@Tidbits42

I Achieved Partial Success with Minimalism I did decluttered papers, photos and books. Everything went into my external hard drive and a back up. I do feel lighter and more in control of my life because of this. The clean slate allowed for a fresh start. Second I have stopped buying clothes. I can't even wear out the clothes I have. I feel I have enough to wear another decade LOL. I welcomed things into my life...yet again. Scented candles, lamps and more tealight candles. Turns out I paired minimalism with hygge lifestyle. Hygge is a Danish term for hominess and cozy ambience. I bought stationery. Growing up as a child Ive always wanted those pretty stationery and now I allowed myself to enjoy these pretty papers, pens, stickers. I have to say it healed a part of me and made me feel nourished. Life is beautiful and I was happy. Along with this, is my love for books - no longer the books I had before but just digital copies of the best novels out there that brings my imagination into another world, another time, another reality. I am so happy I found these things that spark joy in my life - art through photography, journaling, scrapbooking, books and stationery. Another thing I welcomed into my life is saving. With the free time I had in my hand I looked through my expenses and found out that there still is room to reduce in a category here and there. The savings I can use to buy things love and truly add value to my life like nutritious and delicious food, scented candles which I mentioned above which can be quite expensive. Only later have I come across a book entitled Digital Minimalism. It is making social media and internet time work for our favor and not to harm us as it sometimes does. I have applied some atomic habits. The insights and ideas do reveal themselves, you would just have to pay attention. There are small tweaks and finding out what works for you that you can apply in your real life (Again something I will give the book Atomic Habits credit for). Oh and did I mention all the time I have now it's divine. Surprisingly, it made me miss work. I have new motivation to be productive and to contribute and develop my best potential. I believe it is part of our DNA to want this, an essential part of our well being and happiness. You cant just end there with minimal stuff. You've got to live life. You gotta have hobbies, a space you love. So for me minimalism made this possible. I removed the things that doesnt add value to my life, got some good cash from the sale of it and then rebuild my life from that by welcoming new things I love and value. I remember when I was nearing end of minimalism I was feeling depressed. Not until I explore what makes me happy did I appreciate that minimalism made it easier to do because there is a lot of space, some money saved and time freed. Now I just want to have one huge luggage a 30L bug out bag. I do have a 20L and I find it too small but I guess it might do. I want my essentials to fit in there in case of unexpected events. But I do want to have a happy corner. Ikea bookshelves and desktop and books I love. Some decorative items like scented candles, plants, my journals and scrapbooks. Simple things do make life pleasant to live. And absence or manageable stressful and unpleasant things like clutter, debt, drama and toxic people.

Longevity - How to Add Years to Your Life Less Stress. We have to reduce stress. So we should try to work on our finances. Get them in order. Stress can cause a lot of illnesses and it makes us unhappy. To do this, you should find something you enjoy doing. For example, I like decorating my journal and scrapbooking. Hobbies are very good at relieving stress. Eat nuts. There is a wide variety of nuts to eat. They are perfect with chocolate or dates. There is macadamia, peanuts, pistacchio nuts, almond nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts and many more. According to npr.org people who eat nuts in their 30s and 40s will most like live up to 70 years old. Meditate This next one is linked to the first one. Meditation, yoga, mindfulness and slow living are all linked to relaxation and relieving stress. It also heals the body. The same goes with getting enough rest and sleep. So a yoga pose here and there, stopping and looking at the sky, the flowers, feeling the breeze on your face goes a long way in making you appreciate life. Read Reading at least 30minutes a day can add 2 years to your life, a study shows. I personally prefer to read fiction and novels but I do dabble with self help now and then. Reading books is like bringing magic to your life, traveling to different places and time, getting to know interesting characters and their point of view and experiences in life. Sometimes we are able to relate to them which enrich the reading experience. We have to keep our mental faculty sharp. Garden Gardening, with foot and hand on soil is the one hobby that people with longest lives have. It makes sense though because you are one with the miracle of life which is planting a seed, watching it grow, being a witness to its splendor and harvesting what it has to give be it fruit, flowers or herb leaves for cooking or healing. It is like you are in the center of Mother Earth. It strengthens you. You are out in the sun, with sweat and activity, heart pumping with vitality, getting rid of toxins, breathing in fresh Oxygen from the plants which is the life source of the body. Annual Check-up Regular visit to the doctor. This will arrest anything that is at its early stages so you can prevent it from turning into something worse or terminal. In the same way you take care of your car, your body needs to get checked. If you do not maintain your car, suddenly its tire can burst while youre in the highway, the body also left unchecked can just breakdown and there you will discover what it is just too late. I have come across a comment where it is a good practice to get a blood test to see which nutrients are deficient. Quit smoking. Bad habits because they do serve a purpose. The make you feel satiated and fulfilled either emotionally, psychologically or socially. Say for example drinking with friends, or smoking to ease off the steam. But it is better to avoid these health threats. Also avoiding high risk activities and being extra careful will protect you from accidents. Being ready and prepared for any eventuality can be life-saving. Conclusion But then at the end of the day, we dont know when we are going to go. So let's try to add more life into our years, as the saying goes. Lots of love, Tidbits Photo credit: Pixabay.

