During the home buying and settling process, one of the things I noticed was that my real estate agent, mover, and plumber were younger than me. If there’s one thing I wish I had done more in the past is to be more handy. To learn practical skills and trades that can’t be easily outsourced, such as fixing things such as my place and car, to save money. Yet, I wasn’t as handy because there was a maintenance guy to call upon to fix my place and car.
In a world that prides itself in convenience over process, everything feels like as if we are not supposed to understand how things work. Innovations that promote instant gratification have seemed to dumb us down and make us lazy, depriving us from learning an important life skill called patience through process.
No, I don’t want to scan a QR code to download an app so that I can set up my WiFi. I can set up the wireless router myself and make it more secure. How do I know the router is secure using WPA3, not the antiquated WEP (or WAP)? 😝
No, I don’t want to pay $60 for someone to replace the headlights in my car. I can buy the part for less than $20 and replace the headlights myself.
No, I don’t want to pay financial advisors who charge fees each time a deposit is made into my investments and who make money whether the investments do well or not. I can simply invest part of my paycheck into an index fund that does not charge front-loading fees and likely earn more money in the long term. (Or preserve my wealth in gold and silver bullion 😎)
Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy the convenience of free two-day shipping from Amazon, and ordering food for pickup at the local restaurant. Time is saved and my lovely self can focus on other endeavors, such as exercising to stay pretty and in shape, and writing awesome posts for the Noy Sauce blog. At the same time, there is something meditative about developing skills and patience through process in doing things ourselves, instead of delegating it to someone else.
On a trip this past April, I spent two days driving to Colorado before flying out to visit my girlfriend. The time spent on the open road for two days, getting lost in the Arizona desert one evening, provided a greater appreciation on how far I had come. Driving on the open road was an opportunity to, figuratively and literally, reflect on where my life was, where my life is in the present, and where my future is headed. There was time to treat myself to stay at a nicer hotel and enjoy authentic Southwestern TexMex food. This reflection and me-time put me in a better state of mind, to be more present in the moment and more patient when I was with my girlfriend.
In contrast, had I taken a flight to visit my girlfriend the following morning after working, I probably wouldn’t have been as present in the moment and as patient because there was less time to reflect and put matters into perspective. Also, I would have been exhausted from waking up at 3am to catch the morning flight.
The process of driving solo instead of flying not only gave me a new option on traveling, but also showed a new perspective on appreciating process.
This past weekend, Noy Sauce became Chef Noyardee by grilling some kabobs on the smokeless broiler. It was a tedious process planning on what ingredients to buy from the grocery store, prepping the meats for marination, and cooking the kabobs the following day.
In contrast, I could have ordered kabobs from the local restaurant and pick up the food in about 30 minutes. Hours from the prep work and washing dishes could have been saved, and my clothes could have smelled fresh instead of food and sweat. But the meal wouldn’t have been as satisfying and the meats may been burnt by the cook.
(Process over Convenience in grilling kabobs 🙌)
Also this past weekend, Noy Sauce showed his Mr. Clean side by cleaning the bathroom and floors. The process of spraying the wooden floors and bathroom walls, and wiping the dirt off with microfiber towels built a sweat that I was only used to from exercising at the gym and running outside. I could have delegated the task to a local house cleaner. However, like Chef Noyardee, there’s a meditative and rewarding feeling of doing things ourselves in a world that prides convenience over process.
No matter how messy our lives can be, we can always clean it right up. We live and learn in the process. And that process in becoming better versions of ourselves can just might be our Saving Grace.
(The cover photo was the last visit at the local gym before moving. The process of building muscle the right way the past few years helped make the results of being more confident and healthy that much worth it, instead of looking for “get fit quick” scams in the form of supplements and fitness videotapes.)