I Wish I Were Better At...

You ever stumble on a journal prompt that’s deceptively simple—but then unspools something big? Mine was:

“I wish I were better at…”

I figured I’d fill in the blank with something obvious: writing, coaching, content creation, business building. Something practical. Something productive.

But what came out instead?

I wish I were better at doing less.

Not less because I’m lazy. Not because I don’t have goals. But because when I slow down, I’m actually more myself.

I’m kinder.
Gentler.
More creative.
More present.

The tricky part isn’t just boundaries with other people (although, yes, that too). It’s boundaries with myself. The part of me that always wants to earn rest. That says, “You can have dessert after you eat your broccoli.” Or in adult terms: “You can rest after you’ve done enough.”

But what’s enough?

I keep learning (and forgetting, and re-learning) that rest isn’t dessert. It’s oxygen. It’s not the reward—it’s the requirement.

And still, there’s that reflex. The hustle. The voice in my head saying, “Just a little more.” One more email. One more project. One more effort to prove I’ve earned the right to pause.

Even when I know: I am more me when I don’t try so hard.

Now, I want to name something clearly: this reflection comes from a privileged place. I’m aware that there are seasons in life when rest feels out of reach—when you need groceries in the fridge, rent paid, and survival is the only goal. I’m not talking about that.

I’m talking about the habit of pushing when you don’t have to. The internalized belief that you always need to do more. Be more. Prove more.

And I think I’ve lived there longer than I need to.

So this week, I’m trying something different. I’m practicing enough-ness.

I’m asking:
What if I did less… and let that be enough?
What if I stopped earning rest and simply received it?
What if I chose slowness—not because I’m broken or burned out, but because I’m whole?

I don’t know what will come of it.

But I suspect I’ll be a little more human.
A little more joyful.
And a whole lot more at peace.

If this resonates…
Feel free to hit reply or share:
What do you wish you were better at?
And what would happen if you gave yourself permission to do less?

Warmly,
Leah