【Repost】

Today I came across a video from a friend: "First day at work, exhausted to the point of collapse, want to quit but afraid of not finding another job."
These days, it's truly difficult.

After moving last August, I was completely empty inside, and my income suddenly stopped.

The whole family relied on one teammate to support us, but these past two years, the market has been bad, and my teammate’s income kept shrinking.

Months of anxiety and trying to figure things out made me see a truth:
In middle age, not having money isn’t the worst, but the worst is continuing to do things that drain yourself.
The six things below, the earlier you stop, the easier it is to turn your life around.

1️⃣ Stop blindly following trends in consumption

I used to run a restaurant with stable income. My friends would wait until I finished work and then invite me shopping. We’d go out and buy all kinds of things. The nicer clothes I have now were bought back then.
Chasing new styles, following trends, hoarding popular online items—that’s other people’s lives.
When we had no money, we only stuck to one rule: buy only what you need, keep what’s practical.

2️⃣ Stop self-inflicted mental exhaustion and overthinking

After moving, I worried every day about where to get the tuition for my older kid, my second child’s interest classes, and insurance renewal.
Thoughts kept racing, the more I thought, the more anxious I became—couldn’t earn a single cent.
Instead of worrying every day, it’s better to do small things. Get moving, and there’s hope.

3️⃣ Stop hoarding things

In the past, on Double 11 night, I’d be glued to my phone, buying a huge pile of stuff.
Some items I used only a few times after bringing them home,
others I left in the corner and never used.
It looked like a discount deal, but I actually spent more money.
A few days ago, my sister said a clothing store was having a seasonal sale, asking if I wanted to buy.
I said no, I’ll buy when I need to wear it.

4️⃣ Stop overdrawing health to save money

Last May, after sending my second kid to kindergarten, I suddenly had stomach pain. Thinking it was nothing serious, I didn’t go to the hospital.
By the afternoon, I couldn’t bear it anymore. My teammate called, and I went to the hospital.
Diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis. The doctor said I could have endured longer, but if I had gone earlier, it wouldn’t have been so painful.
A small illness turned into a big one because I endured it. The money spent on treatment was dozens of times what I would have saved.
Now I understand—health is the most stable savings for a family.

5️⃣ Stop blindly signing up for courses to learn

The more broke you are, the more eager you are to make a comeback. The more eager, the easier it is to get scammed.
Seeing ads like “Get this certification, guaranteed job placement,”
in a rush, I signed up for a class.
But after two lessons, I just let it gather dust.
Many times, buying a bunch of side hustle or monetization courses results in very few that actually work.
True self-investment isn’t about spending,
but about paying and then sticking to it day after day, practicing.
Don’t mask anxiety with learning; take action to change your life—that’s the most reliable way.

6️⃣ Stop blindly signing up for classes to push your kids

Seeing other kids learn painting, I hurried to sign my kid up;
hearing that someone’s kid passed the English Level 4 exam, I signed up for English classes again.
Fearing my child will fall behind at the starting line.

But often,
kids suffer from learning, and parents feel exhausted from accompanying them.
Education is an investment, not a competition.
Find your child’s interests—that’s truly useful.

Don’t follow trends, don’t internalize, don’t force yourself, don’t compare.
Take good care of your health, improve your skills, keep a steady mindset.
Slowly endure, accumulate confidence bit by bit, and life will get better and better.