It’s time of the year for me to write about my reflection for the YEAR 2023!

This is a very eventful, fortunate as well as tragic year for me. I started to write more on this site and shares my views about life – CARE your present as well as finance matter. For this site, I aim to be something more unique. Life is the more important part, money is just the tool to achieve it.

That’s why these are the few key Themes in my Blog.

Care your Present

Investment and Finance – Tradi Finance

Excitement in investment – Cryptocurrency

Good lobang via side Hustle – I kept to the principle to only share things that I am also using.

1) Tragic start for the year 2023

I started the year eagerly for my son to enter Primary 2 while daughter K1. With a blink of an eye, they have grown so big.

Time is gone so fast

Money just buy you the chance of freedom but can’t buy back time. In life, there is no reset button. Time is limited but money is not.

When you are young and working, you exchange time for money. When you are old, you can have lots of money but you can’t buy time back, especially the things that you have missed (your strong health, time with young child) while busying striking out in career.

Your kids grew up and they no longer need you to accompany them. They no longer want to sit on your lap to share/do things with you…all these time you spent in your 9 to 6 or even longer cubicles…can the money that you have earned by you back these?

We always thought we have more time with our old parents, but we are wrong. Time with them is ticking away every day. One day it will suddenly be gone. There is no regret medicine, no reset in time. Gone is gone and cannot come back. No matter you are billionaires or millionaires, you cannot reset this.

We always thought that we have more time with our spouse every day, but we are wrong. One day they will be gone too. When you read this, please go tell your spouse that you love him/her and he or she is the best thing that you ever had in your life.

Love your life daily. You have one less day with your spouse, parents, children and yourself. Time is ticking away.

When is the last time?

When will be the last time where you will sit on my lap, hug me to sleep, watch a movie date with me? Although I know that the day will come one day, but I hope won’t be so soon. I am doing my best to treasure all the limited time we have while I am still your entire world.

Extract from: The Best Advice to Parents and Child

To Parents

• Let your child grow in the way they innately want to be, not what you want them to be. Your dream of what you want them to be may not be your child’s real dream. Be open and listen to their true hearts/feelings/thinking.
• One day, your child will leave you to pursue their dreams. Let them go happily when the day come. That day will come faster than you can ever imagine, in meantime treasure every second that you have with your child while you are still their entire world. You may have many things in your mind now (work, money, dream, stress, surf net on mobile phone etc), but there is only a very extremely short window where you are their entire world. One it is gone; no money can buy the time back.

To Child

• Don’t be afraid to share your true feelings, your true wishes, your true needs, your true wants to your parents. Regardless whether you believe or not, your parents want you to be happy. They always try to do things that they think is the best for you but sadly, they may not know what you truly want. Tell them what you truly want before it is too late. The positive outcome / reactions from them may be surprising to you eventually.
• One day, your parents will leave you. No matter what grudges / happiness / anger / dissatisfaction/ satisfaction you have, everything will be gone on that very day. That day could be the day where you leave them to pursue your dream, or it could be the day when they leave the surface of Earth. The day will come faster than you think. Do something now while you still can. It’s not easy to open up fully and talk to your parents especially if the relationship is not that friendly/open, but please try. Something tried is still better than too late.

Started the year with sadness

While I am still lamenting/missing how fast they grow, suddenly my mum passed away in January 2023. I finally trying to really fully internalized and understand what is Truly understand Living in the Moment now. The blogging sphere also lost createwealth8888 uncle few months later. There was also the passing of the famous Jin Yong and creative CEO at young age. Charlie Munger also died in November.

I did a reflection of myself at 40 years old. Time is really short. I am at the half point mark life – 40 years old (hopefully this is at least halfway). Time really flies and there is no reset button.

We should always stop a while, reflect and be grateful with what life have given us. Treasure what we have now, living in the moment (which I didn’t in the past). I didn’t know how to Let It Go and focus on more important things in life – example, I was always bothered by what other people said (like Friends, Colleagues etc) and reacted negatively sometimes, especially when there are the typical Office Politics involved. Looking back now, does it really matter what they said? Lifespan of human is so short and limited, we should live a fulfilling life full of experiences that we love to have instead.

Days seems long but years are really short. With a blind of an eye, I am already 40 years old. Do you really need to care what other people or other society say about you? I used to be like that but now I don’t. I like to listen to advice, good one I will listen, bad one we should learn to let go and don’t keep to your heart. Don’t waste your precious time/life on unimportant thing.

Life is really short

Life is really short. These three pictures will change your life after you have seen it.

Few pictures that change my life.

Disclaimer (these pictures are not from me. Saw on X and on internet)

No one is immortal.

There is always a last time.

Last time your kids ask you to carry

Last time they climb on you.

Time is the ultimate wealth, not money. pic.twitter.com/OSMSS0q8wb

— Edmond | Careyourpresent (@careyourpresent) November 12, 2023

I am guilty to chase money, missing some of the last time with my kids while I am working in my 9 to 5.

