Why an Ordinary Day Today May Become the Thing You Miss Most in the Future There is nothing special about the meal on the table. Everyone is sitting in their usual seats. No one knows that, years from now, this ordinary evening may become the very moment they wish they could return to most. Perhaps most of our lives don’t happen on special days. Not on our wedding day. Not on graduation day. Not on the day we buy a house. Not during a vacation. They happen on ordinary Tuesdays. In the morning, someone calls out, “Wake up.” Someone boils water. Someone asks, “What time will you be home today?” In the evening, everyone sits down for dinner. One person looks at their phone. Another talks about work. A child drops food on the floor. Someone complains about something. Then everyone goes to bed. Nothing worth writing in a diary. But time has a very strange ability: it turns ordinary things into things money can never buy back. One day, that chair may be empty. The child who once had to be called ten times before finally eating may have moved away to study. The house may have been sold. The old dog that used to lie by the front door may be gone. Your parents may no longer be healthy enough to sit through a long meal. Or perhaps you will have moved on to a completely different life yourself. Only then will you understand: what made that evening precious wasn’t the food. It was the fact that everyone was still there, sitting in their usual places. But this isn’t a call to action saying, “Treasure every second, because you never know what tomorrow will bring.” Living in constant fear of losing everything is not peace. You’re still allowed to see an ordinary family dinner as just an ordinary dinner. You’re still allowed to get annoyed when the house is messy. You’re still allowed to feel bored sometimes. You’re still allowed to have days when you just want to be alone. Real life doesn’t have to feel like an emotional movie, twenty-four hours a day. What I want to say is much simpler: every now and then, take a moment to recognize the stage of life you’re in. No stage lasts forever. The years when your children are still young. The years when your parents are still healthy. The years when you and your spouse are still rushing off to work every morning. The years when you’re still living in your first home. The years when you’re just starting a new career. Even difficult chapters will eventually change. Here’s a beautiful question to ask yourself from time to time: “What is something in my life today that feels so ordinary, but that I might miss in the future?” You don’t have to look for anything extraordinary. It could be your mother’s voice calling your name, a familiar road, a simple breakfast, the kitchen, your child’s laughter coming from the next room, or the person lying beside you. Or simply your own body, still healthy enough to take you wherever you want to go. If you find something, you don’t have to do anything special. Don’t rush to take a photo. Don’t post a status update. Don’t turn it into a life lesson. Just stay there for a few more seconds. Look. Listen. Be aware that it’s happening. Tonight, if your family is still sitting together, just have dinner as you always do. There’s no need to create a perfect moment. Perhaps no one will say anything profound. Perhaps you’ll still argue over the TV remote. Perhaps your child will still spill water. Perhaps someone will still ask that familiar question: “What time are you leaving tomorrow?” And perhaps these little, ordinary things are what life is really made of. They aren’t just the breaks between important events. They are the greater part of our lives, the very moments we will one day look back on and call “the good old days.”

If you understand human nature, you will realize that these statements are absolutely true. 1. Fear Lasts Longer Than Love “It is much safer to be feared than to be loved.” Love and gratitude are often held together by a sense of responsibility, something people can easily abandon when an opportunity for personal gain arises. Fear, on the other hand, makes people think twice before betraying you. Therefore, you must become strong enough to make others fear you. 2. If You Decide to Destroy Someone, Finish the Job “People must either be treated extremely well or be crushed completely.” If you cause someone only minor damage, they may hold a grudge and look for an opportunity to take revenge. But if you completely strip them of their ability to fight back, they will no longer be capable of challenging you. Therefore, once you decide to punish or eliminate someone, you must do it so thoroughly that you never have to worry about their revenge again. In life, hesitation and half-measures often come at a price: retaliation from your opponents. 3. Kindness Alone Is Never Enough to Keep Anyone by Your Side “People are willing to forget your kindness, but they will never forget their own interests.” Human nature drives people toward whatever benefits them the most. If you treat people with nothing but kindness, generosity, and affection, they may take it for granted and leave as soon as they find a better option. If you want to keep people by your side or maintain control of the game, you cannot rely on being a good person alone. You must hold something of fundamental value to them or have a say in the benefits they receive. Value creates power. No one stays loyal to someone they consider useless simply because that person has a good heart.

