Net Worth Update Dec 2025 | SGD 2.068m New Record High!

   

In December 2025, my net worth soars to a record high of SGD 2.06m.

This milestone is driven by collection of salary, bonuses, CPF contributions, stable performances from core investment holdings in S-REITs and local banks; and successful capture of US option premiums from tech stocks.

My conservative net worth allocation is as follows:

Safe Heavens (59%)

CPF (33%): bulk and foundation of my retirement savings. I intend to make cash top-ups to my Medisave account after the Medishield Life premium deduction in Dec 25 to enjoy tax reliefs.

Cash and war chest (17%): Liquid reserves strategically stashed in fixed deposits and Fullerton cash funds earning around 1% p.a. provide peace of mind and security for unexpected expenses or investment opportunities.

Bonds (9%): A balanced portfolio of low-risk Singapore Savings Bonds and Astrea PE Bonds ensures stability and provides steady source of passive income.

Retirement Savings and Protection (16%)

SRS (12%): A tax-deferred engine for supplementary retirement savings, diversified across $30k of SSB, local stocks such as Comfortdelgro, DBS, OCBC, Keppel DC Reit, Keppel Reit and Wilmar, and idle funds deployed in money market funds.

Insurance (4%): A Prudential whole life insurance plan and other savings plans will provide me with 6-digit lump sum payout after my retirement while offering continual protection for peace of mind.

Equities (25%)

Stocks and Reits (25%): A real estate-focused portfolio of stocks and Reits provides long-term dividend income and stability. This financial asset class is riskier, more volatile and sensitive to interest rates but offers me the opportunity to indirectly own diversified portfolios of industrial, retail and commercial properties locally, and around the world for consistent passive income. 

To enhance returns, I have decided to build up the US growth stock portfolio to include the likes of tech compounders such as MSFT, AMZN and NVDA while also actively selling cash-secured put options to collect premiums, a strategy aimed at either generating income or acquiring desired assets at a discount.

The Attainment of FIRE

While net worth remains the critical compass of Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) reflecting the assets required to sustainably fund living expenses, the philosophy itself transcends mere accumulation. Having already exceeded SGD 2 million in assets and generated over $40,000 in annual passive income (details to be blogged separately), I am pleased to achieve FIRE before age 40.

FIRE is, fundamentally, about reclaiming control: control over our time, our choices, and the design of our lives. It creates the ultimate flexibility and power to choose to work if we want to, to pursue passions full-time, or, as I am currently experiencing, to take a 15-day break for self-healing, recharging, and resetting without financial strain.

I may not retire from full-time job immediately, but financial independence grants me the ultimate leverage moving forward: the freedom to adopt a truly carefree—and where necessary, 'f* you'—attitude in the workplace. This journey is a deliberate investment in security and a growing buffer against life's unpredictability.

With the financial milestone of SGD 2 million successfully attained, the focus shifts decisively from accumulation to tangible cash flow and long-term expansion. My updated targets for 2026 are:

• Passive Income: Adjusting the goal to $48,000 in annual passive income.

• Growth Portfolio: Establishing a US growth portfolio valued above USD150,000 as part of my total SGD1 million investment portfolio.

• Net Worth: Aiming for a net worth of SGD 2.25 million by the end of 2026 and SGD 3 million by the end of 2028.

• Retirement Early: Aiming for a step-down in full-time employment by the end of 2030.

In the coming weeks, I am secretly looking forward to a potential >$30,000 in 'free' interest from CPF on 1 January 2026 to further anchor this wealth foundation.

Financial independence is not an end; it is the power to design a life we do not need a vacation from, with the space to breathe, to live, and to thrive.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster

A Forgotten S-Reit Acquired MBC & Launched Preferential Offer

 

Marina Bay Financial Towers

For the past couple of years, Keppel REIT (SGX:K71U) has perhaps been the quieter sibling in the bustling Singapore REIT family. While industrial, logistics, and data center REITs enjoyed a booming run, and retail trusts benefited from the post-pandemic recovery, office REITs like Keppel Reit were often overshadowed by concerns over remote work and rising interest rates. 

