the practice—not as a single problem, but as the system under strain. Here’s what we uncovered: 1. Chaos in an Endodontic Practice Chaos is systemic and undir

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach This two-part series explores how conflict and chaos aren’t dangers to avoid but invitations to grow. From the sharp edges of disagreement to the turbulence of life’s storms, each moment holds a doorway. The only question is: will you walk through it? Last week we explored conflict and how to make it work for you. Today we’ll see what chaos has to offer. Become Curious about Chaos Chaos unsettles most of us—it feels like the ground is shi

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach In this two-part series, we’ll explore how leaning into conflict and chaos isn’t a risk—it’s an invitation. From the sharp edges of disagreement to the swirling uncertainty of life’s storms, there’s a doorway waiting. The question is: will you step through it? Next week we’ll explore chaos —the wider, less predictable forces that shape our lives. No Thank You Conflict terrifies most of us—but what if leaning into it could unlock growth, c

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach One of the unexpected gifts of this health crisis has been seeing how Cynthia and I communicate—and how we treat each other—when everything feels uncertain. It revealed the bones of our relationship: the strength of our connection, and how much emotional fluency matters when life turns upside down. There were moments when I didn’t feel like her husband. I felt like a dependent version of myself—a patient, even a child—someone being taken

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach Life doesn’t hand us a guidebook when hardship strikes. When cancer interrupted my life, I turned to a skill I had practiced for years— emotional fluency . What I learned not only carried me through treatment but continues to shape how I live today. A health crisis rarely arrives with a roadmap. My own sabbatical, prompted by a cancer diagnosis, was not something I ever planned for. Yet it became one of the most instructive periods of my

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach Let’s revisit a powerful tool—one that has transformed countless lives by deepening our connection to ourselves and others. To revisit is to renew. And to update our understanding of emotional fluency is to evolve. Emotional fluency is one of the most potent tools for living a fulfilling life. Like any well-used instrument, it requires ongoing maintenance and sharpening. It’s not something I practice once with a friend and then check off

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach Part 2 In many relationships today, a subtle but powerful dynamic often emerges as women feeling more like caretakers than partners. The question is worth asking—does the man want a wife , or is he unconsciously seeking a mommy ? At its core, this isn't about infantilizing men or mocking vulnerability. Rather, it's a call to examine patterns that too often go unspoken. Too many women find themselves shouldering the emotional labor of a...

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach While on my current health sabbatical, I found myself reflecting deeply on how much I’ve come to rely on my wife during this time of cancer treatment. There were moments when I didn’t feel like her husband—I felt like a dependent little boy being mothered. And that troubled me. In full disclosure I had a similar health sabbatical 4 years ago to treat the same cancer. This BLOG is a current update and thoughts for August 2025. I’m used to

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach A client of mine was developing a 5-Year Plan and sought my assistance. I devised weekly questions and writing exercises tailored to her profile. These exercises spanned 5-6 weeks, aiming to identify crucial aspects in her plan. However, her planning momentum slowed midway through the process. Upon revisiting the endeavor, we delved into the reasons behind her pause. To pinpoint the underlying issue, I posed three questions. Are you hesit

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach Sure, we all laugh and acknowledge when someone declares, "I’m not perfect!" Yet, in a different breath, many of us chase perfection relentlessly in ourselves or expect it unjustly from others. But here's the truth: striving for perfection goes against our very human nature. So why do we invest so much energy in its pursuit? Read on and take the perfection quiz at the end. Do You... Find yourself delaying tasks? Praise your perfectionism

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach Friendship dynamics evolve significantly from childhood to adulthood. In our school years, friendships seemed to effortlessly form through shared activities on the playground, after school bike rides, or getting into mischief together. It felt almost magical, easy, and effortless, and we didn't fully comprehend how it happened. As adults, particularly men, the quest for that seemingly elusive magic to forge new friendships can be perplexi

David Stamation, Executive Life Coach Overwhelm is a common challenge addressed in coaching sessions, as individuals often find themselves burdened with too many tasks and not enough time to accomplish them. Many times, simply introducing a new tool or concept can empower individuals to regain control and break free from overwhelm. Take the Quiz While overwhelm in short bursts can be energizing or motivating, persistent overwhelm can lead to a cascade of problems. Prolonged s