Birthday Post: 35 Things I Am Grateful For

I turned 35 years old this month. According to the National Youth Council, this is the last year of my youth, so it is indeed a milestone. 

Gratitude is something I do not practise enough of even though the benefits are substantial. This post is certainly something I should reference periodically.

As for you, the reader, I am just hoping that some of the points below might resonate and I might be able provoke you to take a deeper breath and ponder introspectively as well.

I am not a religious person, at least not yet. But I do understand that spreading gratitude is not a zero-sum game. 

So on my 35th birthday, here are 35 things that I am immensely grateful for:

1. Born able-bodied

• No amount of money in the world can compensate for a missing limb or loss in any of my five senses. This is the foundation for most, if not all my other positives in life.   

2. Having a soul-mate

• My wife is my best friend and confidante. I am the most at ease and comfortable with her and besides myself, she is the best company I can hope for. 

3. Good health

• I am not plagued by any debilitating diseases or long-term chronic pain. Long may that continue. 

4. Physically fit

• Due to an exemption, I do not qualify for IPPT incentives but I passed two other stations with plenty to spare recently. I run, climb stairs and do HIIT at least once a week.  

5. Born in 80s Singapore

• I understood and experienced how life could be perfectly fine without smartphones or Internet. Yet, I am also a huge  beneficiary of the economic transformation of Singapore. Best of both worlds.

6. Good memory

• I had always assumed mine was normal, up till maybe my mid-twenties. It is not photographic but now I realise that it is way above average and perhaps compensates for an average IQ. 

7. Academically-inclined

• By and large, I enjoyed examinations. It helps that I have a good memory and can do well in most of the assessments. Introversion contributed too. 

8. World-class education

• I am a Chinese High alumni, home to probably the biggest and most valuable secondary school campus in Singapore. Obviously, I experienced better facilities and teachers which compound. 

9. Tertiary Scholarship

• Landing a scholarship (albeit local) was significant. Besides contributing to my first pot of wealth, it funded my overseas exchange experience. And of course, the signaling effects of a scholarship persist till today. 

10. Found pleasant work

• Some people never find it. Being a tutor makes me happier and more at ease in life even though I would probably have been better compensated in the corporate world. 

11. Good Income

• It is a very comfortable amount which I did not think was realistic as recently as 5 years ago. So what if I am trailing behind many of my peers. Sometimes, the absolute amount matters more than the relative. 

12. Work from home >70% of the time

• This helps to free up more time to have lessons and earn more. With less energy spent on travelling, I am more productive too. 

13. Positive memories of my mother

• I am way past the worst periods of my mother’s passing. Only the good stuff remains when I am reminded of her.  She was a really good parent and I am indeed blessed to have her as my mum.

14. Improving relationships with siblings

• My siblings matter a lot to me and I truly care for them, even though I might not know the best way to show it. Although we are no longer staying under the same roof, I am making it a point to ask them out for meals periodically. 

15. Being likeable

• This is an important trait in my line of work. I need to appeal to both students and their parents. It also helps open up other opportunities and build friendships. 

16. Resilient social network

• I have that core group of close friends. They are people I like, admire and enjoy being with.  I am glad I can count on them. 

17. Expanding social network

• Fellow tutors and financial bloggers have reached out to me recently. I see a lot of potential in these budding friendships. 

18. Financially ‘woke’ as a fresh graduate

•  It has helped me to build a comfortable financial cushion over the past decade.  Obviously, there have been trade-offs made. But I am quite confident the pros have outweighed the cons. 

19. Good investment returns

• I was able to generate a little bit of alpha with 10% annual returns in the stock market. Every little acceleration helps in the wealth building process.

20. Affordable BTO flat

• Our 9-year old BTO flat costs slightly over $300k after grants. With a monthly mortgage <$1,000, it is not an albatross around our necks, allowing us to take some worthwhile risks in our lives and careers. 

21. Ability to pay off mortgage

• It is reassuring to know that we can pay off my entire mortgage using a combination of our CPF and cash savings, if we choose to. 

22. Attained Financial Security

• With the amount of wealth squirrelled away, we can cover the basics in life for the next 60 years. The basics will include food, shelter and utilities.

23. Supermarket freedom

• Financially, I do not have to refrain from buying an item at the supermarket because of the price tag. Dietary concerns are the real reason stopping me from piling up more chocolates and beer.

24. Travelled extensively

• Besides many cities in Southeast Asia, I have been to countries including Canada, United States, Japan, Korea and my favourite Taiwan. Might not be impressive right now, but go back two generations and you get the idea. 

25. Preference to create than consume

• My desire to consume has proven to be inversely proportional to my age. There are endless consumption opportunities in this day and age and  it can be mind-numbing after a while. Creating can be challenging in the short run but definitely galvanises the spirit in the long run.  

26. Second chance at this blog

• There was a two-year hiatus and honestly, I was unsure if I could revive this blog. After 4 months of consistent writing in 2021, readership is almost back to what it was. Thank you for your support.

27. Earning side-income from this blog

• I am still experimenting and referral benefits from Moomoo and Endowus have contributed recently. Obviously, side-income is not the main objective of this blog. It just helps to offset the lack of a bonus from my main line of work.                P.S. If you are interested to try out these investment platforms, signing up through my referral links would make for a great birthday present! =p

28. Ability to give back to readers

• I am adamant that the increased monetisation of the blog has to generate more benefits for readers too. I am thinking along the line of gifting and mailing a physical book every month. Let me know if this is a good idea.

29. Meditate through chores

• My monkey mind is hyperactive and meditating while sitting down has proven to be elusive thus far. Interestingly, mopping the floor, ironing or scrubbing the toilet tiles have helped me to increase my mindfulness and reduce the chatter in my head. #toughlife

30. At ease with solitude

• Dear Pascal, I am able to sit quietly in a room alone quite often. Hopefully, this helps contribute fewer problems to humanity. 

31. Afford a car

• This is pretty big as I grew up in a household that was never close to affording a car in Singapore. Helps to fill a hole in the heart. The monthly cost is admittedly steep but I cannot deny the convenience, time and energy saved. 

32. Drive during off-peak hours

• Road rage is real and they are the worst during peak hours. Thankfully, my lifestyle is contrarian and most driving is done off-peak. I also realise in smooth road conditions, I very much prefer being the driver to the passenger. #controlfreak

33. Simple Hobbies

• Delish food with great company. Consequential books with soothing music. Writing sessions with dark stout. Potato couching with chips. 

34. 35 years young

• If I am lucky, I might still have ⅔ of a productive life ahead of me. Endless possibilities await.

35. Grateful at 35 years young

• I am grateful to be grateful. I count my blessings. I value what I already have much more than what I desire. 

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Thank you for reading and thanks for all the belated birthday wishes too!