The Simple Show

Wrapping up our deep-dive on staying informed without losing your mind… In part 3, Erin and I talk about the how. How do we keep up with things in a healthy, sanity-saving way? Part 1 covered the What of news, part 2 covered the Why—the good reasons to keep up with it, and this final part gives you some practical how-tos. I hope you enjoy this new format as much as we do! Links From This Episode:First in this series: Ep. 110—the what of Knowing the NewsSecond in this series: Ep. 111—the why of Knowing the NewsThe Simple Show on InstagramErin’s blog, Design for MankindErin on Instagram and TwitterTsh (me) on Instagram and TwitterErin's post, How to Stay Informed (Without Getting Overwhelmed)—this served as a catalyst for this whole seriesFor any links and codes from our lovely sponsors, head here Our recommended resources to stay sanely informed:Politifact (though it's not always perfect, as this points out)Here's Erin's husband's history book—though we recommend any recent, well-researched history textbookGood Newspaper!AllSidesPantsuit Politics, Tsh's recommended political podcast (check out co-host Sarah on episode 1 of Women's Work, Tsh's other podcast!)NPR Politics podcastGood people to follow on Twitter: Dara Mathis, David French, Clint Smith, Richard Painter, Luvvie, Michael Wear, Deray, Elizabeth Bruenig, Jason Kander, Yashar Ali, David Fahrenthold, Tim MillerFind almost any newspaper in the worldAnd find your local newspaper so you can subscribe! Next week, we start a new series, this time with co-host Kendra. Get ready!

Keeping on from the last episode, Erin and I continue our chat on staying informed without losing our minds. Why is it a good thing to keep up with the news? It's a noble assumption that keeping up with the news makes us better people... but when is it harmful to us? We talk about the wrong sorts of whys for staying informed—and the healthier, better, more sustainable-in-the-long-term reasons for knowing what's going on.First in this series: Ep. 110—the what of Knowing the NewsFollow The Simple Show on InstagramFollow Women's Work on Instagram! (starts January 25—this Tuesday!)Erin’s blog, Design for MankindErin on Instagram and TwitterTsh (me) on Instagram and TwitterWomen’s Work, Tsh’s new podcast!Information is Food, Erin's TED talk recAmusing Ourselves to DeathWhen Helping HurtsJeremy Courtney of Preemptive LoveFor any links and codes from our lovely sponsors, head here

We’re kicking off our new format with a deep-dive on a topic that affects most of us: How do we stay informed on what’s going on in the world without losing our minds or souls? No matter where we land on issues, this is a universal struggle because we all live in the modern world, and because we’re all humans. How do we strike that balance between knowing what’s going on, and keeping up without falling into despondency? Or compassion fatigue? Or anger? Or aloofness because it’s all just. too. much? We’re breaking up this one long conversation into three parts: What, Why, and How. In this episode: what. What is the news, really? What does it mean to “stay informed”? Links From This Episode:Follow The Simple Show on InstagramErin's blog, Design for MankindErin on Instagram and TwitterTsh (me) on Instagram and TwitterWomen’s Work, Tsh's new podcast!An interesting (old) essay on whether the news makes us dumbNPRJournalism ethics and standards on WikipediaFor any links and codes from our lovely sponsors, head here

Tsh has a new second podcast on the way... Listen in on what it's about! Sign up for the email to know the minute Women's Work beginsFollow the show on Twitter and Instagram

Kendra and Tsh chat about what to expect here on The Simple Show in 2018… In short, let’s change the definition of simple, shall we? Woot! We’ve been talking about “simple living” around here for ages. And that’s all good. But now, we’re ready to talk about other stuff. We’re gonna hold on to the tried-and-true definition of simple: easy to understand. We’re stoked for what’s in store! Links From This EpisodeThe Simple Show on InstagramKendra’s blog + podcast, The Lazy Genius CollectiveKendra on InstagramTsh on Instagram and TwitterEnneagramInk + Volt PlannerKendra's definition of self-careLisa Congdon's game-changing postDeep Work, by Cal NewportAlias Grace (update: I finished it. It's good, but... it gets disturbing near the end.)For any links and codes from our lovely sponsors, head here