At this old street corner where our paths first crossed, Where twilight rains would drape our shoulders in silver, Where we dreamed of tomorrows yet to come, And vowed to love forever, our footsteps intertwined. Then came a day I never returned, Drifting farther, ever farther from your world, As passing seasons turned to shades of longing, And those distant streets fell silent, forgotten by time. - Art: @kaoru_creation

A stubborn person is, at their core, a pitiful person. When you encounter stubborn people, keep your distance. You must understand that it is difficult, if not impossible, to change their rigid beliefs and opinions. Think of the story of the blind men and the elephant. Indeed, one of the blind men touched the elephant’s leg, but for the rest of his life, that was the only part of the elephant he ever knew through touch. As a result, he became absolutely convinced, without the slightest doubt, that an elephant was a cylindrical object. He believed it with complete certainty. But what was the foundation of his belief? He had never touched the elephant’s tail or its trunk. In other words, his perspective was extremely limited. With people like this, it is very difficult to pull them out of their own narrow world of perception, because doing so is almost impossible. They have lived with that limited way of seeing the world for 30 or 50 years. They have already become absolutely convinced that their perspective is the truth. Therefore, when engaging in a discussion, never explain the same thing more than twice. There should be no third attempt. Because if you have to explain it a third time, the fool is no longer them. It is you. Why? Because no one has ever expanded the boundaries of their understanding. They simply believe that the sky is only as big as what they can see, just like a frog sitting at the bottom of a well. There is simply nothing more you can do. As an old Chinese saying goes, “You cannot discuss ice and snow with an insect that lives only through the summer.” If you insist on pulling that frog out of the well, the first thing that will happen is that it will become deeply unhappy. The second is that you will waste your own life in the process. And even if you actually manage to pull it out of that shallow well, it may still fall apart emotionally. So let it stay at the bottom of its own well. Let it find happiness in the world it knows. Just let it go. It has lived this way its entire life. Let it be. Let it find its own happiness in the life it has chosen.

Sleep. Focus on building a good sleep routine. It can change your entire day tomorrow.

What is the greatest evil in human nature? It is envy. xitter.cf/0xhpcode/status/211237…

Cultivate yourself, regulate your family, govern your country, and bring peace to the world. It all begins with cultivating yourself.

Never allow anyone to criticize you in public. Whether you are right or wrong, no one has the right to publicly judge and humiliate you. Remember, giving private feedback and criticizing someone in public are two completely different things. Private feedback aims to solve a problem, while public criticism often comes with humiliation, pressure, and an attempt to assert power. You may be wrong, but that doesn’t mean you deserve to be humiliated. Whether you are right or wrong and whether the other person’s treatment of you is justified are two completely separate matters. When someone attacks you in public, follow these three steps: First, don’t let your emotions take control. You don’t need to rush to apologize or explain yourself. Stay calm and say: “We can discuss this privately.” Or: “I’ve heard your concerns, but I’d prefer to discuss this in a more appropriate setting.” This is not about admitting defeat. It is about taking back control of the conversation. Second, make your boundaries clear afterward. “If there’s a problem, we can discuss it privately. But I won’t accept being treated this way in front of others.” Speak calmly, clearly, and firmly. Staying silent won’t necessarily make the other person realize they’ve crossed a line. It may only make them think they can do the same thing again next time. Third, develop a stable sense of self-worth. When you hear criticism, ask yourself: Is this feedback objective? What is the other person’s motive? What is my own assessment of the situation? If you’re wrong, you can correct your mistakes. But making changes is your responsibility, not something you should be forced to do under someone else’s humiliation. Stay calm in the moment. Make your boundaries clear afterward. And never lose sight of your own worth. This is not arrogance. It is the most basic form of self-respect.

