The Loving Truth

Sharon Pope
  • 4.9 (72)
  • Relationships
  • Updated Weekly

As a Relationship Expert & Certified Master Life Coach, Sharon Pope has helped thousands of women gain the confidence and clarity they need to either fix their struggling marriages or move forward without regret. On The Loving Truth Podcast, she shares advice on how to navigate deep marriage hardships, challenging common beliefs about what love and relationships “should be” and providing realistic steps towards peace and happiness. If you can’t decide whether to stay or go in your marriage… you’re facing infidelity… you’re terrified of hurting your kids… you can’t bring yourself to leave your marriage, even though you want to… or you’re wondering whether it’s possible to respark the desire between you… tune in to the weekly episodes.

  1. 6d ago

    Episode 218: Your Marriage Is Telling You What Kind of Leader You Are

    You show up at work. You communicate clearly. You follow through. You have the difficult conversations. You understand that trust matters. But then you come home... And somehow, the person who matters most gets whatever is left. We avoid the conversation. We stop being curious. We make assumptions. We get a little lazy about connection. And then we wonder why the marriage isn’t thriving. In this episode of The Loving Truth Podcast, Sharon explores the connection between how we lead at work and how we show up in our marriages. Because so many of the things we know make someone a good leader are the exact same things required to create a strong marriage. Communication. Trust. Consistency. Connection. The willingness to have hard conversations. The ability to adjust when what used to work no longer does. You wouldn’t repeatedly avoid an important conversation at work and expect things to magically improve. You wouldn’t break trust with your team and expect them to keep following you. You wouldn’t stop showing up and still expect great results. And yet, sometimes that’s exactly what we do in our marriages. Maybe the question isn’t simply whether you’re married to the right person. Maybe there’s another question worth asking: What kind of partner are you being inside the marriage you have? In this episode, you’ll learn: Why being a good communicator requires more than simply talking What “quiet quitting” can look like inside a marriage Why every relationship is ultimately asking: Can I count on you? How trust gets built and broken through the choices we make every day Why strong marriages need intentional points of connection Why what worked in one season of your marriage may not work in the next What your marriage might be revealing about how well you’re leading yourself We’re often very intentional about how we show up at work. Maybe it’s time to bring some of that intention home. Reflection Question: If your marriage were your job, would you still be employed?

    Episode 218: Your Marriage Is Telling You What Kind of Leader You Are

  2. Sep 6

    Episode 17: Rebuilding Trust…with Yourself

    You’ve been watching his behavior. Waiting for proof that this time really is different. Waiting until you feel safe enough to let your guard down and trust him again. But what if trusting him isn’t actually the only issue? What if part of the reason you still can’t trust him is because you don’t fully trust yourself? In this episode of The Loving Truth Podcast, we’re talking about the part of rebuilding trust after betrayal that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Because yes, he has to become trustworthy. But you also have to know that if something happens again, you will have your own back. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why trusting your partner also requires trusting yourself How repeated betrayal can erode confidence in your own judgment Why the walls protecting you from getting hurt may also be keeping you lonely How to create enough safety within yourself to risk trusting again Trust after betrayal takes time. Reflective Question: What would need to change for you to trust yourself, regardless of what your partner chooses to do?

    Episode 17: Rebuilding Trust…with Yourself

  3. Aug 30

    Episode 216: Stories of Divorce

    Divorce can feel impossible. Until the day staying feels worse. If you’re struggling in your marriage to the point where you’re considering divorce, sometimes what you need isn’t more advice. You need to hear from women who are actually doing it. Not perfectly. Not without fear. But courageously. In this episode of The Loving Truth Podcast, I’m sharing stories of women who stayed for years hoping something would change, until they finally had to ask themselves: At what point does staying become self-abandonment? You’ll hear about Sandy, who realized she didn’t want to spend decades waiting to finally feel at peace. And Annie, who is at the beginning of divorce with a husband who doesn’t want it. She’s scared. It’s hard. And she keeps putting one foot in front of the other. In this episode, you’ll learn: What it looks like to move through divorce successfully, not just survive it. How to keep moving forward when your spouse makes it difficult. Why your decision to leave may trigger people who choose to stay. Why everyone arrives at their answers in their own time. When talking about your marriage becomes a substitute for actually dealing with it. Because there comes a point when talking about how unhappy you are isn’t helping anymore. That doesn’t mean you have to leave. It means you have to deal with what’s true. Reflection Question: Are you staying because you still believe in your marriage, or because leaving feels too hard?

