Hey Get Free Fam,

Welcome to May. I know I say this every.single.month, but seriously, are we in some kind of time machine right now? The calendar raced through the first third of 2026 like FloJo at a high school track meet. RIP, FloJo. She’s at the finish line, but the rest of us are still warming up in the blocks. Ooooowwwwweeeeeeee!

But with time ticking away, there are some new things happening here at The Get Free Guide!

Let’s break down a few things before we get going.

First, y’all had something to SAY about dealing with your email inboxes. These unread messages have us questioning our life choices and trying to hide from the digital mess that pays not a piece of rent while living in our laptops. So, let’s do something about it!

I’m hosting two Digital Detox hours: Wednesday, May 13 from 6 to 7pm Pacific, and Sunday, May 17 from 2 to 3pm Pacific. I’ll take you through a guided detox that we’ll do together, with the goal of having a lighter, more organized inbox at the end. We can’t Get Free in chaos, and that includes online. The sessions are FREE, but you have to sign up in advance and, because we don’t gatekeep, tell a friend.

This is a no judgement zone - just bring yourself, your devices and one inbox you’d like to tackle. Look forward to seeing you!

And second, if you’re new here, welcome! We’re a community working toward getting free, whatever that looks like for you. Freedom is in the small wins and the big bets, but when life is life-ing and we feel stuck, this is a place where we can get some stuff on the table and figure it out together (like detoxing our inboxes!) We don’t gatekeep, and we learn from each other. So, if you’ve got a question, a comment, or a concern, you can reach us at [email protected].

OK, so how are we getting free this week? Letting good be enough.

How did I land here? Let me explain.

Last week I was hanging out at my day job, getting some fresh air while figuring out some logistics on a phone call with a colleague, when I saw an Escalade-esque vehicle pull into the parking lot. It wasn’t for me, so I didn’t really pay any attention.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a small older man get out of the car and start walking my way. Now, I was, as the Bajans say, raised with some broughtupsy, so when I see elders, I make a point to stop what I’m doing, acknowledge them, and say hello.

This day was no different. Except when I turned, I was face to face with William Shatner. Yes, THE William Shatner of Star Trek fame.

Because I was not expecting to see him, obvs, I said to my colleague on the phone, but really to the general universe, “That’s William Shatner,” to which he replied, “I wasn’t expecting to see you today, either!” The exchange was so fast and so funny, I didn’t get myself together enough to grab a picture. And remember, I’m still on the phone with my colleague.

But there’s more…

Another man is walking behind Captain Kirk who looks really familiar, but I can’t quite place him. Then I realize I’m now face to face with Neil deGrasse Tyson! Mr. Astrophysicist. The Cosmos Dude. This guy…

My brain is broken at this point, so I say, loudly and with a squeal reserved for boy band superfans, “That’s Neil deGrasse Tyson!”

He smiles, stops, and asks who I’m chatting to. My poor colleague is still on the other end of the line. Then he asks for my phone, so I hand it over, because this man KNOWS STUFF, and he chats with my colleague before taking this picture with me.

This whole exchange was the most random of randomness at the office, and then I had to go and speak to a room full of people about work stuff. Cognitive dissonance much?

What has all of this got to do with letting things be good enough?

When I looked at the photo, I was like, “Ah man, I didn’t wipe the lens, we look a little fuzzy, the angle is kinda whack, and I’m cheesing like a block of cheddar that’s starting to melt.”

I was being critical of myself. Mr. deGrasse Tyson, of course, is perfect!

In the moment, I was able to press the button twice before he had to go, so there were no retakes, no do-overs. But it was such a wonderful, hilarious moment that I quickly realized: this picture is good enough.

How could I expect perfect from something so joyous and unexpected? I was served a space nerd’s dream, but almost ruined it for myself by fixating on what it could’ve been and how it looked. Ultimately, the perfect picture didn’t matter. It was all great just as it was.

Here’s the deal: whether it’s taking 50-11 photos to get the perfect shot, redoing presentation decks until they are just so, trying on a million outfits to find a specific look, or working extra hours to move the needle by the smallest of margins, we have to let our efforts be good enough.

How many projects remain undone or never see the light of day because you worked so hard to make them perfect that they never had a chance to live? How many times have you put in a significant amount of extra work only for it to go unnoticed? How many photos are sitting in your phone untouched because you couldn’t get the perfect shot?

We have to let it, whatever “it” is, be good enough some days. Trying to do otherwise makes getting free difficult.

So how do we get past the need to overdo everything and get going?

Name what “good enough” actually means. Before you start the thing, decide what done looks like. Is it clear? Is it useful? Is it kind? Is it turned in on time? Not everything needs to be dazzling. Some things just need to do the job.

Give yourself a limit. One hour to clean up the deck. Three outfit options, not the entire closet. If you need help, send pictures to a homie and have them choose for you. Ten minutes to choose the photo. Two passes on the email, not fourteen. Perfection loves an open-ended timeline. Don’t let it steal your hours and minutes.

Ask yourself: “Will this extra effort meaningfully change the outcome?” Not, “Can I make this better?” because the answer is almost always yes. But will making it better actually matter? Will the audience notice? Will your boss care? Will your future self thank you? Or are you just burning energy because you’re scared to let it go?

Let the first version live. You can’t change or improve anything if it doesn’t have a chance to live first. Send it. Post it. Wear it. Share it. Say the thing. The world cannot respond to the version still trapped in your head, your drafts folder, your camera roll, or your Google Drive titled FINAL FINAL FOR REAL THIS TIME.

Practice enjoying the moment without immediately grading it. You are allowed to experience something without turning it into a performance review. The picture can be blurry. The house can be lived in. The sentence can be simple. The work can be solid. The outfit can be fine. The meal can be edible and made with love. The thing can be good enough and still be worthy.

This week, pick one thing you are overworking and let it be done. Not abandoned, sloppy or careless. Simply DONE. Because getting free sometimes means knowing when to put the gold star down and go live your life.

If you’ve figured how to let go of certain ways of working or ways of living, share your ways! Email [email protected] or if you’re reading this in your inbox hit reply.

🚀Get Your Life: Things to read, listen to, enjoy🚀

📚What I’m reading: The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins. This has been sitting on my nightstand for a few weeks, but I’ve just opened it. The very first chapter? “Stop Wasting Your Life on Things You Can’t Control” - very fitting for this week’s Get Free. Have you read it? What do you think?

🎧What’s on the pod: Baby, This is Keke Palmer - fantastic conversation with THE Nia Long. Black Girl Magic on 10

🎵 Soundtrack for the week: You Remind Me by Mary J Blige. I stumbled into this after falling down a 90s R&B rabbit hole. Tune!

✨ If you’ve got a recommendation drop me a line. ✨

If you got something out of this issue of The Get Free Guide, give us a follow or a shout out on Instagram and share the love with a friend. We don’t gatekeep around here!

See you next week!