I have held a position of 10,351 shares of Keppel Reit in my Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) account, viewing it as a core, long-term defensive play. Keppel Reit was in fact my maiden investment using SRS funds in 2016 as I thrilled at the dream of owning a tiny slice of the MBFC skyscrapers for office rental collection to align with my retirement aspirations.

But a major announcement this past Thursday, December 11, 2025, has shifted my posture from defensive to aggressive.

The management executed a major, strategic move that immediately changes the complexion of the REIT and its investment proposition. This is not just news; it is a clear, calculated opportunity to supercharge my retirement funds.

1. The Core Acquisition: MBFC Tower 3

Keppel Reit is acquiring an additional one-third interest in the iconic Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC) Tower 3 for an agreed property value of approximately S$1.45 billion.

• Resulting Stake: This move dramatically increases KREIT’s ownership in this Grade A asset from one-third to a two-thirds controlling interest.

• Pricing: The acquisition was secured at a slight discount of 1.0% to the property's independent valuation, ensuring KREIT acquired the asset at a fair, if not attractive, price.

2. The Funding Mechanism: A Substantial Preferential Offering

To partially finance this major acquisition, KREIT is conducting a fully underwritten, non-renounceable Preferential Offering (PO) to raise gross proceeds of approximately S$886.3 million.

• The Ratio: Entitled unitholders are being offered 23 new units for every 100 existing units held.

• The Price: The new units are offered at a fixed price of S$0.96 per unit, representing a significant 6.8% discount to the undisturbed market price of S$1.03 (as of December 10, 2025).

• The timeline is as follows:

3. Immediate Implications

This is a defensive and offensive move:

• Strengthening the Core: It doubles down on the premium Singapore office sector, boosting KREIT's exposure to Singapore from 75.8% to 79% of its portfolio value.

• The Trade-Off (The DPU Dilution): While the deal strengthens the portfolio long-term, the sheer volume of new units issued (approximately 23.9% of the existing unit base) means a widely reported expectation of short-term Distribution Per Unit (DPU) dilution.

What I will do?

My decision to fully participate in this PO is a direct response tailored specifically to my retirement goals.

A. Maximising My Entitlement

Based on my existing holding of 10,351 Keppel Reit shares in my SRS account, my entitlement under the PO is calculated as follows:

Total Cost: Subscribing to all 2,380 new units at the PO price of $0.96 costs S$2,284.80.

Post-PO Holding: This subscription will increase my total Keppel Reit position to 12,731 shares, significantly deepening my exposure to this high-quality asset base.

However, I will be applying for excess preferential shares after redeeming my SRS funds stashed away in Fullerton SGD cash funds. Including my entitlement of 2,380 shares, I intend to apply for at least 8,000 shares amounting to S$7,680.

B. The Conviction: Potential Upside and more Passive Income overcome Dilution

I am participating fully because I believe the long-term value creation from the MBFC acquisition far outweighs the short-term DPU hit.

The passing rent at MBFC Tower 3 is reported to be approximately 10% below the current Marina Bay average. Given the projected scarcity of new Grade A office supply in the core CBD over the next few years, Keppel Reit is poised to capture strong positive rental reversion when current leases expire. This rental upside, combined with the immediate discount achieved via the PO, makes this a high-conviction trade for my retirement portfolio.

As I have held Keppel Reit for more than 9 years now, after factoring in more than S$5k of dividends collected, my average holding cost is merely $0.48 per share. This preferential offering exercise presents me a great opportunity to add shares and average up without incurring much trading fees.

KREIT is a pure-play Grade A office REIT, with a heavily Singapore-centric portfolio, which is highly prized for its stability. The MBFC acquisition boosts Singapore exposure (post-deal), reinforcing its status as a major landlord in the prime Core CBD (Marina Bay, One Raffles Quay, Ocean Financial Centre). The portfolio-wide occupancy rate of above 96% remains robust, significantly higher than the typical sector average, indicating high tenant demand for its premium spaces. In Q3 2025, the REIT continued to report double-digit positive rental reversions, showing that market rents are rising when old leases expire, a strong signal for future income growth.

