To Work Or Not To Work

It's day 344 of documenting 2025.

21 days to 2026!

Today being Wednesday gave off some weekend vibes.

But I had lectures tho...

They were pretty interesting actually as both the lecturers, at their different times, shared relateable and funny stories that made us understand what was being taught.

After lectures, I had to go pick up my fabric for the festival on Friday....and it was another set of unplanned expenses.

I had to dip into my savings and then I realized how important it is to have emergency funds.

Imagine if I didn't have the money!

Anyways, I called my dad and made my first attempt at a conversation in my native language.

It was pretty rocky...but my dad understood and went along with it.

I even made him laugh out loud at the closing moments of our conversation.

He agreed to help me out with some of the expenses I described to him...and then commended me on the fact that I was earning from my online writing job.

It's not so easy....with me even thinking of quitting the job.

Details on that later 😌

In a nutshell, today wasn't so bad.

I vibed with my coursemates as usual, got to learn a new route/road, and finally gave my fashion designer my fabric.

She has a wonderful idea for how the attire will turn out...and she's going to work it in time for Friday.

Let's see how it goes.

Alright...time for highlights!

We do the usual yeah?

The highlight, my take on the topic and then concluding words.

365 Days With Self-discipline

📌 On the Desire for Safety

"The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise."

Quote by Tacitus

When setting any new goals, the desire for safety will fight against the desire for growth.  

Choosing safety is choosing instant gratification, while going for growth might be uncomfortable now, but will eventually deliver bigger and better rewards.

Learn how to overcome the desire for safety by regularly expanding your comfort zone and reaping the rewards of doing so. 

It’s hard to imagine how beneficial temporarily giving up safety can be unless you actually do it. 

No words of mine will persuade you more than you actually venturing out, testing it for yourself, and feeling more powerful, thanks to facing your fears.

You can also follow the strategy of alternating between periods of safety and growth: after each big step forward that required courage and put you in an uncomfortable situation, give yourself a few days to enjoy safety. 

Then, when you feel secure and recharged, expose yourself to danger and growth again. That way, you’ll consistently stretch yourself in a sustainable way, without ever completely exhausting your mental energy.

That’s what I often do during my rock climbing workouts: on some workouts I favor technical routes that require little courage but lots of focus and then on other workouts, I climb difficult, mental routes where a fear of falling enters into the equation.

Thanks to this approach, I rarely don’t feel like climbing; whenever I don’t feel mentally ready to give up the feeling of security, I can simply do something else and then expand my comfort zone the next time, when I’ll have recovered.

Stretch your comfort zone frequently, but do it in a sustainable way: ensure that you regularly get to enjoy at least a short period of security to gather energy for another expedition that will take you beyond your comfort zone.

One thing I've noticed?

Security and growth don't go together.

It's either one or the other and you have to choose one.

Okay, here's my own scenario...

I have this online job.

I get paid every month, unfailingly....but I feel this nudge to try something new.

A different kind of strategy or business that will enable me to earn more.

There's this security that comes with a monthly salary, as I know there's something coming in.

But where's the growth?

Maybe I'm feeling this way because I tend to get distracted on WhatsApp, which is where my online job is based.

And as a fresher, I haven't really set up a system that will enable me to balance work and study.

Right now, it's all mushed up...with me getting into more activities and engagements by the day.

Imagine me being a course rep and representing my class in the royal family!

Not to forget that I have to study as well and come out with an A at the end of the semester.

(Don't even know how I'll do that...)

And I have an online job!

Sometimes it feels like I'm doing too much....and maybe I am.

But there's this sweet spot I get to when I'm engaged in multiple activities.

I can't really explain it 😌

For the online job, I had promised to work for six months...and this month will make it two months in.

Come to think of it...

As a student, the stable job is actually a benefit. If I wasn't a student, I could probably handle a more unstable job.

It's me, hi 🎵

I'm the problem

It's me 🎶

(You remember that song?)

I haven't come up with s suitable system for balance yet...and I want to quit the only job that will enable me save up money for emergency funds.

Like the money I used to buy my fabric. It was my money.

Someone that works must earn, right?

It's a Bible principle.

Another Bible principle is that of solid foundations.

"A wise man buildeth his house upon a rock".

I'm still in the foundation phase.

Christ is my firm foundation 🎶

The rock on which I stand

When everything around me is shaking 🎵

I've never been more glad...

(Remember that song?)

One thing I sometimes pick up when youth-oriented motivational speakers talk is this:

"It's advisable to build something solid first before venturing into another thing"

Honestly, I don't need that instability right now...

I don't need to venture into something new because I'm going into a new year.

I just need to set up new systems for doing things.

If I can continue doing what I do best to earn, then I can come up with a repeatable system for students that enables them to balance study and work...in a way that they fail in neither.

Talk about doing it for the greater good 😄

I think I've said enough for today's post.

I really just wanted to analyze my situation..and I've seen it from a better angle.

For me to have really thought about it in this manner, it means God doesn't want me to quit.

I've committed to six months, and I'm going to keep to it 😌

He was there when I made that commitment, and I believe He'll help me balance it all.

Thanks for reading 🎀

I believe my experience in 2025 is going to be a story that will inspire millions in the future.

This year has been so dynamic...in a way that surpasses coincidence.

Until it ends, I'll keep writing.

I'll keep sharing.

I'll keep documenting.

See you in the next post 💜