A letter from December 28th, 2020

Dear FutureMe, Honestly, I really think everyone just puts way too much pressure on themselves. Do you know that billions of human beings have lived and died, do you also know the lifestyles that they lived? Most humans for all of history, never really did anything extraordinary, they lived in tribes or lived in communities and that is where they were born and that is where they died. They spent most of their time just hunting and gathering and it was more than enough. How can a family in the Philippines with no internet, no world travel, no six pack abs, no CEO of a major startup, how can they be so happy? The Dalai Lama said it best. ​ “The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered "Man! Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” ​ I mean, it's like we spend all of our lives chasing and pursing an un-promised future. For most of humanity for all of time, to just have a good hot meal, not suffer terribly each day, have a few loved ones, maybe some kids, watch a sunset and be in nature, and that was more than enough, THAT was a rich life. ​ I mean, think of kings and queens just a few hundred years ago, you can be living in poverty and still have it better than they have! ​ I think the problem is people compare themselves way way too much to other people. We seek status and think that we need to "achieve" something beyond ourselves. Then we ******* chase and chase to the detriment of our own health and well being, and for what? To get MORE cars? MORE rooms in our houses? ​ My advice, and what I have learned at 27 years old, is pretty simple, keep it simple. Yes set goals. Yes try new things. But also, keep a healthy perspective. It's funny, because on all these career and job forums I'll see people who are in their 30's and poor and depressed and want to **** themselves because they aren't making $100k+ a year, or because they aren't a celebrity, THEN I see the same people making that kind of money quote on quote "successes" and they are ranting and raving about how their relationships are failing, or how their job is ******* them-so basically you get to ends of the spectrum. ​ The best things in life truly are free. Have hot *** with someone you love. Cook a fresh meal. Watch a sunset. Listen to music. Write. Laugh. Love. As cliche as it all sounds for the BILLIONS of human beings that came before you that have died with HARDLY the luxuries that even the people living in poverty in the USA have and are now living like kings and queens did. Think about it, endless entertainment at their fingertips, movies, tv shows, porn, fast food and literally any food item or dinner you want you can have it that night with almost ZERO effort. America keeps everybody dissatisfied. The system wants you that way, keep spending, keep trying to keep up with the Jone's, ITS ALL A TRAP. ​ This may not be helpful, but I'm just saying what helped me. Remember *****. You are not going to live forever. No one is. You get this one life then that is it. Poof. GONE. It's not going to matter how much money you made, what's going to matter is that you lived authentically and how you wanted to live. Live well below your means. Save as much as you can. Because yes, money is important, and if you have thousands in savings, you won't feel shackled to a ****** boss that you can't leave because you're living paycheck to paycheck. Money is freedom, sure. But you, not having kids or a wife etc, kinda like myself, there is no reason that you can't live VERY comfortably on a $30k/year salary let alone a 50,60,$70k+ salary. ​ This idea of "making it" is ********. I don't care how successful you become or how much you try to fill this ideal of potential that you have you have to understand the human animal is always discontent. We always want more, better, newer. I've come to realize, this over my years-that everything we are looking for is already with us right now in this moment. The rest is external ******** that will never be quenched. ​ All jobs suck. Thats why you get paid to do them. There are always going to be other people jiving for your spot. Other competition trying to conquer your market. It is called a rat race for a reason and the more you try to climb the more you run into other rats just as sick and twisted if not more so than you who are trying to take your spot. Idk...just try to keep a healthy perspective about what it's all about. ​ Me personally, I save as much as I can, keep building my money, live simply and frugally, do things that don't cost money, and work a low stress and also semi low paying job. I have money in the bank, so I can leave my job whenever I please if my boss was abusive or I just needed out, so I don't feel suffocated. I keep my bills very low- and I enjoy life incredibly so! I draw a lot in my free time, I pursue any interests in my free time, I have good ***, I eat good food, I go on hikes and runs, I exercise a ton, I ENJOY LIFE. Without hardly any extra costs. That is my philosophy-and then if you do find yourself particularly passionate about a career field or job, then go get after it! But this idea that there is something you have to achieve or some thing you need to become in order for your short <100 years of existence to be "worth it" is absolutely bonkers and just a weird system you were born into that did not exist for 90%+ of the rest of humanity-it's just a capitalism/american ideal system. ​ I'm a huge practitioner of minimalism, and trying to avoid getting caught up in the rat race, life is too short, you can die tomorrow, I'm not saying don't pursue goals, but idk, I see so many people, including myself, so ******* worried about achieving or making a certain amount of money or the perfect job or whatever the ****. It's exhausting, and a brand new construct/idea that plagues modern day people, when, like I said, for most of humanity, you lived your whole life where you were born, you stuck to you community, and that was it, this idea that you have to become some shining star is Hollywood, media, movie, tv show, propaganda ********. People **** themselves to get to this metaphorical mountain, then they find out holy **** I wasted all my years, and here I am, I have a ton of this make believe money in my bank account, and I'm old, and my life is almost more than halfway over. Que midlife crisis. ​ but hey...do you...I'm just ranting out loud lol!