Decluttering Your Fantasy Self In my mind I still think I would want climb the corporate ladder so I hold on to 6 blazers. The reality though is I can only take on part time freelancing work because of health reasons or continue with my current job where I am allowed some flexibility. GREEN THUMB I dreamed of being the green thumb gardening taking care of all kinds or orchids, roses and other amazing plants. These plants died on me. So I only take care of low maintenance plants now that I picked from a day care center and from my stepdads garden. Now there is no pressure to produce harvest that will replace working in a regular day job. But I plant here and there, leave them be and just observe which flourish and which doesn't. And slowly I am learning. So starting small is the key instead of launching an entire garden farming venture. CELEBRITY INFLUENCER I know I will never be a celebrity or influencer so there is no point buying trendy clothings, make ups and all those accessories. I just try to look presentable and have something nice to wear. I also don't aim the opposite which is extreme minimalism of having just 4 pieces of environment friendly clothes. I do hope though to trim down my wardrobe to a point where it is easy to put together clothes when going out. I have a pair of clothes for the cold months, and some flannels shirts for the slightly chilly days and summer tops for the hot summer months. AWESOME COOK I wont be a top tier hostess so I dont see a need to buy expensive kitchenwares or a specific tool for every dish. I remember seeing the movie The Accountant where because Ben Affleck's character was him having a mental illness or condition, she has 1 plate and 1 spoon and fork. It is enough. WRAPPING UP There is nothing wrong with dreaming if you are actually taking the steps to reach your goal. But if you only and look at your stuff and feel burdened, frustrated and thing someday, one day, then I guess it is better to only have what you use and brings you joy and sense of fulfillment. Thank you for reading.

