UCF Marriage & Family Research Institute

UCF Marriage & Family Research Institute Learn more about the MFRI and our incredible team:
http://mfri.ucf.edu/learn-about-us/

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If you are interested in receiving more information about Project Harmony, please fill out the inquiry form at this link and one of our team members will be happy to contact you: http://mfri.ucf.edu/contact-us/

10/06/2026

๐˜๐จ๐ฎ ๐“๐ฎ๐ž๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ: ๐…๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐ญ

Fall reminds us that change can be both beautiful and necessary. As routines shift and the year begins to wind down, take a moment to reflect on what is helping you thrive and what may no longer be serving you.
This week, choose one small action that supports your well-being. Progress doesn't have to be perfect to be meaningful.
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๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐“๐ž๐š๐œ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ƒ๐š๐ฒ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐ƒ๐จ ๐’๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐ข๐œ๐ž ๐ƒ๐š๐ฒAn encouraging word. A lesson that stuck with you. A teacher who be...
10/05/2026

๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐“๐ž๐š๐œ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ƒ๐š๐ฒ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐ƒ๐จ ๐’๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐ข๐œ๐ž ๐ƒ๐š๐ฒ

An encouraging word. A lesson that stuck with you. A teacher who believed in you when you needed it most.

Today, we're celebrating both World Teacher's Day and National Do Something Nice Day, a perfect reminder that small acts of kindness can leave a lasting impact. Teachers help shape more than academic success. They inspire confidence, encourage growth, model healthy communication, and often become champions for their students both inside and outside the classroom.

One of the nicest things we can do today is take a moment to recognize the educators who helped us become who we are. Whether it's a heartfelt message, a thank-you note, or simply sharing a favorite memory, your words of appreciation could mean more than you know.

Tell us: Who is a teacher you'll never forget, and what is one lesson they taught you that still stays with you today?


Six-slide Project Harmony carousel celebrating World Teacher's Day and National Do Something Nice Day. Slide one features a classroom chalkboard with "Happy World Teacher's Day" and an educator reading a book. Slide two highlights the lasting impact teachers have on confidence, communication skills, healthy relationships, and personal growth. Slide three encourages acts of kindness such as sending a thank-you message, writing a note of appreciation, sharing a favorite memory, or nominating a teacher for recognition. Slide four asks viewers to reflect on a teacher who encouraged, inspired, or believed in them and invites them to share a lesson they still remember. Slide five thanks educators for helping build stronger individuals, families, and communities, displayed on a chalkboard with classroom supplies. The final slide features the Project Harmony logo and branding.

10/03/2026

๐…๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ก ๐จ๐Ÿ๐ญ๐ž๐ง ๐›๐ž๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฅ๐ž๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ ๐จ.

Brenรฉ Brown's words encourage us to release the pressure of being who we think we're supposed to be and embrace who we truly are. In our relationships, authenticity creates space for deeper trust, stronger connection, and the freedom to be seen and accepted for who we are, not who we feel expected to become.

As the seasons change, take a moment to reflect: What is one expectation you're ready to let go of so you can show up more authentically in your relationships?

"Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are."
โ€” Brenรฉ Brown



Illustrated autumn scene featuring a large tree with orange and gold leaves against a warm golden background. Leaves are falling around the tree, creating a peaceful fall atmosphere. White text displays a quote by Brenรฉ Brown: โ€œAuthenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are.โ€ The Project Harmony logo appears at the bottom of the image.

10/01/2026

๐‚๐จ๐ง๐ง๐ž๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐‚๐ก๐ž๐œ๐ค: ๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐“๐จ๐๐š๐ฒ'๐ฌ ๐„๐ฉ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ž? ๐ˆ๐Ÿ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐‘๐ž๐ฅ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐ก๐š๐ ๐š ๐๐จ๐๐œ๐š๐ฌ๐ญ

Yesterday was National Podcast Day, and today is International Coffee Day, which feels like the perfect excuse to start a new relationship tradition.

Pour your favorite cup of coffee, find a comfortable spot together, and press record. Your "Relationship Check-In Podcast" doesn't need fancy equipment or a large audience. Just 5 to 10 minutes of intentional conversation about what's been on your mind, what you've appreciated lately, what's challenging you, and what you're looking forward to as a couple.

Over time, these recordings become more than conversations. They become a collection of memories, milestones, laughter, growth, and everyday moments that tell the story of your relationship. Imagine listening back a year from now and hearing how far you've come together.

So grab a cup of coffee, hit record, and create an episode that's just for the two of you.

What would today's episode be called?



Six-slide Project Harmony reel introducing a "Relationship Check-In Podcast" activity for couples. The first slide asks, "What's Today's Episode?" against a podcast-themed background with a microphone graphic. The second slide encourages couples to use a phone to record a 5 to 10 minute conversation together. The third slide provides discussion prompts about recent challenges, future goals, and relationship growth. The fourth slide encourages saving recordings to revisit in the future and reflect on shared memories. The fifth slide explains how each recording becomes part of a larger story of growth and connection. The final slide features the Project Harmony logo alongside podcast-themed imagery including headphones, a microphone, and sound wave graphics.

