Cheers For A Good Life!

In the end of the year 2024, A Tech Mogul, Bill Gates is listed as one of 10 of the richest people in the world, his net worth was estimated to be between $120 billion and $165 billion. Pyuhhh, so many! We can imagine we can do so much with that kind amount of money. We can travelling around the world, to the exotic place by our private jet, while sipping expensive wine and eat the best quality caviar (why it’s like one of Instagram reels POV showing rich people flexing), while we watching our big cat aka tiger playing in our big mansion from the monitor in our private jet (Ok, stop. This is too much). The point is, we can do so much if we have that amount of money. But you know what, this is the noble one. He is a philanthropist. He has pledged to donate most of his fortune in his lifetime through his foundation, he donates billions to causes like education, global health, climate change and agriculture. And what is most shocking is, most of time he has been seen wearing a watch which cost only $70! (you can google it).

He choose practically and function over luxury, because he knows, whether it is an expensive or cheap watch, their function is the same, they both show the time. Eventhough he’s a billionaire, he always practical with money, he choose to spending on what truly matters. Also he wants to leading by example, as a philanthropist, wearing an expensive watch might send the wrong message. He focus on giving back, not showing wealth.

Basically, as a human, if we live harmonious with a nature our needs is not that much. What is our basic needs? To survive in this worlds we only need : food, water, air, sleep, shelter and clothing. If we already have it all, we can survive. But, as a modern human, sadly, our needs is like growing because the world also give us tons of options, and it will leads us to have unlimited opinions born from the desires. What does it mean? I already give you an example here, but no problem, I will repeat it again. For example, practically, we only needs a cheap drinking water to survive, but what happens is, our opinion demand us to have an expensive coffee from viral and trending cafe that we seen in the social media. So, it is important for us to learn how we can control ourselves from that demanding opinion. It doesn’t mean we have to make the wealth as an enemy, but don’t let that keep us from achieving a good life, and in the end leads us to a bad things, such as “the peg is bigger than the pole”, desire to show off, sinking on a debt, or even scarier…corruptions.

And how we can control ourselves from the desires born from our unlimited opinions? Here you go, we must have a knowledge about the things that worth to be choose, things that we have to avoid and the things is not include two of it. We must have the ability to separate the essence of an opinion from the exaggerations we or others often add to it. When we have an opinion about a thing, we have to dig deeper that thing into it roots. By then, we don’t get fooled by appearances. For example, branded bags from an exotic leather, if we want to dig deeper to it’s function, honestly we can say it’s only a container to carry our belongings. Am I wrong? It’s not that we hate branded bags, but we have to always remind ourselves not to exxaggerate it. The truth is, it’s only a bag, nothing more!

Nothing’s wrong if we want to have an exquisite assets, but there must be rational considerations behind it. Not such a waste, like if we buy it, it could threaten our saving or investment. We must have it for a good cause, not because we want to show it off or we don’t want to fall behind our friend. Also, don’t forget, just because we want to have it, we violate others rights. Like sacrifice our daily needs, kids school fee, etc. Please dear friends, be considerate.

Also, we have to be honest to ourselves, is it because I WANT it or I NEED it? It happens so many times when I want to buy something because I only want it, not need it, For example, I want to buy a bag, the truth is I already have too many bags, to the point my closet can’t handle it anymore. It’s crystal clear I don’t need It, it’s already many! I’m only wanting it. We must give times for ourselves to re-think and combat that impulsive desire. I know we can. Here’s the tip from one of my favourite writer and also blogger, Courtney Carver, (Hi Courtney, if you read this, Hello, I’m Kirana from Indonesia) the tips called : Wait and See. As Courtney said, “That thing you want to buy now will very likely still be available next month. Wait 30 days for any purchase and see if it is still as necessary or appealing. Spoiler alert: it rarely is.” Well said, Courtney!

As a woman (or some man), I know it’s kinda hard to fight that urge. (That’s why I’m writing it, to remind myself pleaseee don’t do it! God know, how hard it is!) The urge that we want more and more. More over if we have money, and it’s idle money. Seems it has no problem if we want to use it. True, but here’s the things, we have to practice ourselves to fight that urge, and in the end it will become our habit. We used to fight it and it succeeded, we can proudly say : enough is enough. In the end that habit will change into our character that brings us to the life that we want to pursue. As for me, I just want a simple life, simple living. Nothing more. How calming and relaxing it is.

Love,

Kirana