What happens when life throws you the exact curveball you were trying to avoid? We reconnect after more than a month apart to talk about navigating shoulder surgery recovery while keeping our newly relaunched podcast thriving. This conversation is about what "good enough" really means when your expectations shift moment by moment, when celebrating progress means being excited to put your hair up, and when moving forward requires equal parts resilience, humor, and a really good pillow system.

00:26 - Reuniting After Five and a Half Weeks Apart. We see each other for the first time since mid-September, even though listeners have been hearing new episodes every week. The secret? We batch-recorded everything before Shannon's September 23rd shoulder surgery.

02:11 - Life in a Gunslinger Brace. Shannon shares the reality of wearing a full-arm immobilization brace 24/7 for five weeks—sleeping in it, the elaborate pillow system, and why it's called a "gunslinger" (spoiler: she thinks they could've picked a less violent name).

07:55 - When History Repeats Itself (And You're Not Sure What It Means). The emotional weight of deciding to relaunch the podcast in April, only to discover in July that Shannon needed the same surgery that contributed to our 2023 shuttering of the podcast. Was the universe trying to tell us something? (Spoiler: No. We kept going anyway!)

09:36 - Moving Forward With Uncertainty. Janine reflects on why she never hesitated to move forward despite the unknowns, and Shannon shares her gratitude for that unwavering support. We discuss why having something to look forward to matters during difficult times.

13:00 - When Your Morning Routine Goes Out the Window. The irony of recording episodes about morning routines and energy management right before surgery, when all routines disappear and are replaced by "set an alarm every five hours for pain meds."

14:42 - The Sling Has a History. Shannon reveals she's wearing the same brace from her 2023 right shoulder surgery (because medical equipment is absurdly expensive), and why she has an entire bin of orthopedic supplies. Janine asks if she's named it yet.

17:25 - Living With a Connective Tissue Disorder. Shannon explains how her hypermobility disorder affects joint stability and recovery, and the strengthening exercises she's doing to hopefully prevent future surgeries.

18:14 - Celebrating the Smallest Wins. Shannon shares the two things she's most excited to do again: put her hair up and wear her necklace. This is what celebrating progress looks like when you're six to twelve months away from full recovery.

When you're in recovery—or any major life disruption—"good enough" isn't a fixed standard. It shifts with your energy, your pain level, your emotional capacity. Shannon's learning to embrace whatever good enough means in each moment, whether that's editing a podcast episode or just getting dressed for the day. This flexible approach to self-compassion can help anyone navigating unexpected challenges.

Shannon won't be "successful" with her shoulder recovery for six to twelve months. But there are dozens of small victories along the way: weaning out of the brace, making it through physical therapy, putting her hair up for the first time. Don't wait for the finish line to celebrate—mark the milestones. This mindset shift from perfectionism to progress can transform how you experience difficult seasons.

Even though the podcast relaunch added complexity to an already difficult recovery, it gave Shannon something positive