Too Much of a Good Thing
- Nadia Renata
- May 2
- 3 min read
Even sweetness needs boundaries.
Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, one of the phrases that echoed through my childhood was something my mother would say often and with certainty:
"There is such a thing as too much of a good thing."
It wasn’t meant to be cryptic. And to me, it always made perfect sense.
It was a reminder that even good, beautiful, nourishing things, if left unchecked, can tip into dangerous territory. A lesson in balance. In self-awareness. In boundaries.
But every time I say it now, especially around younger people, I get the same reaction: puzzled faces and skeptical laughter.
"Wha dat mean? How yuh could have too much of a good thing? Dat doh make no kinda sense!"
And then I explain.
When Good Turns Sour
At first glance, it does sound strange. Isn’t “good” the thing we’re all trying to chase? The goal? The dream? The reward?
But anything, when taken to an extreme, can start working against us instead of for us. Let me give you a few examples:
1. Love Without Boundaries
Love is one of the most powerful forces we have. But love without limits can become enabling. You forgive someone again and again, not out of grace, but out of fear. You stay in toxic situations because you tell yourself love means never giving up.
But real love respects truth. Real love makes space for accountability and growth. Love without boundaries becomes a trap, not a refuge.
2. Hard Work Without Rest
We celebrate hustle. We glorify productivity. But too much work, even work you love, can burn you out. Can make you resentful. Can lead to health problems, strained relationships and even identity loss.
There’s a reason we sleep. A reason for the Sabbath. A reason why rest is sacred in almost every culture.
Work is good. But rest makes it sustainable.
3. Play Without Balance
We have a liming culture in Trinidad and Tobago, and honestly, it’s one of our best traits. We know how to laugh, how to take ah lil wine, how to enjoy life and celebrate even small moments.
But even that can go too far. Constant liming with no responsibility. Excessive drinking every weekend. Turning to parties and vibes as a way to avoid the hard parts of life.
Play is powerful. But when it becomes a lifestyle without boundaries, it can drain your finances, ruin relationships and keep you stuck in a cycle of avoidance.
4. Generosity Without Wisdom
It’s beautiful to give, to your family, your friends, your community. But if you give so much that you’re always empty, always behind, always exhausted… then what are you really giving?
There’s no honour in martyrdom if it’s coming from self-neglect. Generosity must also include generosity toward yourself.
5. Confidence Without Humility
Confidence can open doors, uplift others, and break barriers. But unchecked, it can turn into arrogance. Into entitlement. Into a refusal to learn or listen.
True confidence knows when to step up, and when to sit down and take notes.
The Wisdom of Limits
My mother wasn’t just talking about food, or play, or spending. She was talking about life. She was teaching me that boundaries are not restrictions. They’re wisdom.
That balance is what keeps good things good.
We live in a culture that tells us to go hard or go home. To push past our limits. To give until it hurts. But what if the goal isn’t to give until we’re broken?
What if the real goal is to learn how to sustain joy?
To keep our good things good by tending to them wisely, gently, and with care?
Pass It On
The older I get, the more I understand the power of those small sayings that shaped my childhood. They weren’t just old talk. They were survival tools. Teachings dressed in simplicity.
So when I hear a young person say, “Dat doh make no kinda sense,” I smile. And then I explain.
Because the day will come when they hear themselves saying it too.
And when they do, I hope they’ll understand what I always did: Even the sweetest things need boundaries. Even the best things need balance.
Too much of a good thing… is still too much.
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