In this quick update, I announce a short break from Good Enough Day with Ray until November 4th due to a busy work week and an upcoming vacation.
During this brief pause, I invite you to revisit past episodes, whether it's catching up on missed conversations or reliving favorite moments. With so many great episodes already available, there's plenty to explore and enjoy.
Thank you for your support and I look forward to returning refreshed and ready with new content. Tune back in on November 4th for the next episode!
In this episode of "Friday Five," I share a mix of things that stood out to me this week.
From a budget-friendly water flosser that upgraded my dental routine to a soothing bedtime yoga practice, I cover some practical favorites. I also recommend the thrilling audiobook *None of This is True* by Lisa Jewell, which kept me hooked from start to finish.
For a useful tip, I talk about the benefits of flipping your mattress every six months. Lastly, I dive into my thoughts on *Love is Blind* Season 7 and why this season's drama felt off.
None of This is True By Lisa Jewell
In this episode, I talk about how self-improvement can sometimes be unhealthy for those who struggle with codependency, like myself. Instead of fostering genuine growth, it often becomes a way to seek validation, fix others’ happiness, and avoid rejection.
I share how this mindset led me to ignore my own needs, take on too much responsibility, and fuel a harsh inner critic. Through therapy, I’ve realized that trying to "fix" myself to control everything around me only reinforces unhealthy patterns.
I hope this episode encourages you to recognize that while self-improvement is valuable, it’s important to set boundaries and remember that not everything is yours to fix.
In this episode, we explore how the busy structure of American life makes healthy eating an exhausting challenge. Even with the best intentions, deciphering food labels and researching safe ingredients feels like an extra job on top of work, family, and self-care. Unlike countries such as France, Sweden, and Norway, where strict regulations ban many harmful additives and simplify food choices, the U.S. allows ingredients that are linked to health concerns. This highlights the need for systemic change, pushing for clearer food labeling and better regulations that prioritize well-being. Ultimately, the episode encourages listeners to strive for progress, not perfection, while advocating for a healthier, more supportive food system.
In this episode, we explore the idea that fixing your home doesn’t mean you have to lose your sanity in the process. Using the quote, "Fixing yourself won’t fix everything, because everything is not yours to fix," we discuss how household tasks can feel overwhelming when the responsibility isn’t shared.
Many of us take on the burden of cleaning alone, but delegating tasks to others is key to maintaining both a tidy home and peace of mind.
We'll talk about how to communicate expectations, let go of control, and encourage family members to contribute. The episode emphasizes that a tidy home is a shared responsibility, and sharing the load can protect your mental well-being.
In this Monday Mindset, I discuss how my addiction to self-improvement stemmed from a desire to control everything around me, thinking I was the problem in every situation.
Society often pushes hyper-independence, encouraging us to believe that if we just do more or improve ourselves, everything will fall into place. I share how this mindset led to burnout and the realization that I was using self-improvement as a distraction from accepting that I can’t control others.
Through therapy, I’ve learned that I’m not the only factor in my problems and that constantly trying to fix myself won’t fix everything. This week, we’ll explore areas where we might be taking on too much responsibility and how to find a healthier balance.
Journal Prompts for Self-Check Sunday:
1. Physical Health:
What did I do this week that made my body feel good? How can I plan to add more of those activities next week?
2. Mental Health:
How did I take care of my mind and emotions this week? What can I add to my routine next week to feel more calm and centered?
3. Hobbies & Creativity:
What hobby or creative activity brought me joy this week? How can I plan to spend more time doing things that inspire or excite me?
4. Relationships:
How did I connect with others this week? What can I do to add more meaningful moments with loved ones or friends in the week ahead?
5. Finances:
What financial decision or habit made me feel secure or content this week? How can I plan to build on those positive habits next week?
6. Planning for Joy:
What is one small thing I can add to my life next week that will bring me joy or help me feel more balanced?
7. Overall Reflection:
What did I do well this week that I want to celebrate? How can I continue adding more of what makes me feel good without worrying about perfection?
In this episode of Good Enough Day with Ray, I share five things that caught my attention this week in our Friday Five roundup.
I talk about an eye-opening YouTube video on emotionally immature people, highlighting traits like avoiding criticism and boundaries.
I also mention my current go-to, Bare Bones Beef Bone Broth, for its gut health benefits and added protein boost. There’s a fun TikTok-inspired cucumber salad recipe that’s simple and customizable. Plus, I share my current song obsession, *Pink Pony Club*, and wrap things up with a quirky fact about charging our phones.
