Hey friends!

Quick update: I’ve been in Thailand these last two weeks, moving from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. As planned, I’ve started training Muay Thai. I got absolutely destroyed on day one, but it’s kind of amazing how quickly my conditioning is improving, and I’m excited to continue.

This week I wanted to reflect on impermanence.

It feels fitting since I’m in a heavily Buddhist country, where understanding and accepting impermanence is a core idea of Buddhism.

Since starting my sabbatical / career break / gap year, I’ve been moving around quite a lot. And in doing so, I’ve had to confront the impermanence of my environment, my relationships, and my possessions.

First – my environment is constantly shifting. As I move from country to country, or even just hostel to hostel, I’m constantly adapting to new beds, climates, languages, and more. As soon as I start getting comfortable, I’m on to the next stop. I have to let go of what I loved about the last place, and gear up to embrace what’s next.

[Side note: The other day, I found myself replaying my journey in my head. I’m genuinely amazed by all the places I’ve seen and people I’ve met up to this point. While exciting, it’s a weird feeling to wake up in a new place every few days. Like I’m just a ghost floating through space, rather than a real person. It’s made me realize that I don’t see myself digital nomad-ing indefinitely. Eventually, I want to establish roots, engage with my community, and feel the sense of belonging that comes from committing to living somewhere long-term. I still like the idea of traveling 2-3 months a year though 🙂 ]

Second – my relationships have changed. Throughout my trip, I’ve made new friends along the way. We often become close quickly—there’s something about meeting people while traveling that opens you up to sharing secrets, anxieties, and hopes that you’d hesitate to share at home. However, a few days later, it’s time to say goodbye and more likely than not, you’ll never see them again. My relationships with friends back home have changed as well. Nowadays, I find myself with a lot of empty time to reflect, while most of my friends continue grinding away at their 9-5’s (no shade, might be me again once I head back). I feel a growing distance between us as our experiences continue to diverge, and we lose common ground in our conversations. But I’m learning to accept it as what happens when we live independent lives with different goals and dreams.

Third – my possessions keep disappearing! Since I’m traveling with just a 28L backpack, I’ve become very aware of everything I own. So far, I’ve lost my water bottle (week 3), my Apple watch (week 7), and one of my books (week 10). In every situation, it’s because I was moving from point A to point B and got distracted, losing track of items that weren’t carefully packed away in my bag. I was upset at first, but it was actually a relief to have one less thing to worry about. I’ve learned to let the negative emotions go quickly. There’s nothing I can really do to recover these items, so why stay miserable?

I ended up discovering a well-stocked used bookstore, coincidentally called “The Lost Book Shop”, shortly after losing my book. The universe has a sense of humor!

I’ve never been one to spiral emotionally, but accepting impermanence has made me feel more peaceful—maybe even happier. After this sabbatical, I’d like to bring this attitude back home, and I think it’ll make me more resilient to the challenges and stressors of “normal” life.

Next week, I’ll be attending a 1-day meditation training at a nearby temple, where maybe I’ll dive into this idea more deeply. Or maybe my legs will just go numb.

Stay tuned for more updates, and have a great week!

Tim

📖 What I’m reading recently

• Newcomer by Keigo Higashino – While browsing Kinokuniya (a Japanese bookstore chain), I stumbled on a collection of books by Keigo Higashino, a Japanese author famous for his detective mystery novels. Newcomer was an easy entry into his body of work. You follow along with Detective Kaga as he solves a series of seemingly minor mysteries surrounding a murder in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, from “who bought this mochi?” to “who shoplifted this toy spinning top?” It all builds up to a grand reveal, but a lot of the joy is in just following along with Kaga as he discovers the new neighborhood he’s moved into. If you haven’t picked up a mystery book in a while, give this a try!

• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy – I wanted to challenge myself again with another hefty classic. This novel follows the gradual downfall of Anna Karenina, a married woman in high society who engages in an affair. It dives into the themes of family, marriage, infidelity, love, and the social expectations of the time. I’m only about 1/3 of the way through, so things are just starting to crumble for Anna. But despite the different era and setting, I appreciate seeing how the emotional experiences described mirror the ones people navigate today. I guess that’s why some books become classics, because people never really change.