Why I Choose To Live A "Boring" Life at 25

Summary

The speaker reflects on societal pressures and expectations from their late teens, leading to anxiety about career and materialism. Moving abroad for new perspectives, they discovered the importance of living in the present moment, embracing a simple and slow lifestyle, and valuing personal happiness over societal norms. This realization brought peace and contentment, emphasizing the subjective nature of fun and the beauty in simple activities.

Takeaways

• 😔 The speaker feels disappointed with their life at 25, believing they are wasting their potential.
• 🌐 There is a societal pressure in Western countries to follow a specific path of productivity and economic contribution.
• 🤔 The speaker was unsure of their values and what they wanted to do, leading to anxiety about making life decisions.
• 🌟 At 20, the speaker realized societal standards were causing anxiety and decided to move abroad to find new perspectives.
• 🌱 The realization that the present moment is all we have helped alleviate social pressure and stress.
• 🏡 Embracing a simple and slow lifestyle focused on what truly matters, like family, friends, and hobbies, brought happiness.
• 🙅‍♂️ Learning to say no to unnecessary things and protecting personal energy and values is crucial.
• 🏃‍♀️ Finding joy in simple activities like running, cleaning, and even sewing reflects a shift in what brings fulfillment.
• 🏡 A desire to live in a cabin or a simple space away from the noise of modern life is expressed.
• 🌿 The speaker no longer seeks fame but values a peaceful and simple life, despite occasional doubts and anxieties.
• 💤 Ending the day with a peaceful mind and heart is what truly matters, signifying contentment with the chosen lifestyle.

Q & A

How does the speaker feel about their life at 25 compared to their younger self's expectations?

The speaker feels that their younger self would be disappointed, thinking they are wasting their life and potential, as they have not followed the societal norms they felt pressured to follow in their late teens.

What societal pressures did the speaker feel during their late teens?

The speaker felt the pressure to conform to society's norms, such as being productive daily, working hard to climb the corporate ladder, and using savings to support the economy.

Why did the speaker decide to move abroad at the age of 20?

The speaker decided to move abroad to find new perspectives in life and escape the societal standards that were causing them anxiety, as they needed space to understand themselves and their values better.

What realization did the speaker come to while living abroad?

The speaker realized that the present moment is all they have and that they should focus on what they can do now, rather than being influenced by past or future concerns.

How did the realization about the present moment impact the speaker's life?

This realization brought the speaker peace, allowing them to let go of social pressure and stress, and to understand that they are already happy with their current life situation.

What lifestyle changes did the speaker adopt after realizing the importance of the present moment?

The speaker adopted a simple and slow lifestyle, focusing on things that truly matter to them, such as spending time with friends and family, and pursuing hobbies and passions like studying languages.

How has the speaker's perspective on material possessions changed after their realization?

The speaker no longer feels the need to acquire material possessions like a house, car, or a large number of friends, as they have found happiness and fulfillment in a simpler lifestyle.

What does the speaker mean when they say 'fun is subjective'?

The speaker means that what one person finds enjoyable may not be the same for another, and they have found joy in activities that others, including their past self, might find boring.

How does the speaker view their current lifestyle compared to their teenage years?

The speaker views their current lifestyle as peaceful and fulfilling, contrasting with their teenage years when they aspired to be famous and accomplished in a more conventional sense.

What is the speaker's attitude towards their life choices and the simple life they lead?

The speaker embraces their life choices and the simple life they lead, finding peace and contentment in it, despite occasional doubts and anxieties.

What is the speaker's advice for those who might be feeling similar pressures as they once did?

The speaker suggests finding one's own values, focusing on the present moment, and embracing a simple lifestyle that prioritizes what truly matters to the individual.

Outlines

00:00

🚶‍♂️ Searching for Life's True Path

The speaker reflects on the societal pressures they felt in their late teens to conform to a productive lifestyle, climbing the corporate ladder, and contributing to the economy. They express their struggle with not knowing their values or what they truly wanted to do, which led to anxiety and fear of making life decisions. The realization came at 20, prompting a move abroad to find new perspectives. This journey led to the understanding that the present moment is all we have, and focusing on it brought peace and the ability to let go of societal expectations. The speaker discovered happiness in a simple, slow-paced lifestyle, valuing personal interests and relationships over materialistic achievements.

05:01

🏡 Embracing a Simple and Peaceful Existence

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the shift in their outlook on life from seeking fame and recognition during their teenage years to valuing a simple and peaceful life in the present. They acknowledge the occasional bad days and moments of anxiety but emphasize that they now sleep and wake with a peaceful mind and heart. The speaker finds joy in mundane activities that bring them a sense of accomplishment and internal cleansing, such as running without music or cleaning their house. They also explore new hobbies like sewing, which they find fulfilling despite its simplicity. The speaker concludes by expressing a desire to live in a cabin away from the noise, suggesting a continued pursuit of a tranquil and meaningful life.

