Getting to Good Enough

Sometimes we have to be persistent in order to settle disputes that arise. And that can be a source of stress. In this week's episode, Shannon and Janine discuss making resolution easier (and potentially more effective) by staying positive during the process. Discussion topics include: • The happy message on Shannon's chai latte • How Shannon's husband, Mike, has been a model of positive persisten...

We have all heard how important it is to stay hydrated. But for some of us, taking in the water our bodies need can feel challenging. This week, Janine and Shanon discuss some strategies for getting and staying hydrated. Discussion topics include: •How hydration is important year-round • The origin of this week's episode title • The importance of sipping water frequently, rather than chugging a lo...

We all get stressed from time to time, and some times are worse than others. In this episode Shannon and Janine discuss some stress-relief techniques, as well as some ideas for keeping stress levels low. Discussion topics include: • Janine's litany of things that are stressing her out right now • Shannon's husband's recent surgery and its resulting stress • How we feel stress in our bodies • Chron...

Shannon's robust meal-planning and food inventorying system that she shared in Episode 209 wasn't created in one fell swoop. In this episode we discuss how incremental problem solving can help you create systems that make you happy. Discussion topics include: • Monarch butterflies! • How complex systems are often built a little at a time • How incremental problem solving led to Shannon's system of...

Do you have a tendency to run late? Shannon and Janine used to run perpetually late, but no more. This week we discuss the strategies we've used to go from tardy to early (or at least on time). Discussion topics include: • Our past challenges with punctuality • How perfectionism played into it • Taking into account all the time it takes to get somewhere (door to door) • Building in a 15-minute buf...

Janine and Shannon love reading novels for pleasure and we have found ways to fit it into our busy lives. If you like to read but don't seem to have time to read as much as you'd like, this episode might give you some ideas for squeezing in some enjoyable reading. Discussion topics include: • Our usual complaining about summer weather • Reading: A great activity no matter what the weather • Gettin...

What's for dinner? Wouldn't you like to have a ready answer for that question? Shannon is living the meal planning dream and in this episode she and Janine talk about the benefits of meal planning and how Shannon goes about doing it. Be ready to be inspired! Discussion topics include: • Janine's challenges with meal planning (which revolve around the fact she doesn't cook) • Shannon's helpful husb...

It's the podcast's fourth anniversary! We published our first three episodes on June 15, 2018. On our third anniversary, we published a post called Three Pillars for Three years and this year we decided to add a fourth pillar for our fourth anniversary. It's Let It Be Easy, and it's focus of our episode today. Discussion topics include: • Our fourth anniversary! • The three pillars of good enough...

Shannon and Janine have experienced first-hand the challenges (and rewards) of caring for elderly parents. In this episode (recorded right after Janine returned from helping her father move into assisted living), we discuss ways to make it easier to help your elderly relatives when they need your help. Note: We had some audio difficulties with this episode, but felt the topic was important enough...

Back in 2020, Janine and Shannon had a robust conversation about our passion for the budgeting software You Need a Budget (YNAB). Our enthusiasm has not dimmed in the slightest, so we wanted to run it again. Money is a source of stress for so many people. One tool that both Janine and Shannon use to help them take the stress out of money and create financial peace is the software You Need a B...

Taking care of ourselves is always important. But it's especially important during stressful times. This week Shannon and Janine discuss prioritizing self care so it's there for you when you need it the most. Discussion topics include: • The fact that self-care doesn't have to take a lot of time • The fallacy that you will get more done if you skip self care • The reality that by taking care of yo...

Janine is in Walla Walla moving her dad into assisted living, so she didn't have a spare moment to record an episode. So we're re-running an episode from August 2020. Enjoy! Setting boundaries allows you to live a life based on your core values. This week, Shannon and Janine discuss getting in touch with what's important to you as a way to help you set boundaries that ensure you're doing the thing...

Travel in 2022 feels very different from travel in 2020 (or 2019, for that matter). In this episode Janine and Shannon discuss planning travel in this time and letting of perfectionism around it. Discussion topics include: • Some differences between travel earlier in the pandemic and now • Shannon's plans to walk the Camino in Portugal (canceled in 2020) • How Shannon is planning to do more pre-pl...

