Issue #6  //  Give Yourself A Little Credit 👏

“Happiness is the joy you feel moving toward your potential.”

- Shawn Achor 

From Gill:

I don’t know if y’all noticed, but it’s June. We’re halfway through the year, which honestly makes me a little agitated whenever I think about it.

When I catch a glimpse of the calendar, my first thought isn’t: “What a lovely year it’s been so far!” (and it has been). It’s: “Dear god, it’s almost July?! What have you been doing with your time? You were supposed to have accomplished so much more by now! Time is running out!” – and other helpful commentary.

“More” is a word that comes up often for both Melia and me. It’s an undercurrent in the language we use with ourselves, and the message is: You could be doing more, you could be more, if only you weren’t so… [fill in the blank with unkind adjective]. It. Is. Exhausting.

So as we are preparing for our next episode, a midpoint check-in on our 19 for 2019 goals, I’m consciously trying to give myself credit for the progress I have made – instead of dwelling on all the ways I could have done more. Basically, I’m reminding myself to take our own advice. We are so wise!

If you struggle with this, too, start here:

• Visible is memorable: Write down your goals, and put them somewhere where you’ll see them every day.
• Think about the why behind a goal. Envision your “desired future state” to help you get through the hassles along the way. 
• Count it. If you find yourself asking, “Does this count?” because a goal seems too small or you’ve only made a little bit of progress, yes! It counts. Give yourself credit.
  

You really do have it more together than you think you do.

🎙 Latest Episode: #18 - How Our Language Shapes Our Reality

The language we use matters, especially when talking to and about ourselves.

We explore the ways our words shape the way we think, feel, and act – and we offer strategies for using more thoughtful and empowering words.

• Listen to the episode and read the show notes 

👉 Steal This Tip:  Swap out words to reframe your thinking more optimistically.

Think of it like using “Find and replace” in a Word document. Identify the words you want to change, and replace them with positive alternatives.

More on this: 

• Read a summary of What to Say When You Talk to Yourself by Shad Helmstetter 
• Get the book

👋 ICYMI

Episode #6: Prioritizing What Matters, Part II🎙

Remember that every little decision or action contributes to moving big priorities forward. Take a step back; all those small choices do add up over time. Think of how your future self will feel when choosing between Option A and Option B.

Listen to the episode. 

😄 Things We Text Each Other

A literary analysis of a throwback jam from Melia’s college days:

Other A+ lyrics: 

• Des’ree - Life: I don't want to see a ghost / It's a sight that I fear most / I'd rather have a piece of toast ... Life, oh life...doo doot doot dooo. 
• Lenny Kravitz - Fly Away: I wish that I could fly / Into the sky / So very high / Just like a dragonfly
  

😍 Stuff We Love Right Now

On the Interwebs  🖥

• How to Get It Done and Get That Money  

  We’re digging New York Magazine’s The Cut blog, “for women with sharp, stylish minds.” In the How I Get It Done series, successful women like Elizabeth Gilbert and Brené Brown talk about managing their careers, and their lives. The Get That Money series explores the many ways women think about finances — what we earn, what we have, and what we want.

• Dawson Who? 

  Tig Notaro is a comedian (from Mississippi!) with a hilariously understated energy. She doesn’t watch a lot of TV or movies, so she can’t recognize celebrities. In Under a Rock, her new web series for Funny or Die, she meets a famous guest like James Van Der Beek and tries to guess who they are.

• More Jodie, Please

  We were huge Daria fans back in the day (smart, sarcastic, feminist), and we’re excited to see fan favorite Jodie is getting her own spinoff animated series. Tracee Ellis Ross plays Jodie, who is now starting her first post-college job in tech. From Deadline: “With themes of empowerment across gender and racial lines, explorations of privilege, and a wicked sense of humor, Jodie marks the first adult animated sitcom to center around an African American female lead in nearly two decades.”

• Love Connections

  Each day of the 7-Day Love Challenge from the New York Times gives you a quick activity to help strengthen the connection you have with your romantic partner. It features simple science-based actions; for example, Day 1: Keep track of at least five things – big or small – your partner does to show love. Studies show that in successful relationships, positive interactions outnumber negative moments by at least 5:1.

In Our Ears  🎧

• City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert (audiobook)   

  From Gill: This book is SO fun. Set in the 1940s, the story centers around 19-year-old Vivian, who goes to live with her aunt and work in her run-down NYC theater after flunking out of college. Vivian, delightfully self-centered and hedonistic, throws herself into a world of showgirls, actors, infatuations, and questionable decisions: "Life is both fleeting and dangerous, and there is no point in denying yourself pleasure, or being anything other than what you are."

• Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard    

  From Melia: I heard Dax Shepard as a guest on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend and was surprised by how introspective and insightful he was; he’s a bro who has done a lot of work on himself. His own podcast “celebrates the messiness of being human” through frank conversations with interesting people like marriage expert John Gottman (I highly recommend this one!) and his fabulous wife, Kristen Bell (spoiler alert for The Good Place).

On Our Plates  🍽 

• Shakshuka   

  From Gill: Shakshuka is the perfect pantry meal. If you have a can of tomatoes, eggs, and a few spices, you can whip up a simple version for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I often make a kitchen sink variation, adding bits of leftover veggies, meat, cheese, or whatever we have on hand.

• Polvorones de Canela    

  From Melia: Polvorones de Canela are quick and easy crowd-pleaser cookies, little globes of cinnamon shortbread goodness.

If you like the Semi-Together podcast, why not share pod with a friend who would enjoy it?

Until next time! 

Love,

Melia & Gill 😘😘

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