The preferential offering, despite raising capital at a discount, is expected to slightly lower the pro forma Net Asset Value to approximately S$1.18 per unit. Even at this adjusted value, the REIT's units are still trading well below book value. Trading below NAV means you are buying Grade A assets like the one-third of MBFC Tower 3 and the existing majority stake in Ocean Financial Centre, at a structural discount.

While office REIT yields have been pressured by higher interest rates, KREIT historically offers a competitive yield. Keppel Reit's current dividend yield is approximately 5.5%. The PO is funding a long-term strategic asset, which means the DPU is expected to be dilutive by 3.6% to 6.4% in the short term, depending on the final cost of debt. This is the main short-term trade-off. 

The investment decision hinges on the belief that the superior quality of the MBFC Tower 3 acquisition will drive accelerated rental income growth once current leases are renewed at positive rental reversion, quickly recovering the DPU dilution and pushing future yields higher.

In summary, Keppel REIT is strategically acquiring a valuable asset (MBFC Tower 3) at an opportune time (discount to valuation, while market rents are rising). The current valuation, characterized by its P/NAV discount and competitive yield, provides an attractive entry point for long-term investors willing to look past the short-term DPU dilution.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster

Added Mapletree Industrial Trust - ChatGPT AI Influenced Decision

Toa Payoh North 1, a property owned by Mapletree Industrial Trust

I added 5,000 shares of Mapletree Industrial Trust (MIT) today and this decision is largely influenced by AI.

I have long been wanting to increase my investment in income-producing assets such as S-Reits or local banks.

I seek ChatGPT AI for guidance and here is what I got:

I then asked ChatGPT to perform technical analysis on MIT and explain its recent price weakness and predict its future price movement.

Thoroughly convinced by ChatGPT AI, I believe the time is now ripe to make an addition as the Fed just announced another rate cut of 25 basis points and hawkishly guarantees that interest rates will only stay low rather than hike in the future. I agree with ChatGPT that the share price of MIT could recover by at least 20% and its DPU will gradually recover over time.

MIT will be announcing its results in Jan 2026. By adding shares now, I will get to increase the dividends to be collected from MIT in 2026.

MIT is severely undervalued compared to it's historical valuations and future cashflows. DBS valued MIT at a target price of $2.60 based on discounted future cashflows and factoring in reduced future incomes from non renewal of leases. OCBC has a target price of $2.39 for MIT while UOB Kay Hian recommends holding MIT with a target price of $2.22. The last preferential offering in 2021 was at a price of $2.64.

MIT is still a resilient Reit with a portfolio of well located flatted factories, high-tech buildings with specifications catered to IT, media, bio-medical and varied industrial sectors. This diversification across different segments reduces its reliance on any single type of industrial property and the specific market conditions affecting it. Its large and diverse tenant base of over 2,000 tenants minimizes the impact of non-renewal or financial difficulties of any single tenant.

I am not bothered about short-term volatility but rather focused on long-term income investing in a well managed industrial Reit owning freehold data centres with long Wale and stable DPU above 6.5%.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster

Added Microsoft

 

I added some shares of Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) today as its share price tanked, seizing a macro-driven discount. The dip was primarily fueled by the market's reaction to the Fed's 'hawkish cut,' compounded by investor concerns over the high cost of MSFT's new, massive AI infrastructure spending announced for India and Canada.

I believe Microsoft is a foundational, long-term investment, leveraging its dominant enterprise ecosystem to secure the best-in-class position in the generative AI revolution via Azure and Copilot.

To understand why this was a buying opportunity, we must first understand the temporary factors that caused the panic selling. The decline was triggered by a one-two punch of disappointing news:

• The Macro Punch: The 'Hawkish Cut': The Federal Reserve confirmed an expected rate cut, but the accompanying future guidance was far less 'dovish' than hoped. The signal for rates remaining 'higher for longer' directly hits the valuation of high-growth tech stocks like MSFT. Their value relies heavily on distant future profits (from Azure and AI), and a higher discount rate makes those future profits worth less today. This created an indiscriminate sell-off.