    Episode 216: Stories of Divorce

  4. Aug 23

    Episode 215: Every Betrayal Begins Long Before the Affair

    Most people think cheating is black and white. You either cheated or you didn’t. But an affair rarely begins with the affair. It begins with the text you wouldn’t want your spouse to see. The flirtation you didn’t shut down. The connection you’re keeping secret. The attention you’re seeking outside your marriage. One seemingly harmless choice becomes another. And another. In this episode of The Loving Truth Podcast, I’m talking about micro-cheating: the small choices that may not technically qualify as an affair, but still chip away at trust and create distance in your marriage. In this episode, you’ll learn: What micro-cheating actually looks like. The difference between privacy and secrecy. Why couples need to define betrayal before a line gets crossed. How small choices can slowly erode trust. Why every choice turns you either toward your marriage or away from it. Because the most useful question may not be: Does this technically count as cheating? It may be: If your spouse could see every text, interaction and choice you’re making, would anything need to change?

    Episode 215: Every Betrayal Begins Long Before the Affair

  5. Aug 16

    Episode 214: When Your Faith and Your Marriage Pull You in Opposite Directions

    Your faith tells you marriage is forever. But your marriage is hurting you. So…now what? In this episode of The Loving Truth Podcast, we’re stepping into some tricky territory: faith, marriage, abuse and divorce. One of my members recently told her husband that she intends to separate and move toward divorce after 12 years of verbal, mental and emotional abuse. Then she went to church and heard her pastor preach that God hates divorce, even when abuse is present. Because, he said, the abuser could always change. And just like that, she was questioning herself again. Have I done enough? Have I tried everything? What if he really could change? Here’s the thing… I’m not here to tell you what to believe about God. What I believe is simply what I choose to believe. It’s right for me. That doesn’t mean it needs to be right for you. But if you’re wrestling with this question, I think that matters. Because there’s a difference between what you’ve been taught to believe and what you actually believe. There’s also a difference between what someone could become and who they have consistently shown themselves to be. At some point, we have to be willing to look at both. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to separate what you were taught to believe from what you actually believe. Why questioning doesn’t necessarily mean you’re losing your faith. Why the possibility that someone could change can keep you holding on for years. How fear of judgment can make an already difficult decision feel almost impossible. How to honor what you believe without abandoning yourself in the process. I also share some of my own journey with faith and why I struggle with any teaching that asks a woman to become stronger at enduring abuse rather than asking the person abusing her to stop. Because maybe the question isn’t whether someone else thinks you’ve tried hard enough. Maybe it’s: After everything you’ve tried, what has your experience shown you? Reflective Question: What would I need to know, see or experience to trust that I’ve done all I can do?

    Episode 214: When Your Faith and Your Marriage Pull You in Opposite Directions

  6. Aug 9

    Episode 213: Why More People are Staying in Unhappy Marriages

    The world feels uncertain right now. And when the world feels uncertain, we tend to hold tighter to what feels familiar. Even when what’s familiar doesn’t feel particularly good. Sharon is seeing more women choosing to stay in unhappy, disconnected marriages right now. Not because their marriages have gotten better, but because everything outside the marriage feels less certain. The marriage you were once seriously considering leaving can suddenly feel safer than the unknown of divorce. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve changed your mind about the marriage. It means something else may matter more right now. In this episode, Sharon explores what happens when the question, “Should I stay or go?” gets quieter and you find yourself choosing to stay in a marriage you’re not sure you would choose under different circumstances. Through the story of Evelyn, who is married to a man who can feel like two entirely different people depending on whether he’s sober or high, we’ll look at what it means to make peace with a marriage that isn’t what you want it to be. Because acceptance isn’t helplessness. Acceptance is getting honest about what is true, what you can control, and what you’re choosing from here. We’ll also talk about something that has to be part of any honest conversation about divorce in midlife: money. Not to scare you into staying. But to help you make a decision with your eyes wide open. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why uncertainty can make an unhappy marriage feel safer than divorce. How our need for safety can take priority over connection and intimacy. The difference between feeling stuck and consciously choosing to stay. What acceptance looks like when your marriage isn’t what you want it to be. Why the financial realities of divorce in midlife deserve a seat at the table. How to create more peace with the choice you’re making right now. You may not love every choice available to you. But there is a big difference between “I have no choice” and “This is the choice I’m making right now.” Reflection Question What would need to shift within me for me to genuinely feel at peace with the life and marriage I’m choosing?

