Choosing Us

Brad and Michaela Draper
  • 5.0 (11)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Brad and Michaela Draper have what many people call "a unique relationship that others strive to be like". Though they feel their relationship is fairly normal, they also realize they are different from most other relationships. They found each on the dance floor of a bar, were married 9 months later, were told they were making a massive mistake... here they are 10 years later with two little rug rats. Brad and Michaela are beyond excited to share some of the nuggets they have picked up along the way while curating what many would say is the ultimate power couple. Join them on this journey as they relay a variety of topics to help you create the type relationship you strive for most. Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

  1. 1d ago

    138. Unmet Needs: How Small Touches Transformed Our 12-Year Marriage

    When Small Touches Saved a 12-Year Marriage Rarely does a single moment on a treadmill change the course of a marriage, but that is exactly what happened here. After two years of pregnancy and postpartum recovery, one half of this couple had a quiet, honest realization: she hadn't been meeting her husband Brad's emotional needs, even while managing the household and keeping everything running. What followed was remarkable. Within just 24 hours of her initiating more physical touch and affection, Brad's body and mood responded noticeably. A twelve-year marriage began shifting in real time, through something as simple as scratching his back without being asked. Could such small, consistent gestures really be the missing piece in long-term relationships? The Drapers (best friends and life partners, as they describe themselves) explore love languages, vasectomy cautionary tales, and a new ovulation-tracking device that helps couples understand hormonal cycles together. They dig into how unmet emotional needs quietly create irritability and conflict before couples even realize something is off. Honestly, the message is simple and worth repeating: you don't need grand gestures to transform your relationship. You just need daily, intentional effort and the willingness to be vulnerable about what you actually need. Press play. This one will stay with you. Now, If you find this episode valuable, please share with your significant other, friends, and family. We love you! Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

    23 min

  2. Jul 1

    137. Failed to Generate..Show Support

    In this epsidoe, Brad and Michaela recap some learnings from their 12 years of marraige. Now, If you find this episode valuable, please share with your significant other, friends, and family. We love you! Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

    24 min

  3. Jun 24

    136. Visualizing Your Dreams: From Thoughts to Manifestation

    Choosing Us: Touching Your Dreams and Living With Intention Supergluing a finger shut instead of going to the doctor is either impressive or deeply stubborn, and honestly it might be both. The Drapers bring this same unfiltered energy to every corner of their conversation on "Choosing Us," making this episode genuinely hard to put down. Quickly moving from laughter into substance, the hosts explore what it actually means to want something versus truly visualizing yourself living it. The female host describes using sauna meditation sessions to mentally rehearse her roles as mother, wife, and individual, carrying that clarity into real decisions. Interestingly, she draws a parallel to biblical prophets like Isaiah, who describe future events in present tense, mirroring the logic behind vivid visualization. What does it look like to "touch your dreams" before they arrive? The Drapers share practices like walking luxury home floor plans, test-driving aspirational cars, and staying at upscale hotels annually (small investments that make big visions feel real). Because children learn by watching, not listening, the conversation lands on parental authenticity. One host shares her desire to return to modeling, another mentions rediscovering dancing. Both argue that fulfilled parents raise children who pursue fulfillment. Tune in to hear the full conversation. It will stay with you. Now, If you find this episode valuable, please share with your significant other, friends, and family. We love you! Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

    24 min

  4. Jun 17

    135. Choosing Growth: Embracing Life's Weight Through Summer Chaos and Cellular Stress

    When the Weight Doesn't Get Lighter, You Get Stronger Rarely does a single weightlifting session crack open a life philosophy, but that is exactly what happened when the speaker attempted a double bodyweight rack pull somewhere between 260 and 280 pounds. The bar moved slowly, not explosively, and yet lifting it changed everything about how they understood difficulty. The Drapers, hosts of Choosing Us, bring this same hard-won perspective to summer parenting, relationship struggles, and what it really means to grow. Because when you pray for patience, you should probably expect the trials that follow. What would it look like to stop resenting the chaos and start seeing it as the actual pathway forward? Through the concept of mitohormesis (the biological idea that cellular stress builds strength), the Drapers connect muscle development to marriage, parenting, and daily resilience. They share the story of a father who lost his son and still chose gratitude, and they describe incarcerated women who chose happiness despite their circumstances. These aren't feel-good anecdotes but genuine evidence that our response to hardship is always a choice. Situations stay heavy. We become stronger. That is the message. Genuinely, this episode deserves a listen. Share it widely. Now, If you find this episode valuable, please share with your significant other, friends, and family. We love you! Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