Another aspect of this is that we need to treat women like children, setting clear rules and boundaries with fair rewards and punishments. When women see you as a father figure, they will cling to you tightly, as if drawn by a magnet.

It doesn’t matter whether karma exists or not. No one cares about us except ourselves. So instead of worrying if someone who did bad things to us is living well, we’d rather focus on ourselves and live a peaceful and meaningful life.

The older I get, the less I want to impress others. In fact, now I don’t even care what others think or feel (except my family)

Why do the people who helped build a company from day one often get pushed out by the boss once the company goes public? Sima Qian called this the principle of “When the birds are gone, the bow is put away.” Han Xin helped Liu Bang conquer two-thirds of the empire, only to be executed, with his entire clan punished alongside him. The nature of power is this: Your value exists only as long as you are useful. Once you are no longer needed, your very existence may become a threat. 2. Why do people in meetings nod in agreement when the boss makes an obviously wrong decision? The history of the Qin Dynasty gave us the expression “Pointing at a deer and calling it a horse.” The eunuch Zhao Gao brought a deer before the court and claimed it was a horse. Those who told the truth were killed. Those in power do not always want the truth. Sometimes, they deliberately test their subordinates’ loyalty by making them accept the absurd. 3. Why are people willing to drag others into the mud just to protect their own little piece of personal gain? Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is often associated with the principle that there are no permanent allies, only permanent interests. Sun Bin and Pang Juan studied under the same teacher. Yet, out of jealousy, Pang Juan had Sun Bin’s legs amputated and his kneecaps removed. Wherever interests are at stake, human relationships can become fragile and meaningless. The purpose of studying history is not to pass exams. It is to become less naive about the world.

If someone has nothing to do with you, don’t say a single word to them. It’s not about speaking less. It’s about not speaking at all. Don’t respond, don’t explain, don’t prove anything, and don’t justify yourself. 99% of the people in this world have nothing to do with your destiny. You don’t need to spend your time, energy, and emotions getting involved in other people’s lives. The most important skill in life is not communication, but knowing what to subtract: cutting off useless relationships, meaningless conversations, and unnecessary emotional disturbances. The energy of the universe and the human mind fundamentally follow the law of conservation: energy is neither created nor destroyed, but merely transformed from one form to another, from one object to another. When you pour your strength, time, and attention into irrational arguments, baseless judgments, or toxic relationships, you’re not just wasting your own resources - you’re draining yourself to feed other people’s need for attention and emotional reactions. Your energy is limited. If you spend 80% of it on things that have nothing to do with you, you’ll have only a weak 20% left to invest in your career, your health, and the people who truly matter. Don’t turn yourself into a “free charging station” for external distractions.

Have you ever tried to help someone, only to realize that they seem to enjoy living with their own problems? Some people come to you for advice, but the truth is, they already have an answer in their minds: they will do whatever they want anyway. You put your work aside and spend hours analyzing what is right and wrong, reminding yourself that you must not let them make a mistake. You tell them not to throw themselves into a toxic relationship, but they do it anyway. You warn them not to waste their money on a risky investment, but they still put their money in. And when everything falls apart, they come back to you again, complaining and crying. When dealing with people like this, the exhausting part is not explaining things to them. It is the helplessness you feel when you realize that they are not looking for solutions. They are simply looking for someone to take responsibility for their bad decisions. You lose your energy: You become a dumping ground for other people’s negativity and panic. You waste your time: Cleaning up the messes they deliberately create themselves. You get blamed: When you speak the truth directly, they quickly label you as “cold-hearted” or “lacking empathy.” Or when everything eventually falls apart, they turn around and blame you for not giving them good enough advice. The greatest wisdom in life is realizing that wisdom cannot be taught to someone who refuses to learn, and kindness cannot save someone who deliberately chooses to walk off a cliff. When someone has chosen to become addicted to their own suffering, the kindest thing you can do for yourself is to smile, nod, and keep your distance. Let them take responsibility for the consequences of their own actions. That is the lesson they must learn for themselves.

