Perfectionism Detox: 9 Tiny Practices for Letting Go

Dear Fellow Recovering Perfectionists,

You don’t need another productivity hack or mindset shift. You need space. Space to breathe, to rest, to remember who you are underneath all the expectations placed on you.

This isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about loosening the grip of “should,” and “not enough.” 

Think of this as your gentle detox from perfectionism: nine tiny experiments in being human instead of being perfect. 

Start small. Pick one or two to try this week. As you do, notice what softens.

1. Leave Something Unfinished

Stop something mid-task. Leave half the dirty dishes in the sink. Leave emails unread in your inbox. It’s okay to walk away before everything gets done. 

Let your nervous system learn that the world doesn’t end when things are left imperfect or unfinished.

2. Say No (Without Explaining Why)

“No” is a full sentence. You don’t need to add an explanation or an apology. You don’t need to justify it. Just say: “No, that doesn’t work for me.” 

Notice how radical that feels and how much energy it saves you.

3. Rest Before You “Earn” It

You don’t have to finish everything on your to-do list to deserve a break. Try pausing halfway through trying to get everything done and instead, do something restorative just because. 

Watch a movie. Take a bath. Go for a nature walk. Your to-do list will still be there after you’ve prioritized rest.

4. Do One Thing Badly On Purpose

Write an email and send it unedited (yes, you can even include some typos). Cook dinner without measuring all the ingredients perfectly. Sing off-key. 

Let these small actions be love letters to your imperfect aliveness.

5. Ask For Help With Something Small

Even if you could do a task yourself, ask for help. Actually, especially then. Practice receiving.

It’s how you remind yourself that you’re not alone.

6. Delete A To-Do Item That Doesn’t Actually Matter

Let’s be honest: your to-do list will never end. So, cross off one thing — whether it’s a recurring obligation that drains you or a household that doesn’t really need to get done (do your baseboards *really* need to be dusted?) — that you’ve been dreading and decide it’s no longer yours to carry.

7. Let Yourself Be Seen (Unpolished)

Share something real: a half-formed thought, a story that’s still tender, a photo that’s not your best angle. Let yourself be seen, imperfectly. 

The people who love you are still going to love you, even when you don’t have it all together.

8. Do Something Just for Pleasure

Not for growth or achievement. Do it just because it makes you feel good. (Yes, that’s enough of a reason.)

9. Embrace Today’s Imperfect You

You did enough. You gave enough. You are enough. 

Repeat this to yourself, even if you don’t fully believe it yet.

***

Here’s the thing: perfectionism taught you to hold your breath. To stay small and careful.

Letting go is how you come back to life.

Little by little, choice by choice, you’re breaking up with the old rules and learning to belong to yourself again.

Here’s to doing it imperfectly. 

With love,

Wren

P.S. When I started this post, I wanted to include ten tiny practices for letting go. However, I could only think of nine. So, taking my own advice, I left it “unfinished.” And the world didn’t end.🖤