I am Quarter of a Century Old Plus One

At the end of May, I got my birthday coming. I am no longer in my early 20s. I am entering the end of my 20s. Oh Time Flies.

In the past year, there are so many things going on, the things that we never ever think about it before. In my 25 years old, I got engaged with my best friend on June 7,2019, and got married 6 months later, on December 15, 2019. I never thought that I could marry this early. I used to think that I will get married during my 27 years old or later, but Allah's plan is better.

After I got married, everything is fine, my husband and I moved into a kind of apartment (Kosan that look like an apartment), and we keep working in South Jakarta area. But after around February, things got a little bit scared. Oh Dear, 2020, it is such a year!

Oh yeah I’m talking about this Coronavirus thing.

Okay, it is beyond, my imagination. I never ever once thought that I would experience something like this. I’ve been working from home since March 16, 2020, and never going to the office until today. I don’t know how long things will become like this. Yeah, it’s pretty scary.

In the first and second months of PSBB (semi-lockdown/self-quarantine) things got upside down for me. I used to sleep, watching Netflix, doing nothing (rebahan), and snacking a lot. That’s why my weight gains 3 kg, in this first 2 months of PSBB :,(

After my birthday, on May 31’s 2020, I think I need to change! I can not be like this anymore! I should wakeup!

Now, I’am starting to restart or reprogram my life. I’m starting to exercise regulary, eating more healthily, and learn more. I hope that I can increase my value and balancing myself more.

 I’m so thankful that Allah planned me to get married before covid-19, so that in the middle of this storm I can share my worry, my pain, and my fear with my husband. 

There are some points that I need to highlight, and I need to share with people:

1. Comparison is The Thief of Joy.

As a human, well as an Indonesian, since a little kid, we usually faced comparison. It can become from our parents, our family, our friends, or our neighbor. As a little kid, my parents usually compare my grades with other students. I understand that sometimes comparison can bring positivity to ourselves, for example, I see that my friend got a better grade than me, so I worked harder in my study so that I can make a better grade than my friends. Yes, it’s not 100% wrong, but to be honest, it’s damaging my inner soul. I become easily jealous, and sometimes being harsh to myself, and it brought until I am an adult.

It is in our culture, we tend to compare one another, oh yes A got more money than B, oh C has a better car than A, or etc. My point is, we should not compare ourselves with others so that we don’t love ourselves anymore. As one of the Javanese quotes says “Urip iku sawang sinawang”. A got more money but his family broken, B got less money because he is a sandwich generation, C has a better car, because he already saving his money since years ago, or etc. People only saw the tip of an iceberg, but people don’t see the whole iceberg.

It’s okay to accept yourself as you are. You are Precious.

2. We Should Start to Think Alternative Way of Life

During this pandemic, it proves that in our society, in our system, on our planet, there are holes that we should fix. Refer to the world economic forum, we should rethink about capitalism. Oh I don’t know much about capitalism or anything related to that, but I do know that our system is in not an okay condition.

Well, I’m not talking about this as an expert, but, I just want to share one of my favorite word from Swedish “L-A-G-O-M”. Lagom means enough, sufficient, or just right. Lagom philosophy can be applied in our everyday life, that everyone should have enough but not too much.

For a happier, more balanced life, start by asking yourself, “Is this lagom?” Ask it when you look inside your crowded closet, or as you consider your relationship with your work. Ask it when a massive portion of food is placed before you, or as you consider that second bowl of ice cream. Ask it about your life in general.

By not taking too much, we started to build a more sustainable life. Well, it is still a long way to go, but, why not start to ask yourself, is this Lagom or not?

Other lessons learned will be updated.