• The Micro Jab: AI Cost and Monetization Anxiety: Recent reports highlighted investor concerns over the massive capital expenditure (CapEx) required for new AI infrastructure (including the recent, large investments announced for India and Canada). Furthermore, anxiety persists over the pace of monetizing its core AI features (like Copilot). The market is punishing the stock for spending on the future, despite its necessity."

---

The short-term noises distract from Microsoft’s powerful intrinsic value. This is not a speculative AI play; this is an investment in a bedrock of the global economy.

The Best-in-Class AI Moat

Microsoft is a foundational, long-term investment, leveraging its dominant enterprise ecosystem to secure the best-in-class position in the generative AI revolution.

• Azure: Azure is the primary beneficiary of the AI arms race. It is the cloud platform that powers the vast majority of enterprise AI solutions and benefits directly from the immense compute demand from partners like OpenAI.

• Copilot & Enterprise Integration: MSFT has seamlessly integrated OpenAI's technology into the core products that virtually every major corporation uses: Office 365, Teams, and Dynamics. This integration is the most valuable and defensible moat in the software world—it's not just an optional tool, but a fundamental upgrade to workplace productivity.

Financial Fortress

Despite the massive CapEx, Microsoft operates with a balance sheet that few can match:

• Massive Free Cash Flow (FCF): MSFT consistently generates tens of billions in FCF, providing the capital required for its strategic investments, acquisitions, and returning capital to shareholders.

• Cloud Leadership: The Intelligent Cloud segment (Azure, Windows Server) remains its most profitable engine, providing reliable, high-margin revenue growth regardless of the economic climate."

Microsoft’s fundamentals remain some of the strongest in the entire S&P 500. Azure’s cloud momentum, its accelerating AI monetization, and its unmatched penetration into enterprise software give it a durable competitive advantage few companies can rival. When a business with near-monopolistic economics and 30%+ long-term EPS growth prospects retraces from the $490s into the low $470s, I see value. Market volatility doesn’t alter intrinsic value — it just changes entry prices. Buying during moments of weakness, not euphoria, has always been a winning strategy in compounding wealth.

I believe this dip created a crucial buying opportunity, allowing me to own a core part of the AI revolution, one of the best compounders in tech with diversification (cloud, enterprise software, AI infrastructure), recurring revenue model, and balance-sheet strength give it a “moat + growth + stability” trifecta.

Over the next 5 years by 2030, I view US $750–900 as a realistic target range for Microsoft.  Surpassing $1,000 is plausible especially if AI/cloud adoption accelerates globally.

Microsoft is not just a long-term investment; it is the cornerstone for capturing the immense value created by the future of enterprise AI.

I now hold a foundational position of 10 Microsoft shares and plan to strategically accumulate more whenever opportune market pullbacks arise. Otherwise, I will maintain discipline through a dollar-cost averaging approach to build the position over time.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster

Portfolio Update November 2025

Here is a portfolio update for Nov 2025.

My SGX Income Portfolio value dips slightly to $441k from $442k.

My US Growth Portfolio increases to US$37.5k from US$20k due to capital injections for purchases of NVIDIA and Fortinet as my efforts to build up the growth portfolio.

My SRS Ultra Long-Term Portfolio value rises to $240k, inclusive of unrealised capital gains from unit trusts held under Phllips Securities, from $232k mainly due to the resilience of local banks such as DBS and OCBC.

Portfolio Actions

1. Bought 50 shares of NVDA at $173.80

2. Assigned 100 shares of FTNT at $83

Portfolio Dividends

1. Received $613.00 of dividends from SSB on 1 Nov.

2. Received $315.00 of dividends from Guocoland on 19 Nov.

3. Received $750.75 of dividends from DBS on 24 Nov.

4. Received $600.00 of dividends from DBS on 24 Nov in SRS.

5. Received $168.72 of dividends from Keppel Reit on 25 Nov in SRS.

6. Received $187.15 of dividends from Astrea 7 A-1 PE Bond on 27 Nov.

7. Received $954.08 of dividends from Frasers Centrepoint Trust on 28 Nov.

8. Received $135.50 of dividends from Netlink Trust on 28 Nov.

9. Received $88.90 of dividends from Suntec Reit on 28 Nov.

SGX Income Portfolio

Portfolio Value = $441k

US Growth Portfolio

Moomoo

Tiger Broker

Syfe Trade

Portfolio Value = US$37.5k

SRS Ultra Long-Term Portfolio

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It's crucial to conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Thanks for reading.

