Welcome to John Gordon's Positive University podcast. My name is Daniel Decker. I'm the co-host of

Positive You. And today we have a very special episode for you. It is with John and his amazing wife, Catherine. Now I have to say up front, this episode

is very revealing. Catherine shares things about her past that many haven't heard, things that

may surprise you, but they will also encourage you as you see how she overcame to become who she is today.

Now this is part one of a multi-part series where John and Catherine will share lessons to stay together, grow together, and thrive together from their new book,

Relationship Grit, which is available now anywhere books are sold. If you order the book this week,

you can also get a free action plan download to help you turn ideas from the book

into actions and results. Details are at relationship grit book.com that's

relationship grit book.com.

All right, let's dive right on into John and Catherine.

Hey, this is John Gordon with Positive You.

And today my guest is a special guest.

It's someone I know really well.

It's actually my wife of 23 years.

Catherine Gordon, Catherine, how are you?

Hey, John, how you doing? Doing good. You doing so cute. So we've been married a long time we wrote a book

called relationship grit here. Here it is.

Woo! It's about our marriage, but it's also about our journey and take us back to your

journey to the beginning where you grew up and talk about your childhood because I don't think most people know about the challenges you faced along the way.

They see this woman, they see your success, but they don't know where you came from. So talk about that.

Well, I grew up in a Navy family, traveled around a lot in my younger years. I went to five different elementary schools before

landing in Virginia, Virginia. Grew up with two alcoholic parents and pretty much race myself.

...