MapleStory is My Forever Game

In my journey towards a simpler lifestyle, one thing has remained constant. That is gaming, especially MapleStory. It is a part of my daily rhythm and something that brings joy and comfort without complicating my life.

I play a variety of games, but most of my time is devoted to MapleStory. It feels like my forever game. I first started playing when it launched back in 2005, and quickly became hooked. I was still a student then, and it affected my studies. To regain balance, I had to quit cold turkey for a while. Even after that, I returned to the game on and off, juggling my love for it with academic responsibilities.

Everything changed in 2016 with the release of MapleStory M. Since then, it has been my main version of the game. Mobile gaming just fits my lifestyle better now, as it’s more accessible, more relaxed, and blends seamlessly with my daily routine.

I also play MapleStory Evolution, that was launched in 2023, MapleStory Idle, and MapleStory Worlds, both of which came out this year. I did try returning to the PC version, but it has become so complex. I can’t grasp that it looks so familiar yet there’s so much to learn and keep up. I also can’t sit at a desk for hours to manually play a game anymore. The convenience and automation of mobile versions suits me better now.

MapleStory Worlds has an old-school version that captured the charm of the early days. It brought back waves of nostalgia, but also reaffirmed that I can’t keep up with manual grinding anymore. I’ve moved on to a more relaxed way of playing.

Since embracing a simpler lifestyle, I’ve also become a homebody, and MapleStory M is part of my daily routine. I start my day with a short session, then set up the auto-battle function so my character can grind while I go about my day. In the evening, I rotate to another character, and at night, before bed, I check in on a third one to build up my account steadily.

In a world that often pushes for more, MapleStory has become a source of comfort, nostalgia, and quiet joy. It may have started as an addiction, but over the years, it’s grown into a companion that now fits right into my slower and simpler life.

No other game has held my attention for as long as MapleStory has. The original PC version and MapleStory M alone already span years of my life. That kind of consistency is rare for me when it comes to gaming. Most games come and go, but MapleStory always finds a way back into my life.

The fact that I’ve not only stuck with two versions of the game for so long, but also tried almost every spin-off, really says something. I even gave the PC version another shot, because there’s a part of me that always feels connected to it.

I think there’s something about the world of MapleStory, that makes it feel like home. It’s familiar and comforting. Even when I step away, I find myself returning. That’s why I know MapleStory is truly my forever game.

Letting Go of Perfect Through Simplicity

I used to be a perfectionist, but that led me to become half-hearted in everything I did. An example is my skincare routine, which I have been trying to cultivate a habit for the longest time.

Since beginning a simpler life, I have realised why it was so difficult to cultivate the habit, because my perfectionist mindset saw it as all or nothing. It’s either I complete the full routine or don’t do it at all. There will definitely be days when we feel off, tired, or just unmotivated. On those days, doing part of the routine would have been enough, but that wasn’t my thinking then.

Another example is my planner. I’ve tried everything, from bullet journaling to pre-made layouts and digital planners. No matter the system, I always felt pressure to keep up with it. My perfectionist mindset couldn’t make any mistakes. Drawing wrongly or crossing something out felt like ruining the entire page. As for digital planners, I was too obsessed about the alignment. Every line had to be evenly spaced and every font perfectly uniform in size. There was no flexibility, just the need for everything to look perfect.

It wasn’t until I embraced a simpler lifestyle that I changed my mindset about perfectionism. Simplicity isn’t just about having less things, it’s also a mindset. So here’s how simplicity helped me let go of perfectionism.

Focusing On My Values

In my previous post on, 5 Ways to Embrace Simplicity, one of the ways is to Live In Alignment With Your Values. For me, my values are happiness and health, but chasing perfection came with the expense of sacrificing my happiness and health.

Happiness isn’t about grand achievements. It’s about feeling content, peaceful, and aligned with how I want to live. Health isn’t just physical, it’s also emotional and mental. It’s about reducing stress, and treating myself with kindness. When I center my life around these values, I also release the pressure to be perfect.

Adopting the Just Do Mindset

There is a saying, “a small step can go a long way“. Doing something small gets you farther than waiting for the perfect moment to do it all. Even if I can only do something partially, it will benefit in the long run. Progress doesn’t need to be perfect to be meaningful.

