Getting to Good Enough

We dipped into the archives for this episode, which originally aired on July 18, 2019. We think the advice is still solid! Labels on bins are great. Labels we give ourselves can be limiting. This week, Janine and Shannon talk about the problem with negative labels we apply to ourselves, along with the benefits of positive labels. We also discuss some of the labels  we're trying to shed in our...

Venturing out of our comfort zones can be difficult in the best of times and COVID has made it even more challenging. In this episode, Janine and Shannon discuss weighing rewards and risks, as well as some of the joys of venturing out. Discussion topics include:  • Janine's thrill over the fact she was able to buy a new Nissan Leaf! • How buying an electric car caused her to venture out of he...

It can be hard to change your mind once you've made a decision. But doubling down on a commitment isn't always the most beneficial thing. This week, Shannon and Janine discuss how to change your mind, the role of commitment bias, and the value of considering alternatives. Discussion topics include: • Janine's car-shopping frustrations • The car Janine wants to buy (because Shannon has one): A new...

Spending time on social media can be a double-edged sword. This week Janine and Shannon discuss the how's and why's of Shannon's recent deactivation of her Facebook and Instagram accounts--and the relief she felt afterward. Discussion topics include: • How Shannon deactivated her Facebook and Instagram accounts four days before we recorded this episode • Her reasons: Social media was sucking up ti...

If you offer advice when a person isn't ready to receive it, you may not be helping them. In this episode, Shannon and Janine discuss how to offer effective advice (or other types of help) by making sure the help is welcome. Discussion topics include: • The tendency many people have to offer unwelcome advice • Fashioning advice in ways that feel good to the recipient • Venting vs wanting advice •...

This week, Janine and Shannon are thrilled to present an interview Christine Platt, author of The Afrominimalist's Guide to Living with Less. Christine offers all sorts of great insights on the benefits of living with less, along with some ideas for getting there. (And we're offering a giveaway of her excellent book!) Discussion topics include: • Christine's relationship with perfectionism and how...

When we don't keep the commitments we make to ourselves, we may stop trusting ourselves, which can have devastating consequences. In this episode, Shannon and Janine discuss some strategies for keeping the commitments we make and trusting ourselves again. Discussion topics include: • Feeling icky when we let ourselves down • Case in point: Janine's daily yoga practice, which has been faltering • S...

Those of us who do creative projects do them because they make us happy. But sometimes we get frustrated instead. In this episode, Janine and Shannon discuss how to stay happily creative. Discussion topics include: • Shannon's unhappily stalled creativity • The illustrated story-telling event that Shannon is participating in • How practicing creativity less frequently can make it less enjoyable •...

It's September and that often gives accomplishing projects more urgency. The week, Shannon and Janine discuss some strategies for taking next steps toward your goals. (Spoiler alert: Getting in touch with what's important to you is a big part of it!) Discussion topics include: • How September makes us want to get busy and focused • Revisiting the goals for the year in an effort to restart working...

Who doesn't like a nice pat on the back? It can be especially valuable when that credit comes from within. This week, Janine and Shannon talk about giving yourself credit and focusing on what you've accomplished rather than what you still have left to do. Discussion topics include: • Deep cleaning a basement (or not) • The weird unwritten rule that can prevent us from appreciating our successes un...

Everyone has a bad day some time. On the day we recorded this episode, Janine was experiencing a bad day that left a dark cloud hanging over her head. Shannon was able to make suggestions that helped her (and can help you) make a bad day better. Discussion topics include: • How it's possible to reset bad day • Janine's terrible, horrible, no good very bad day • Taking a step back during a bad day...

We've all felt the Fear of Missing Out. It can prompt us to do things that might not be in our best interest. In this episode, Janine and Shannon discuss FOMO and some strategies for not falling prey to it. Discussion topics include: • Janine's love for her Wool& wool dresses (despite the summer heat) • How a fear of missing out may have prompted the purchase of her sixth wool dress • Shannon'...

