Show Notes

Episode 62: Getting Comfortable with Discomfort

It can feel uncomfortable to let something be good enough, particularly if you have a tendency toward perfectionism. This week, Janine and Shannon talk about how getting comfortable with that discomfort can improve your life. We discuss various strategies for getting past the discomfort and we even invite you to join us in writing a novel this November!

The varied discussion topics include:

  • Getting comfortable with our discomfort around imperfection
  • A working definition of perfectionism
  • Improving your life by getting comfortable with with your discomfort
  • How American Ninja Warrior relates to this topic
  • The greatest thing ever invented: Ad-free Hulu
  • Paying attention to when something is good enough and doesn’t merit further effort
  • Practicing asking yourself “what do I need to do to make this good enough?” so that it becomes more natural
  • How good enough ≠ sloppy
  • Taking imperfect action
  • Getting comfortable with discomfort both when you’re starting and when you’re finishing something
  • Our experiences with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
  • Our pledge to write a novel again this November (care to join us?)
  • Janine’s novelist hat (see photo below) and Shannon’s unconventional prom dress
  • Strategies for getting comfortable with discomfort
  • Practicing feeling uncomfortable
  • Intentionally being imperfect in order to get used to the discomfort of it

Janine found a picture of her wearing the red hat she mentioned in the episode. Jaunty, yes?

 

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2 thoughts on “Episode 62: Getting Comfortable with Discomfort”

  1. First: Love the hat. Second: Are you guys stalking me? On Monday, July 22nd, at 7:00 p.m., I went to the Parkville, Missouri, branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library system for “Camp NaNoWriMo.” I was the only person there because Kansas City was having amazing weather that night. I wrote one scene of a novel that I have been wanting to write for ages and decided that I was going to do NaNoWriMo for real this November. So count me in! I have to ask, though, exactly when you taped this episode? Wouldn’t it be weird if y’all were sending your wavelengths out and I tapped into them that evening? Sounds a little hippie-dippie, huh?

    I was listening to the podcast you referenced in the show notes before I listened to GTGE tonight and was walking across the living room when I stopped in my tracks. “Take Imperfect Action” blew me away! When I started listening to GTGE, I thought, I bet Janine would talk about that three-word bombshell. And I was right!

    And I’ve been thinking about what you can call the “good-enoughers.” How about GENies? Note it’s not just G from Good and the EN from Enough. Since both of you (and me, too!) are into genealogy, it has a second resonance.

    1. Christy, we recorded that episode on July 17, so it wasn’t quite as remarkable as it might have been. We’re glad you’ll be doing NaNoWriMo, too. It’s a fun challenge. Perhaps we can get a conversation about it going on in November on the GTGE Facebook group.

      Thanks for the suggestion of Genies. We’ll try that on for size!

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