Resolution 2022 — Read a book every month, April 2022.

人生一定要懂断舍离

Loose translation of the title, You have to know how to cut away, give away and leave behind in your life.

你若澄澈，世界就干净

If you are clear, your world shall be clean.

你若简单，世界就很难复杂

If you are simple, it will be difficult for your world to be complicated.

I saw a number of China female celebrities referencing this book on TikTok so I bought them online because I had difficulty finding them in bookstores.

On the topic of cleaning up, we all have to clear and let go of unwanted stuff periodically before it becomes a burden. Same goes for intangible things like fame, position, wealth, health family, friends love and relationships. This includes trouble, depression, setbacks and stress. Are they necessary? Does it spark joy? No wonder Marie Kondo is so popular because everyone needs to clean up at some point in their life

Clearing up, cleaning up, be contented, live a simple life seemed to take quite a big chuck of the book.

I do like the part it mentioned about slowing down (放慢生活的脚步) and enjoying the moments. The analogy on the difference in experience between drinking a bowl of soya bean milk in 5 minutes versus 15 minutes (It could be tea or coffee). We often rush to complete tasks and we often missed the moments worth savouring.

The other part I like was having a healthy hobby. Eating, drinking and ktv seemed to be out of the equation. I guess my hobby is writing. I started blogging 17 years ago. I like writing so much to the extent that I took up a Mass Communications to learn the different types of writing. I tried looking for a job in communications but ended up in HR. I enjoyed writing newsletters for the department then.

They say if you can work in what you enjoy then you won’t feel like working at all. My last job in a tech giant was in the communications department which I am in no hurry to get back to. Work took the fun out of writing. Maybe I don’t love writing that much then.

On the whole, the book made sense but I didn’t have much eureka moments. It could be the comprehension of the Chinese language as I don’t think I get the underlying meaning and references in the text so I am not doing justice to the book.

Nonetheless, I think my Chinese language went up a notch after reading this book.