This week’s thoughts: Money

It’s been a stressful period while I was away. As they say, when it rains, it pours. Whatever little issue that could possibly go wrong while I was away from my business happened. I’m really glad I had a capable partner that was in Singapore to handle the disasters but mentally it was still rather draining to troubleshoot issues while I was traveling and attending a international coffee exhibition in Melbourne. If I could sum up my March in one word, it’ll be MADNESS.

My ex-boss commented that I must be reigning in the big bucks if I was working so hard and being so dedicated to my cafe business (instead of the taking up the fantastic opportunities that he was offering me). Which got me to thinking about money.

Truth is I was earning a lot more before I started this business. And while I’m doing alright, money is no longer my main driving factor for the decisions I make.

Money was my main unit of measurement when I first started working but as I accumulated experiences through the years, I realised that the times when I worked my hardest and felt the most accomplished were not necessarily the times when I had the highest monetary rewards.

Don’t get me wrong. Money is important. I have nothing against it and would be happy to have more. Money gives me the option to buy the things I want and pays for the necessities for a standard of living that I’ve gotten used to. Anyone who says otherwise have never been poor before.

However , at the end of the day money is only a tool and not the panacea to your problems. Like everything else, money suffers from diminishing returns. When you don’t have a roof over your head, food in your belly and warm clothes, a little bit more money can mean the world of a difference. But when you have more than enough to go around, it does not necessarily mean that you are having a wonderfully fuller or  happier life than those who are living on very little.

Money can buy you a nicely designed home, the latest car, branded shoes, even a bit of security and some creature comforts, but it cannot fix the bitterness of a strained relationship, or cure loneliness, and the “happiness” it brings is fleeting and not the kind that truly matters.

Real long-lasting contentment cannot be bought. Buying more “stuff” to make yourself feel “better” is not a sustainable route to happiness.

“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.”

– Will Rogers

Of course, I still want to earn money but I want to do so while doing the things that I love even if it’s not the most efficient way of earning the most money. I want to have the satisfaction of pursuing my passion, in investing in a business that will pave a way to let me learn and grow on my own terms. I’m even considering taking a hiatus in the foreseeable future to take up a new skill.

This life direction has made me very grateful for what I currently have. I keep my own pace and am no longer lost in the crazy competitive lifestyle of trying be ahead in the rat race. While I still have ‘wants’, I’m okay with not having them either. In the larger scheme of things, there is no need to take too many things too seriously either.

“Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don’t. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.”

– Paulo Coelho

So instead of fixating my ideals on the dollar value of things or how to earn even more, I’m focused on doing more, learning more and working on being a better version of myself. After all, the only constant thing is change.

I hope to be able to do more street photography, get more involved with coffee, write more, draw more, read more and spend more time harnessing my creative side. At the end of the day, happiness for me is not about possessions, it’s about character building. We are not stagnant creatures, we are constantly evolving, learning , questioning and discovering ourselves. We are not meant to be the same person our entire lives.

Thanks for journeying with me and I hope I will be able to share more of my thoughts, my life and my photos with you soon.