The Aloha EQ Podcast

Aloha, malolelei, and talofa. Welcome back to Aloha EQ, where we blend emotional intelligence with island wisdom to help you soften a heavy December.

Travel through Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, and the Cook Islands with stories of food, music, and open doors that create belonging. Learn simple island swaps — a shared meal, one song, an invitation — that build nervous-system safety and connection.

Come with me and take away t...

What happens when a blonde, blue-eyed girl from Utah marries a dark-skinned boy from a tiny island in Tonga - and then decides to talk honestly about bias, culture, and love on a podcast?

In this episode of The Aloha EQ Podcast, I'm inviting you into a tender, real conversation about racial bias, prejudice, and fear of "other" - for ALL OF US, no matter where we come from or what we look like. We'll explore the jokes we grew up wit...

Your latest episode of The Aloha EQ Podcast titled "Navigator's Star" beautifully intertwines emotional intelligence with Polynesian island wisdom. The use of the canoe-building metaphor and the sacred ritual of purpose-setting establishes a powerful narrative that encourages listeners to start their day with intention and clarity. The poetic and spiritual elements evoke a deep sense of connection to nature, community, and ancestra...

A podcast episode blending emotional intelligence and Polynesian values to help parents connect with their teens. Ruth Kongaika shares practical strategies — from understanding teen brain development to using side-by-side conversations, setting aloha-style boundaries, and the four-step calm canoe method — so parents can balance firm expectations with compassion.

Learn simple tools like the value-limit-consequence formula, the thre...

This episode explores how our grandparents' "first draft" shaped family life in the islands and how we can choose what to keep, improve, or let go with aloha.

Using island concepts like talanoa (open conversation), tauhiwa (caring for relational space), and ohana rituals, the host offers practical scripts, micro-rituals, and three columns (keep / improve / let go) to make immediate, gentle changes at home.

Listeners will leave with...

This episode highlights our fourth grandson, Jacob Tupou, a student at BYU Provo studying Chemical Engineering. He had been taking Tongan language classes and enjoys studying Tongan history, myths, legends, and genealogy. His grandfather, 'Isileli Tupou Kongaika, interviews him for the podcast. He shares why he became interested in Tongan Culture and traditions, even though he has never been to Tonga. He shares the knowledge he has...

Kevin Eaton is the creator of "Make More Time Masterclass" with Simpify Work.io A program designed for busy professionals who feel overwhelmed, to help them transition from "overwhelmed operators" to leaders who have more freedom in their time and energy. He shares his ideas about time management, love of family, and personal worth. He emphasized the importance of leveraging resources to make a greater impact: less effort, more res...

This episode is about adopting a better way of disciplining children when they do something wrong. Discipline only works when children feel safe, seen, and understood. In this week's episode, I introduce The Aloha Shift, Connection Before Correction, as a better way to discipline using emotional intelligence. 

A special guest, Zion Viliami Kongaika, is interviewed by his grandfather, 'Isileli Tupou Kongaika. He expresses his feelin...

Since the podcast is about emotional intelligence, this episode explains what emotions are as well as why they are important. There are stories from the islands about how different parents teach their children regarding emotional intelligence. It is also perceived that there is less worry in the South Pacific Islands. Ruth's husband from Tonga did not even know a word for it. It was suggested that community and attachment to the la...

Sometimes the world feels a little like my kitchen after my grandkids come over. Everyone is running around, voices are raised, and I can't find the spatula to save my life. But in moments like this, emotional intelligence becomes our anchor. Emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence; it is not the triumph of heart over head - it is the unique intersection of both (Daniel Goleman). Let's hold our heads high while k...

Instead of concentrating on what emotional intelligence is, this episode is focused on what EQ is NOT. It is not many things, and there are quotes, and many explanations about what emotional intelligence is not and why it is so. It ends with a beautiful story about a boy who changed his family completely because of his pure way to look at the world. If you like this episode, please like and share it with someone you love. Email Rut...

This fun podcast shares the unique greetings from several of the islands of the South Pacific, their origins, meanings, and accompanying gestures. A special guest speaker, 'Isileli Tupou, also shares his feelings about the greeting expression, Si'oto'ofa in Tongan, and how it has influenced his life. He shares true stories of his youth and work experiences while living in Tonga. You won't want to miss this episode of The Aloha EQ P...

Can emotional intelligence make a difference in the role of a fahu. Learn what a fahu is and what her responsibilities are in the Tongan society. Listen as the host, Ruth Kongaika, interviews her daughter Liana, who is the fahu in her family. The questions she asks blend personal reflection, cultural insight, and emotional intelligence themes. Share this episode with others in the Polynesian community and please like and comment. 

I didn't grow up in the islands. I grew up in the land of fry sauce, snow-capped mountains, and "I'm fine" said with a tight smile. Emotions were a bit like Jell-O salad: colorful, but often covered up and served with whipped cream. Then I moved to the South Pacific Islands. Let's just say, it was like going from muted pastels to full technicolor. Suddenly, emotions weren't something you hid in your journal; they were woven into da...

After living in Hawaii for 21 years, I was exposed to Hawaiian pidgin, which I enjoyed hearing. This is a brief preview of some of the idioms and humor heard by parents raising children in Hawaii. Please excuse the very poor accent. I thought it might be fun to get an idea of how some keiki (children) are brought up in the Hawaiian Islands. It is emotional intelligence, Hawaiian pidgin style. Not all people in Hawaii speak pidgin, ...