    Episode 213: Why More People are Staying in Unhappy Marriages

  7. Aug 2

    Episode 212: The Hard Truth About Why He Hasn’t Changed

    You've been trying to get him to see it. To hear you. To understand you. To finally change. You've explained it. You've cried. You've been patient. You've gotten angry. And yet...here you are. Still waiting. Because somewhere inside, you're holding onto the belief that if you could just say it the right way, something would finally click. But what if he already understands? What if he's simply making a different choice? In this episode, Sharon explores one of the hardest truths about struggling marriages: Your partner has been making choices all along. Every day. Every conversation. Every opportunity to show up differently. And those choices tell you far more than the promises ever will. Because every adult gets to choose. They get to choose how they show up. They get to choose what kind of partner they want to be. And they also get to live with the outcome of those choices. So do you. The question isn't whether your partner could change. The question is whether they're choosing to. In this episode, you'll learn: Why trying to change your partner keeps you stuck. Why patterns matter more than promises. How to tell the difference between someone's potential and their reality. Why acceptance creates clarity, even when it's painful. How to stop abandoning yourself while waiting for someone else to choose differently. Reflection Question: What truths about your relationship have you been resisting because accepting them would require you to make difficult choices?

    Episode 212: The Hard Truth About Why He Hasn’t Changed

  8. Jul 26

    Episode 211: Why You’re Doing Everything in Your Marriage (And Secretly Resenting It)

    You’re exhausted. You carry the mental load. You solve the problems. You keep everything moving. And you're wondering why your partner doesn't seem to step up. But what if, without realizing it, you've helped create that dynamic? In this episode, Sharon explores one of the most common patterns she sees in struggling marriages: overfunctioning. It's the habit of doing too much, taking on too much, and believing it's simply what a good partner does. Until one day, you're overwhelmed, resentful...and wondering why you're carrying the relationship alone. You'll discover why overfunctioning isn't really about being helpful. It's often driven by anxiety, control, or the belief that your worth comes from what you do for everyone else. And while those intentions may come from a good place, they often produce the exact opposite result. Because every time you rush in to fix, rescue, or take over, you leave no room for your partner to show up. Just because you can do everything doesn't mean you should. If you're tired of carrying the weight of your marriage, this episode will challenge you to stop creating the very dynamic you resent and start making space for something different. In this episode, you'll learn: What overfunctioning really is, and why it leads to exhaustion and resentment. Why so many women tie their value to being needed, helpful, or productive. How rescuing and fixing can unintentionally teach your partner to do less. Why overfunctioners and underfunctioners are attracted to each other, and why that dynamic eventually breaks down. The surprising connection between overfunctioning and masculine energy. How to step back without abandoning your marriage or creating more resentment. What it takes to build a relationship where two adults share the emotional weight. Reflection Question: Where in your relationship are you over-functioning… and then quietly resenting your partner for allowing you to?

    Episode 211: Why You’re Doing Everything in Your Marriage (And Secretly Resenting It)
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4.9
out of 5
72 Ratings

About

As a Relationship Expert & Certified Master Life Coach, Sharon Pope has helped thousands of women gain the confidence and clarity they need to either fix their struggling marriages or move forward without regret. On The Loving Truth Podcast, she shares advice on how to navigate deep marriage hardships, challenging common beliefs about what love and relationships “should be” and providing realistic steps towards peace and happiness. If you can’t decide whether to stay or go in your marriage… you’re facing infidelity… you’re terrified of hurting your kids… you can’t bring yourself to leave your marriage, even though you want to… or you’re wondering whether it’s possible to respark the desire between you… tune in to the weekly episodes.

Information

  • Creator
    Sharon Pope
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    212
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Loving Truth
  • Show Website
    The Loving Truth

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