What happens when you daven for your husband — not just for shalom bayis, but for him as a person? In this episode, we explore the difference between praying for your marriage and praying for your husband himself — and why that distinction matters more than we realize. You’ll hear: How this shift builds perspective, respect, and curiosity Why thinking we’ve “figured him out” can quietly erode connection Simple, realistic ways to incorporate this practice into real life This is about intentionality, not perfection — and about strengthening your marriage by seeing your husband more clearly. Want to join us in our Shalom for Shalom challenge? You can get the weekly challenge by email at kaylalevin.com or join us on WhatsApp.

Shana Rishona Challenge Day 7: Communication Upgrade It wasn't easy for me to pick which communication hack to use, but yesterday someone told me that after DECADES of marriage, this tool gave her a new insight into her husband. That's enough HP for me. Here's the idea: women talk back-and-forth. We interrupt to show we get it. We finish each other's sentences. Men don't. Men talk until the idea is finished. If they see they won't get to finish the idea, they might not bother to start it. It's tricky, because when he IS talking, we might feel disengaged--after all, we're not used to being so passive. On the other hand, we might not know he even HAS much to say, because he's never really had the chance. So here's your challenge today: at some point today, listen to your husband AD HA SOF. Until he's done. No interruptions, agreements, disagreements, sentence-finishers, "here's what you're probably trying to say"s. Enjoy the gift of seeing more and more of him. The full Communication Masterclass (basically a course in and of itself) is inside the First Year Married program. Check it out at kaylalevin.com/newlywed Looking for more support? Book a call to learn more about private coaching availability.

💞 Shana Rishona Challenge Day 6: What Do You Need? Have you ever wished your husband would get you a drink/tell you to get some sleep/bring you something to eat so that you could feel like he really cared? Good. That's what you're supposed to feel like during shana rishona. At the beginning of a marriage (I'm talking the first decade), it's about her feeling totally secure that she's a priority. And it's about him learning how to make her a priority. Where we get stuck is when we forget that we actually can go get ourselves something to eat 🥪, a glass of water 🥤, and put ourselves to bed 🛌🏻. Because we are smart, grown women who know how to do these things. 💪 What happens next? She's hangry and whining that he doesn't care and he's honestly not really sure what just happened. 😣😳 It's funny now but it's not funny in the moment! One of the best ways to invest in your marriage is to invest in YOURSELF. YES, you want acts of love from him, but they don't need to be for your basic functioning. You don't have to be drowning for him to show he cares. The damsel in distress is so not a Jewish thing. Today's challenge is a fun one: do something for you! Resources:Class 6 in FYM is about Self Care-designing a life for yourself that you love despite all the changes of shana rishona. Check it out at kaylalevin.com/newlywedWant to be part of the WhatsApp challenge? Join us at bit.ly/4shalom

💞 Shana Rishona Challenge Day 6: What Do You Need? Have you ever wished your husband would get you a drink/tell you to get some sleep/bring you something to eat so that you could feel like he really cared? Good. That's what you're supposed to feel like during shana rishona. At the beginning of a marriage (I'm talking the first decade), it's about her feeling totally secure that she's a priority. And it's about him learning how to make her a priority. Where we get stuck is when we forget that we actually can go get ourselves something to eat 🥪, a glass of water 🥤, and put ourselves to bed 🛌🏻. Because we are smart, grown women who know how to do these things. 💪 What happens next? She's hangry and whining that he doesn't care and he's honestly not really sure what just happened. 😣😳 It's funny now but it's not funny in the moment! One of the best ways to invest in your marriage is to invest in YOURSELF. YES, you want acts of love from him, but they don't need to be for your basic functioning. You don't have to be drowning for him to show he cares. The damsel in distress is so not a Jewish thing. Today's challenge is a fun one: do something for you! Resources:Class 6 in FYM is about Self Care-designing a life for yourself that you love despite all the changes of shana rishona. Check it out at kaylalevin.com/newlywedWant to be part of the WhatsApp challenge? Join us at bit.ly/4shalom

💞 Shana Rishona Challenge Day 5: The Male Mind & You I feel like I could talk for a year about the male mind and not lose interest. If I could go back and talk to MYSELF as a newlywed, this is what I'd share with her first: Listen to what he's saying. I don't mean listen to what he seems to be saying. Or listen to what he's implying. Or listen to what he means. I mean the actual words. Men are refreshingly, amazingly, brilliantly direct. I can't tell you how many times a woman I was coaching was telling me about the disapproval/frustration/judgment she was getting from her husband. When I asked her for the actual WORDS he said, she paused. And thought. And asked, "wait... do you think he really meant... what he was saying?" He did. Phew. 😅 💬 Your challenge today: Listen to the actual words. If you think he means more than he's saying, just ask. He'll tell you. It's such a treat to be married to a man! ➡ Class 4 is a deep dive into what makes your brains tick differently--PLUS an entire Communication Masterclass--waiting for you inside (along with a chance to say goodbye to misunderstandings, unnecessarily hurt feelings, and missed opportunities). Have you joined us? kaylalevin.com/newlywed Resources:Want to be part of the WhatsApp challenge? Join us at ⁠bit.ly/4shalom Episode 179 Purim Your Brain Episode 143 Purim Thoughts Episode 65 Purim - He's not a reflection of you

Shana Rishona Challenge Day 4: A Day in Unconditional Unconditional love, by definition, is loving someone when they're not meeting your conditions. Loving someone who's doing it all "right" is easy. Unconditional love can ONLY be practiced when he's not doing what you wanted or expected. Sometimes the answer IS more communication or understanding. And sometimes it's deciding--this is the part where I practice unconditional love. That's your challenge for today: choose one area where he's a bit outside of your conditions--the part that's not so easy to love. And focus on letting it go and loving him anyway. Just for today. Resources:Class 4 in First Year Married covers Intimacy--both emotional and physical. To go deeper, check it out at kaylalevin.com/newlywedWant to be part of the WhatsApp challenge? Join us at bit.ly/4shalom

In this episode Kayla introduces the Shana Rishona challenge, inspired by her First Year Married course. Kayla emphasizes the importance of cultivating 'newlywed energy' regardless of how long you've been married. She shares her recent experience of balancing family needs while revamping her marriage course and explains the purpose of the eight-day Shalom for Shalom challenge. Resources: Join the Shana Rishona Challenge on WhatsAppCheck out the First Year Married Course 00:00 Introduction to the Shana Rishona Challenge00:29 Personal Story and Inspiration01:04 Details of the Shalom Challenge02:04 Challenge Structure and Benefits03:17 Day One Challenge: What's Your Story?04:29 Course Information and Conclusion

Want to make ANY changes in your life or relationship? The first step is self-awareness. No, I don't mean you need to go meditate on a grassy hill. You need to know what's driving you. What you're thinking. What's that inner monologue going through your head all day--and where's it taking you? Today I'm talking about the basics of getting yourself from self-centered (our default state) to self-aware. PS Are you joining us for the next First Year Married course? Register now at kaylalevin.com/newlywed or get on the waitlist for our next round!Married longer? Check out my advanced monthly coaching group, How to Glow at kaylalevin.com/coaching