    23 min

  5. Jun 3

    134. Choosing Your Family Culture: Building In-Law Relationships and Creating Your Own Traditions

    Building Family Bonds That Actually Last What happens when you marry someone and suddenly inherit an entirely new family culture, one that looks nothing like your own? The Drapers, Brad and Michaela, tackle this question head-on in this episode of Choosing Us, recorded live from Michaela's grandparents' patio in Idaho. Honestly, the personal stories here are what make this one worth your time. Brad watched his brother struggle with difficult in-law relationships and decided early on to make family compatibility a real priority. Michaela's family includes over a hundred relatives across multiple generations, with cousins gathering monthly and even ex-spouses remaining welcome at celebrations. Brad was genuinely surprised by that level of inclusivity. Clearly, blending two different family cultures takes real effort and openness, and it requires ongoing work rather than a one-time adjustment. There's even a funny moment (involving a failed homemade pizza Valentine's Day tradition) that perfectly captures how good intentions don't always translate. Brad's father once grilled Michaela about her humanitarian fundraising until she cried, yet his business connections ended up sponsoring her trip. That story alone shows how family relationships can be complicated and ultimately rewarding. After witnessing a hawk catch a robin mid-conversation, the Drapers reflect on which family traditions deserve to continue and which should be left behind. Tune in to hear how Brad and Michaela intentionally designed their own family culture from two very different starting points. Now, If you find this episode valuable, please share with your significant other, friends, and family. We love you! Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

    22 min

  6. May 27

    133. Best Friends, Affirmations, and Constant Communication: Building the Relationship You Choose

    What You Say Shapes What You Feel and Who You Are Rarely does a single phrase carry so much weight, but the difference between "I am tired" and "I feel tired" could be quietly reshaping your relationship without you even realizing it. Michaela and her partner Brad, hosts of Choosing Us, explore how the words we repeat become what our brain accepts as truth, influencing our thoughts, feelings, and ultimately our closest relationships. The idea is simple but profound: identity statements are not just words, they are the foundation of how we experience life and love. When couples stop affirming core truths like "my spouse is my best friend and teammate," those connections slowly deteriorate. Michaela even shares a funny moment (a child's Mother's Day card listing mom's phone as what she loves most) that cuts surprisingly deep. What does a happy, healthy relationship actually look like for you and your partner? The conversation covers how pairing affirmations with physical movement amplifies their power, and why building your foundation during good times, layer by layer like poured concrete, is what allows couples to survive the harder seasons together. Because when things get rocky, the solution is not dramatic, it is humble, consistent, daily choice. Tune in to hear how Michaela and Brad put all of this into practice together. Now, If you find this episode valuable, please share with your significant other, friends, and family. We love you! Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

    22 min

  7. May 20

    132. Choose Your Spouse Every Day: Building a Marriage on Friendship, Not Obligation

    Choosing Your Partner Every Single DayRarely does a couple make the daily, conscious decision to truly choose their partner feel this tangible and real. The Drapers, hosts of "Choosing Us," bring nearly thirteen years of marriage experience to a conversation that challenges the modern throwaway approach to relationships. After 12 years of marriage, the Drapers have built something worth examining. They argue that marrying your best friend, the person you instinctively call during joy, struggle, or anger, forms the strongest possible foundation for a lasting partnership. (Michaela's trip to St. George with strangers turned out to be a genuine turning point for her growth.) They came from polar opposite upbringings yet used those differences to build a shared vision rather than let them divide the relationship. What does it actually mean when your spouse is not the first person you want to call? The Drapers frame this not as failure but as an invitation for honest reflection and constructive dialogue. Through patient encouragement rather than pressure, accountability without harshness, and vulnerability without fear, they demonstrate that strong marriages are built daily through small, intentional choices. Because choosing your partner is an ongoing, active commitment, not a one-time decision. Tune in to hear the full conversation and bring their insights into your own relationship. Now, If you find this episode valuable, please share with your significant other, friends, and family. We love you! Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

    24 min

  8. May 13

    131. You Become Who You Surround Yourself With: Curating Your Circle for Success

    You Are Who You Surround Yourself WithImagine sitting at a pool party with a wealthy real estate developer, only to have your dinner suggestions completely dismissed in favor of luxury steakhouse chains. That humbling moment changed everything for the Drapers. Best friends and married couple Michaela and her husband open up about their early marriage struggles, from living in their parents' basement to moving into an apartment they genuinely could not afford. (The Fleming's dinner story alone is worth the listen.) Slowly, intentionally, they began surrounding themselves with more ambitious people, and that shift rewired how they thought about money, relationships, and success. Are you the lighthouse guiding people forward, or the tugboat quietly dragging them down? Drawing from their twelve-year marriage, the Drapers explore how the company you keep shapes your mindset in ways that are easy to miss. They talk about moving from constant complaining to genuine problem-solving together, and how their closest friends, ranging from bankrupt entrepreneurs to billionaires, all share one thing: they ask "what's next?" instead of comparing and grumbling. Clearly, auditing your social circle is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing, evolving practice. Tune in and start thinking differently about who you keep close. Now, If you find this episode valuable, please share with your significant other, friends, and family. We love you! Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

    22 min
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5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Brad and Michaela Draper have what many people call "a unique relationship that others strive to be like". Though they feel their relationship is fairly normal, they also realize they are different from most other relationships. They found each on the dance floor of a bar, were married 9 months later, were told they were making a massive mistake... here they are 10 years later with two little rug rats. Brad and Michaela are beyond excited to share some of the nuggets they have picked up along the way while curating what many would say is the ultimate power couple. Join them on this journey as they relay a variety of topics to help you create the type relationship you strive for most. Listen in! Thank you for listening to this episode of Choosing Us.

Information

  • Creator
    Brad and Michaela Draper
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    138
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Brad Draper
  • Show Website
    Choosing Us

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