10 Things I Let Go of to Start Earning Money from a Side Hustle

From NEET to 'Internet Beggar'—My Before-and-After Story

Hello, I'm Kenta😊

Recently, people often ask me, 'How did you start earning money from a side hustle?' But in truth, it wasn't 'what I gained' but 'what I let go of' that changed me the most.

Here are the 10 things I discarded on my journey from being a 4-year NEET with a reversed sleep schedule living in pajamas, to finally making a profit from a side hustle.
I hope that by sharing this, I can give you a little push.

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① Caring about what others think👀

The first thing I let go of was 'other people's eyes'.
What others think of me has absolutely nothing to do with my own life.
The more you act, the more you might be criticized, but
**ever since I decided to 'take control of my own life,'** things have become much easier.

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② Escapism🎮

When things were tough, I buried myself in games and manga to escape my trauma, but
the moment I decided I wanted to change,
I needed the courage to face reality.
This was my starting line.

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③ Guilt and self-loathing🌀

'Why am I so useless...'
I was always angry at my past self.
But no matter how much I worried, the past wouldn't change.
Focusing on 'how to live from now on' was the first step toward moving forward.

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④ Overthinking🤔

I used to overthink things to avoid risk.
But the more options I had, the more paralyzed I became...
Once I learned the importance of '**Action first!**', my world changed.

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⑤ Fixed ideas🧱

'It should be this way,' 'This is just who I am.'
I cut those assumptions away, too.
Since there isn't just one right way to do a side hustle,
I realized that flexibility opens up opportunities.

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⑥ Getting lost in games🎮💻

With my gamer personality,
I always wasted time escaping reality.
But it's fine to just 'enjoy it occasionally' as a hobby.
By using my time for myself, I started seeing results.

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⑦ Junk food & energy drinks🍟🥤

These were my staples during my NEET days (lol).
But your body is your capital.
When I reviewed my diet, not only did my physical health improve, but my mood stabilized too.

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⑧ Spending all day in pajamas🛌

Lazing around all day without changing clothes...
But just going outside changes your mood and your luck!
The courage to step outside just a little bit opened up a new world for me.

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⑨ Pachinko🎰

The illusion that 'if I'm lucky, I can win.'
There were times when I was in the black, but
the moment I lost, I thought, 'What am I doing?'
Using money and time for my own growth is far more cost-effective!

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⑩ Sleeping until noon🌞

A life of staying up late and sleeping until noon...
But when you start moving in the morning, the day feels so much longer!
This 'expansion of time' was truly a weapon that changed my life.

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The many things I 'gained' by letting go✨

You might feel anxious about having to 'let go of something.'
But it's not about losing; it's about choosing.

For everything I let go of,
new opportunities, encounters, confidence, and control over my life have slowly returned.

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Finally🌱

'Letting go' doesn't mean 'losing'; it means choosing your future.
What will you keep, and what will you let go of?
I hope my story serves as a 'hint' for you if you're struggling right now.

Let's take one new step today!
If you liked this, please give it a 'Like' or follow me✨