Approaching Christmas, the office is quieter; I delight in having chit-chats with individual colleagues about trivial matters. I had thought that less work at the office made one feel good. At least that’s what I thought. I opted for a position with less pay rather than a senior executive. After all, work-life balance and well-being are so important that I have recently embraced them.
This mentality has changed in 2024. The economy is deteriorating fast, and everything can change without warnings.
A sixty-year-old man is not content even though his work contract has been renewed. His boss assigned many tasks to a younger colleague, and now he has more free time at work. Why does he not feel happy? With the renewed contract, his work should be stable enough for years. But human beings are strange animals. Our confidence grows when completing important and meaningful tasks that make us happy. Somehow, ego dictates how we feel.
I recalled there were times I felt stupid doing the trivial filing work. I asked myself, “What am I doing here?” I had years of high-level training, and then I did the simplest work ever.” I can relate to his feeling. I decided to celebrate moments when I finished tough work and events.
Yesterday, I struggled with hitting the ball through the first gate. That’s essential to partner with your teammates when playing gate ball. Eventually my last strike got me through the first gate. It also got me through the second gate. I defeated the rival team and helped my team win a few more scores.
I am still learning the mentality of sportsmanship. Savour the moment of championship and tell myself not to give up. Never too late. I may have to wait till good things happen to me.
Do not belittle yourself. Buddhists in the temple sweep the floors and dust every corner every day. These routines look easy, but not on cold or hot days. Prolonged hours of trivial work can be a training for having a stronger mind.
Are you a fan of capsule toys, or a collector of toy figures? When I was small, I collected photos of popular bands. I literally checked out all the neighbouring stores I knew with my parents to purchase photos with my pocket money. Occasionally, my mom will buy me one.
As the internet was born, fans no longer keep physical photos of their favourite singers. Trading cards of all sorts, from baseball, Marvel to Pokemon have taken up the spotlight and become a hit among children, young adults or even investors. These cards are remarkably designed. Cards can’t be picked but are hidden by covers, just like the capsule toys. Fans usually eye for a specific card or carry a “mission” of collecting the whole set. Even collectable items nowadays are redeemed by random, forcing consumers to spend more. What a marketing strategy!
I’m not a super fan, so I simply skip the risk of redeeming the Doraemon glass that I do not particularly like. However, some people are willing to put in great effort, spend enormous sums of money and time in buying tons of trading cards in order to get what they’re looking for as specific collectable items or a rare trading card can be resold in high value, or even with an astronomical figure.
I remember I once received a “lucky gift box” from a friend in Japan. She packed a few items in a box and mailed the box over. It is truly a happy box, giving me a lot of surprises. So when I heard about the news about the popularity of blind boxes nowadays, I recalled my friend’s idea in the early days. Blind boxes are versatile marketing techniques that can be utilized to promote ice cream, bus routes, or even massage options.
In Hong Kong, senior citizens enjoy $2 dollar concession bus fare. Some couples enjoy weekly journeys by taking different bus routes. They love these adventurous rides. As a consumer, I would love to see a promotion like paying $5 or $10 dollars to try my luck to get a premium ice cream by random, or $20 dollars to bet on a tasty bubble tea.
In general, we all enjoy good deals and new experiences. Life is too brief to pass up the chance to do something that can be done easily and gives us a burst of joy.
experience today 