PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF...

This voluntary simplicity thing, can actually work wonders for the body, mind and the soul.

But first, let's introduce ourselves. And second, why did you decide to downshift? And lastly, how was it so far?

I'll start.

I am self-employed, own a food service establishment. The demands were so critical. I was lucky to start at age 22. But i do not know anything about operations and the business side. I had no choice but to run after people's demands. Slow movement, food wise, i prefer home cooked, quality ingredient meals so enterprising this principle of mine just took a toll on me. I did run everything in my business to learn the ropes. I've read about rich dads, poor dads stories and to achieve fast is what the society dictated. People were celebrating my success so it would be a shame to slow down.

My social life was becoming business, trying to find the right "connections", keeping up with trends, attending grand parties not to have fun but just to be there. I nearly crashed a year ago, my health was poor, i ate in a stupid way.

Until December last year. I promised myself to give myself a break. I hired an experienced operations manager, added secretaries. Downshifted myself in the background, doing what I love best - to cook. Socially, I decline invitations to extravagant "business" parties, and reconnected with old friends whose lives I missed out while trying to prove myself to no one but myself. I now enjoy going out, having a few drinks but with more conversations and laughter. I now wine and dine slowly, searching places, travel in cities just to see temples, wear flats. I even dropped my business mobile phone.

Now, things are better. Quality, not Quantity.