Detaching From Emotionally Immature People with Dr. Lindsay Gibson Video Link
**Cucumber Salad Recipe:**
- 1 cucumber (cut into rounds, then quartered)
- Soy sauce
- Spicy mayo
- Sriracha
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Chili paste
- 1 packet of pink salmon
- ½ cup of imitation crab
- Optional: ¼ to ½ cup of rice for added carbs
In this Therapy Thursday episode, we’re talking about something we all tend to overlook—scheduling mental health check-ins.
Life gets busy, but if you don’t take time to ask yourself, “How am I really feeling?” stress, anxiety, and burnout can sneak up on you.
Ray shares simple ways to build self-awareness with daily or weekly check-ins, helping you spot emotional red flags before they spiral out of control.
It’s like creating a personal maintenance plan for your mind, so you’re better prepared to manage life’s challenges with clarity. Tune in to learn how these small, intentional moments can have a huge impact on your mental wellness.
Here’s a concise 5-sentence summary of your episode:
In this Wellness Wednesday episode, we explore the importance of planning rest and recovery to avoid burnout and maintain overall wellness.
Ray shares personal experiences with overwhelm and how failing to schedule real rest impacted physical activity, nutrition, and mental clarity.
By prioritizing rest, we can stay consistent with exercise, make healthier food choices, and restore mental focus.
The episode highlights how planning downtime prevents the shame cycle of "not doing enough," especially for those with mental health challenges like PTSD, anxiety, or ADHD.
Listeners are encouraged to schedule rest as a key part of their wellness journey, remembering that "if you fail to plan, you're planning to fail."
In this episode of Tidying Up Tuesday, we focus on simple daily habits to keep surfaces like countertops and tables clutter-free.
I share how keeping my dining room table, kitchen counters, and coffee table clear has made a huge difference in how relaxed I feel when I come home.
We cover five easy steps:
-Creating a drop zone for essentials
-Committing to a 5-minute daily tidy
-Handling paperwork immediately
-Finishing one task before starting another
-Decluttering as you go
These quick, actionable tips can be done in just a few minutes each day to help create a more peaceful and organized home. Give these habits a try and see how they lighten up your space this week!
In this episode of Mindset Monday, we dive into the transformative power of simple planning.
I share personal experiences about how a lack of structure led to struggles with health, finances, and relationships, and how small, intentional plans helped turn things around.
We’ll explore why planning isn’t about rigid control, but about creating a framework that brings clarity and peace of mind.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or out of control, this episode offers three easy, actionable plans you can start today. Tune in and discover how a little planning can lead to big changes!
In this episode, we explore how hormonal changes during the luteal phase can lead to feelings of wanting to quit everything—jobs, relationships, and even hobbies.
The rise in progesterone after ovulation often causes fatigue, increased stress sensitivity, and a critical mindset, making everything seem overwhelming. These hormonal shifts can trick us into believing our lives are off track, when really our bodies are just asking for rest.
By understanding these patterns, we can learn to give ourselves grace during this time, delay major decisions, and find comfort in knowing these feelings are temporary.
In this episode of Good Enough Day with Ray, we explore the early warning signs of burnout and why it's crucial to listen to your body before it's too late. Ray shares her personal experience with PTSD and the challenges of recognizing exhaustion before it turns into full-blown burnout.
We discuss common burnout cues like chronic fatigue, irritability, and emotional detachment, and how ignoring them can lead to more harm.
Learn how to spot these signs early and break the cycle of pushing too hard. If you’re struggling to balance self-care with life’s demands, this episode is for you.
Here are a list of recommended workouts where you can still get 5, 10, 20 or 30 minutes of movement in while dialing back the intensity:
- Yoga (Gentle or Restorative)
- Pilates
- Walking
- Low-Impact Strength Training
- Cycling (Low-Intensity)
- Stretching and Mobility Work
**2-Minute Fixes**—these are perfect if you’ve barely got any energy left but want to feel like you’ve done *something*.
1. Put away the shoes at the door.
2. Wipe down the kitchen counters. It’s amazing how much better things feel with clean counters.
3. Clear off the dining table—just getting it empty can feel like a big win.
4. Toss any dirty laundry into the hamper.
5. Straighten up the throw pillows on the couch. It’s a small thing, but it really makes the space look more put-together.