Lower Expectations

Simplicity helps lower expectations by encouraging a shift in perspective. When I made the intentional choice to live more simply, I began to redefine what I expected from myself. Simplicity helped me let go the pressure to do everything flawlessly, and I started embracing imperfection. I don’t waste unnecessary energy on obsessing over the smallest details or trying to polish every task to perfection.

Using Affirmations and Mantras

I love affirmations and mantras. They act as calming reminders of what truly matters, and can be repeated during moments of stress, indecision, or self-doubt. It takes time to fully let go of the perfectionist mindset, so sometimes I still find myself obsessing over the smallest details. When that happens, a simple affirmation or mantra can bring me back to my new values and expectations.

Slow Down and Be Present

Another way, as mentioned in my previous post, on ways to embrace simplicity, is to slow down and be present. When I am doing things at a more relaxed pace, I become fully present with what I am doing, instead of being on autopilot.

That sense of awareness helps me catch myself when I start obsessing over the smallest details or trying to be perfect. In those moments, I can pause and remind myself of my new values and expectations, through affirmations or mantras.

Simplicity pulled me away from perfectionism. It reminded me that life isn’t a performance, but a journey. The more I let go of the need to control or perfect every detail, the more peace and happiness I find. I don’t have to do it all and I don’t have to do it perfectly.

Why Budgeting is Important as a Freelancer Living a Simple Life

I’ve been a freelancer for a few years and have always worked mainly to cover my monthly expenses. I had other ambitions, to grow my income, travel more, and be a digital nomad, but recently chose to let go in favour of a simpler life.

I’ll admit that I still want to grow my income, but not as ambitious as before. I believe you don’t need a six-figure, or even a five-figure business, to live a meaningful and peaceful life. What matters most is how you manage what you have and not how much you make.

My overall income is modest, with a small portion coming from a passive source. Most weeks, I go out to work two or three days. Now that I’ve started this blog, I’ll be spending the rest of my week trying to build it. So if you’re also a freelancer living on a low income, but committed to a simpler lifestyle, budgeting is not just helpful, it is empowering. It gives you clarity, control, and the confidence to live well within your means.

Budgeting Keeps You In Control

Income from freelancing is unstable and unpredictable. Some months are steady, but other months can be slow. My income varies from month to month, depending on how many days I end up working. When your income is already limited, this variability can feel even more stressful.

Having a budget gives you a sense of control, as it keeps you in the know about:

  • How much money you have
  • What your essential expenses are
  • How much you need to cover the basics
  • Where every dollar is going
  • How much you are saving
  • Whether you might be over-exceeding your resources

In other words, you have control of what you can and can’t afford. It becomes easier to navigate ups and downs without panic. You’re not just reacting to your finances, but managing them with clarity.

Make Confident Decisions

Should you take a break this week, or do you need to pick up more work? Can you treat yourself to a nice meal out, or is it time to cut back on little extras like bubble tea and coffee shop lattes? 

When you have a budget and full knowledge of your money, you can answer those questions with confidence. You know what’s possible and what isn’t. You don’t have to guess and that takes a huge mental load off your shoulders.

Keeps You from Falling into the Debt Trap

A budget can help you decide whether you should buy something. Without a plan, those decisions can be driven by impulse and spiral into a long-term stress. A budget helps create a pause, giving you a moment to question whether you can really afford this. With that awareness, you’re far less likely to rely on credit cards or buy-now-pay-later options.

Even with a low income and knowing that you can’t afford, it doesn’t always stop the temptation. Without a budget, it’s easier to justify purchases with thoughts to make up for it later. Those habits can quietly lead to debt, and over time, that debt can snowball into long-term financial stress.

Helps With Emergency and Retirement

This is the reason why I still want to grow my income, because I need to consider long term. We don’t know how long we’ll live or what will happen. What if we live a long life but reach a point where we can’t work anymore, whether due to age, illness, or other circumstances beyond our control?

Having a budget allows us to pre-allocate part of our income for future needs. Even on a modest income, setting aside small amounts regularly for emergencies and retirement builds a sense of security. We may not know what the future holds, but we should do what we can today to care for our future self.

Improves Overall Well-being

Having full control and clarity over your finances also positively impacts your mental and emotional health. You no longer need to second-guess your spending decisions or feel anxious every time money leaves you. Instead, you can make purchases with confidence, knowing that everything has been planned for.

This sense of financial stability reduces stress, increases peace of mind, and allows you to enjoy life more fully, without the constant background worry about whether you can afford something.

