Getting to Good Enough

Sometimes finishing up a project that you've put down can feel daunting, especially if you're concerned about doing it perfectly. But finishing can be so rewarding! In this episode, Janine and Shannon discuss how to start finishing--and how to decide something is finished. Discussion topics include: • Shannon's concern that she'll find it hard to remember that it's 2023 • The four-decades-long project that Shannon finished over the holidays • Her project: a crewel embroidery project she started when she was 11 • The ideal environment that allowed her to finish: She was trapped inside with crafty friends during a blizzard. • How she'll use the pillow cover she embroidered • Crewel embroidery vs other embroidery • Letting go of perfection with this project • The value of having other people on board when you're trying to finish • How things look less imperfect with time (but you don't have to wait 44 years!) • Another finished project: Multiple unfinished crossword puzzles that Shannon had been saving up • The feeling you get when you finish something you've put aside • Calling something done even if it's not completely finished • The Loose Ends project where crafters help finish craft projects started by people who have died • How perfectionism can make the decision to finish something difficult Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for links and for a picture of Shannon's finished crewel project!

Getting dressed doesn't have to be hard. Embracing an effortless wardrobe can make everything easier. In this episode Shannon and Janine talk about the benefits of simplified dressing and how they go about making their wardrobe more effortless. Discussion topics include: • Is it a flock or herd of sheep? • Janine's recent closet clearing (including stats!) • Shannon's unhappiness with the lack of ease in her closet • Shannon's unwritten (and perhaps ill-conceived) rule about "wasting" clothing • How Shannon handled the logistics of a capsule wardrobe • Janine's experience with Project 333 • How focusing on a single fabric makes it easy for Janine to keep her wardrobe lean • The magical odor-resistant properties of merino wool • Strategies for doing less laundry • Letting go of the idea you have to wear something different every day • The beauty of having a wardrobe that you don't feel the need to update • Shopping for recreation (we don't recommend it) • The environmental impact of creating and maintaining a wardrobe Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for an update from Shannon + loads of links!

Just in time for the new year, we're re-running the second part of our 2018 short series on habits. We hope you find it helpful! Last week Janine and Shannon talked about creating helpful habits. This week, we look at the other side of the coin--letting go of bad habits. Shannon shares her view that all habits (even bad ones) are the result of good intentions and talks about how we can use that information to kick bad habits. Discussion topics include: • The inherent value of bad habits • Peeling back the many layers of a bad habit to find the need it fulfills • Figuring out how to fulfill the positive intention in a more beneficial way • Being kind to yourself as you work on letting go of bad habits • Creating a helpful habit that is incompatible with the bad habit • The double-edged sword of habits becoming so automatic • Becoming conscious of your unwanted habits and breaking their spell • Shannon’s three-step process to letting go of a bad habit • Remembering that your bad habits don’t define you

The new year is a great time to think about creating habits that will make your life easier. Shannon and Janine discussed habits early on in the podcast--way back in October 2018. We thought now would be great time to re-run this episode.  When it comes to living an easy life, helpful habits are everything. In this episode Shannon and Janine discuss why good habits are important and how to create them. Discussion topics include: • How automating the mundane tasks frees your brain for more important things • The challenge of creating and maintaining new habits • Janine’s misguided compulsion to start creating new habits on the first day of the month • The unwritten rules and beliefs we all have about habits • How a good enough mindset can help in creating new habits (hint: take teeny tiny steps!) • Some strategies for remembering new habits • The power of chaining habits together into a routine • Shannon's gentle method for creating new habits • Sticker charts -- they're not just for kids! Tune in next week for our episode on overcoming bad habits! Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for links!

A vision board is a great way to get clear on what's important to you and keep it in sight year-round. The good news is that it doesn't have to be difficult! Janine and Shannon got together on Zoom to create digital vision boards and recorded this episode right after we finished. We had so much fun! Discussion topics include: • We created vision boards together! • How Shannon used magazines to hone in on her theme for the year prior to creating her board • Combining personal and work aspirations in a single vision board • What is a vision board? • Keeping your vision board in front of you • The traditional way to create a vision board: cutting out pictures from magazine to make a collage • Janine's interim digital vision board tool: Comic Lite • The digital tools Janine and Shannon used: Canva + Pinterest • Figuring out when to call a vision board done • The beauty of being able to change a digital vision board • The time Janine's vision board came true in spades • The two-pronged value of a vision board: getting you clear on your goals + keeping it in front of you • Integrating a word of the year into a vision board • Creating goals or guidelines that support the vision board Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com to see our vision boards and get the link to the video we used on creating one.

