Contrary to what many say, most marriages aren't destroyed by parental wounds, unresolved anger, or a sinful past.

Jim Ramos, founder of Men in the Arena, talks candidly with Arlene about his new book Guardrails: 10 Boundaries for an Unbreakable Marriage. They dive into practical wisdom for building a marriage that lasts, drawn from Jim's 34+ years of real-life experience. Jim has seen enough marriages crumble to know one thing: most of them didn't fail because of deep psychological wounds or unresolved trauma — they failed because of small, unwise decisions that compounded over time. Tune in for practical wisdom and ways to avoid these costly mistakes for marriages.

2:08 Why Jim & Shannon created guardrails after 34 years

4:51 Navigating opposite-sex coworkers and professional boundaries

8:00 How to receive compliments without opening emotional doors

10:50 Guardrail #9: Always send gifts from us, never just from you

14:00 The story loop problem (King Solomon & the Queen of Sheba)

21:14 Guardrail #3: Staying emotionally connected

24:07 Social media dangers: Jim's personal rules (150k followers, zero apps on his phone)

Get a copy of Jim's book, Guardrails: 10 Boundaries for an Unbreakable Marriage and find out more about his ministry at meninthearena.org.

More Resources from Arlene Pellicane:

SUBSCRIBE to Arlene's newsletter "What I'm Learning This Week" and get the checklist, 7 Warning Signs of Screen Overuse.

Check out Arlene's BOOKS including Parents Rising, Screen Kids, and Making Marriage Easier.

Follow Arlene on Instagram and/or Facebook

Go to Arlene's YouTube Channel

How did Arlene's kids adapt to not having phones, video games or social media? Watch the free video, Screen Kids: In Their Own Words.

Have a question for Arlene to address on the podcast? Want to invite Arlene to speak to your group? Email speaking@arlenepellicane.com

Not sure about a smartphone for your child? Check out the Gabb Wireless phone for kids and teens (use the promo code ARLENE)

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