Pretty Over Perfect

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! 

@prettyoverperfect

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 hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

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't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

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't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

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 is, we’re discussing how we’re fighting back to recapture the joy of creativity in our own lives. 

This conversation is based on this episode of Everything Happens with Kate Bowler featuring Liz Gilbert. 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

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 connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

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 conversation about them is inspired by The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler. We highly recommend it!

We referenced this podcast with Simon Sinek and Richard Curtis, and Jessica might  be getting these suction cup drinking cups to make her life easier. 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

"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 teach us about how we can offer constructive feedback and engage in conflict in a healthy way that allows both parties to grow. He has great insights on engaging with different conflict styles, seeing conflict from different points of view, and learning from the relationships that make our lives so rich and colorful.

For a few added points of information, here are some resources:
Patrick Lencioni on the Conflict Continuum 
Simon Sinek's take on the SBI model (his is FBI)

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect

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 of connection for busy times and new thoughts if you feel stuck in a rut. 

Come hang out! I can't wait to connect with you! 

@prettyoverperfect