To ring in the new year, we’re gonna talk about… goals. So original, I know, but don’t change the channel just yet. Erin and I talk about whether we’re even into goals—and if we are, how we think about them differently so that they’re useful and not ridiculous dogma we’re “supposed” to care about (especially this time of year). This was a fun conversation, and Erin had some good insight I hadn’t thought of before… Spoiler alert: we don’t know what we’ll care about in 12 months. (That should give you an idea of what we think about resolutions.) Plus, a chat with my new friend Sara about what it means to live in the unseen parts of our lives, instead of the instagram-able highlight reel. Links From This Episode:Follow The Simple Show on InstagramErin’s blog, Design for MankindErin on Instagram and TwitterTsh (me) on Instagram and TwitterReflect on your last year; prepare for your new yearWhole 305-year journalKaizenSara HagertySara’s book, UnseenFor any links and codes from our lovely sponsors, head here And get ready… Like Your Life opens tomorrow! In this self-paced class, we talk about finally understanding your real vocation (hint: it’s not just your job), the healthy, useful way to set 90-day SMART goals, and more. It’s a great way to focus on what really matters, especially in the new year. Head here and sign up to be notified the minute doors open (space is limited), and I’ll also send you a secret coupon code.

Wrapping up our series on What's Saving Our Lives right now... In this episode, Stephanie and I chat fireplaces, yoga, smoothies, makeup, and more. She's sick, and she's in the midst of a snowstorm, so our connection wasn't 100%. But what's the holidays without a little flu-blizzard combo? Links From This Episode:Follow The Simple Show on InstagramStephanie on InstagramTsh on Twitter and InstagramDesignated Survivor, This Is Us, The Crown321 smoothiesEp. 96: ExerciseEyebrow pencilMineral Fusion makeupThey Both Die at the End, by Adam SilveraAlso Elsewhere, Tell Me Three Things, The War That Saved My Life, The Alchemyst + seriesPeter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, by Jonathan AuxierEp. 74: Capsule WardrobesCatch the other two What's Saving My Life episodes, here and hereFor any links and codes from our lovely sponsors, head here!

Continuing on our series called What's Saving My Life, this time I'm chatting with Haley, and we talk drugs, jeans, TV binges, audiobooks, not doing something, and a fun little find on Etsy. Links From This Episode:Follow The Simple Show on InstagramHaleys blog, Carrots for MichaelmasHaley on Instagram and TwitterTsh on Instagram and TwitterBoyfriend jeansStasia's Style SchoolBroadchurchThe CrownHarry Potter on audiobookTuesdays at the CastleJuniper & White's return address stampCranberry Old-FashionedSimple homemade hot chocolateBe sure to check out our Gift GuideShopping on Amazon? Head here first.What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical QuestionsFor any links and codes from our lovely sponsors, head here!

With the holidays in full swing and with only a few weeks left of the year, we thought we'd end 2017 with a fun, short series: What's Saving My Life! We'll share the things—big and small—that are making our lives better, happier, and well, more life-giving. First up is Tsh with Kendra, where they talk about deep, significant issues like skin, hair, sounds, smells, books, and bread. Links:The Simple Show on InstagramKendra’s blog + podcast, The Lazy Genius CollectiveKendra on InstagramTsh on Instagram and TwitterHiglow lifeSome Call Me Crunchy skincare goodsThe oil-cleansing method: a 101Pixie cut de-mulleting razorHow to Bake Bread, by Paul HollywoodPlant Therapy's essential oil Christmas blendsThe Lunar ChroniclesAnnie Raser-Rowland's book, Frugal HedonismFor any links and codes from our lovely sponsors, head here

Well, it’s officially the holiday season—American Thanksgiving was last week, Advent starts a week from this Sunday, and Christmas comes along soon after. How to enjoy it all without spiraling into overwhelm? That’s the topic of this week’s episode. Stephanie and Tsh share how they do the holidays in their own homes—both do their best to keep things simple, but they do things pretty differently. They talk about gift-giving, card-sending (or not), easing into decor vs. doing it all at once, how to honor Advent without going nuts, and more. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Let’s keep it that way without feeling the need to do All The Things. Links from This Episode:Follow The Simple Show on InstagramStephanie on InstagramTsh on Twitter and InstagramAll things Advent and Christmas prep here on AoSEpisode 49: Guilt-free HolidaysEpisode 51: Christmas on the RoadWorld MarketWhy Do We Call it Christmas?Mike and Anne Howard: HoneyTrek and their Ultimate Journeys for TwoAlso, check out our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide!