6. Wipe down the bathroom sink—especially if toothpaste blobs are a thing for you, like they are for me.
7. Gather up stray magazines or books and put them away.
8. Empty a small trash can, like the one in your bedroom or bathroom.
9. Hang up those jackets that got thrown over a chair.
10. Water the houseplants—they deserve some love too.
If you’re feeling up for a tiny bit more, here are some **3-Minute Fixes**:
11. Unload half the dishwasher. You don’t have to do it all.
12. Sort today’s mail and toss the junk. It’s so satisfying.
13. Gather everything off the coffee table and put it away.
14. Clean the bathroom mirror—it’s a small thing that can really brighten the space.
15. Fold a couple of pieces of laundry—again, you don’t need to do it all.
16. Empty another small trash can—maybe one you’ve been avoiding.
17. Straighten up your bedside table.
18. Tidy up your pet’s toys. They deserve a nice space too.
19. Wipe down the kitchen cabinet handles. These get sticky so fast!
20. Clean the surface of one kitchen appliance—like the microwave or toaster.
For those times when you’ve got a bit more to give, here are some **5-Minute Fixes**:
21. Make your bed. It always makes the room feel better.
22. Organize just one messy drawer.
23. Wipe down the dining table.
24. Fold and put away a load of laundry.
25. Sweep the kitchen floor.
26. Clean the bathroom surfaces—the sink and the counter.
27. Clear clutter from one counter space.
28. Dust a few surfaces in the living room.
29. Declutter the entryway. Even a little effort here makes coming home nicer.
30. Wipe down fingerprints on light switches and doorknobs.
If you’re feeling surprisingly okay for a bit longer, here are some **10-Minute Fixes**:
31. Vacuum one room.
32. Wipe down all the kitchen appliances.
33. Clean out the fridge door shelves. Just the door, not the whole fridge.
34. Dust the blinds in one room.
35. Organize one closet shelf.
36. Sweep and mop the bathroom floor.
37. Organize part of the pantry.
38. Sort through and organize a junk drawer. It’s called a junk drawer, but it doesn’t have to be chaos.
39. Wipe down and sanitize door handles around the house.
40. Sort through the papers on your desk. Even just a small pile.
41. Clean the bathtub. A clean tub just feels so much better.
42. Change your bed linens.
43. Wipe down the baseboards in one room.
44. Vacuum under the couch cushions.
45. Wash the windows in one room.
46. Sanitize the remote controls.
47. Wipe down the fronts of the kitchen cabinets.
48. Sweep the front porch—just a quick tidy-up.
49. Gather and empty all the trash bins in the house.
50. Clean out the car interior. Just the trash, if nothing else.
Today's episode of Good Enough Day with Ray focused on how to honor your natural energy instead of letting your ego push you to exhaustion.
I shared five mindset hacks to help during energy dips, including reframing low-energy moments as natural, shrinking overwhelming tasks, and embracing "good enough" progress. We also discussed using energizing self-talk to stay positive and celebrating small wins as a way to respect your journey.
These tools are especially helpful for times when our energy is low, like the week before a cycle or after a bad night’s sleep. Remember, it’s all about adjusting your mindset, being kind to yourself, and recognizing that real strength is honoring where you are today.
In today’s *Self-Check Sunday* episode, we explored how to evaluate our goals and intentions without falling into the trap of shame or perfectionism.
We discussed how the traditional approach to goal-setting often brings disappointment and how shifting our mindset to "What did I learn from pursuing this goal?" can lead to more meaningful growth.
I shared my own struggle with avoiding goals out of fear of failure and how embracing a mindset of "Progress Over Perfection" has helped me view my goals as learning opportunities. We also reflected on how setting goals reveals the barriers in our lives, such as distractions or over-commitment, helping us understand ourselves better. By treating our goals as guides, we can make progress with self-compassion and curiosity instead of harsh self-criticism.
In today's episode of "Good Enough Day with Ray," I share a personal story about a hectic Saturday and how the mindset of "Progress Over Perfection" made all the difference. The day started with a tired mistake—almost washing my hands with toothpaste—and a long work shift that left me feeling drained. After getting caught up in social media scrolling, I felt the day slipping away and battled thoughts of worthlessness and exhaustion. Remembering our theme, I chose to do a 30-minute workout at my own pace and share my experience on the podcast, realizing progress doesn’t require perfection. This episode is a reminder that even small efforts are valuable, and what you can do today truly is good enough.