Pretty Over Perfect

On today's episode we propose an expansion on the best ideas of gentle parenting, but with the addition of some power for parents - moving past imposter syndrome so prevalent in our generation to compassionate, competent and confident parenting. 

We are re-airing this fan favorite episode all about the hyggely lifestyle: leaning into all things cozy, warm and intimate in this otherwise cold and crummy time of year. This episode is based on the book The Little Book of Hygge (which makes a great holiday gift, IMHO) and covers the ten tenets of hygge: atmosphere, presence, pleasure, equality, gratitude, harmony, comfort, truce, togetherness and shelter. Enjoy!

The play-based childhood, essential to thriving in adulthood, has been on a rapid decline in the past few decades, priming the way for a phone-based childhood. We discuss the reasons we as parents feel we have to overprotect kids and how to talk ourselves through that in order to bring back a real childhood for our kids: real connections, real play, real experiences and real goodness.

We are not zero-screens families, but rather value giving our children the experiences they need over simulated interactions that leave kids anxious, depressed and worse.

Much of this discussion is based on the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, and we recommend you read it!

If you want more info on the necessity and joy of play for kids and adults, check out this episode. 

Today we've got seven ways to make your day better, and the science behind why they work. 

In our busy lives it can be easy to forget to make time to do the things that will actually make us feel alive, and happy about it - connecting with our communities, getting a breath of fresh air, creating, problem solving, and making room for serendipity. 

Today Michelle interviews her friend, Marcela, a teacher on special assignment who is also pursuing her doctorate in education while raising her two young girls and juggling family life with grace alongside her husband. She shares her unique experience on raising a multi-lingual and multi-cultural family all while claiming a life of abundance and every day luxury for herself. She offers a great perspective on co-parenting while both parents work full-time, as well as insights on how she feeds her busy family and takes time every day to soak in life’s beauty. 

After the first few weeks of a new school year shake out, we have the opportunity to sync up our schedules and iron out any wrinkles in our systems for a smooth school year. Whether you've got pre-k or high school students, we're bringing our best tips for calendar maintenance, meal prep, after-school activities and more. Plus, when to acknowledge it's too much and how to let go, so you can actually enjoy and embrace the chaos of this time of life. 

Creating a signature style is a great way to show off your personality and passions before even speaking. Let’s dive into assessing and determining a personal, timeless style by first going through the building blocks we already own, then adding accessories and defining our style! 

“Find out who you are, and do it on purpose.”

We’re taking Dolly Parton’s words to heart and determining the first part of our personal brand - which develops over time to help inform us as to where and how to spend our limited time and energy.

We’re diving into questions like:

“What is your purpose and your passions (long term and short term).”
“What are you known for?”
“What do you want to be known for?”
“How are your spending your time lately?”
“What are you up to/listening to/ interested in/ excited by?”
“What’s on your list for your life?”
“What’s on your list for this season?”

Have you ever heard of a philosophical razor? It’s a rule of thumb or principle used to shave off unnecessary thoughts or explanations or to determine the next best course of action. There are a whole bunch of interesting razors we can use every day to let the little things go, seek simple solutions, give people the benefit of the doubt and build our own luck. Listen as we discuss razors high and low, as well as our own personal razors we’ve developed to help us make quick decisions and live according to our own principles.

For more on razors, check out this article and this one, too.