Pretty Over Perfect

Jessica's back and we're talking all our favorites: summer memories, go-to meals, outfits and mantras. Plus, things what we're letting go of, what (and who) is inspiring us and how to make the mornings go smoother.  We love the book The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie . These are Jessica's favorite running shorts. Unfor...

Everyone is handling some kind of big project right now, whether personal or professional, concrete or intangible. Michelle is joined by her husband, Steve, as they debrief a big development project they just tackled and share their takeaways for organizing projects of any kind. Michelle mentioned this podcast about how our projects define us Adam Grant and Brian Little , Steve mentioned the book...

Michelle is joined by her husband, Steve, today and they talk about rituals they’ve formed over the years to protect and enjoy their relationship through all kinds of seasons.  Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you!  @prettyoverperfect

We’re re-sharing this episode from last year all about how memories are made, how we can reframe experiences and why perfection is antithetical to happy memories! It’s always helpful to get reminders about what makes our lives truly good, especially when we have constant distractions trying to convince us we can buy or polish our ways into a good and meaningful life.  Come hang out! I can't w...

Life is throwing us a lot of... life lately! So we're re-running this episode from a couple of summers ago all about PLAY! Play brings joy to our days, but is also a great way to learn, bond, grow and pursue real life, which is often messy and amateur, but a whole lot of fun! Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you!  @prettyoverperfect

Michelle brings back Dennis McGreevy, a fan favorite and conflict resolution expert, to chat more about navigating the ups and downs of relationships: specifically communicating with each other, healthy conflict, and loving people when they aren’t easy to love. For the video mentioned, “It’s Not About the Nail,” click here .  Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you!  @prettyoverperfec...

A change of seasons often brings a change of pace, and when we approach those changes with some intention we are able to get more out of that time. Michelle dives into the idea of “Expansion and Contraction” as a way of setting rhythms in the summer, a season that can become listless if left to it’s own devices. For more on Expansion and Contraction, check out this episode of Simple Families. Come...

It’s the Adventure Episode, just in time for summer! Michelle is joined this week by Jessica’s sister, Whitney, and they’re talking all about adventuring with kids: with everything from prepping and planning, to our mindset as we go, and how to encourage our kids and ourselves to expand horizons, grow through challenges and experience the wild wonder of the world around us.  Come hang out! I can&a...

We spend about half our lives in transitions of some kind - big transitions that shake up our lives and the little ones that come up all the time. Some transitions are joyous and others painful, but they all require us to become someone new as we embrace the change upon us. Let’s look our wolves in the eyes with creativity and courage, and practice growing in transitions.  Come hang out! I can&apo...

We can choose creativity as an avenue of joy and agency in the big and little moments of life - and it is not limited to arts and crafts. Join us as we discuss multiples forms of creativity available for anyone!  Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you!  @prettyoverperfect

We are all creative beings in some way - the whole earth has been stamped with the human desire to create. And yet, we can find ourselves having all the creativity sucked out of us these days by the need for everything to be purposeful and productive, or the pressure to perform for an unknown audience. Or maybe it’s simply a matter of feeling like we don’t have time to create anymore. Whatever it...

Being a happy family is not just about smooth systems and joyful moments, but also about sticking together through the chaos of life, learning to repair and having resilience. We’re diving into family mission statements (and how they can help us simplify our goals) and how telling stories helps us pass on values and hope through the oscillating nature of life.  Come hang out! I can't wait to...

What are the secrets of happy families? We're diving into a few things that really seem to make families happier: holding weekly family meetings where everyone evaluates how the community is working and what can be improved, and creating systems the entire family can maintain and benefit from. These are crucial steps in creating environments with less friction and more joy, and our conversati...

"If you're in a conflict-free relationship, you're not in a real relationship." We all know that conflict of various kinds is a part of healthy relationships, and some relationships, especially partnerships, may have a lot of conflict as they figure out how to work as a team. Dennis McGreevy teaches leadership and development in the corporate world, and he is with us today to t...

It’s the month of love and we’re diving into relationships! This week is all about Romantic Relationships - how our long-term partnerships change over time and how we can create positive momentum and amorous feelings no matter the season we find ourselves in. From the flutter of excitement at the first kiss, to partnering together to build a life both people love, we’re offering practical points o...

We’re back for Season 3 of Pretty Over Perfect and we’ve got updates for you! Jessica has big news, Michelle went on a big trip, and we’ve got a slightly different recording schedule coming this year. Hear all about it in this episode. Jessica’s Favorite Books for Valentine’s Day I Heart You Bear of My Heart The Invisible String I Choose You Everyday and Always   Come hang out! I can't wait t...

We’re bringing you the last episode of the year discussing our favorite subjects we’ve covered, as well as our personal highs and lows and everything in between!  Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you!  @prettyoverperfect

The holidays are here - with all the joy and chaos they contain! We’re discussing balancing old and new traditions, how to take each year in stride and fun ideas for gifts for friends and neighbors! Plus, how we’re avoiding burn out in our most overwhelming parts of the season and finding joy by leaning into our favorite things!  Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you!  @prettyoverpe...

Let's get dressed to shine, not to hide! Our world is full of endless ads and suggestions about how we could dress, which can result in feeling overwhelmed and exhausted and... like nothing ends up fitting or feeling the way we want it to. Today we're breaking down some simple concepts that can make finding clothes much simpler: from the concept of balancing the silhouette to finding col...

This week we’re talking dressing with confidence - which is really as simple as being willing to show the world who you are and what you have to give! We hope this episode gives you permission to be wholly and wildly your unique self - from the inside out! We’ve got specific ideas based on your energy type (like our home design for your energy type episode ), as well as general thoughts on why and...

Growing more confident may seem like an elusive goal, but we believe we can start increasing our confidence today by being compassionate, pursuing growth and setting goals, (sincerely) faking it until we make it and serving others. And in case you missed it: Hygge inspiration from last year can be found here! Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you!  @prettyoverperfect

This month we’re diving into the subject of confidence: What is it? Do we have it? Can we improve it? And we’re starting off by discussing how confidence is a balance between opposites: being unapologetic and also self-reflective, knowing a lot about a little and a little about a lot, understanding that neither success nor failure is the end of the story and finally, figuring out if we’re using re...

Happy Halloween! We’re talking all things death today… or really just the idea of taking care of your possessions with the final finish line in mind. Popularized as a method of sorting through one’s possession in late middle age, Swedish Death Cleaning has a lot of interesting points we can learn from no matter our age or time of life!  Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you!  @prett...

Today we're looking beyond magazine and advertisements to get a true sense of our personal styles by reviewing our wardrobes, favorite movie sets, as well as vacation locations and art pieces that we drawn to. By looking beyond the typical forms of interior design influence, we can find lasting style we will enjoy for a long time to come! Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! ...

Cut through the noise and the trends to create a space that truly feels like you based on your energy type! Whether you are primarily Fun-Loving, Sensitive, Determined, or Serious, you can lean into interior design that supports your energy and helps you live the life you want. We're walking through each of the four main energy types and how to find styles that appeal to the principal needs o...