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Hey Reader, Sometimes day after day slowly slips away until some day we are suddenly struck by life's fleeting nature. We feel the shock of time's passage. An urgent need to drive change quickly overwhelms us. We feel behind, racing forward only to stumble because our strides lack balance. Yet the truth remains: lasting change starts small but thrives on consistency. I experienced this revelation recently while visiting friends and family in Germany. Some I hadn't seen in well over a year. The passage of time was etched clearly on their faces—physical changes being the most visible marker. But beyond appearance, I noticed something else: a certain rigidity that often develops when day-after-day confronted with a monotonous routine. An exhaustion barely masked by the stress of constantly pushing forward and forward. For many, hedonistic weekends seemed to provide the only salvation from weekday dissatisfaction. This pattern is understandable—I've been there too. Enduring Monday to Friday, head barely above water, sustained only by the weekend's promise glimmering at the end of the tunnel. Yet not everyone I encountered showed these signs of wear. Some appeared to thrive despite similar routines, and interestingly, they didn't seem to have aged as rapidly. What might be their secret? If the present moment is truly all we have, why postpone satisfaction until our labor bears fruits? Why join an endless race where unhappiness is the qualifier for participation? What if instead we chose a journey that offers fulfillment with each step? Perhaps the destination won't be what we expected, but at least we'll have enjoyed the path that led us there. When we let go off the constant mental chatter, we open ourselves to a state of flow. We merge with our activities and surroundings, finding fulfillment in the experience itself. Last week, when I allowed the restless monkey in my mind do it's monkey business, I discovered unexpected joy during a visit to a modern art museum with my family. Suddenly, I noticed everything: the thoughtful lighting of each room, the texture of materials, the gentle early-spring Scandi sunshine, the soft percussion of tiny waves on the pebble beach, the remarkable shapes and patterns surrounding us. Ikigai—the Japanese concept of a life worth living—often emerges from small beginnings. Transformation doesn't require a new job, exotic travel, or a relationship to happen. Those who thrive have learned to let go and find joy in any moment, whether seemingly significant or small. This is how ordinary days become a practice of living well. What small moments of joy did you notice today? Thanks for reading and until next week, Jesse P.S. As you may have noticed, I made another change to the template, focusing on one weekly theme only. I believe it will allow me to maintain a sharper focus and consistently explore valuable ideas. |