Confessions

I Am Choosing The Soft Life, Because Life Is Already Hard Enough

I started my career a couple of years ago, and at first, I genuinely enjoyed my job. But as I settled into working life, I realised how much there was to learn and how much I still needed to prove myself. Seeing people my age getting promoted, travelling the world and buying new cars made me wonder if I was doing enough. So, I started doing more. After work, I took online courses, earned certifications and learnt new skills to get ahead. I even considered taking on side hustles, feeling that I should be making better use of my free time. I worried that if I stopped improving, I'd fall behind. But the more I did, the harder it became to slow down. Every completed course led to another skill to learn, and every milestone seemed to set the bar higher. Even when I had free time, I felt guilty for resting instead of doing something productive. I kept telling myself that all this effort would pay off someday, but I was forgetting how to enjoy my time off. Meanwhile, a close friend of mine was dealing with a health condition of her own. I knew how hard she had tried to find treatment, and watching her navigate the uncertainty made me think about how unpredictable life could be, even when we tried our best to plan for it. One day, she invited me to go hiking. She wasn't particularly outdoorsy, but I agreed. At first, my mind was still full of work and everything I needed to do. But as we walked, I began noticing the trees, the fresh air and the birds singing overhead. For once, I wasn't thinking about what came next. I was simply enjoying the moment. My friend told me she planned to leave her job at the end of the year. The following year, she wanted to climb higher mountains, explore new places and spend more time doing things she loved. After everything she'd been through, she wanted to make room for experiences that mattered to her. I struggled to understand. Leaving a job and taking a career break sounded risky. Weren't we supposed to keep working, saving and building our futures while we were still young? Then, she said something that stuck with me. “Back when we were still in school and broke, I felt so much happier, even when all I could afford was a bowl of instant noodles. So why is it that now, when we're earning our own money, it's become so much harder to enjoy life?” Her question made me realise how easily the pressure to build a better future could take over the life I was living now. I'd spent so much time thinking about what I needed to achieve next that I'd forgotten to appreciate what was already in front of me. I still have ambitions and want to build a good future for myself. But I'm learning that I don't have to sacrifice every quiet moment to get there. I can work towards my goals, spend time with the people I love and enjoy the little things without feeling guilty. I don't want to put my happiness on hold until I've achieved everything I want. I want to keep dreaming about the future while making the most of the life I have today. This article is part of TSS Confessions, a weekly column where we delve into personal finance topics that are unscripted and real accounts from people.