Keywords

💡Disappointment

Disappointment refers to the feeling of dissatisfaction or unhappiness when one's expectations are not met. In the video, the speaker mentions that their younger self might be disappointed with their current life, indicating a gap between past aspirations and present reality. This concept is central to the video's theme of societal expectations versus personal fulfillment.

💡Societal Norms

Societal norms are the shared expectations and standards that govern behavior within a society. The speaker talks about feeling pressured to conform to these norms, such as being productive and climbing the corporate ladder. This concept is integral to the video's exploration of how societal pressures can lead to anxiety and a sense of being trapped in a predetermined path.

💡Productivity

Productivity is the effectiveness of production, as measured in terms of the rate of output per unit of input. The speaker discusses the societal push towards being productive daily, which they view as a part of the pressure to conform to societal norms. This term is used to illustrate the relentless drive for success and achievement that can overshadow personal happiness.

💡Corporate Ladder

The corporate ladder is a metaphor for the hierarchical structure within a company, where one must climb to achieve higher positions and greater power. The speaker mentions the expectation to climb this ladder as part of societal norms, highlighting the competitive nature of career advancement and its impact on personal well-being.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. The speaker experiences anxiety from societal standards, such as the need to buy new clothes or choose a degree, which underscores the emotional toll that societal pressures can have on individuals.

💡Soul Searching

Soul searching is a deep and introspective examination of one's own motives, character, or beliefs. The speaker decides to move abroad for soul searching, aiming to find new perspectives in life. This concept is pivotal in the video's narrative, as it represents a turning point in the speaker's journey towards self-discovery and personal fulfillment.

💡Present Moment

The present moment is the current point in time, as opposed to the past or future. The speaker emphasizes the importance of focusing on the present moment rather than being preoccupied with past achievements or future expectations. This idea is central to the video's message of living in the moment and finding peace in the present.

💡Simple Lifestyle

A simple lifestyle is one that is not complicated or luxurious, often characterized by minimalism and a focus on essential needs. The speaker finds happiness in a simple lifestyle, which contrasts with societal expectations of material wealth and success. This term is used to illustrate the speaker's shift in values towards a more content and less materialistic way of life.

💡Values

Values are the principles or standards of behavior transmitted through culture or tradition that play a role in guiding behavior. The speaker talks about discovering their own values, such as spending time with friends and family, which helps them find happiness and fulfillment. This concept is key to the video's theme of personal growth and self-awareness.

💡Saying No

Saying no is the act of refusing something or rejecting an offer. The speaker mentions the importance of saying no to things that do not align with their values, which is a part of their journey towards a simpler and more focused life. This term is used to demonstrate the speaker's newfound ability to prioritize their own needs and desires over societal expectations.

💡Subjective Fun

Subjective fun refers to activities or experiences that are enjoyable to an individual, regardless of what others might think. The speaker finds joy in activities that others might find boring, such as running without music or cleaning the house. This concept is used to highlight the personal nature of what brings happiness and how it can differ from societal norms.

Highlights

The speaker feels disappointed with their life at 25, believing they are wasting their potential.

During late teens, there was pressure to follow societal norms and a certain lifestyle.

The speaker felt anxiety from societal standards, such as needing new clothes or picking a degree.

At 20, the speaker decided to move abroad alone to find new perspectives in life.

The realization that the present moment is all we have led to peace and letting go of social pressure.

Happiness and fulfillment can be found without needing a perfect career or materialistic things.

The speaker values a simple, slow lifestyle focusing on things that truly matter, like family, friends, and hobbies.

Studying languages and other passions bring happiness, even without external rewards.

Learning to say no to things that don't align with personal values and protecting one's energy.

Fun is subjective; activities like running or cleaning can be enjoyable and fulfilling.

The speaker finds joy in creating clothes, which was previously considered boring.

Simple living has led to finding fun in activities that were once thought boring.

The speaker contemplates moving to a cabin for an even simpler and peaceful life.

Nowadays, the speaker falls asleep and wakes up with a peaceful mind and heart.

The speaker no longer seeks to be famous but values a simple and peaceful life.

Despite bad days and doubts, the speaker finds peace in their lifestyle choices.

The video concludes with the speaker encouraging viewers to stay kind and meaningful on their journey.