With love and peace, 

Qiongster

Assigned Fortinet from Cash Secured Put Option

 

I was assigned 100 shares of Fortinet (FTNT) as my short sell of FTNT20251128 PUT option is exercised at $83 by the buyer today, 2 days before the expiry date.

For the past few months, I found myself entangled in an endless cycle of rolling cash-secured put options on Fortinet. Each expiry came with the same internal decision — collect premium, roll forward, or let assignment happen.

Looking at my past option orders, I have collected around US$780 of premiums from Fortinet without holding a single share.

Eventually, the market made the decision for me. I was assigned Fortinet shares at an effective net cost of US$75.2 per share after factoring in all the premiums collected. What initially felt like a reluctant commitment has, after reflection, evolved into a deliberate long-term investment thesis.

Fortinet is a pure-play cybersecurity company specialising in firewalls, secure networking, zero-trust security and cloud protection. It is not a speculative tech story but rather a core infrastructure service provider in the digital security ecosystem. 

As enterprises, governments and cloud providers race to secure increasingly complex networks, Fortinet sits at the intersection of cybersecurity and secure networking — an area that is becoming as essential as electricity and water in the digital economy. Its integrated platform, strong recurring subscription model, and consistent revenue growth of over 15% annually position it as a disciplined compounder rather than a hype-driven stock.

The challenges Fortinet faces are not insignificant. The cybersecurity landscape is intensely competitive, with formidable players such as Palo Alto Networks, CrowdStrike, Zscaler and Check Point constantly innovating and fighting for enterprise budgets. Pricing pressure, product overlap and the rising shift toward cloud-native and SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) architectures have forced Fortinet to continually adapt its business model from traditional hardware-heavy sales to a more subscription-driven ecosystem. Its share price tanked sharply months ago largely due to concerns over slowing billings growth, weaker-than-expected guidance, channel inventory corrections, and fears that customers were delaying large IT security upgrades amid macroeconomic uncertainty. The market interpreted this as a structural slowdown, triggering a swift re-rating despite Fortinet remaining profitable, cash-generative and operationally strong.

However, what the market punished as weakness appears more cyclical than terminal. As inventory normalises and enterprise security spending resumes its secular growth trajectory, Fortinet’s comprehensive platform strategy, strong installed base and disciplined cost control position it well to regain momentum. The correction, while painful, arguably offered long-term investors a rare opportunity to own a resilient cybersecurity franchise at more rational valuations.

The timing of this "forced" purchase aligns with my decision to build up a US growth stock portfolio in my next investment phase.

My effective net cost provides a margin of safety, but more importantly, it anchors me to the idea that great companies are not owned by perfect timing, but by patience and conviction. This assignment is no longer about being “forced” into a position — it is about embracing a role in a business that will likely be more relevant, more profitable, and more entrenched five to ten years from now.

Despite the sharp correction in Fortinet’s share price over recent months, its intrinsic value narrative remains far more reassuring than current sentiment suggests. Using conservative assumptions of 10–12% annual revenue growth, free cash flow margins stabilising around 28–30%, and a moderate discount rate of 9–10%, Fortinet’s intrinsic value is reasonably estimated to fall within the US$90–105 range per share. At current levels, Fortinet trades on a forward P/E in the low-30s, but its PEG ratio sits around 1.2–1.4, indicating that while it is not “cheap,” its valuation remains broadly justifiable relative to its expected earnings growth trajectory. This suggests that an assignment in the low-to-mid US$80s embeds not only a margin of safety, but also entry into a stock whose growth is still reasonably priced when viewed through a longer-term lens.