Why Do the Richer People Become More Afraid of Their Children Succeeding Too Early? A child born into a wealthy family already enjoys favorable living conditions and rarely has to worry about making ends meet. If they step into the real world and achieve success too quickly, they may fall into the illusion that “everything in this world is easy.” Without experiencing setbacks from an early age, they will fail to develop resilience, patience, and the ability to withstand pressure. The laws of nature have never favored anyone: Whatever grows too quickly often has shallow roots. A tree that rushes to blossom and bear fruit before its trunk has grown strong will collapse completely, branches and all, when a single powerful storm passes through. Youth is the stage of life the universe gives us to “lay the foundation”- to face challenges, experience failure, learn to endure hardship, and develop the resilience needed to survive. When a child succeeds too early and everything comes too easily, a dangerous illusion may begin to form: They start believing they are the center of the universe, looking down on the experience of those who came before them and assuming that their success is entirely the result of their own talent. Old and wealthy families often understand the wisdom of “Great wisdom appears foolish” - truly wise people often carry themselves with calmness and humility. They want their children to build deep inner strength and learn the values of humility and diligence before stepping into the spotlight. The deepest meaning is not that they don’t want their children to become capable or successful. Rather, they want their children’s success to be accompanied by maturity of character. Only after building a strong foundation and experiencing enough bitterness and hardship can the wealth and success they eventually hold in their hands remain stable and endure across generations.

Do not think that spring has faded, And every blossom has fallen away; For last night, in the courtyard, A single plum branch bloomed anew. - Art: @kaoru_creation

What is the greatest evil in human nature? It is envy. When you get promoted, the people who feel the most uncomfortable inside are not your competitors, but your friends. When you become a better version of yourself, the first people to mock and criticize you are not your enemies, but the people you know. Why is that? Because human nature has an evil called envy. It does not come from hatred, but from the thought that “I should have those things too.” What is envy? It is not hating you because you have something, but asking, “Why don’t I have it?” It is not being upset because you are capable, but being upset about why you can be better than me. The root of envy is not malice, but despair - dissatisfaction with one’s own situation while lacking the belief that things can change. You don’t need to show off. Just by standing there, you may already expose the darkness in others. This is what the old saying means: “A tree that stands taller than the forest will be struck by the wind, and a person who stands out from the crowd will be criticized by others.” The more you explain yourself, the more they think you have lost the argument. The more you give in, the more they think you are easy to bully. Therefore, people who are truly wise understand these four things: First, when others envy you, never let it drain you emotionally. There is a saying: “The fortunate are hated by a thousand people, while the unfortunate go around hating a thousand people.” Being liked by others is not necessarily a sign of ability. If others envy you, it may be a sign that you truly have something special. Second, observe calmly and do not react immediately. When faced with ill will, weak people tend to explain themselves, argue, or lose their temper. Strong people, on the other hand, choose to observe calmly. They treat ill will like dust on the roadside. Instead of rushing to sweep it away, they watch which way the wind blows and wait for the dust to settle on its own. Third, understand their motives before deciding whether to take action. Ask yourself one question: “Why are they doing this? Is it because of envy, a conflict of interests, or are they testing my boundaries?” Pure envy can be ignored, but when malicious behavior threatens your interests, you must face it directly and deal with it. Fourth, quiet your mind and focus on doing your own work well. A phoenix does not compete with crows for food, and a gentleman does not play games with petty people. The purpose of hard work is not to stand taller than the other chickens in the flock, but to become a crane and spread your wings to fly far away. Understanding the greatest evil in human nature is not meant to make us live in suspicion of everyone. It is meant to equip us with the wisdom to protect ourselves and preserve our positive energy.