How to Succeed with Frugal Living My 2021 extreme saving efforts made a backlash in early 2022. This made me realize the importance of FUN MONEY. Don't get me wrong, that 2021 55% savings rate was a proud moment. Even at that level I was not quite satisfied. I know I can do better. But then news of accounts being freezed, Bitcoin as the future currency or maybe Central Bank Digital Currency and World War made everything I worked for futile. You might think I should have better spent it all and know that I enjoyed my life. Valid argument as well. I believe balance is the answer. I gave in to some retail therapy. I did some shopping for stationery items, replaced my broken printer with a wi-fi one and other things that I have been putting on hold. And I bought a piece of land. For now, I will be planting some crops there. I also bought some Bitcoin. I stock up 3 months worth of emergency items - Food, water, medicines and household supplies. I rented a place in town to get some me time. And yes I got a huge deficit in my budget as of February 2022. But I am happy now. I am emotionally and mentally nourished again. And I am starting to get interested again about getting my affairs in order. I had bouts of major depression in 2021, so I gave in to some retail therapy. So yes the mindset as well as emotional state will determine one's success in saving efforts. Minimalism has paved the way for me to find the things I love - stationery, books, hygge and self care. What I have now are things I love and treasure. Marie Kondo was right you will find happiness if you keep only the things that spark joy. Of course the essentials give security and comfort in life. That is commonsensical. But I keep to the bare minimum. But with those I love, I splurge which enhances my quality of life. It has also made me become a prepper. I am working on having 3 months worth of food, water and supplies at home. After seeing civilians fleeing from Ukraine, it made me see firsthand how important it is to have your bag out bags ready to leave with in minutes worth of notice because it could mean life and death for a person and his family. I have also learned the importance of building sinking funds for major expenses like Christmas, Birthday and huge purchases. Setting aside and budgeting a small portion monthly for these huge expenses makes it like a walk in the park and avoid unnecessary stress. My daughter will be going to college in a few months. I wish we had a college fund for that unfortunately I just started with financial freedom journey lately. So I have to work around with what I have. So I decided to prepare a budget reset for June 2022 which I will upload on youtube. There I will add college sinking fund. This will help a bit to start off my daughter's college education. Quality of life shouldn't be sacrificed when embarking on frugal living. The goal should be to improve the quality of life. How? First by having appreciation of the things you already have that you may be taking for granted. For examples, take extra time to enjoy your wardrobe, look at the different colors, textures. Look how pretty they are and how well they serve you. If nothing is broken, dont fix it. If your kitchen tools are working just fine, no need to buy the latest fancy-schmanzy equipments or plates. Except of course it is what you intend to focus and splurge like I do with stationery. The following are some practical changes I made here and there to save a bit of money which can accumulate into a substantial amount in the future. First, buy cheaper brands. Here are the cheaper brands I buy 1.       Pepsodent 2.       Champion 3.       Watsons Shampoo – I use the shampoo as body wash as well Stop buying clothes. For some reason, whenever we go out to shop we are drawn into buying clothes until theres no more space in our clostes. When in truth we can live and wont die with just 20pcs. Clothes are replaceable, no big deal. And buy used quality name brands rather than cheap new clothes. You will get more value and will last so much longer. Here are some of the brands in my closet that I bought for $1, some for 20cents and they last a long long time. 1.       Guess 2.       Banana Republic 3.       Uniqlo 4.       Giordano 5.       Esprit 6.       Nike Make certain tweaks here and there and find that level of spending you find contentment with the quality of your life. You can also use Pareto Principle in spending where you only eat simply dishes and eat a special meal maybe once a week. Mostly you wear only 20% of your clothing 80% of the time. So no need to buy more, you can even declutter and sell those for some income or donate them. Photo credits to stevepb on Pixabay

So There was a Term for It I made a post about me cleaning my stuff as a sort of getting my affairs in order because I'm getting older and I dont one my loved ones to have to deal with my clutter. Turns out it is a common practice in Sweden and there is even a book about it. I have been into minimalism for around 3 years now and I'm still in the process of what does and doesnt add value to my life. I almost have a blank slate now. I got interested in art and literature as well as a little bit of gardening and photography. You can say I dabble here and there and even want to try traveling and writing as I am doing now. It seems to me that I wouldn't want to retire but rather still be relevant even in my older days. Sure, I would love to retire from day job even now. But I wouldnt want to just stay at home and do nothing. I still want to work on projects and be useful while having fun and meeting people. Just now, I made a list of must haves in my documents file which include passport (mine has expired) as well as advance directive like living will as well as last will. After all, really we dont know when we are going to pass away. Not to sound morbid but that is the reality of life. On the contrary knowing that thsoe things are already taken cared of, I can have fun and enjoy the years, months and days I'm blessed with having peace of mind. I spend my time now journaling, scrapbooking and creative activities instead of constant cleaning or stressing over organizing or looking for lost things. I feel like I have my s*** together LOL. Not there yet, but getting there. I cant reiterate enough my love for books. I am 70% in on Thorn Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami. I do hope I will have more time to read by the beach or before going to bed. Just the sight of books makes me immediately feel cozy and excited. I hope there is someone here who can relate for the same love I have. For years I have loved movies and TV series but I feel like I had my fill of it. I am yet to wait for the last season of Walking Dead and Attack on Titans. So thats something I look forward to. Afterwhich, I would like to pause from these motion pictures and focus more on the mellow and slow but vivid novels. You can think of me as your auntie and maybe there is a thing or two I can impart with you. God bless, Tidbits 25

