Celebrating my birthday with something different

What to do when our lives get crazy, becoming more mindful with social media, favorite horoscope website, and the growth of food delivery in China

Hi friend!

So it was my birthday this past week and I celebrated with family & friends in Taipei. (shout out to my fellow Aries!)

To celebrate my birthday this year, I was planning on doing something extraordinary. What ended up happening was the most low-key birthday I've ever had. I woke up, ate lunch with my family in Taipei, and went along my way to Ko Samui, Thailand. No all-night parties. No lavish dinner. No crazy experience to share on social media. (Not even gorging on sweets - I gave up sugar as part of my diet change 😕)

During my sickness, I realized that many of these things (although really fun) weren't adding tremendous value to my life. They were using up my finite resources - time & energy. And as much as I would have loved to celebrate my birthday with all of my friends I adore, I decided to do something different. I chose to spend it with my family that I haven't always had the best relationship with.

Like pulling an old splinter out of a healed wound, I had to dig into the areas that I had worked on in therapy years ago. Growing up, there was always tension between my traditional cultural roots and liberal western values. A part of me wants to make my family "proud" and the other part of me longs to live my truth.

I am not the "picture-perfect" Asian son/brother/nephew, but the things that make me "imperfect" - my sexuality, my passions, my dreams, is what makes me who I am. Perhaps there is a balance between these beliefs and I am seeking it with an open heart.

This week, I have a quick video being still when life becomes hectic. The power of stillness provides a moment for our mind and heart to evaluate where to go next.

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Speaking of Being in the Moment...

This article could not have arrived at a better time. I recently paused my daily vlogs on YouTube thinking this same exact thing. Vice's Eda Yu writes about how documenting our lives through social media negatively affects our ability to retain memories.

"Yet as 'being present' becomes increasingly part of our conversation around mindfulness, truly being able to stay disconnected from social media seems to grow more difficult with each passing year. The rapid-fire rhythm of the digital universe doesn’t let up, nor does the pressure to keep up. And while we feel the problem poignantly on a voluntary, consumer level, it’s exacerbated when we feel like we have to post against our will."

Each time we post a story on Instagram or Snapchat (does anyone use Snapchat still?) in lieu of being present, we disengage with the moment. We become present with the act of capturing the moment rather than the moment itself.

Really interesting read.

My Favorite Monthly Horoscope

If anything comes to mind while on the topic of birthdays, it's horoscopes. And yes, I confess. I read horoscopes. To be fair, Susan Miller's Astrologyzone is the only one I religiously read. She publishes only once a month and it's pretty accurate. For the months I miss, I love reading the archives to see how accurate they are. How accurate her predictions scare me sometimes.

I Can't Escape Food Delivery

During my travels, I am amazed to see how quickly technologies take over cities. The last time I was in Taiwan just a few years ago, I don't remember seeing any food delivery scooters. Now, they are parked on every block. You can also get McDonald's delivered to anywhere at any time for just $1. The convenience and cost are astounding.

I recently read this Bloomberg article on food delivery in China. When food is cheaper delivered, it totally makes sense why people get every meal delivered in Beijing. Though I can't help but think there are social and economic implications we have yet to experience. Will this encourage people to never leave their homes? Will low-cost brick & mortar restaurants be able to compete on price? Only time will tell.

As always, thanks for reading!

P.S. If you enjoyed this, share or sign up here: mindfulmoments.substack.com

Anything else? You can always hit "reply" to email me directly. 💌

Have a beautiful day!

Metta (loving-kindness),
Steven

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