One night, unable to sleep, I woke up at around 0:30 AM and started writing. The thoughts circling my mind simply wouldn’t let me rest.

I’ve been struggling with some health and emotional issues recently. On the surface, things seemed normal, but inside, I was experiencing a deep emotional breakdown. I kept wondering what was impacting me so severely, and why I follow my routine only to end up feeling so stuck. This recurring situation finally made me realize something: Maybe this feeling is a call—an urgent push to act differently, to seek solutions, or perhaps even… to run away.

In this article, I poured these spontaneous thoughts onto the page that night, following the flow of a noisy, searching mind. I’ve included some of my favorite photos from a recent writing session in Da Lat, hoping they help to capture the vibe of wandering and echoing that the content intends to convey.

Writing this piece felt like my soul talking to me. I’ve found it incredibly difficult to balance the need to earn money with the desire to do something truly important. I used to label myself “coward,” “avoidant,” or “irresponsible,” when I transitioned out of several stable positions. But now I step back and offer myself a warm embrace, recognizing that those labels aren’t the truth. I was simply trying my best to live authentically. Though my actions were seen by some as weakness, they were the best way I knew to awaken that deeper part of myself.

I hope this piece encourages you to re-examine what meaning looks like and what is truly worth investing in. These are simply the thoughts that surfaced in my mind, but I believe they might offer some help. I know it because I experienced just a few gathered ideas from others’ stories somehow shifted my entire way of thinking. These reflections make sense to me today, but who knows about tomorrow, right?

So, I hope you enjoy these wandering thoughts the way you would enjoy a cup of tea: short, gentle, and reflective.

……..

The Meaning of Life: What’s Truly Worth Investing In?

1. The inner recall: the path of the heart

The question of what gives life meaning and what is truly worth investing in seems to constantly cycle through our minds, especially when contemplating the next stage of our lives.

For some, the answer lies in material possessions, which they view as the highest achievement. They define themselves as successful and believe they are living a meaningful life simply by being wealthy.

Others feel they can only live life fully if they invest their time in what genuinely interests them—the thoughts that frequently preoccupy their minds, the things that bring genuine joy and excitement.

A few manage to strike a balance between their dream life and their work life. They fulfill their job responsibilities diligently and dedicate the rest of their time to following their passion.

This pursuit is also shaped by past experiences. Some are heavily influenced by a lifelong yearning for financial stability, unable to conceptualize a life outside that single idea. Yet, at a certain point, they might realize there is something deeper within their heart that yearns to be reached out to and heard. Something higher than merely existing—something that recalls them to the highest version of themselves. Yes, recalls, not searching or finding; it is about reconnecting on a deeper level.

What happens when we neglect this part of our lives? At certain times, the inner recall may be weak. At other times, it feels like it is draining our very soul, leaving us unable to handle the harshness of reality any longer. This happens because deep inside, we know we are seeking something different—something intangible, far beyond the visible world. It is something that can only be felt and led by the heart.

When we truly follow this inner calling, it leads to an amazing reality—a path only the heart can truly perceive. We will never witness this reality if we do not follow our hearts. When is the right moment? It is not about being fully ready, but about an urgent call by all of your body and soul: “Hey dear, let’s wake up and connect with the missing piece waiting for you out there.”

Like me, when I left previous jobs, I felt like I was escaping. I couldn’t handle the severe reality the job entailed. People often advise us to “overcome what we dislike” to finally live with what we like. But the key reason for me was not simply like or dislike; it was the realization that the values required by the job did not align with the highest values I was searching for. Ultimately, I wasn’t pulled by a sense of purpose in what I was doing, and this led to a loss of interest. I once labeled myself a “coward,” “avoidant,” or “irresponsible.”

But looking back now, I no longer believe those negative words accurately define my actions. Everything has two sides. When I was at my lowest, that was also when I fought the hardest to be better. If I were a coward, I would never have taken those jobs, which ultimately gave me a chance to learn more about the work and myself. If I were avoidant, I wouldn’t have stood up for my feelings and sought out better solutions. If I were irresponsible, I would have kept the jobs even when I couldn’t invest my whole being and deliver my best.

2. Follow our heart: Working like playing

If I look a little deeper, I notice an interesting pattern: I do everything naturally. I started the blog because it helps, I run because it helps, I read because I like it, I learn because I like it, I do handmade crafts because I like it, I take photographs because I like it… and many other things start from genuine interest. I can accomplish things without being pushed. Therefore, when external pressure is applied, I feel forced and end up losing interest (which may never have existed from the start).

And the most wonderful part is that when things inevitably get hard, I never stop doing the things that I believe are deeply connected to me. Perhaps because they are essential to me—something I cannot live without. I stopped running for a time but then came back. I stopped writing for a while but then started all over again. Some jobs I’ve held, which I haven’t mentioned, even ignited that feeling of genuine interest (more ideas, more responsibility, more experiences), giving me the vibe of playing, not working.

I have craved that feeling for a long time—especially after working for a company with a strong culture and clear job descriptions, but where the work never felt like play.

Maybe some people would tell me to “take things seriously”: You come for a job, you get paid, you should follow instructions and not seek fun. But let me ask these people: Do they live to work, or work to live? If they work to live, perhaps they should take the work less seriously. We are going to spend eight hours a day working, whether we want to or not. Those eight hours should be meaningful time, so we can sustain the effort in the long run.

The old advice to “Follow your heart” is risky. Sometimes it feels unrealistic, like living on a cloud. But I truly believe that every one of us holds an enormous treasure within our heart. Only the bravest, who listen most carefully, can feel that energy—the energy led by the universe. That inner voice gives us the true calling of how we should live our lives and what things in life are truly meaningful for us.

Thank you for reading this. I hope you all the best. See you next time!!

-13.11.2025-