Progress, Perfection, and a Little Self-Care

Hope you’ve had a good week and a chance to reset over the weekend! As we start a new one, it’s worth taking a moment to look back and notice the small steps that added up over the last week: our “drops in the bucket". It’s easy to skip over the progress we’ve made when there are so many things going on, but it's good to remember that even our smallest efforts deserve a little recognition.

The Inventory Project Update

If you’ve been working on your own wardrobe inventory, here’s a quick check-in: this week’s focus was finishing up outerwear (for me, that included a stray hat or two). I like how photographing items in the Stylebook app helps create a visual record, but a simpler system like a notebook, spreadsheet, or even notecards still gets it done.

Perfectionists, beware: it’s easy to get stuck trying to make things look “just right.” I got really bogged down by that last week. Whether it’s handwriting you don’t love or photos that aren’t quite what you were hoping for, remember that the goal is progress, not perfection. With that in mind, we're moving on to footwear next week!

A Thought on Perfection vs. Excellence

A conversation with a friend this week sparked a good reminder: there’s a big difference between striving for perfection and striving for excellence. This article from Psych Central explains it well.

Perfectionism can feel paralyzing—it doesn’t leave room for growth. When we’re afraid of failing, we often stop ourselves before we even begin. This is my achilles heel. On the other hand, striving for excellence allows room for imperfection rather than waiting until everything is flawless. We give ourselves space to learn when we miss the mark. If you’ve been feeling stuck lately, try asking: What’s one step forward I can take today? Even if it's not going to be perfect.

Managing Overwhelm

On the topic of moving forward, this Mel Robbins podcast episode on stress and overwhelm is worth a listen. One my biggest takeaways is that overwhelm isn’t about how much is happening—it’s about the balance between how much is going on that we feel we can control, with what we can't.

Our brains constantly measure two kinds of challenges:

Active challenges: what we can do something about that's in our control - like hobbies, diet, exercise

Passive challenges: outside of our control - work deadlines, sick kids, slow drivers

When life feels overwhelming, we often drop the small, meaningful things that help keep these two in balance. Doing the opposite: even if it's adding just one active challenge, can actually help. As Robbins puts it: “Stop letting go of the things that matter to you. Add one thing in.” What have you let go of that you enjoy? Try adding it in somehow. It doesn't have to be perfect :)

A Small Act of Self Care

So here’s your gentle nudge for the week: do something that supports your well-being. It doesn’t have to be excessive or expensive. Folding laundry, tidying your closet, or finally handwashing those sweaters all count. Research shows that these kinds of everyday tasks can trigger feel-good chemicals and help reset our brain’s reward system, which is an antidote to the quick hits of dopamine we get used to from mindless scrolling.

If you’re looking for somewhere to start, here's a few ideas:

Start or add a few entries to your own closet inventory.

Hand wash what's been piling up.

Do a quick refresh of your undergarments drawer (you’ll thank yourself later).

Progress, not perfection—that’s the theme this week. Keep adding those small drops to the bucket.