From a forward-looking perspective, analyst consensus target prices clustering between US$95 and US$115 further reinforce the view that Fortinet’s pullback is more cyclical than permanent. If enterprise cybersecurity spending resumes its secular growth path and Fortinet continues to execute on its platform strategy, a realistic 3–5 year valuation range expands toward US$120–160 per share. In that context, today’s price reflects compressed sentiment rather than impaired fundamentals, positioning patient investors to benefit as valuation converges back toward intrinsic value while earnings continue to compound steadily.

Sometimes, the market nudges you toward better decisions disguised as inconvenience. Fortinet may just be one of those.

Thanks for reading!

With love & peace,

Qiongster

Nibbled Nvidia

 

I know I am late.

When it comes to building my US stock portfolio, I won’t sugar-coat it — the best time was 10 years ago. The era when Nvidia was still just a promising GPU maker for gamers and researchers. That window has passed. But as the saying goes, the second-best time is now. And today, amid fear, noise and scepticism, I chose to begin.

I nibbled Nvidia.

Not because it is a “safe” stock. Not because it dipped. But because I believe that Nvidia is not merely a company — it is the foundational infrastructure of the AI age.

Buying fear, not headlines

NVDA pulled back after news circulated that Google is using its own AI chip, raising concerns that hyperscalers might one day reduce dependency on Nvidia. The market, as it often does, responded with panic rather than perspective. Algorithms sold. Traders fled. Commentators questioned sustainability.

But what many fail to grasp is this:
The AI revolution is not a zero-sum game. Demand is expanding faster than any single company can supply. Even if giants like Google, Amazon and Microsoft build their own chips, the scale, software stack, and ecosystem Nvidia has built is decades ahead.

This is not a supplier relationship. This is an operating system for intelligence.

Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s visionary founder and CEO, once said:

“AI is the new electricity. Just as electricity transformed every major industry, AI will do the same.”

And Nvidia is building the power grid.

This is not a stock. This is infrastructure.

When I bought Nvidia, I wasn’t thinking about next quarter’s earnings. I was thinking about the next decade.

We are witnessing:

• AI factories replacing data centres

• Autonomous systems rewriting logistics and transport

• Neural networks reshaping medicine, design, manufacturing and defence

• Entire industries rebuilding around accelerated computing

Jensen Huang framed it simply:

“We are at the beginning of a new industrial revolution.”

History teaches us that those who own the picks and shovels in a gold rush often win more than the miners. Nvidia is not digging for gold. It is selling the machinery that makes the entire industry function.

My conviction: Nvidia will compound into a behemoth

I believe Nvidia will become a US$10 trillion company within the next three years.

That may sound audacious. But so did Apple becoming the first trillion-dollar company. So did Amazon dominating global commerce. So did Tesla redefining transport.

I believe Nvidia will cross US$500. Then US$1,000. Then it will split again — and compound further. Not through hype, but through relentless innovation, pricing power, and dominance in AI compute.

This is not speculation. This is a structural thesis.

Jensen Huang famously embodies this mindset, often reminding investors and engineers alike:

“The more you buy, the more you save.”

It sounds tongue-in-cheek, but in his world, it reflects the unparalleled performance and efficiency of Nvidia’s ecosystem — and the confidence that customers who commit once, keep coming back.

A symbolic nibble — a strategic beginning

My purchase today is not aggressive. It is deliberate. It is a symbolic first brick in building my US equity portfolio.

For years, my investments have been anchored closer to home. S-Reits and local banks for dividend. Stable. Sensible. Predictable. But the future of capital growth lies in participating in technological revolutions — not just observing them.

This nibble represents:

• A mindset shift

• A commitment to global exposure

• A belief in exponential technological acceleration

Yes, I am late. Yes, volatility will test my resolve. Yes, Nvidia will correct, retrace, scare and surge repeatedly.

But history does not reward perfect timing. It rewards those who own greatness and refuse to let go.

The journey begins here

This is not a trade. This is not momentum chasing. This is ownership.

Ownership in a company led by a man who wears the same leather jacket not as branding, but as a symbol of unwavering focus. Ownership in a vision where computing power becomes the engine of civilisation’s next phase.

