We talk a lot about what to start doing to improve your life: morning routines, productivity hacks, clean eating, journaling. But sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come from subtraction, not addition.
So we asked: What’s one thing you stopped doing that made your life better?
Some gave up perfectionism. Others stopped trying to please everyone or moved on from ways of thinking that were holding them back.
Their experiences are different, but the message is universal: when you stop doing what’s holding you back, you make space for the life you’re meant to live.
Let their words spark your own shift.
Liviu Tanase, ZeroBounce: “I used to juggle way too much at once.”
“One thing I’ve stopped doing is constantly splitting my attention. I used to juggle way too much at once – emails, calls, work tasks, even during family time. But since becoming a dad, my priorities have shifted.
In the evenings, I make it a point to be fully present with my son. We hang out, we laugh, we have our routine, and I don’t let anything else interfere with that.
After he goes to bed, I’ll go back to work (I’ve always been a night owl), but I show up differently. I’m more focused, more energized. Being fully present with my family has made me more present at work, too. I feel like I’m doing both better now.”
— Liviu Tanase, founder and CEO of ZeroBounce
Jordan Boehler: “Let go of the need to overanalyze the past.”
“I have my own practice, and also work with human-animal assisted therapies and help people get esa letters in california. The most impactful change I tell my clients to do, which is harder than it sounds, is to let go of the need to overanalyze the past.
Instead of endlessly dissecting every experience, which can be a form of hyperfixation for those with ADHD or PTSD, I embraced therapies that focus on healing the root cause directly. This shift allowed me – as well as my clients – to move forward with clarity and peace.
Setting clear boundaries and understanding when people pleasing is not serving you is a mindset that can really help bring peace.”
— Jordan Boehler, LCSW, Psychotherapist at Pettable
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Kristine Genovese: “Choosing yourself is not selfish, it’s sacred.”
“Self-abandonment isn’t always loud; it’s the quiet erosion of your spirit as you carry what was never yours to hold.
For years, I overfunctioned in a marriage, carrying the emotional weight for two. My body broke down before I admitted the truth: I was vanishing inside a life that was never aligned with my soul.
A glaucomic crisis blurred my vision. My back collapsed. My hip dislocated. Each symptom screamed what I refused to say: I was unsupported, overwhelmed, and unwilling to see the truth. This wasn’t just burnout. It was a full-body reckoning.
And yet, choosing myself felt terrifying, not brave. But I did it anyway. And in that moment, everything began to change.
This story isn’t just mine. It’s yours, too, if you’ve stayed too long or given too much. Choosing yourself is not selfish, it’s sacred. You don’t need permission. You just need the courage to say, I choose me.”
— Kristine Genovese, CEO of Soul Intelligence Method
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Kristy Towson: “I take full responsibility for my own happiness.”
“One thing I stopped doing that significantly improved my quality of life was believing that others were responsible for my happiness.
When I was struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, I often blamed those around me for not understanding or caring about my feelings. I’ve come to realize that the hurt and pain I experienced during that time were self-inflicted.
Today, I take full responsibility for my own happiness. While I still allow myself to feel hurt or disappointed when others let me down, I’m committed to not dwelling on negativity.”
— Kristy Towson, CEO of Inner Strength Writing
Albert Varkki: “Change that, and your whole week changes.”
“I completely stopped checking my financials first in the morning. This one change has made a huge difference in my professional life as well as my personal life.
It’s not just about avoiding stress, but starting the day by looking at numbers makes your brain reactive. You go straight into fix-it mode, even if nothing is actually wrong. I was making short-term calls, second-guessing plans, and wasting mental energy solving problems that weren’t urgent.
Now, I check data once a week, at a set time, with a review structure in place. That small shift helped me think long-term again. I apply the same principle to email, sales dashboards, and even news.
The urge to monitor constantly feels productive, but it’s really noise disguised as control. For anyone juggling work and personal priorities, fewer check-ins with better context will give you more clarity and far less decision fatigue. Most people don’t realize their day is being shaped by what they see in the first 10 minutes. Change that, and your whole week changes.”
— Albert Varkki, Co-Founder of Von-Baer
Nathalie Botros: “I stopped needing everything to be perfect.”
“For years, I wasted hours tweaking projects that were already good enough. I rewrote emails ten times before sending them. I delayed launches because it didn’t look flawless. I thought perfect meant being prepared, in control, and beating others to criticism. I believed I was being responsible, but I was actually scared.
Delivering the perfect speech, program, or version of myself didn’t make me feel better. It drained me, delayed progress, and disconnected me. Until the day I stopped.
Now I embrace ‘good enough’ and move forward. I trust my work. I know real connection doesn’t come from perfect packaging but from showing up.
I feel free from the pressure, and I am more authentic. And the best part? My work gets better because I complete more and learn faster from feedback.”