My income is low, but I feel that my current life is the richest.
I currently have the lowest income of my life!But strangely enough, I don't feel like I'm "poor" or that "life is hard."
On the contrary, by living resourcefully,
I feel that "I am much richer now than I was in the past."
■ "Low income" does not mean "poor"
Of course, if you have money...
✔︎ You don't have to hold back on things you want.✔︎ You can travel to distant countries.
✔︎ Your chances to gain experience increase.✔︎ You don't have to turn down invitations from friends.
These are the kinds of benefits you get.
But now, I have become able to enjoy life with what is right in front of me.
■ By not buying things, my life started to fall into place
For example, I used to frequently run out to buy clothes needed for work the day before.
(Requests like "Please wear a black jacket with a collar" would come in the day before.)
Driven by necessity for just one day, I would buy clothes I didn't even want, and then immediately give them to my mother or sell them.
"Am I working just to buy work clothes I don't even want?"I would always think things like that.
Paying for clothes I didn't want was a huge source of stress for me.
But now,
I am enjoying a "don't buy clothes game."
When I try on every single piece of clothing I have in the house, I surprisingly find things that suit me now.Clothes I bought three years ago that I thought,
"I never wear these, that was a bad purchase,"
somehow feel just right now. I'm glad I didn't throw them away.And above all, I realized that not buying clothes I don't want is so much less stressful.
From now on, I want to try to buy only the clothes I really want.
■ Changing clothes for the season was necessary
Before, to avoid having to change clothes for the season, I would hang all my clothes for the year in the closet at once.
That way, it was obvious what clothes I had, and it was convenient for keeping track of the amount of clothing. Sometimes I would even layer summer clothes to wear in winter.
But now, I do a small seasonal change.
I take the clothes I'll wear in the coming season out of the drawer and hang them in the closet.
Then, I put the out-of-season clothes in the drawer.It's just that, but when I change clothes for the season, the clothes I haven't seen in a while feel fresh.
This is a feeling I couldn't experience back when I lived without changing clothes for the season.
■ Richness is in the small daily habits
What I feel is the "richest" is,
my morning coffee time.I cut expenses where I can, but I want to drink good coffee.
I grind the beans and brew them slowly with a hand drip. My secret pleasure is buying different coffee beans each time and comparing them.
A morning where my five senses awaken, healed by the aroma, sound, and beautiful color of the coffee.Choosing a coffee cup to match my mood or the weather is also a morning pleasure.
On days when I wake up early, I like to go out to the balcony and drink coffee while feeling the air of the still-quiet city. Sometimes I even bring my coffee equipment to the balcony and brew it outside.
■ You can enjoy things through creativity without spending money
Actually, I'm not very good at baking.
Following a recipe exactly doesn't suit my personality, so I get frustrated while I'm doing it.But this is also one of the essential pleasures of my rich life. It's a bit of a contradiction to enjoy something I'm bad at, isn't it?
Butter and heavy cream are expensive, but it's much cheaper than buying from a cake shop, and it's great that there are no unnecessary additives! Plus, homemade food is delicious.
And since I'm not used to making it, it takes all day every time.
That, conversely, is perfect for filling the 'gaps in my alone time' on days when I don't have work.
■ Cleaning is also perfect for filling time
Cleaning clears my mind, and time passes in the blink of an eye. The house becomes sparkling clean, and the air even tastes better.
■ Using everything up to the end
Recently, I've been trying to use up all the dried goods, seasonings, and skincare products in my kitchen to the very end.
For skincare, I strictly follow the rule of 'not opening one after another.'By actively using up the many types of flour I had, or legumes that were a bit of a hassle to cook,
my kitchen drawers have become much tidier.
■ Choosing what I want to eat
Health comes first!
Even if you have a lot of money, you can't enjoy it if you aren't healthy.I've started choosing ingredients not just because they are 'cheap,' but because I want to 'eat things that make my body happy.'
Recently, I've been making an effort to incorporate a variety of ingredients in a balanced way, keeping 'Ma-Go-Wa-Ya-Sa-Shi-I' (*) in mind.
Since health can't be bought with money, I really want to cherish it.
That said, it doesn't mean I'm overly concerned about additives or only buying organic ingredients.
I eat cup noodles, mayonnaise, and mentsuyu (noodle soup base) too. I love them!
I can't buy expensive meat, but I can buy meat that fits my budget. Locally produced fish, vegetables, pork, and chicken. Local ingredients are delicious and reasonably priced.
If you cook them using methods suited to those ingredients, even non-luxury ingredients are incredibly delicious!
■ Connections with people fill my heart
When I go to the neighborhood park with my camera in the morning, there are people with cameras just like me, and sometimes we talk.
When I'm looking at flowers, the older men and women in the neighborhood talk to me. I'm happy for these gentle, once-in-a-lifetime encounters.
The other day, a friend and I made and ate takoyaki at my house.It wasn't a special party, we just made takoyaki for the two of us, but... I felt that such casual moments are the treasures of my daily life.
I thought that being able to have fun without spending money might actually be a very rich thing.
■ The places where I spend money have changed
Until a little while ago, I spent money on things, but now I often spend money on experiences.
Instead of thinking 'I can't go on a trip because I'm saving money,' I can cut expenses that aren't necessary for me right now, or sell things I no longer need on flea market sites, and turn things into experiences.
When I'm traveling, I decide to spend freely! I enjoy it to the fullest!
In daily life, I tighten my purse strings!
Also, I recently joined a career school. The entrance fee and monthly dues aren't cheap, but it gives me many times more fulfillment than spending money on useless things or social obligations.
■ Richness is not about appearance or numbers
At first glance, my daily life is plain.
I eat out less, and I don't buy many clothes either.
Even so, I think my current life is rich.
Even in an unchanging daily routine, there are days with little realizations, and days without.I find my current life with less work more comfortable than those days when my hair turned gray all at once due to work pressure.I feel deep down that "richness"
is not about appearances or money.Well, to be honest, I want to earn enough to go on trips every month by doing what I love and what I'm good at!!
But, how should I earn money?
I don't currently have any special skills that can earn me money.So, how should I earn?
This is my eternal theme.
Lastly, here is an autumn illustration.
If you search for
"Kurashi no Tsurara Autumn"in the Everyone's Photo Gallery, it will appear! Please feel free to use it through the Everyone's Photo Gallery.