09/29/2026

๐‘๐ž๐ฅ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐Ÿ๐ฎ๐ง ๐Ÿ๐š๐œ๐ญ๐ฌ

Did you know? Sharing a laugh may be good for your relationship. โค๏ธ

Research involving more than 15,000 participants found that positive forms of humor were associated with greater relationship satisfaction. But there's an important distinctionโ€”not all humor has the same effect. Humor that connects partners is associated with better relationship outcomes, while negative humor, such as ridicule or hostility, is associated with poorer outcomes.

Shared laughter, playful moments, and inside jokes can be some of the small ways couples create connection in everyday life.

So make room for a little fun together. Revisit a funny memory, watch something that makes you both laugh, or bring back an inside joke only the two of you understand.

What's something that always makes you and your partner laugh? ๐Ÿ˜‚โค๏ธ

Source: Hall, J. A. (2017). Humor in romantic relationships: A meta-analysis. Personal Relationships, 24, 306โ€“322.



Project Harmony Relationship Fun Facts reel featuring a pink and purple design with the headline "Did You Know?" and the statement "Humor is linked to happier relationships across thousands of people." The slide summarizes findings from a meta-analysis of more than 15,000 participants, noting that positive humor is associated with greater relationship satisfaction while negative humor, such as ridicule or hostility, is linked to poorer outcomes. A video of a couple laughing appears in the background, with the Project Harmony logo at the bottom.

๐ŸŽ‰ ๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐š ๐ฐ๐š๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐œ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐˜๐ž๐š๐ซ ๐Ÿ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐ž๐œ๐ญ ๐‡๐š๐ซ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ฒ! ๐Ÿ’™This week, we celebrated the completion of our final two UNITE wor...
09/26/2026

๐ŸŽ‰ ๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐š ๐ฐ๐š๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐œ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐˜๐ž๐š๐ซ ๐Ÿ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐ž๐œ๐ญ ๐‡๐š๐ซ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ฒ! ๐Ÿ’™

This week, we celebrated the completion of our final two UNITE workshop groups: our amazing big Friday night group and our wonderful Saturday group!

To every participant who spent four weeks learning, reflecting, and having meaningful conversations with their partner: congratulations! Your commitment to strengthening your relationship and family is something to celebrate. Weโ€™re grateful you allowed us to be part of your journey. โค๏ธ

Hereโ€™s to the connections made in Year 1 and all the conversations still to come!

๐Ÿ“ž Interested in an upcoming workshop? Call 407-823-1748 to learn more.



Photo of a group of adult participants in a workshop. The design includes a โ€œThank You!โ€ message and the Project Harmony logo, celebrating participants from the September workshops.

๐ƒ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐Ž๐ซ๐ฅ๐š๐ง๐๐จYour next date night is closer than you think! ๐Ÿ’•โœจLooking for something romantic, creative, funny, or fa...
09/24/2026

๐ƒ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐Ž๐ซ๐ฅ๐š๐ง๐๐จ

Your next date night is closer than you think! ๐Ÿ’•โœจ

Looking for something romantic, creative, funny, or family-friendly? Here are some Dating in Orlando ideas!

๐ŸŒŸ STARGAZING | Groveland
Octoberโ€“March ๐Ÿ“ Groveland
Find a darker-sky spot, bring a blanket, and spend the evening looking for constellations. Create a fun story about stars that remind you of your relationship!

๐ŸŽจ CREATIVE DATE | All Fired Up
๐Ÿ“ Winter Park or Waterford Lakes
Paint pottery together and create something you can keep. Walk-ins welcome, no studio fee.

๐Ÿ˜‚ COMEDY DATE | Orlando
Pick a local comedy or improv show and laugh together! Afterward, share your funniest moment.

๐Ÿ“š BOOKSTORE DATE | Winter Park + Audubon Park
Choose a book for each other based on the cover, title, or first page. Then explain why you picked it!

๐ŸŽ‰ OVIEDO OKTOBERFEST
Sept. 24โ€“26 ๐Ÿ“ Center Lake Park, Oviedo
FREE admission! Enjoy German food, live music, entertainment, and festive activities.

๐ŸŒฑ PLANTMANIA ORLANDO
Sept. 26โ€“27 ๐Ÿ“ Central Florida Fairgrounds
Explore unique plants and vendors and find something new for your home.

๐Ÿ‘ฎ NATIONAL NIGHT OUT | Clermont
Oct. 1, 5โ€“8 PM ๐Ÿ“ Waterfront Park
FREE! Enjoy family activities and connect with local officers and community organizations.