As Jensen Huang puts it:

“We are going to change the world with AI – and we are just getting started.”

And so am I.

A small nibble today — but a long journey ahead.

Welcome to the beginning of my US stock portfolio.

Thanks for reading!

With love & peace,

Qiongster

Come with Nothing, Leave with Nothing

The modern pursuit of happiness is often defined by external achievements: collecting wealth, attaining status, and creating an identity based on what we possess. But profound spiritual teachings from around the world offer a radical truth: the path to freedom and fulfillment lies not in accumulation, but in radical acceptance and the mastery of letting go.

This wisdom is centered on one undeniable reality: we arrive with nothing, and we depart with nothing.

If we dedicate our lives to the mindset of constant acquisition and building up—collecting objects, status, and external validation—we set ourselves up for immense internal suffering. When the time comes for the physical body to fall away, the emotional self will face the terrifying reality of having lost absolutely everything.

The secret to a peaceful and fulfilling existence is to live according to these five timeless principles.

1. The Zero Sum Principle: Appreciate, But Never Attach

True freedom begins when we acknowledge the impermanence of all things.

This principle doesn't demand austerity; it asks for conscious living. We are encouraged to make use of and enjoy the beauties and possibilities that life offers. However, we must simultaneously hold the awareness that none of these things will be taken with us.

By embracing this knowing, consumption ceases to be a reactive need or an attempt to fill an inner void. Instead, every choice becomes a deliberate, conscious decision. We are free to engage fully with life without the inevitable heartbreak that comes from gripping onto what is ultimately transient.

2. The Inner Gaze: Find the Core of Who You Are

Before seeking change in the world, one must commit to finding the essence of the self.

The most vital task is to discover who or what you are. If your foundation of self-perception is based on external factors—the roles you play, the possessions you own, or the labels given to you—you will remain trapped in an illusion and bound to the cycle of suffering.

This journey also requires taking absolute responsibility. The belief that "everybody else is responsible for my misery" is a psychological dead end. Progress begins when you look inward and honestly acknowledge your part in your current situation, allowing you to reclaim your power to change it.

3. The Architecture of Skill: Invest with Continuity

Spiritual strength and a purposeful life are not gifts; they are skills built through daily investment.

Skill is cultivated not through sporadic bursts of enthusiasm, but through continuity, real effort, and real discipline. You cannot make up for six days of stagnation with one day of intense activity. Growth demands consistent behavioral patterns. When you pursue a challenging goal, you must learn to push past the immediate pain or resistance. The way to overcome limits is to hit them, learn to sit with the discomfort, and then step by step, move beyond them.

The greater your skill in navigating life—your internal discipline, self-awareness, and resilience—the more playable, enjoyable, and beautiful your existence becomes.

4. Embracing Totality: The World of Yin and Yang

The expectation that life should be continuously peaceful and positive is a fundamental misunderstanding of existence.

Reality is a duality—a world of Yin and Yang. Light coexists with dark, success with failure, joy with pain. If you seek to participate in the story of success, you will inevitably be part of the story of failure.

The ultimate wisdom is to see this duality as a complete whole. It is a profound gift to simply be able to experience the full spectrum of existence—the happiness, the heartbreaks, the tears, and the joy—without preferring one side or attempting to separate it from the other.

5. The Director’s View: Step Out of the Avatar

To avoid becoming trapped and defined by your own creation—the identity you’ve built—you must learn to shift your perspective.

Try to stop taking your current existence so seriously. Your personality, your roles, and your identity are just a picture. A helpful technique is to jump out of yourself and become the director of your own avatar. By viewing your life as a movie, you can observe times of struggle and turmoil without being completely consumed by them.

This perspective helps you to look beyond the surface, beyond the words and the superficial shape of things, where the true meaning lies. The only thing you need to do is go into yourself, contemplate, and find the answers there.

The ability to navigate life's inevitable changes and find consistent happiness is rooted in this essential commitment: Learn more about yourself.

Thanks for reading!

With love & peace,

Qiongster