2021 Recap I was able to read 5 books I loved and enjoyed reading: Gone with the Wind - A classic must read. Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Circe Thorn Bird Chronicles Whitney, My Love I was able to reach 60% Savings rate through frugal living. First time I tried and appreciated affiliate marketing , thanks to a very kind person @AkoyFilipina who trusted me and now a part of noise community. My family came face to face with the virus and survived with our immunity and home remedies and vitamins. I was able to watch some TV shows that got me hooked and opened to a new world. Squid Games Attack on Titans Kingdom Fear the Walking Dead I took a course on online bookkeeping and it was a huge progress in leading me to the career direction I want to transition to. I learned a lot about cryptocurrency decentralized economy and how countries reacted by adopting it as their currency like El Salvador or banning crypto like China. Governments' central banks are working on a CBDC which stands for Central Bank Digital Currency. I have also done a few, good things for my health which includes eating nuts such as walnuts, seeds like chia seeds. I also drink turmeric with ginger tea as well as green tea. I also benefit from eating mushroom dishes. I do a little bit of meditation and yoga poses now and then. And finally, I hope to make my daughter's 18th birthday a happy day for her. So we will be preparing for that. What a wonderful way to end the year and bring hope to the coming year, 2022. Take care, Tidbits42 Photo image by Pixabay

I Had a Panic Attack Today I started the day early. Had breakfast. Watched some movies which I enjoyed and played League of Kingdom. I was having a little fun, it is weekend after all. Later in the day, I felt that my eyes are beginning to get tired so I decided to do something off-screen. I cleared the clutter from the living room, sweeping and organizing here and there. I felt good after, I had done something productive. Looking at my tidy living room made me smile. I was back facing at my laptop again looking to write something on read.cash. Then it reminded of earning money. Then my thoughts led me to my dayjob. And I remembered I will be left to be Officer in Charge and attend a meeting. This thought progressed into past events that led to mental health issues. My heart started palpitating. I felt a lump on my chest building until I am finding it hard to breath. My temples are throbbing. My body is turning sweaty and cold. And I started to feel weak. I feel like I wanted to cry. I was utterly and totally miserable. This has been my life for 2 decades in the job I am in. Now, 3 hours later, I am now drinking chamomile. I am typing this post. I will enjoy my life. I owe it to myself. Every human being does. The solution in my mind**? Online jobs**. What is stopping me?. My own fears. My doubts. My financial instability. But at least I have accepted that I am in crisis. This is a real crisis. And I am not afraid to tell this to the world. And whoever would discriminate me, will be answerable to the law. While contemplating on why this is happening to me. I have accepted that I have been a victim of abuse and bullying. I have faced fears that are real. My former doctor has advised me to move into online jobs. Transitioning has been difficult for me. Right now I am watching a video about using accounting softwares. Day by day I will slowly learn while I battle with my anxiety which is triggered by certain aspects in my dayjob. Self awareness have taught me that I have to stop getting exposed to certain activities because it triggers my anxiety. I will educate myself more so I can get proper help the right way. Thank you for stopping by: Tidbits42 Photo is by Pixabay