Letting go (of things like negative emotions, beliefs and physical stuff) is a recurring theme in the podcast, especially in recent weeks. So we decided to re-run this episode on letting go, recorded in January 2019. Spoiler alert: It was during this episode that we decided to change our tag line! Janine and Shannon are experts in letting go. Janine helps people with tangible stuff and Shannon hel...

Many of us yearn for balance in our lives. But perhaps that's not the healthiest thing to strive for. This week, Janine and Shannon discuss letting go of the urge for balance and instead looking toward adding harmony in our lives. Discussion topics include: • The elusive nature of "balance" • The pressure of feeling that everything has to be in balance • How trying to maintain balance can be paral...

Words matter. This week Shannon and Janine discuss how shifting our language just a hair can shift our outcomes. Discussion topics include: • Shannon survived the Portland heat wave! • The value of shifting your language • Changing "should" or "need to" to "choose to" can be very powerful • How "need to" puts you into flight or fight mode • The calming effect of "choose to" • How digging into why...

Times are tough these days--just ask Shannon who was on the cusp of a record-breaking heat wave when we recorded this episode at the end of June 2021. In this episode, Janine and Shannon discuss the need to cut ourselves some slack during difficult times, as well as some suggestions for how to do that. Discussion topics include: • Janine's abiding love for wool, even in summer • The heat wave that...

In 2019, in Episode 46, Shannon and Janine discussed the importance of taking time to relax and not letting perfectionism get in the way. Fast forward two years and the topic seems more relevant than ever, so we're re-running the episode. Relaxing is so important. Even during our busiest times, taking time to relax can keep us more productive. This week, Janine and Shannon talk about the importanc...

In Episode 161, Janine and Shannon discussed some of the principles surrounding navigating competing priorities. In this follow-up episode we talk about some specific ways to choose between competing priorities. Discussion topics include: • Janine's "pull my finger method" of deciding between competing options (also known as muscle testing) • How anticipating a response to muscle testing or flippi...

Choosing among competing priorities can be difficult under the best of circumstances. This week Shannon and Janine discuss the challenge of figuring out which things deserve your energy, particularly when you're trying to get back on track after a crisis of some sort. Discussion topics include: • A hilarious meme about people getting their words mixed up • How competing priorities are made more ch...

We're celebrating our podcast's third anniversary! This week, in honor of their three years of podcasting, Janine and Shannon discuss the three pillars that underlie Getting to Good Enough. Discussion topics include: • The podcast's third anniversary! • How the podcast has helped us (and, we hope, others) • How far we've come, when it comes to letting go of perfectionism, thanks to the podcast • T...

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 frustration. Discussion topics include: • The frustration we can feel about not having control over things • Focusing on the things we do have control over •...

Is it more important for something to be beautiful or functional? This week Janine and Shannon (recording together in person!) discuss this important question. While sometimes you can have both function and beauty, we agree that focusing on function can help you get past perfectionism so you can actually create the solution you're seeking for a problem. Discussion topics include: • Our giddiness o...

Back in 2019, Shannon and Janine had a discussion of how to stop being taken off-course by bright shiny objects. The subject is as relevant as ever, so we thought we'd run it again in case you missed it the first time! Like the dog in the movie Up who shouts "Squirrel!", we can so easily get distracted by new and exciting things. This week Janine and Shannon discuss Bright Shiny Object Syndrome an...

Getting comfortable with stopping at good enough (rather than pursuing perfection) can be tough for some people. But it can also be really beneficial. This week Janine and Shannon talk about how and why to feel good about good enough. Discussion topics include: • Embracing the goodness of "good enough" • Rejecting the negative connotations of "good enough" and "taking the easy way out" •The journe...

Ariel Nathanson, a financial coach and owner of Finances for Feminists, is this week's special guest. Shannon and Janine talk with Ariel about women, financial awareness and getting past perfectionism when it comes to your money. • Our excitement over our special guest, Ariel Nathanson, who is both Janine's friend and Shannon's client • How Ariel helps women attain clarity around their finances as...