Transcripts

If you would show the younger me what kind of life  I'm living today at 25 he would be disappointed  

and think I'm wasting my life and potential.  But there's something I realized later when  

I was in my late teens so basically 18-19,  I felt this like pressure really to follow  

what are the like society's norms and I think  I'm not the only one feeling this. I feel in  

the Western countries we are pushed at a very  young age to this certain path and lifestyle  

of needing to be productive daily, working hard  to climb up the corporate ladder and then using  

your savings to provide for the economy. And  as most I was going to follow this path as  

well but the difficulty was that I really had  no ideas what I want to do I really didn't know  

myself and what are my values and I was really  afraid to make any step forward because I felt  

like that's then the last step I will ever take.  When I turned 20 I realized that many of these  

societal standards had started to give me a  lot of anxiety from small things like needing  

to buy new clothes every season or going out  on the weekends to bigger things like picking  

a degree and going to study. I needed to take  space from all this and decided to move abroad  

alone to find new perspectives in life, no idea  even what, just something new and different.

And while doing this soul searching abroad I  realized one thing that the present moment is  

the only thing that we have I shouldn't focus on  what I was in the past or necessarily what will  

I be in the future what's the right path but what  I have now, what I can do now. And realizing this  

gave me so much peace I could let go of all that  social pressure and stress and realized actually I  

am pretty happy already in life right now. I don't  necessarily need to find that perfect career or  

have some perfect materialistic thing like a house  or a car or like a bunch of friends or something.  

And this is where it really clicked and I realized  that my thing is really the simple lifestyle,  

slow lifestyle, focusing on only the things  that really matter to me for example being  

with friends, being with family, my hobbies,  other little passions that I have for example  

studying languages. Like even though it wouldn't  give me something external still I should do that  

if that really is something that makes me feel  happy and fulfilled. So once I found out what  

are my values what I really want to do and what  I don't want to do I started to say no much more  

people asking me to do certain stuff or seeing  some amazing offers for example very cheap some  

new stuff that I knew that I kind of don't need  even though it's cheap I started to say no to  

all those things that I don't need you. I was very  much protecting my own energy and my own values.  

And one really important thing that I realized  and I want to share with you is that fun is so  

subjective. There are many things that I do that  people find and probably also the past me finds  

very boring for example going to run for one hour  one and a half hours without any like music or  

podcast but I just find it so fun like it gives  me so much peace, so many new ideas that I love  

to do it even though if you think of it there's  nothing there's just me putting my foot ahead  

of the other and that's basically it but still  there's something so beautiful in that. Other  

stuff are for example cleaning the house, I used  to find that boring as well but now it's like when  

I clean or when I take a shower it's like when  I'm cleaning something external I'm also cleaning  

something internal. It feels also that I have  accomplished something and I can like visually  

see it nicer but also I made something more  pure something that was a little bit cluttered.

I like how here you can really hear the leaves  dropping from the trees first there's silence and  

a little bit of wind the wind goes away and then  you can hear all the leaves hitting the ground

And also recently I have started something that  I never thought I would do and that they saw in  

clothes like I haven't done it so much I suck  at it to be honest but it's doing something  

it's creating something with your hands that  is so cool there's something really primal  

I think in that makes it so fun. In school you  know I did it when I was I don't know 12 years  

old and I always thought that they see they're  boring on it then it was that time to you know  

talk with friends and not do any of that but  nowadays it's just I could put some nice Lo-Fi  

music behind and you know just create clothes  that's amazing. And sometimes I really think  

that if these are the things that I find now  after I don't know a few years of slow living  

simple living I find this fun maybe in 10  years I live in like a cave or something.  

So there will be an update video from cave.  I mean I really want to move like in a cabin  

or somewhere else that would be super cool and  not have to listen to these train sounds while  

I'm filming a video. Nowadays when people ask  how am I doing what I've been up to lately it's  

sometimes very difficult to find the answer to  that because could be that I didn't do much of  

course you know I work and exercise and all that  stuff but there isn't these huge things anymore...

Definitely need to move to a cabin

I used to think when I was in my teenager years  that I wish to be somebody special, somebody like  

famous for amazing things but nowadays I don't  really care I think simple life is something that  

already should be celebrated as it is. I mean  of course till I have bad days I have anxiety  

and doubts about this whole lifestyle and my life  choices and all that but what is different from  

when I was 17 year old is that nowadays when I go  to sleep I fall asleep with a peaceful mind and a  

peaceful heart and I can wake up also with those.  And I think that's all that matters in the end.  

So maybe for some it is a boring life but for me  it's just a peaceful life. If you like this video  

I'm sure you will like this one as well. Thank  you so much for watching remember to stay kind  

and meaningful in your own beautiful journey.  Seve signing out until the next one, ciao!