Death is the Reason I'm a Minimalist In a sense, I want to be prepared. We are born with nothing and takes nothing with us. I am always aware of my own mortality. From there, it branched out to other things like disaster preparedness, mobility and moving light and sensible reasons why it is a good idea to live a frugal lifestyle. I also learned to be organized. I realized how all over the place I am with personal files. With the clutter gone and only the essentials left, organizing has become easier. How it Started I just want to get my affairs in order before I leave this life of illusion. Ironically... The effect was opposite. I learned to cherish every moment, every possession I have and the people in my life. I avoided wastage. My clothes are used until worn out and then become house clothes then rags. There are no more purchases of trinkets and nick knacks here and there that turns into clutter. On Disaster Preparedness I am trying to build a bug out bag. In my case bug out bags (LOL). Because I have so little things to tend to, the spare time led me to prepping videos. It was reinforced when covid started. It seems the world is in survival mode. And the memory of typhoons especially the Signal no. 5 sort of scared me and taught me that I shouldn't take this lightly. So in 2022, I resolved to slowly build a bug out bag so I can be off in 10 minutes notice. And of course cryptos and BCH I feel so lucky that I was introduced into noise.cash and read.cash. It will keep me inspired day after day and at the same put my foot in the crypto world and build my crypto assets and have some fun too. I wish I had known it a year earlier but better late than never, right. I also found out that I enjoy writing and hopefully I'm getting better at it. I remember representing our school to join a writing contest. My 2 other classmates won and I didnt. It sucked LOL. But it doesnt end there. Those who persevere sometimes even become better than those who have the potential but didnt work as hard. I may not be able to write lengthy articles just yet. My creative neurons are just starting to get activated, I guess. There are so many opportunities Although I cant put my energies on passion projects just yet, I know they are there. That gives me hope for the future while I live a frugal at my current income in my dayjob. I know I have to wait until December but I'm projecting I have saved 60% of my annual income for 2021. I am excited for 2022 because I have designed another way of recording financial data that would make me determine my monthly income, expenses and savings. That way I can determine which months I spend more or spend less and determine the reason and see if that expenditure adds to the quality of life of my family. From this I can make changes and improvements. Life is continuous learning journey I wouldnt have reflected on myself as well as developed self-awareness if I hadnt made changes in my life. First, I got my own room. This is where I spent a lot of introspection. It was hard but rewarding as well. Imagine after 3 years, I still havent reached the level of minimalism I want. So I am giving decluttering a pause and focusing on hobbies I want to start like gardening, cooking and socializing with noise fam, getting those creative juices flowing and work towards getting better at writing and blogging. Thank you for reading *Tidbits42* Photo credit: Pixabay

Pay and Benefits in PHL Local Government The Cold Cash - All are in pesos Salary - Your salary will depend on the Salary Grade (SG) for your position which you can check in the latest salary schedule issued by Department of Budget and Management PERA - This is currently 2,000 per month Clothing Allowance - 6,000 per year Midyear Bonus - Equivalent to your monthly basic salary Year End bonus - Equivalent to your monthly basic salary Cash Gift - 5,000 per year PEI - 5,000 per year CNA - Maximum 25,000 per year Monetization of Leave Credits LEAVE CREDITS You will earn 2.5 leave credits every month. In a year that is 30 days but reduced by 5 days for forced leave. You have 25 days per year to take leave of absence with pay. Or you can turn it into money by monetizing it. Or you can accumulate so when you leave or retire you will get terminal leave benefit. QUALIFICATIONS You need to pass Civil Service Examinations like Sub professional and Professional will help you enter or move up the appointive positions. If you have PRC eligibility like Engineer, CPA, Doctor of Medicine then you can enter in certain positions even without the CSC exam. Experience is important as well. The elective positions has to win the election. Well that is all I can remember for now. Transparency should be promoted these days so jobseekers know their options. I might have missed our on a thing or two. This is not expert advice, just the things I know. Do your own research in the end. Photo credits: Pixabay.

