Just two more days ‘til Christmas!
Looking forward to signing offline and being in the Christmas present with family this holiday weekend.
What I Learned
This week something came up amongst my co-founders that is frequently a challenge for us to navigate, both as individuals and as a team. Perfectionism. When is any of our work ‘good enough’ to call ‘finished,’ and who decides?
Although the example below is small and seemingly insignificant, it spurred some internal evolution and took my relationship with my co-founders to the next level. As our CEO said,
Because we are supporting each other on this project we are inherently also supporting each other to each grow and evolve. With an ambition as big as this is there anything bigger that we could ask for than to stretch us into the people we can become? On one level what all three of us are waiting for is not for materials to arrive or funding or for a big customer but actually to internally evolve into the people who see the compassionate yet productive actions that will get us where we need to go.
We’re a small startup, so myself and my two co-founders are acting as the marketing and social media team right now. We have a system where two out of three of us need to approve drafts of social posts for them to be published. Recently, two out of three of us approved a post, so we published it, but then a couple days later the third co-founder requested that changes be made to the post copy.
The changes requested were minor – differences in word choices, tone, grammar.
When I saw the suggestions in our drafting document I thought they were on point, so my immediate reaction was to go to the social platforms and make the edits.
But then I stopped myself.
This post had gone through our approval process. It had been posted a couple days earlier, so the majority of its views had already happened. Editing it now wasn’t the best use of my time, and our co-founder had violated our agreed-upon workflow by suggesting changes after the post had been made.
And yet, as I went to close the tabs of the social platforms without making the edits, my chest tightened, dread came over me. I could barely bring myself to close the tabs.
The fear of imperfection had struck again.
Now that I had seen the improvements that could be made to the post I couldn’t unsee them. I couldn’t stand knowing that it was out there in the universe living an imperfect existence!
As an entrepreneur who knows a lot of founders, I can attest to the fact that perfectionism is a common trait among us. We tend to be really tough on ourselves, always striving for greatness in everything we do. But here’s the thing: entrepreneurship is all about taking risks and embracing the unknown. If we’re too worried about making mistakes and being perfect, we might hold ourselves back from taking those necessary chances. And starting a business is already risky enough! Plus, fortune favors the brave. It takes guts to put yourself out there and start a company, and you’re inevitably going to face rejection and setbacks along the way. But that’s okay! A healthy dose of bravery and a commitment to doing high quality work can lead to success and satisfaction. So let’s cut ourselves some slack and remember we are all on a journey and it’s okay to not be perfect all the time.
One mindset shift that has been beneficial for me is to embrace the mentality of being a lifelong learner. By approaching every experience with curiosity and a desire to explore new ideas, I have found that what might have previously been viewed as mistakes or failures can now be seen as valuable learning opportunities on my path towards mastery. This shift in perspective has helped me to enjoy the process of learning and personal growth, rather than becoming discouraged by challenges.
Shedding the fear of imperfection is one of my goals for 2023. If you also suffer from perfectionism, the first step is admitting it! I like the tips in this article as a starting point for overcoming perfectionism, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this topic.
Recipes
Six weeks ago I suddenly found myself in the emergency room after my appendix ruptured, so I was in and out of the hospital all of November and am still in recovery. Stuck in the hospital bed day after day unable to eat or drink anything, I took to binge watching the Food Network. I’ve never craved food so much in my life.
My digestive system was a total mess when I got home, so I’ve been doing a lot of research and preparing healing recipes.
I came across the beautiful Instagram account of traditional Chinese medicine food therapist and chef Zoey Xinyi Gong. She has a cookbook coming out next year that I pre-ordered, can’t wait!
Investing
My latest article for SoFi has been published, it’s an overview of green bonds. Green bonds are debt instruments that are issued to fund projects with environmental benefits, such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable transportation.
What I’m Reading:
Nature of Investing: Resilient Investment Strategies Through Biomimicry 1st Edition
by Katherine Collins
Favorite Things
Cheaper, better phone plan
A couple weeks ago I switched my phone service to Boost Infinite, they are running a beta of a $25/month flat rate unlimited plan. So far I love it, I live in an area with terrible service and my phone is working better than it ever has. The setup was super easy and customer service was very friendly and helpful.
Outfits
I’ve been living in these boots, perfect for California winter. They’re made using an innovative knitting technology that dramatically reduces waste ~ and they’re made partially from recycled plastic bottles!
Finally, every day is a good hair day.
I love simple beauty routines that help me look presentable without a lot of time and effort. My favorite new tool is heatless curlers ~ I just put them in while my hair is drying or before bed and when I take them out my hair is ready for the day.
self care
I started using the STRETCHIT app for about 15 minutes every day to improve my posture from too much computer work and increase my flexibility. Especially after being sick and hospitalized I’m feeling extra stiff. I love this app because it notifies me throughout the day to just take a few minute break from work to stretch, it’s so easy to fit it into my schedule and I always feel so much better after doing the exercises.
Climate
This was a huge week for our team at Pull To Refresh. We launched something that’s been in the works for over a year.
Individuals like you and me can now reverse emissions with a $20/month carbon removal subscription. While it is important for corporations and governments to address climate change, it is clear that relying on them alone is insufficient. They often face economic and political barriers that hinder their ability to take meaningful action. Furthermore, protecting the planet is a responsibility that belongs to all of us, not just a select few.
Another issue is there is a huge lack of supply of carbon removal credits. Investment has been pouring into marketplaces and emission tracking tools, and corporations have been making pledges to buy, but there isn’t enough supply available and more support needs to go towards R&D and scaling up carbon removal solutions to meet that demand.
So, let’s end the climate crisis ourselves!
The emission reversal subscription activates our technology to gather invasive seaweed and sink it in the deep sea, storing carbon away for centuries so it can’t go back into the atmosphere as CO2 and cause global warming. Early subscribers will receive a customized climate dedication page featuring AI-generated artwork curated by our team.
Photo of the Week
Yo, Jay! I’ve been having so much fun birdwatching with my new bird buddy smart bird feeder.
Happy Holidays!
Wishing you a warm and festive weekend.
~Laurel