Self care never goes out of style. When we originally recorded this episode in January of 2019, we had no idea how important self care was going to become during the pandemic. This holiday season, we thought we'd share this important message again. Now that the holidays are over, it's a good idea to focus on taking care of yourself. This week Janine and Shannon discuss the importance of self care and what that means for them.  Discussion topics include: • The fact that self care means something different to everyone • Shannon and Janine’s favorite self-care activities • The joy of floating in a flotation tank • The importance of creating time for self care (whatever that means to you) • Shannon’s idea for making exercise feel like self care when it usually doesn’t • Taking away the barriers to taking care of yourself • Making sure that your treats (like shopping) are actually good self care • Quiet reading or nice walks as self care (Shannon) • Crafting with friends as self care (Janine) • How Janine and her brother practiced self care by gorging on pot stickers in Walla Walla • Belly laughs as self care Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for loads of links and a photo of Janine, her adorable father, and pot stickers!

We all make mistakes. And sometimes it can be hard to figure out how to mitigate those mistake, especially if you let perfectionism get in the way. This week, Janine and Shannon discuss a Big Mistake Janine made and how she dealt with it, extracting some lessons for us all. Discussion topics include: * The mistake Janine made in buying discounted postage stamps and recommending them to her newsletter readers * How she tried to rectify the mistake by sending another email to her newsletter readers warning them about the potential for counterfeit stamps *One lesson: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is * Minimizing the amount of time spent dealing with mistakes * Apologizing and moving on * Rectifying mistakes without causing any harm (even to yourself) * Letting mistakes be a learning opportunity * Trying to avoid making the mistake again without creating convoluted systems * How beating yourself up over a mistake doesn't help * Resisting the temptation to fix inconsequential mistakes * People appreciate when you admit mistakes! * Being gracious when other people make mistakes * Assuming good intentions * Being kind to yourself and others when it comes to mistakes Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com

We make so many choices each and every day and some are way more important than others. In this episode, Shannon and Janine discuss saving your brain power for the tougher choices and some strategies for making those choices easier. Discussion topics include: • The executive functioning drain of having so many choices to make • Letting as many decisions as possible being easy • Saving your executive function for the critical decisions • Making easy choices in advance • Janine's recent 30-day dress challenge (she wore two striped dresses at the same time!) • Limiting choices to make decisions easier • Shannon's no-brainer breakfast • The benefit of daily habits • A deep dive into overnight oats • Saving your brain power for consequential decisions (like health insurance) • Breaking down big decisions into smaller bites • Figuring out what aspects of an important decision are most important to you to narrow down the options • Optimizers vs satisficers • Letting go of the idea that you have to make the best choice • The article on overcoming choice overload that inspired this episode (thank you, Elise!) Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for a link to the article that inspired this episode and for a picture of Janine wearing two striped dresses

It's officially winter holiday season, which can be stressful for many people. We want to help our listeners let it be easy! This week, we're re-running Episode 28, which we originally recorded for the 2018 holiday season. Our wish for you for this holiday season is less stress and more joy. The holiday season can be really hard on perfectionists, who often want to do it all and do it right. This week Shannon and Janine talk about making it easier for perfectionists to let the holidays be easy. Discussion topics include: • How “shoulds” can get in the way of enjoying the holidays • Janine’s truly simple holiday traditions • Choosing the elements of the holidays that are doable • The time-saving benefits of holiday cookie exchanges • How the December holidays can be challenging for perfectionists • How Shannon creates the holidays she wants (including this year’s Thanksgiving of giving) • Embracing good enough to make holidays easier • How giving clutter-free gifts helps the recipient and makes gift-giving easier • A special clutter-free gift idea from special guest Miranda Adams, Janine’s niece • Giving the gift of experiences or services, rather than stuff • Choosing a theme word to capture the essence of what you want for the season to use as a guidepost to help you make choices • Starting earlier on holiday tasks to avoid the stress of last-minute activities Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for links!

Being content with your life is something most of us strive for. And it's so within our reach. This week Shannon and Janine discuss ways to be cultivate contentment while still being open to change. Discussion topics include: • Janine's unremarkable but happy-making dog walk • Noticing the things that are enjoyable and going well • Paying attention to problems vs consciously focusing on the things that are okay • Feeling gratitude even during adversity • The value of a gratitude practice • Shannon's happiness-inducing hummingbird feeder • Asking yourself "What else could this mean?" when something goes awry • How Janine and Shannon feel fortunate to be glass-half-full people • Aspiring for better while also feeling content • Remember: Feeling content doesn't mean you're giving up • Allowing yourself to be content where you are while you consider how you might like things to be different Visit the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com to see a beautiful photo of Shannon's cat!