Yin I am not sure if I should start my earlier writing days in this site with serious side of my life story. I guess I just need to get it out there and out of my chest. So, I'll give it a shot. My Life Story in a Nutshell After a promising start, graduating from the Top 3 university in the country, I got off guard by the sudden turn and eventual downward spiral of my life. The expectations were so high so the downfall really hurt. I was bullied early on in my job. I was traumatized and stigmatized. Eventually I got mental and physical issues. I stayed due to family pressures, learned helplessness and worsening health. Now, 2 decades later, I stumbled upon financial independence, minimalism and simple living. I found hope with contentment and gratitude. There is hope. **Moments I Want to Give Up** But there are days when I feel like quitting life is so much easier than going on. I never fully understood this. But it must be the hurt inflicted by other people and society on me, lost dreams and betrayals by loved ones. 42 years of accumulated negative events takes its toll. **New Day, New** Hope After these low, low moments I would start to pick myself up and tell myself God, the Universe, Nature has willed that I exist so it would be a shame to throw it all away. Other people are suffering much worse and they are carrying on. This is the moment a desire to be of use and be a force of good would swell on me. And I start to appreciate the life that is given to me because I am able to help my family, and people I encounter in my life. One of the yoga pose I do is the warrior pose. After licking my wounds in my room which is my safe haven, I would brace myself for battle and fight. **Our Generation is Rich** Think of all the blogs, videos, movies, ebooks and infinite resources on the internet. I remember being a kid and having to wait hours for my favorite show in our neighbor because we dont have a TV. We did eventually got one where the antennae has to be turned to get a good enough reception which is so bad but for us it is joy to be able to watch. My need to be assertive I lost in the battle when I gave my power away. But bullies go after the weak because they can. This is true from an interpersonal level to powerplay between countries. I remember Professor X in X-men telling "the strong to protect the weak". **My Di**lemma I want to leave. To forget. To start over. The memories are just too heavy. But uncertainty terrifies me. Everything my mother told me about the culture of that organization turned out true. When someone is back fighting a colleague, be sure he/she is also doing it to you behind your back. How naivete I was entering there and wanting to prove my mother wrong that I can lead these people into positivity and good relations as I have experienced in the university. How wrong I was. I'm a nutcase. Reminds of the movie Shawshank Redemption where one inmate hanged himself when he was freed. Psychologists refer to this as being "institutionalized" being used to the life and knows no other way. I sometimes feel like I am like that. No matter how hard I suffer, at least I am within my comfort zone. Although I wouldn't say comfort because I feel anxious when going to work. Easily solved with a chamomile tea. Takeaway: You might be having tough times. Hang in there. You are not alone. Photo credit: Pixabay

Minimalism is Helping Me to Reach FI Minimalism is helping me in my efforts to reach financial independence and ***create the life that I want***. The focused attention help me get my life in order and experience contentment. After decluttering, I resolved that everything I welcome and keep in my life should add value to my life NOW. Be it friends, situations, things, commitments, work or time. Decluttering was like removing the rock particles to see the diamond. It is like starting with a blank slate with some stash of the essentials. I uncovered that warm fuzzy feeling buried underneath the clutter in my life. It is a feeling of security. A feeling of lightness. And more freedom. I realized that most of the things I need, I already have. Life can be stressful but with minimalism things became more manageable. There are many forms of clutter. When it comes to finances, it is debt, in relationships it is toxic people. They don’t add value to your life, instead they drain away the joy from your life. In other words I was looking for simple living, ease of life and contentment. **HOW?** The first step is to stop buying random things. Just stop for a while. This isn’t easy at all. But it feels good if you win over your impulses because you have a more important goal. For me the second step was to : **Declutter** – As suggested in the book of Marie Kondo, I decluttered by category such as books, clothes,electronics. Now I actually read and learn from this 1 book on taxation. I now read e-books. **Digitize** -  I only kept hard copies of documents that are really important. Photo is from Shopee where I bought this item. **Unsubscribe** – I unsubscribed from cable TV and mobile phone plans.   **WHERE I AM NOW** I am wearing out all of my clothes. **SOME OF MY MINIMALISM GOALS** Having only one errands bag All my personal things fit in a backpack and a luggage Create a capsule wardrobe No buy challenge Earn a good per hour rate in a job I like **FINANCEWISE:** On end of year, I will compute my savings rate as well total annual expenses. I have been recording my income and expenses in 2021. I will still stay on my high stress, not so high salary job and benefit from the 50%< savings rate I get from it. But this will be subject for review. A huge milestone will be in 2024, when my GSIS policy matures and my outstanding loans will be paid off. I am following the slow fi approach by thefioneers blog where slowly the money needed to be earned from active income is reduced as passive income increases. I am looking into coast fi once I leave my current job in a few years. **Minimalism is a tool on finding our own version of happiness in this world** Tidbits42

