2024: The Year I Stopped Wasting Time and Money

There are several habits I chose to let go of in 2024, identifying them as burdens that distracted me from focusing on the more important aspects of my future and personal growth.

Letโ€™s dive into the first one.

1. Cancelling my Netflix subscription: Although I once enjoyed countless hours of streaming, I realized I had to stop watching Netflix altogether. The series and movies failed to captivate me, and I found myself waiting impatiently for entire seasons to release, just so I could binge-watch them over a weekend. Ultimately, I recognized this as a waste of precious time. Scrolling through Netflix became a fruitless search for sensational content, much like mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. I had fallen into a consumer mindset, chasing that fleeting dopamine rush. Since unsubscribing, I havenโ€™t missed Netflix at all. Not only did I save money on the monthly fee, but I also reclaimed valuable time for productive activities like diving into books on financial education, tending to my garden, and researching topics for my blog.

2. Stopping unnecessary purchases: At the beginning of the year, I made a conscious decision to focus solely on acquiring essential items for my future. This included a new MacBook Air, camera gear, outdoor equipment for hiking and fishing, gardening tools, and educational books. Previously, I had a habit of pursuing deals on trivial items I didnโ€™t truly need. Even though I could afford them, the thrill of snagging discounts proved to be misleading. By redirecting my disposable income towards investments, I began to witness significant returns with minimal effort. This transformation from consumption to investment has been immensely fulfilling, especially as my returns have grown monthly, igniting a passion for exploring better investment opportunities.

3. Quitting the worry about others’ opinions: My experiences with blogging and vlogging have taught me that overthinking and striving for perfection can lead to paralysis. By committing to daily blogging and weekly vlogging, I shifted my perspective from โ€œI canโ€™t do itโ€ to โ€œI just do it,” imperfections and all. Taking action is far more important than endless hesitation.

For example, when I first flew my FPV drone, the Dji Neo, I felt exhilaratedโ€”one of my childhood dreams had finally come to life. I had always wanted to be a jet fighter pilot but was encouraged to pursue a different career path. Now, flying an FPV drone is the closest I can get to that dream, delivering the thrill and sense of freedom I longed for.

Reflecting on how these changes have profoundly influenced my life is fascinating. These seemingly small shifts in behavior and choices have paved the way for significant personal growth and a more promising financial future.

Iโ€™m excited to see what new changes I will embrace in 2025โ€”how about you?

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This blog is for thoughtful adults who are starting again โ€” in learning, creativity, or life โ€” and want to grow steadily without noise or pressure.

Here youโ€™ll find daily reflections and practical guides shaped by lived experience. The focus is on learning through doing: building consistency, adapting to change, and finding clarity in everyday practice.

The stories and guides here come from real processes โ€” creative experiments, hands-on projects, life in rural Japan, working with nature, and learning new skills step by step. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is polished for performance. The aim is steady progress, honest reflection, and practical insight you can actually use.

If youโ€™re curious about life in Japan, learning new skills at your own pace, or finding a calmer, more intentional way forward, youโ€™re in the right place.

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