LOOK AT THE EYES WHEN JUDGING A PERSON The ancients once taught: “If you want to know a person’s heart, look into their eyes.” The more we experience life and deal with different kinds of people, the more we realize that this wisdom has never been wrong. In life, people can twist their words a hundred times before speaking, and rehearse their actions until they perform as smoothly as actors in a perfect play. But the eyes are the one thing that no amount of cleverness can completely hide. The human brain takes only about 0.1 seconds to pick up signals about the nature of another person. However, to truly learn how to “read” someone’s eyes, sometimes we have to pay the price through painful experiences and the loss of our own innocence. 1. Sincere Eyes: Calmness and Warmth The eyes of a genuinely sincere person tend to be direct and focused, yet gentle and warm. They do not make others feel pressured or scrutinized. When they need help, their eyes often reveal a sense of hesitation, as they are afraid of bothering others, rather than an attitude of testing or demanding something from them. They naturally radiate a kind of warm energy that makes others feel safe and comfortable, inspiring people to open their hearts and offer help willingly. 2. Calculating Eyes: Coldness Behind Beautiful Words In contrast, those who are deceitful and calculating often have restless eyes. The moment they enter a new environment, their eyes quickly scan from side to side, measuring people’s worth and looking for benefits they might exploit. During conversations, their words may sound beautiful and pleasant, but their eyes become narrow and cold, completely lacking the warmth of genuine emotion. When dealing with such “actors,” staying clear-headed is the only shield that can protect you from future regret. 3. Eyes in the Storm: The True Measure of Friendship When you stand at the top, countless eyes look at you with admiration. But only when you fall from grace or face hardship do the eyes of those around you truly reveal the nature of your relationships. A true friend: Their eyes soften, filled with empathy and understanding. They are willing to listen to you in genuine silence, without passing any judgment. A fair-weather acquaintance: Their mouths may offer words of sympathy out of social courtesy, but their eyes wander restlessly, constantly seeking distraction from their phone screens or the world around them. Their impatience and inner indifference always expose their insincerity, no matter how beautiful their words may sound. From a psychological perspective, the emotional nervous system influences our eyes much faster than rational thought can control them. Unless someone is an exceptionally skilled actor, ordinary people who are hiding their true feelings may unconsciously reveal themselves through rapid blinking or avoiding eye contact. Learning to observe people’s eyes is not about living in suspicion or constantly scrutinizing human nature. It is knowledge that helps us protect ourselves from toxic influences while learning to cherish and preserve the sincere souls we encounter in this fast-paced world.

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE 1. Forgive your parents. They are also products of a generation shaped by wounds that they themselves may never have had the chance to heal. 2. Forgive yourself. Regret will not change the past. Admit your mistakes, learn from them, make things right, and move on. 3. Don’t yell at your children. Speak to your children with the words you once wished someone had said to you when you were young. 4. Keep the right people, not a large number of people. And don’t lose those who truly care about you over small and meaningless things. 5. Make money to enjoy life more. Not to prove that you are living better than your neighbors or to show off on social media. 6. Don’t take everything too seriously. Not every decision has to be right, and not everything has to go your way. What seems right today may be wrong a year from now. What you want may not necessarily be what is good for you. 7. Don’t be afraid to start over. At 40, you can still learn a new skill, fall in love with someone new, or live in a new country. The saddest thing is to grow old without ever truly starting to live your own life. 8. Don’t hold back your love and affection. If you want to see someone, go see them. If you miss someone, call them. Because sometimes, there may be no more chance tomorrow. 9. Don’t worry too much about what others think of you. Everyone is busy living their own life. You are not as important to the world as you think you are. Focusing on living your own life is enough. 10. Don’t forget to enjoy life. Not everything has to lead to an achievement. Some things are worth doing simply because they make you happy. Don’t spend your entire life preparing to live - waiting until you are rich, skilled, attractive, or ready - only to forget to fully live each day along the way.

About working out: At 40, I personally find having a straight and healthy spine much more important than having big biceps.