Career is something very important to most important, especially it make up of almost 8-10 hours of your awake time, given that one is only awake for typically 16 hours out of 24 hours. That mean 1/3 of your time, your time is spent on career. That’s why it is good to be in a career/job that one love. But sadly, most people cannot get a job/career you love right? In the end, it is just a tool to make end meets. If one doesn’t need to drag their feets to work, it is already a big blessing in disguise.

What if later never come?

Many people keep thinking of later. What if later never come? Will you live in regret?

Everyday we are chasing for more and more money, in order to provide better life to yourself and especially to your loved ones. We always told ourselves that once we reach 1 Million example, we will quit job and spent your finite precious time with your love ones.

However, it’s never enough. When we have 1 million, we will aim for 2 millions. When we have 2 millions, we will aim for 3 millions, 5 millions, 10 millions, 100 millions….in the process you become old and tired….then suddenly you may realised that

“LATER may never come”…

Your kids grew up and they no longer need you to accompany them. They no longer want to sit on your lap to share/do things with you…all these time you spent in your 9 to 6 or even longer cubicles…can the money that you have earned by you buy back these?

We always thought we have more time with our old parents, but we are wrong. Time with them is ticking away every day. One day it will suddenly be gone. There is no regret medicine, no reset in time. Gone is gone and cannot come back. No matter you are billionaires or millionaires, you cannot reset this.

We always thought that we have more time with our spouse every day, but we are wrong. One day they will be gone too. When you read this, please go tell your spouse that you love him/her and he or she is the best thing that you ever had in your life.

Living in Present is not easy

You should never take the Gift of Life for Granted. No one is immortal and will be gone from the surface of Earth one day and that day may come sooner than one think.

But is living in present not easy.

小时候，幸福很简单。长大了，简单很幸福。

Time is the ultimate currency, not money

Time is the ultimate currency, not money. Money just buy you the chance of freedom. When you are young and working, you exchange time for money. When you are old, you can have lots of money but you can’t buy time back, especially the things that you have missed while busying striking out in career

Our Life only have 5 short Days – we should live the best for every day.

What will you bring with you on your last day on Earth?

The days are long but the years are short

This is a phrase that was kept reiterating to me by various blogs online, by people around me etc – people reminded one another to be with your kids while they still need you when they are young.

However, I strongly disagree to this phrase. This phrase is totally wrong, absolutely wrong. This phrase is to trick people to believe that time are slow (in days) but yet fast in (years). TOTALLY WRONG!

The correct phrase should be:

Both the days and years are short. In fact, time is ticking away every single second. For each passing day, you will have one less day with your dear spouse, parents, children or even for yourself.

We always thought that we have more time with our spouse every day, but we are wrong. One day they will be gone too. When you read this, please go tell your spouse that you love him/her and he or she is the best thing that you ever had in your life.

We always thought that we have more time to play with your kids while they are growing up every day very fast. With a blink of an eye while you are busy hustling away 9 to 5, trying to earn more and more money (maybe you already have enough, but you keep thinking you don’t. Read this post: You will likely never run out of money with 1 million: Expectation vs Reality), they are already so big. They no longer want to play with you. They want to go out with friends. By then no matter how rich you are, 10 millions/10 billions, they still rather go out with friends. You missed it means missed it. There is no reset button.

Life is short, billionaire or pauper, you only have 1 life, same time, once gone it is gone. Please Love your life and Careyourpresent. Embracing the Transience: Life Is Short

We learn from both ways

We often thought that as adults, we should know much more things as compared to young children. Moreover, we were young once and now being adult, with richer life experiences, we are always better and more right from children. There is nothing to learn from them. Instead, they should be learnt from us and followed us as their role models. This is definitely the mindset of many adults.

However, I beg to differ. There are many life lessons that are either long forgotten or suppressed by our own parents as we grow up. I have learnt a lot from them.

11 Important Unexpected Life and Money lessons to learn from Your Children

Greatest Regrets in life

What is your greatest regrets in life? or your purpose in life?

Don’t forget that It’s little unexpected things that make up a real life.

We should always remember the above and grow a great life. Something only happen once in life, if you missed it, it’s gone forever…

Learn to let go of busyness in life.

2) Portfolio and Investment Updates

Besides life, money can buy you time too. Hence I started the year with the reflection of 2022. Since many are sharing portfolio, I shall do it for this year too.

As times goes by at the end of 2023, I am wondering if I should it again. Idea is not for flexing, it’s mainly for myself to keep a record. Regardless, I still did a minor update in Dec 2023.

Dividends/interest

Although Dividend Investing is Dangerous,

I still get about 3.5k dividends/interest per month for the year 2023 with about 50% in cash/cash equivalents excluding emergency fund. In term of absolute amount vested in my portfolio, it is much higher now as I have injected more funds from my salary and investment returns.

