What Matters More? Showing Up or Slowing Down?
Article #130 of Life Unlocked - A newsletter by Dr Yath Prem, MD
Dear Friends,
On Monday, for the first time since the start of the year, I missed a newsletter. It was Easter weekend. A long break, time with family, moments of stillness and somewhere in that space, I chose not to write. At first, I felt a flicker of guilt. I’d broken a streak. I hadn’t “shown up.” The voice in my head nudged me: consistency matters, discipline means doing it anyway, momentum mustn’t be lost. But that guilt faded quickly, replaced by something more useful: reflection.
We talk a lot about showing up. Whether it’s in work, creativity, relationships, or routines, there’s a strong cultural current that celebrates the act of pushing through, especially when it’s hard. I believe in that. I’ve experienced the benefits of consistency, structure, and the quiet confidence that builds when you commit to something and stick with it. But if we’re not careful, consistency becomes rigidity. It stops serving us and starts to define us. And ironically, in our effort to live with intention, we lose touch with what truly matters: presence.
Taking that time off was the right decision. Not because it was convenient, or because I wasn’t able to write, but because I was living the very life I wanted to protect and promote. Time with people I love. Fun experiences. Good food. No rush. If my commitment to consistency doesn’t leave room for moments like that, then maybe it’s time to rethink the framework.
That said, reflection doesn’t mean abandoning responsibility, it means learning from it. Looking back, I see there were simple things I could have done to preserve both the rhythm of this newsletter and the richness of that weekend. It would have taken just an hour to write that one issue in advance. I wasn’t short on time the week before. I was just short on forethought as I usually write my newsletters on a Sunday in time for Monday, and last Sunday I was busy taking time off!
So moving forward, I am making some adjustments. Specifically:
Planning around known breaks and holidays, so I can create without pressure and still take time off.
Building a “buffer” into my content workflow, having at least one or two backup articles written, gives me flexibility if the week gets tough.
These aren’t new ideas, but they’re the kind that land differently when they come from lived experience. And that’s what this newsletter has always been about, working out, in real time, how to build a thoughtful, balanced, intentional life.
If you’ve felt that tension lately between pushing forward and pausing, I hope this serves as a reminder that the goal isn’t perfection. It’s rhythm. Rhythm means you can miss a beat and still be in tune.
So what matters more? Showing up or slowing down? Both.. in balance.
Have a lovely week,
Dr. Yath Prem, MD
Ps — sorry not sorry for this 72 hours late weekly newsletter.
Quote of the week:
The sad truth is that too many people delay gratification for too long, or indefinitely. They put off what they want to do until it’s too late, saving money for experiences they will never enjoy. Living as if your life were infinite is the opposite of taking the long view: It’s terribly shortsighted.
— Bill Perkins (Die With Zero)
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