I am enjoying reading in read.cash too much, I am neglecting writing my second article LOL. I am learning a lot of new lessons and opening the world of crypto here. I also see into the lives and journey of inspiring writers and bloggers here. But I want to follow the footsteps of those who took the 1 article per day journey here. I will start on 3rd week of October.

Mindset of a 40 year old Life has mellowed down than in my 20s and 30s. There is nothing more to prove, just a desire to live comfortably and partake in the simple pleasures of life. **Financewise, I resolved to get my finances in order.** I started working on my savings rate and invest in high dividend stocks. I embraced new technology like blockchain and its huge potential. I started recording my income and expenses for 2021 so by December I will know my savings rate as well as annual expenditure. This will be useful in improving how I manage my money. I realized I have vague idea of how much I make, spend and save. But not a concrete one, in numbers! Although I learned later in life, I am still trying to catch up on reaching financial indepence. Reaching FIRE (financial independence, retire early) at 50 instead 60 is so much better. Life is never a walk in the park for the working class so we have to be smart with where our earnings go if we are to enjoy the fruits of our labor. **Health basically boils down to 2 basics.** A person develops a disease either because one doesn’t have enough nutrition, or second one have toxicity in the body. So, now I eat more nuts and seed. My favourite dish is oatmeal with walnuts, chia seeds and diced apples.  I also drink turmeric tea.   I **want to be healthy and active as long as possible**. Being physically active is another way to have vitality in one’s body And I choose to make it enjoyable by walking in nature and gardening.  I also do some yoga pose then and now. I believe time will come when visits to specialists will become top priority and finding a doctor that suits you and will guide you through old age is important Be prepared also for visits to the dentist for porcelain fillings and twice a year cleaning, to the optometrist for a good pair of glasses. It is true that once one turn 40 chances are he will have to squint looking at labels and not be able to read.   **I care less**. I am at awe about the amount of energy I gave to compete with my peers in terms of so called success. Now I realized I don’t feel missing out for not traveling. I did some local travels, it was fun and build memories, but I am also aware of the exhaustion and inconvenience as much as the former. I am happy to lounge in the garden on a warm breeze with a book in my hands. I have embraced my inner geek which reminded me I should get a hammock.   **I learned to cut my losses.** If I keep focusing on the past I am wasting my time now and future to enjoy life. When I let go of my past and looked ahead is when I felt life full of opportunities and possibilities again. Now I only look at the past to reminisce happy memories.   Being grateful for everything I have and looking at life through the eyes of a child with curiosity and wonder is so much better. Photo is from Pixabay.

Good evening on my side of the world. Today, I finally decided to register in read.cash and I am so happy to begin my journey. I would like to greet everyone and I hope you are all safe and enjoying life despite the situation. As I write this I am drinking a cup of chamomile tea because it is calming and will prepare me to bed. Now you know one thing about me. I find the articles here fresh and engaging. So I am also browsing around and reading. I hope to meet you here every day if schedule allows. But for sure, I will make time for it because I am excited about being in this site.