I truly think I’m obsessed with this. I find myself constantly thinking about how to optimize my life; more and more, I also find myself thinking about how to optimize my future. I think the latter is most important.

I’ve been watching (binging) these videos by Ramit Sethi. Cool guy, solid advice. His big thing is this concept of “Your Rich Life”. Now, I haven’t read his book—wherein he details this rich life thing—but I’ve more or less gathered what it’s supposed to be from his videos. Fundamentally, it’s not complicated. It really boils down to not comparing yourself to others, and instead finding what you want your life to be like, and making a plan to get there. Perhaps most importantly, he thinks the plan should be for the now, as well; meaning you should live your rich life now, and live a richer life later.

I think my rich life is chilling ad eternum. Perpetual chill, that’s the kind of guy I am.

Hence my obsession with early retirement.

I think it’s important to define what I mean by this, though. That’s where the problems arise. I’m not so sure… I have fun watching YouTube, but it’s because I have something to learn. I’m not watching just to watch—though it feels like that sometimes—but I’m learning, I’m taking in different viewpoints on these issues that I’m concerned with and trying to figure out the best approach for me. Still, what else is there. Cycling, sure… Reading, writing. I feel like I don’t have many hobbies. Travelling, OK.

I can see it though, in my—forgive the cringe—mind’s eye. Yuck, I hate that idiom. I’m wearing baggy jeans, basketball shoes, and a brown sweater; I’m laying on the couch, half sleeping, half listening to an NBA podcast; my little brother built a family and I get to be the cool uncle; house paid off, a boat, I’m living on the islands; I fish for lunch and sometimes dinner, I have a small garden as well with cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, shallots, and an orange tree; I buy lots of potatoes from my neighbour; occasionally, I’ll travel out to Vietnam for three months and chill in Hoi An.

That’s the life I want. That’s my rich life.

Right now I’m focused on getting there. I’m trying to change my health so I can live longer, working on my PhD so I can get a solid job after, changing habits so I can become the person I want to be; and I’m saving like a maniac.

Today it struck me that my rent might actually go up. It honestly hadn’t occurred to me until today; goes to show how naïve I still am. I’ve had no indication that it might, but I just came to the realization that this price is likely not forever. It’s fine, but it is annoying.

This weekend was snack-city and overeating-city. Happens, happens. It’s fine. I don’t know if I mentioned it, but I did lose weight to 77.8 kg. 5 kg to go for my goal. It’s OK, it’s my cheat weekend. I’m determined to buy more fruit and whatnot these next two weeks and also to exercise more. My goal is 2 kg loss these next 2 weeks, let’s see if I can do it.

I’m also feeling that I’ll finally respond to the increasingly large number of Slowly letters that I’ve been letting pile up…