SINGAPORE: A woman online has shared that the lifestyle in Singapore negatively affected her friends, alleging that the stress of living in the red dot has drained those close to her.
She recalled that her friends used to be enthusiastic, discussing their hopes and dreams for the future whenever they would meet up in the past. These days, however, all they ever talked about were the “rising costs of living, hopeless BTO queue numbers, and poor workplace conditions.”
“It’s sad that living and growing up in SG drains the life out of people, and it takes a lot for the dreams that we had to actually materialize. I work in the creative field and I can always feel how uninspired and unmotivated everyone is,” the woman wrote on r/askSingapore on Saturday (Feb 24).
“How are you keeping your dreams alive?”
“Enjoy the little things in life. Try to be positive.”
In the comments section, many people offered the woman advice.
One redditor shared, “Think in short 2 to 3 years block when planning. Enjoy the little things in life. Try to be positive. That helps me to enjoy my life better. I’m not really sure what my dream is, but I sure as hell would love to stop working, have a nice retirement fund, and just dabble in a small business venture like a hole in a wall cafe or bike cafe. Simplicity is the best.”
Another commented, “This is the part where I come in to tell you to avoid social media. You see others living their lives, then you are depressed, then you go find more friends that emo together with you, then become even more depressed.
“Find positive friends and look ahead together. Don’t be that person that spreads their negativity around. Nobody likes a negative nancy.”
Other redditors agreed with this and told the woman that she should surround herself with people who are gunning for career changes, startup founders, entrepreneurs, and generally people who are busy changing their dreams.
A few also advised the woman to set small, realistic goals, such as waking up early in the morning, going for a walk or jog, and giving herself a treat after she finishes work, as these can help her gain direction, focus, and motivation to live a better life.
Another redditor chimed in and shared his perspective, “For me, it’s not about keeping the dream alive. It is the process of reaching the end of the road, and asking yourself, “Have you tried your best to reach your dream?” Life will be a lot easier if you accept that reaching your dreams is not guaranteed, even if you make every effort to do so.
Rediscovering motivation
Rediscovering motivation may seem like an uphill task if you’re feeling burned out. Here are some tips to help you move ahead with positivity:
- Examine your goals to see if they are realistic within the timeframe you have set. You may need to divide your goal into smaller, more attainable goals.
- Remember why you wanted to achieve your goal in the first place.
- Seek inspiration from others—be inspired by a book, a movie, or a television series that you’ve been planning to watch. Speak with your mentor, as well as friends or relatives who have similar objectives to your own.
- Take a break and try to clear your mind.
- Find good incentives. Certain assignments, or even portions of a career, are wholly burdensome; in these situations, it might be beneficial to establish short- to medium-term external motivators for yourself.
Read also: Workaholic employee suffering burnout asks, “How do you maintain work-life balance?”