Everything in Moderation: A Simple Truth We Overlook
Everything in Moderation: A Simple Truth We Overlook
I was recently venting—to my new best friend. Let’s not reveal who it is
Before I started, I made one request: Let me vent. Don’t stop me, don’t correct me, don’t give me advice—yet. Just let me get it out.
And so I did. A full seven minutes of pure, unfiltered venting. (Yes, I literally exhausted myself in
seven minutes—apparently, that’s my limit.) But as soon as I finished, I felt lighter. Better.
Yet, I wasn’t done. Now came the real work.
I turned to my friend and said, Okay, now help me identify my cognitive biases. What limiting beliefs am I holding in this situation?
And here’s what she pointed out:
My All-or-Nothing Mindset
I have an extremist streak—all in or all out. No in-between.
- Either I love completely, or I don’t care at all.
- Either I follow the strictest diet, or I eat whatever I want.
- Either I dive headfirst into a project, or I don’t touch it.
- Either I care deeply about you, or I cut you off entirely.
Sound familiar?
The problem with this mindset is that it breeds unforgiveness. It fuels an unrealistic
expectation of absolute success and makes failure unbearable. It creates a rigid,
judgmental way of living that leaves little room for grace—toward ourselves, our
relationships, our habits, even our food choices.
The Wisdom I Ignored
This reminds me of my grandmother’s words:
“Prerna, everything in moderation.”
She said it about food, and at the time, I dismissed it as unnecessary concern for my health. I was
too young to understand the depth of what she really meant.
She wasn’t just talking about food. She was talking about life.
Everything in moderation.
What if this simple principle made joy more accessible?
What if it allowed us to be content instead of constantly chasing more?
What if it helped us stop numbing our failures with food, habits, or people?
What if peace was always right here—if only we let it be?
Apply It—In Moderation
Find the middle ground.
Moderate your expectations.
Moderate what you project onto others.
Moderate what is within your control.
And when you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, or overthinking—come back to this:
Everything in moderation.
What About You?
Do you have an all-or-nothing mindset? How has it shaped your experiences? Drop a comment
below—I’d love to hear your thoughts.
And if you’re ready to break free from self-sabotaging extremes, join my course Unleashing the
Weird or sign up for my email list to get insights like this straight to your inbox.
Moderately yours,
Prerna Wadhwa
Notes from my diary