I decided to move to Korea for a month in December last year, citing a change in weather, environment, and lifestyle pace.
In truth, I was just looking for an escape from the mundanity of self-employment.
Beyond the heaviest snowstorm in the history of record keeping, overnight martial law declaration, and my first solo trip as an extrovert in eight years, here are the four revelations I had while I was in kimchi land.
Traditional Hanok villages away from the busy city.
Rolling mountains waiting to be explored.
Surrounded by all these beauties and yet, I still found it crippling to leave the comfort of my AirBnb. It was a chore putting on multiple winter layers, a hassle packing for a whole day out, and a whole lot of dread heading off to an unknown location alone. But once I was out, it didn’t feel too bad after all.
This mirrors my whole battle against inertia when I have a task to do. I procrastinated on the starting time. I dawdled heading over to my work desk and switching on my computer. But once I began – hey, this isn’t as horrible as I thought it would be.
The lesson? Just start, then refine, and finally do it better.
Despite being in a different country, I still found myself doing the same things when I was back home. Sleeping in till 10am, fighting against sleep while scrolling through social media at night.
That was my life in Singapore for the past four months. And I was doing it again everyday, this time in Korea.
It was a humbling reminder that my stubborn habits travelled with me. To change them, I had to first change myself, regardless of where I was.
A friend came visiting and we summited Mt Inwangsan together. When he left, I tried a different route that ended up back at the same summit – completely by accident.
The difference? It was a whole lot harder compared to the trail I did previously. There were no proper paths, most parts were covered in sleet, and the entire distance was twice as long.
While the outcome of reaching the top of Inwangsan may be identical, the effort required to do so varied exponentially.
Which brings me to my last reflection.
After being self-employed, I was suddenly terrified of being left behind by my peers who seemed to have it all together: Positions in MNCs. Career advancements. Large compensations.
Meanwhile, I'm constantly anxious about the next project, the next client, the next paycheck.
This can’t go on, I thought to myself. Whenever I caught myself having these thoughts, I reframed my thinking. Rather than fixating on others’ external markers of success, I should pay attention, nurture, and appreciate the opportunities and circumstances present in my own life.
I have a healthy body and mind to continue being self-employed.
I am fortunate enough to have zero debts to clear.
I have family and friends who support and cherish me.
I get to help out with impromptu chores and spend more time with my ageing grandparents.
My time is flexible so I get to do the things I love like skating and climbing.
In the grand scheme of things, I should enjoy this slower pace before the liabilities trickle in as I move on to the next stage of life.
True fulfillment comes from cultivating what we already have. The grass is greener where you choose to water it.
After this adventure, I learned that the biggest journey isn’t across countries, but within myself, which is all that really matters.
Cheers,
Val