I have also almost max my and my spouse Singapore Saving Bonds. Did you Lock your last good Risk Free Rate before too late? My SSB Bond ladders are done too. This gave me about $1000 per month for a period of 10 years. Good enough to cover the basis expenses.

The year also ended with treasury yield going down while Reits going up (for those Singapore Investors). My portfolio is up about 9% but couldn’t be done better HK/China didn’t down so much.

Mistake

Personally, I did added a lot when the market goes down in the recent months – reducing my cash from 50% to 30+%. On hindsight I should have added more. I have patience, but I lack the guts to buy big, key weaknesses as compared to many investors.

However, as I still think that:

This is the first time in history where there is an unprecedented increase in interest rates by FED within a short span of few months. There will be time lag effect for the hike in rate to affect the market – very likely the coming few months till early Q1 2024. We shall see.

Hence, I been taking profits as the market rally in December to the recent high. Seems like a wrong move and I have missed many gains. But…

Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency is getting the hype recent. Seems like bull market is coming for Cryptocurrency.

Personally I had some fun with meme coins plus hunting for Airdrops! Crypto volatility is high, not for the fainted hearted but the returns can be amazing. I posted more frequently on Crypto via X (formerly known as Twitter) for Crypto because Crypto really is time sensitive, few hours could be big difference, no time to post on blog anyway.

All the best to 2024

Anyway, let’s see how it goes for year 2024.

Potential Milestones in 2024

• Invest the remaining 50% of my cash and grow portfolio. Focus on more intangible wealth and know that work is not part of my life.
• Find out what is enough for myself and take a short career break while my child still needs me. But should I really F.I.R.E?
• Generate more passive income
• Move to new house and touch up on estate planning
• Go for more vacation trip and truly appreciate why we go for vacation
• Live a happier life, ultimately, happy is free!

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• Battle of Enough VS Spending for Financial Bloggers
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• Dividend Investing is Dangerous
• SSB Bond Ladders
• Simplified Guide to the Key Gist of Grant of Probate and Estate Planning
• Cheapest and best way to trade Singapore Stocks with CDP
• Mastering Dividend Investing: 5 Evergreen Investment Principles
• Unlock Lucrative Returns with IAPD: A High-Yield ETF Providing 7% Annual Yield and Quarterly Payouts
• Unlock Lucrative Returns with SDIV: A High-Yield ETF Providing 11% Annual Yield and Monthly Payouts
• If I am a dividend investor, this is what I would do….
• 7 Things to consider before buy a dividend stock
• 4 Dividend ETFs that can let you sleep well even in the scary bear market
• 5 Best Counters for Passive Dividend Investing
• The Three MOST Important Traits of an Investor
• What is the best investment strategy in the world?
• Ultimate Strategy of buying REITS: XXX instead of X000?
• Ultimate Free 2 Days Reit MasterClass: Exclusive at Careyourpresent.com

Money just buy you the chance of freedom but can’t buy back time. In life, there is no reset button. Time is limited but money is not.

When you are young and working, you exchange time for money. When you are old, you can have lots of money but you can’t buy time back, especially the things that you have missed (your strong health, time with young child) while busying striking out in career.

Your kids grew up and they no longer need you to accompany them. They no longer want to sit on your lap to share/do things with you…all these time you spent in your 9 to 6 or even longer cubicles…can the money that you have earned by you back these?

We always thought we have more time with our old parents, but we are wrong. Time with them is ticking away every day. One day it will suddenly be gone. There is no regret medicine, no reset in time. Gone is gone and cannot come back. No matter you are billionaires or millionaires, you cannot reset this.

We always thought that we have more time with our spouse every day, but we are wrong. One day they will be gone too. When you read this, please go tell your spouse that you love him/her and he or she is the best thing that you ever had in your life.

Love your life daily. You have one less day with your spouse, parents, children and yourself. Time is ticking away.

Focusing Careyourpresent & living a fulfilling life by supercharging your mind & investment/online income. Careyourpresent Series focus on things that one MUST know in their Life.

• Embracing the Transience: Life Is Short
• Are you one of them?
• Three Pictures to change your Life and Mind
• Live in Present is not easy
• 小时候，幸福很简单。长大了，简单很幸福。
• The Best Advice to Parents and Child
• What if Later never come?
• What will you bring with you on your last day on Earth?
• Time is the ultimate currency, not money
• Our Life only have 5 short Days – we should live the best for every day
• Truly understand Living in the Moment now
• 11 Important Unexpected Life and Money lessons to learn from Your Children
• The days are long but the years are short
• Ditch your mobile phone to build real life
• Careyourpresent: Time is the most important
• Careyourpresent: What is your purpose of life?
• Careyourpresent : Greatest Regrets in life
• Careyourpresent : You might not believe it. It’s little unexpected things that make up a real life
• Careyourpresent: Something only happen once in life, if you missed it, it’s gone forever…
• Careyourpresent : Why is Gold useful?
• Careyourpresent: Frozen. Let it go!

More articles can be found here.

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