We reflect every day. We think that we travel life alone, but in reality, we have a strong community. It’s about how we bring that community together and find our ikigai.
Looking back, 2025 was a year of two distinct seasons: The Wilderness and The Kingdom. It was a year where I lived across multiple countries and found familiarity in the unknown, but realized that the “Golden Cage” of comfort can sometimes be the biggest trap of all.
Here are the 4 core lessons from the year.
1. The Myth of “More”
We sometimes think we need more to validate ourselves—more money, more status, more recognition. But I learned that the “Golden Cage” I built for myself was comfortable, but it wasn’t freedom.
I realized that a 9-5 can be a trap because you rely on one source of income instead of building your own “Kingdom.” True wealth isn’t just the numbers in the bank account; it’s about providing value to the world on your own terms. We have to give thanks for what we have, but we also have to stop waiting for permission to build what we want.
The Lesson: If money were no option, what would you be doing? Explore that. Build that.
2. The Chase is Not Love
For a long time, I confused anxiety with chemistry, thinking it was love. I was chasing waterfalls, trapped in the “fallacy of choice” thinking there are always many fish in the sea. I found myself auditing for affection, looking for ROI in a place that wasn’t investing back.
The breakthrough was realizing that Peace should be the northstar. We often chase the highs because we are addicted to the validation, but that is just the “Trauma of Conditional Worth” talking. I learned that I don’t need to “earn” my place in a relationship through performance or charisma.
We don’t chase highs anymore. We build peace.
3. Peace is a Practice, Not a Reward
Anger management is really important. It becomes a turmoil inside ourselves if we can’t control it.
There were moments this year like the chaos of the Gala, the heat of competitive tennis/padel, or the friction at work where I realized that 95% of things are outside my control. The only thing I own is my response.
I learned to “withdraw into the wilderness” to pray and reflect, just to find the stillness. Peace isn’t something you get after you finish the work; peace is the discipline you use to do the work. We have to learn to self-regulate in God and detach.
4. Perception Does Not Equal Reality
People may think you have it all. And maybe you do. But if you don’t find peace from within, you are just compensating.
I spent time “Solo Leveling” mastering AI tools, hitting the gym, and fixing my health because I realized that perception is a game, but reality is how you sleep at night.
We stopped trying to be the “General” for everyone else’s war and started being the King of our own domain.
5. The Tribe: Where Energy Returns
In the end, it was the “Tribe” my family, my community, and loved ones that kept me grounded. Whether it was the KK delight meals with family, or hiking the misty mountain in Kokol, these were the moments that spiked my energy.
I realized that “Tribe is always something that is important.” We are not an island. We need our community.
The Path Forward: Trust the Season You Are In
If you feel like you are in the “Wilderness” right now confused, lonely, or stuck in a cage of your own making, know that it is not a waste. It is preparation.
We cannot rush the harvest. We cannot hack the process. 2025 taught me that “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a legacy.”
The “Golden Cage” taught me what I didn’t want, so I could clearly see what I did. The Chase taught me how to source my own validation. Every delay was actually a detour toward a better destination.
So, embrace where you are. If you are in the Wilderness, learn the lesson. If you are in the Kingdom, share the blessing.
We don’t travel life alone. We build, we break, and we rebuild stronger than before.
Your season is changing. Be ready for it.
God bless the journey.
Was experimenting with music creation during the season