In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, this week’s episode is on… not spending money. It’s perfectly fine to spend money when it’s good to do so—but how often do we ask whether it’s needed? Haley is big on something called “buy nothing” groups, Tsh is a fan of thrift stores, and they both have still other ideas in between. What does it mean to live frugally? When is it a healthy, common sense, for-the-common-good practice, and when does it become a burden and a dogma? In this chat, they talk about how they incorporate a frugal spirit into our daily choices while steering clear of curmudgeon-ery. Don’t worry, there’s no guilt trip here—but there is encouragement to not assume every thing is worth shelling out hard cash for. It’s good for all of us to remember this, right before the holidays. p.s. - Before heading out with gusto on Black Friday, consider checking out our Ethical Shopping Guide, and be on the lookout for our annual Ethical Holiday Gift Guide—coming soon! Links From This Episode:Follow The Simple Show on InstagramHaleys blog, Carrots for MichaelmasHaley on Instagram and TwitterTsh on Instagram and TwitterBuy Nothing GroupsThe thrift store can be your (nearly free) storage unit3 questions I ask before buying somethingBeauty in what remains ....and also, never miss an episode by getting Tsh's weekly email, 5 Quick Things! She shares whatever they've created the previous week (like Simple Show episodes), plus other goodness you might enjoy. (You can read it in under a minute, pinky-swear.)

Tsh chats with Jonathan Fields of the Good Life Project about their favorite episodes on each other's podcasts! Feast on these shows @ www.Wondery.com/Thanksgiving   Simple Show Binge:The Popcast - Ep 181: Misheard Song LyricsGood Life Project - Ep: To Read Emotion, Don’t Look, ListenHow I Built This - Ep: Airbnb: Joe GebbiaThe Liturgists - Ep 34: Black & White in AmericaThe Next Right Thing - Ep 11: Wear Better Pants Good Life Project Binge:How I Built This - Patagonia: Yvon ChouinardThe Tim Ferriss Show - Debbie MillmanDirty John - All EpisodesOn Being - Atul GawandeDesign Matters - Elle Luna Episode

Maybe this is you… It’s hard for you to admit the natural shifts in life because it means needing to quit something—and quitting feels like failure. (Spoiler alert: It’s not.) Or maybe once you decide to end something so you can move on to something new, you just want it to happen already. Quitting the old and starting the new feels really good. “Why hasn’t it already happened?” Here, we’re talking about the why—why it’s okay to move on from things. Even good things. Tsh loves to quit things. And at first, Kendra thinks she’s bad at quitting. But by the end of this episode, she admits that maybe she’s not so bad at this after all. Links From This Episode:The Simple Show on InstagramKendra’s blog + podcast, The Lazy Genius CollectiveKendra on InstagramTsh on Instagram and TwitterEp. 40: Knowing When to QuitEp. 87: Quitting Can Be GoodEnneagramThe Next Right Thing episode, Make The Most Important ListLike Your Life, Tsh's course created to help you Figure Things OutThe Lazy Genius Podcast #35: The Holiday Game PlanDeep Work, by Cal NewportOn partial solutionsSay goodbye with a bridgeJack Johnson (But I’ve since changed my answer to Lord Huron)Stacy LantzKendra on SpotifyTsh on SpotifyGet Aaptiv free for 30 days by heading here and using the code THEARTOFSIMPLEGet Skillshare free for a month by heading here and using the code SIMPLE 

It’s not the sexiest of topics, but man if it doesn’t make or break you… Budgeting sounds as great as getting a root canal by a first grader, but really, it’s simply telling your money where to go. That’s it. In this episode, Erin and I chat the ins and outs of how we do it in our households. What does it look like to watch our pennies? How do we prioritize what to spend our money on? What method of saving and budgeting works for us? And ultimately, how does money affect our life? Because it does. Links From This Episode:Follow The Simple Show on InstagramErin's blog, Design for MankindErin on Instagram and TwitterTsh (me) on Instagram and TwitterYour Money or Your Life, by Vicki RobinTotal Money Makeover, by Dave RamseyWhen Money Isn’t Real (a TED talk)You Need a BudgetCapitol One 360, my favorite online bank (been using for years)Notes From a Blue Bike, by me

It's episode 100—woot! (Which is cool, but also a bit misleading, because this podcast has had several iterations since it began in 2011. It's probably more at episode 263, if we're being honest.) But it means one hundred consistent episodes of its current incarnation, and that's worth celebrating. And who doesn't want a good excuse to celebrate? In this Very Special Episode, Tsh is chatting with all four co-hosts. All five women have interesting reasons why they live where they live, whether it's a recent giant move to a brand new place, or home is just a few miles from where they were born—on purpose. In this episode, they talk about why they've chosen to hang their hats in particular dots on the map. There's a good chance you'll identify with at least one of them. Links From This Episode:Follow The Simple Show on InstagramHaleys blog, Carrots for MichaelmasHaley on Instagram and TwitterErin's blog, Design for MankindErin on Instagram and TwitterStephanie on InstagramKendra’s blog + podcast, The Lazy Genius CollectiveKendra on InstagramTsh on Instagram and TwitterEpisode 72, At Home At Home