Little things that make sense of life

Hello Hivers,

This is Leo, the about-to-turn 30-year-old man who was born and raised in Ho Chi Minh city.

Ho Chi Minh city, formerly known as Saigon, is the largest economic and innovation hub of Vietnam and one of the most dynamic cities in Southeast Asia. It is famous for people friendliness, chaotic traffic, energetic night life and exotic delicious food. Living in that dizzying city of commerce and culture could be a dream of many people.

[Saigon from the new Thu Thiem bridge view. I took this picture when I cycled around the city at night]

[Saigon from the above. The skyscraper is Landmark 81, the highest building in Vietnam]

In an emerging market like Vietnam, we remarkably worship “growth”. And yes, as a growth strategist who advises corporates on expanding their customer pool and revenue, I have certain advantages to advance my career. But after years of chasing “growth”, every day to me seems like a battle of work, eat, sleep and repeat.

I have been working in various industries from consumer goods, financial service to technology. I do love my job, seriously do. But many times, I questioned myself about the meaning of “growth” and even my existence.

One day, my mentor told me that “if you cannot understand your overall meaning of life, why don’t you change the approach by doing little things you love and gradually connecting them together”.

That bottom-up approach awakened me.

In this hustle era we are living in, people look for urgency. We desire fast-track promotion. We want instant love/relationship. We eat fast food. We wish for quick money by jumping in bitcoin, stock market without any knowledge. We work for deadlines... I’m not the exception.

[My favorite notebook I took from my colleague]

But since that “aha” moment, I started to look within myself. No, my younger self to be more exact. I recalled what I liked to do as a kid, what aspired me to work days and nights without complains. I began to understand my growing-up process by getting back to my hobbies when I was young.

And…

I decided to return to my drawing class. Till now, I have been practicing drawing for more than 10 years. Drawing teaches me to be more creative, more flexible, and importantly, more patient – the patience to enjoy the outcome and to learn from your mistakes along the way. This is an effective way of meditation for my soul. I can do many types of drawing, from sketching, portrait, to oil-painting and watercolor. Each artwork I completed means more than just a picture. It is the recognition for my effort and the reminder to improve myself every day.

[Drawing a lovely husky]

I also registered for some dance classes. I don’t know how to dance. I’m even a shy person in front of people. But I just know I love music and dancing, so I made the move. I learnt Salsa, Bachata, and then urban dance. After 2 years, I’m still an amateur but I like how I can control my body more flexibly now and how I become more confident when dancing on social stage. As long as I’m making progress, I’m happy with it. I have learnt to take things slow through dancing.

[Practicing Bachata with a friend]

Much like a nomad, I enjoy traveling and discovering new places. Sometimes alone, sometimes with old friends, and sometimes with complete strangers. If you've read Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist," you'll understand my feeling in every trip - the feeling of going to find yourself, to find the "treasure" or the "missing piece". When I reflect, I value my “outer journey” experience just as much as I do my “inner one”. Through travelling, I have learnt to go for adventure, to challenge myself, to connect with nature, and to do things differently.

[Early morning trekking for the volcano view at Mount Bromo, East Java, Indonesia]

[Chilling at the Sydney Opera House, a multi-venue performing arts center in Sydney – Australia]

[First time tasting Turkish coffee]

Finally, I mustered all my courage to apply for a master's degree abroad. From the perspective of a third-world student like myself, studying abroad in another developed country has always been a dream to broaden my mind and experience new things. However, life happens. We lose sight of our dream and instead focus on the "rat race" with the belief of settling down. Covid-19 could be a disaster, but somehow it helps me to realize what I really want to do when I witness the fragility of life. I have learnt to follow my dream and listen to my heart.

I don’t know what my future holds when I leave my so-called “stable job” behind for a new adventure in Europe this autumn. Nobody knows. But I know I’m a curious life-learner. I know I love to learn, to explore, love science and all the random little stuffs.

I haven’t found the answer for my life’s meaning, yet I’m no longer urging for it.
I trust the process and be patient to enjoy little moments in my life.

[Some bookmarks I painted and gave to my friends]

Thank you @trangtran23 for bringing me to this amazing community where we can share our life moments and support each other.

How about you? What is your approach to life? What do you live for? And are you happy with your life choice?

Let me hear your stories :)

Thank you for reading.
From sunny Saigon with love.
Leo