I can tell other people to slow down all day long.
I’m great at giving that advice.
But taking it? That’s something I’m still learning...every...single...day.
Perfectionism is one of those sneaky things that doesn’t always look like fear… until you realize how much it’s keeping you from moving forward.
I used to think going 100 miles per hour was a good thing. That if I worked hard enough, long enough, fast enough... I’d be ahead. I’d win. I’d be safe.
But all it really did was leave me burned out, second-guessing everything, and missing the very moments I was working so hard to create.
So I’ve started saying something new to myself:
“Let them.” yes...I think a lot of us are learning that phrase this year...
Let them help.
Let it be imperfect.
Let it go out into the world.
Let it be enough.
There’s something healing in that, in saying something kind to yourself out loud, even when everything in you wants to be hard on yourself instead. It doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’m starting to believe it matters. That it shifts something.
I push through a lot.
I’ve always operated at what feels like 101% energy.
But lately, I’ve started to feel the difference between “pushing through with purpose”… and “pushing through because I’m afraid of letting go.”
Here’s the thing: I’m still a perfectionist.
But I’m also a creator.
And I’ve come to realize that progress, real progress, doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from showing up. Being consistent. Creating things you’re proud of and letting them exist, even if they aren’t flawless.
That’s where the beauty lives.
I’m so proud of everything we make at Love Square One. But right now? I’m especially excited about our leopard jars.
They’re bold. They’re different. They’re mine.
They’re everything I want to see on my own shelf.
And that’s the goal, right?
To make the thing you wish existed.
To share it, even when you’re scared.
To move forward... even when part of you is whispering, “It’s not ready yet.”
So here I am, still learning to slow down. Still learning to let go.
Still learning to choose progress over perfection.
And reminding myself (and maybe you too) that done is often better than perfect… especially when it's done with love.
With grace and gratitude,
Joanna
Love Square One