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we're not able to publish a new episode this week. Instead, we're rerunning this episode, which we originally published on February 13, 2020. Enjoy! Good people (like our listeners) have many good impulses. But how often do you act on them? This week, Shannon and Janine discuss how perfectionism can get in the way of acting on new impulses and how you can g...

Shannon and Janine were so tired from celebrating our 200th anniversary last week we decided to take a week off and re-run an episode from June 2021. Enjoy! It can be so frustrating when you don't have control over things in your life. This week Shannon and Janine discuss relinquishing your desire for control over things you can't control. It's a recipe for living with more satisfaction and less f...

This is our 200th episode and we're so proud! This week Janine and Shannon celebrate our 200th episode and discuss some of the benefits of talking about (and embracing) good enough week after week. Discussion topics include: • Happy anniversary to us! • How talking about "good enough" for years has made us better at it • The liberation of embracing good enough Shannon's evolution toward good enoug...

Both Shannon and Janine drive a Nissan LEAF, the SL Plus trim. It's a 100 percent electric vehicle (EV) and we think it's 100 percent awesome. It's not a coincidence that we drive the same car: Janine bought one after Shannon raved about hers (and answered all her questions). We love our EVs and we want to help you open your mind to considering one! We talk all about it in this week's episode. Dis...

Think of how much time we'd save if we trusted our intuition, rather than agonized over decisions. In this episode, brought to you by Wordle (kidding!), Janine and Shannon discuss how trusting yourself can benefit you in living your life, as well as playing games. Discussion topics include: • The spontaneous nature of our podcast • What sparked this topic: Wordle • Shannon's explanation of Wordle...

Genealogists in the U.S. are excited about the release of the 1950 U.S. census, which happens at midnight tomorrow. Janine is eagerly awaiting it (it's been on her calendar for months!). This week Shannon and Janine discuss the value of planning ahead -- and enjoying the anticipation. Discussion topics include: • The upcoming release of the results of the 1950 U.S. census • How technology advances...

We bring up little tips and tricks for getting past perfectionism all the time in this podcast. Do you remember them when you need them? We don't. This week Janine and Shannon discuss building an anti-perfectionist toolkit that you can turn to when you're stuck in perfectionism. Discussion topics include: • How the possible techniques we talk about on this podcast come in handy • The inevitability...

Shannon's crowded basement was bringing her down and perfectionism was getting in the way of her doing anything about it. In this "Good Enough in Practice" episode, Shannon and Janine discuss Shannon's basement challenges, her beliefs around what she needed to before she could start decluttering and organizing her basement and they talk it through to the point where she can't wait to get started!...

This week we're rerunning an episode from September 2019, back when we recorded slightly longer episodes. This one's all about keeping focus when we're surrounded by distractions. Who can't relate to that? Every day, we're bombarded by constant distraction and it can really get in the way of productivity. This week, Janine and Shannon talk about the challenges presented by distraction and som...

Holding someone (or yourself) accountability doesn't mean holding their feet to the fire. Accountability can be really effective. This week Shannon and Janine discuss ways to stay on track without beating yourself up. Discussion topics include: • Our love for the words gentle and kind • How accountability doesn't have to be harsh or forceful • The effectiveness of a carrot over a stick • Fun accou...

We can be our own worst critics. Being overly judgmental does not help us achieve happiness (or anything else). In this episode, Janine and Shannon discuss some strategies for letting go of judgment and living with more kindness and compassion. Discussion topics include: • How unhelpful self judgment can be • How Shannon sometimes feels disappointed in herself • Unrealistic expectations for what w...

Staying focused on a single task is so beneficial--and so challenging. This week, Shannon and Janine discuss how our brains aren't wired to multitask and some strategies for doing one thing at a time. Discussion topics include: • The soothing and healing power of a cat's purr • How hard it is to resist multitasking • The impossibility of doing more than one thing at the same time • How multitaskin...