๐Ÿ” FAMILY FOOD FEST | Clermont
Oct. 3, 4โ€“8 PM ๐Ÿ“ Downtown Clermont
Enjoy food trucks, vendors, live music, and family activities.

๐ŸŽจ FAMILY DAY | Orlando Museum of Art
Oct. 3, 11 AMโ€“2 PM ๐Ÿ“ Orlando Museum of Art
FREE! Enjoy art, hands-on activities, storytelling, music, and performances.

๐Ÿ’• Date idea: You donโ€™t have to spend a lot to connect. Pick an activity, put your phones away, and enjoy being together!

๐Ÿ“Œ Save this post for your next date! Which one would you choose? ๐Ÿ‘‡

09/22/2026

๐–๐ก๐ž๐ง ๐ฐ๐š๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฅ๐š๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ž ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ง๐ค๐ž๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฅ๐Ÿ?

We often celebrate what others do for us, but how often do we pause and recognize our own effort? The challenges we've faced, the mistakes we've learned from, the goals we've worked toward, and the ways we've continued showing up even when life felt overwhelming all deserve acknowledgment.

Self-gratitude is not about pretending everything is perfect. It's about recognizing your growth while continuing to learn. It's reminding yourself that progress matters, even when it feels small. Every step forward, every difficult conversation, every act of resilience, and every moment of perseverance is worth celebrating.

The relationship you have with yourself shapes so many other areas of your life. When you extend patience, kindness, and appreciation inward, you create more space to offer those same qualities to the people around you.

Today, take a moment to reflect:
โ€ข What is something you've handled well recently?
โ€ข What personal strength are you grateful for?
โ€ข What is one thing you appreciate about who you're becoming?

We'll start: Thank yourself for making it this far. Your growth is worth recognizing.

What is one thing you want to thank yourself for today?
Share it in the comments.


A Project Harmony You Tuesday reel with a pink and orange gradient design focused on self-gratitude. Slides ask viewers when they last thanked themselves, encourage recognizing personal growth and effort, and provide reflection questions about recent accomplishments, strengths, and personal development. Additional slides emphasize that the relationship people have with themselves matters and that practicing self-appreciation can create more patience, kindness, and connection with others. The reel concludes by asking viewers what they want to thank themselves for today and ends with the Project Harmony logo.

09/19/2026

It is a wonderful truth that the things we want most in life, happiness and hope, can be obtained most easily by giving them to others.โ€ โ€” Isabel Allende

Sometimes, the things we hope to receive from our relationships are the very things we can choose to give.

When we offer kindness, encouragement, patience, and understanding, we create opportunities for deeper connection. A thoughtful check-in, a word of support, or simply being fully present can make a meaningful difference in someone's dayโ€”and in our relationships.

At Project Harmony, we believe healthy relationships are strengthened through the small, intentional ways we show up for one another. If we want more hope, we can offer encouragement. If we want more joy, we can share it. If we want stronger connections, we can make time to nurture them.

โค๏ธ What's one small way you can bring a little more hope or happiness into someone's day today?


A quote graphic featuring a person with short white hair seated in the lower left corner against a textured pink, coral, and purple abstract background. White script text reads, โ€œIt is a wonderful truth that the things we want most in life, happiness and hope, can be obtained most easily by giving them to others.โ€ The quote is attributed to Isabel Allende. A thin pink border frames the design, and the Project Harmony logo appears at the bottom center.

โค๏ธ๐‚๐ž๐ฅ๐ž๐›๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Ž๐ฎ๐ซ ๐’๐‡๐ˆ๐„๐‹๐ƒ ๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ! โค๏ธOver four weeks, these couples came together to strengthen their relationships, buil...
09/18/2026

โค๏ธ๐‚๐ž๐ฅ๐ž๐›๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Ž๐ฎ๐ซ ๐’๐‡๐ˆ๐„๐‹๐ƒ ๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ! โค๏ธ

Over four weeks, these couples came together to strengthen their relationships, build connection, and develop practical tools to support their families while navigating the unique demands of first responder life.

Balancing a relationship, family responsibilities, and the challenges that can come with serving others is not always easy. Making intentional time for each other is an important investment in a strong and connected family. ๐Ÿก๐Ÿ’•

A heartfelt congratulations to all of our SHIELD participants for showing up, learning together, communicating, reflecting, and creating meaningful moments of connection throughout these four weeks. Your commitment to your relationship and family is something worth celebrating!

Strong families begin with strong relationships. Every conversation, shared experience, and intentional effort to reconnect can make a meaningful difference for couples, their children, and the families they are building together. โค๏ธ

Thank you for allowing Project Harmony to be part of your journey. We hope the tools and experiences from these four weeks continue to support your relationship, your family, and your connection for years to come.

๐Ÿ“ž Are you and your partner first responders and interested in joining an upcoming SHIELD workshop? Call 407-823-1748 to learn more and reserve your spot!

Address

12649 Triangulum Court
Orlando, FL
32816

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14078231748

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