Reflection for 2025: Finance, Life, and Wellness

December 2025, Going MIA

I went completely MIA for most of December 2025. Not because I quit my job, but because life happened, side hustles, holidays, and a quiet phase of self-exploration.

My boss was overseas, and since my main job requires me to move around, I took advantage of the in-between time. I played hooky in the most harmless way possible, using those pockets of time to roam around Singapore, do my own things, and breathe.

I went for massages, slowed down, and even acted like a tourist in my own country, all without taking leave. It struck me hard how much of a luxury this has become.

When Leave Becomes a Luxury

I have two kids now. Leave is no longer “me time.”

Whenever I take leave, it’s either because something happens to them or because we’re going on a family holiday. Leave has become precious, not something I can freely spend on myself anymore.

During one massage session, the masseuse asked if I was on leave. When I told her I was working, she looked genuinely surprised. I laughed and said this was what we call 忙里偷闲, stealing moments of rest in the middle of busyness. A common English phrase would be “stealing a moment for myself” or “finding pockets of time to breathe.”

That short conversation stayed with me.

A Wake-Up Call from a Stranger

She shared an observation that caught me off guard. She said many Singaporeans chase quality of life so hard that they forget how to actually live. This came from a Vietnamese lady in her early 20s. I was stunned. Because she was right.

Chasing Money, Forgetting Life

I’ve lived a routine life since young. Study, work, earn, invest, side hustle, repeat.

I don’t really chase anything anymore. Everything I do revolves around money:

  • Work for income

  • Invest for more income

  • Side hustle to accelerate income

I tell myself it’s for FIRE. But when I’m honest, the process has become nothing more than making more money.

And then I wondered, even if I hit my goal of SGD 5K per month in passive income, will it ever be enough? Or will I simply chase 6K, 7K, 8K… endlessly?

Greed has no finish line.

Stripped of My Titles

One afternoon, I sat alone in a café, sipping an Americano, and asked myself a simple question:

What kind of life do I actually want?

I know I want to take care of my wife and kids. I want to give them a good life. But when I stripped away my titles, husband, father, provider, I realised something uncomfortable. I didn’t know who I was anymore. Without those roles, I felt… empty. And in that moment, the world came crashing down on me.

Moving Forward into 2026

This reflection marks a turning point. For 2026, I want to continue working, but at a pace that allows me to get paid without being constantly stressed. Side hustles must bring both joy and income. If they don’t, I will stop. My kids remain a priority, I chose to bring them into this world, and that responsibility stays with me. I will also resume exercising, even if it’s just at home. No excuses.

A Prelude

This post is not about having answers. It’s about acknowledging that somewhere along the way, I lost myself while trying to be everything for everyone else. This reflection is a prelude, a starting point for rediscovering who I am beyond being just a husband and a father.

And perhaps, learning how to truly live again.

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