Even without a high income, you can still live well, with awareness, intention, and a plan. That’s where budgeting comes in.

As a low-income freelancer living a simple life, budgeting becomes my anchor. It helps me stretch my income, stay aligned with my values, and move forward with calm and confidence.

Surrounded By Electronic Devices

I have five phones, an iPad, and a laptop. I genuinely use them all and being surrounded by them makes me feel my best. I know I am letting go of consumerism, but this is different. These devices have been gathered over many years, not bought impulsively. I just never trade in or sell some of my old phones and now they still serve a purpose in my daily life.

Except for my laptop and one phone, I take the rest with me when I go out. I don’t use them all at one setting, to avoid unwanted attention. Even at the workplace I frequent, the staff are surprised to see me with just two phones. The truth is, I always carry the same devices as I do when I’m out, but at work, I only ever use the same two.

I would say that I’m fortunate enough, but not rich, to be able to upgrade my phone every few years and hold on to the older ones. I’m willing to splurge on electronics, but save in other areas. I rarely dine at restaurants, and now, I’m even cutting back on overseas trips. Those feel good in the moment, but that joy fades quickly. What brings me more lasting contentment is being surrounded by the tech I love, things I actually use and enjoy every day.

Maybe it’s my shyness and introversion. I tend to get nervous, sometimes even panicky, when I have to interact with people. My mind goes blank, and I struggle to find the right words. It takes me a long time to feel truly comfortable, even with just one person. I suppose it’s the quiet interaction and connection without pressure I get from electronic devices. With them, I don’t feel the same anxiety or discomfort. It’s not about avoiding people entirely, but about finding calm in a world that often overwhelms me.

I’m also a homebody, probably because of my shyness and introversion. My electronic devices keep me occupied and are also kind of a quiet companionship.

I think, eventually, I would love to create a little shrine or display for my collection of electronic devices. It’s something I’ve been slowly dreaming about, but I’m still debating whether to include peripherals such as keyboards and headphones. Would that cross the line into unnecessary spending and just add to the clutter? I don’t want this to turn into another expression of consumerism, when I’ve been trying to step away from that mindset.

I know another question that naturally comes up would be, why do I even need five phones, when I also have an iPad and a laptop. Sometimes, I ask myself that too. Over time, I’ve assigned each device a specific purpose, but there’s still some overlap I’m trying to sort out.

I’ll take my time and slowly refine how I use each device, because as always, life is an ongoing journey of figuring things out. For now, I believe what matters most is awareness, being mindful of when and what I’m using, so that I don’t overwhelm myself or stray away from my values of living a simpler life.

The Problem With Consumerism

I’ve always struggled with drinking enough water. For the longest time, I drank very little each day and couldn’t seem to improve, until recently. I had been considering replacing my thermal bottle for a while, as it had become stained and difficult to clean no matter how thoroughly I washed it.

I’ve been hesitating on buying a new bottle because no matter how many I looked at, none of them met my criteria. Unexpectedly, I received a bottle for free. It’s not exactly what I had in mind, but it’s free, and honestly, who says no to that? So I’ve been using it anyway, and surprisingly, it’s been working out just fine.

What’s even more surprising is that this new bottle actually helped me drink more water. That made me realize a problem with consumerism, being drawn to the appeal of new. Even if something is still perfectly usable, we often grow tired of it after a while. Sometimes it could be in just a few months, and start looking for a replacement. It’s not that we need it, but the excitement that comes with something fresh.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with enjoying new things, but I’m starting to notice the difference between buying something out of a genuine need and buying something just because I’m tired of what I already have.

This is where I find myself in conflict with my new simpler lifestyle. It’s not only about owning fewer things, it’s about having a clearer sense of why we own it.

So how do we stop chasing that constant hit of novelty through buying new things?

Letting things rest. When I get tired of something I own, I don’t immediately replace it. I put it away for a while. Then, weeks later, I pull it out again. All we really need is a break, not a replacement.

An example will be my collection of bags. There was a time when I went through a phase of impulsively buying them. I’ve since decluttered a few, but simplicity isn’t about throwing everything away. Now, instead of buying a new bag every time I get bored, I “shop” my own cupboard, rediscovering what I already own and sometimes, I even forget that I own it.

There are definitely more ways to stop chasing novelty through buying new things, but I’m still figuring that out, taking into consideration that I only discovered this problem quite recently. As always, life is an ongoing journey of figuring things out.