Yes, just a small story of someone waking up. It dealt with our ordinary daily stories. And if you think about it a little, it's me. A few months ago, my mental state collapsed. The politician in my body left. Yes, order in my life began to fall apart. I didn't speak or act as usual. I got extremely angry, irritable, depressed, and lethargic. People around me who knew me said, You're not the person we used to know. My 80-year-old mother-in-law got COVID-19, lost her energy, couldn't walk, and couldn't take care of herself for three months. I had to work at the computer, but I couldn't make progress. It felt like sinking into a swamp. I was so caught up in worrying about my mother-in-law that I couldn't work. I was just hungry, but my mouth was too hot.

Especially, because my tongue was so swollen that I couldn't eat, my friends tried to encourage me by giving me various things for about four weeks, but I really couldn't eat. I thought it was impossible. So I took some herbal medicine, and it did help a bit. But it didn't instantly make me feel better. After about one or two months, I realized, Oh, this is it. One day, I suddenly returned to my original state. I wondered why. Maybe what the adults said was right. So when you face difficult times and feel like you want to die, it's true that if you endure, time will heal everything. However, I want to add one more thing here because maybe it was the daily habits and routines that I buried. I think those habits may have been what brought me back to life in that difficult situation.

I wake up at 5 a.m., or I should say my eyes open by themselves. Without getting up, I lie down and do an exercise where I tap my left temple with my right index finger about 200 times. A long time ago, an oriental doctor who checked my health condition told me it was serious and recommended this exercise. I have been doing this exercise every day without fail since 2018. After that exercise, I sit up, strengthen my nose and waist with a famous stretching movement called Myeongga. It's a movement taught by a lady in the neighborhood, and I have been doing it every day without fail since she taught me. Then I come to my room, brush my teeth, and take herbal medicine. This herbal medicine is very good for the body and doesn't cost much money. You can look up the detailed effects on the internet. It's called Yaeumyangtang, which is a mixture of warm water and herbal medicine.

I enjoy that water on an empty stomach. Then I have a simple breakfast. Nowadays, since I'm getting older and don't eat much, I have a light meal. I eat yogurt, put some honey in it, sprinkle some grains, and eat it. Then, I sit in front of the computer, tapping on the keyboard. It's called Morning Pages. It's not about writing with a specific topic but letting my thoughts flow freely and writing as my consciousness guides my fingers. After doing this, I feel like I've regained my sanity. So, they say that organizing this page is a form of meditation. If you're curious about Morning Pages, you can watch how to enjoy the morning on TV or YouTube. I've been doing this since 1999 and have been writing continuously. After finishing the Morning Pages, I get dressed and go outside. It's so nice to have a change.

I stand up straight, puff out my chest, and take a walk around the neighborhood while looking at the sky and feeling the fresh air. When I come back home, it's a little past 7 o'clock. I never skip this ritual, repeating it every single day without fail. Perhaps this is the strength that has protected me in difficult times. I see it as a commitment, pushing myself forward, like how even when the leaves fall, the tree trunk remains firmly rooted, able to withstand any challenges. I believe that our consistent daily habits have saved us in times of difficulty. When it comes to self-improvement, we often talk a lot about time management, goals, and directions. Habits are also crucial, maybe even more important. However, forming these habits is not easy, as you know. There's a saying about giving up after three days, as it's common for people to revert back to their old ways after a short period of commitment. But there's something else important about these habits.

Once it sticks to your body, it doesn't come off easily, even if you don't think about it. Because it does it automatically, that's why it's a habit. Habits need to stick to my body, my body needs to remember. Our bodies are a bundle of habits, no more and no less. Usually, we think, speak, and act according to our habits. You might not say it like this, but we don't think or speak much in a day. We mostly do things as we used to. When we wake up in the morning, we grab the door handle to the right side, just like we used to. When we eat, we hold the spoon with our right hand and chopsticks with our left hand, just as our body remembers. So, even if we don't command it, it naturally becomes a good habit that saves us. How can we make good habits that save us? We need to do it consistently. It doesn't happen in a day or two.

I have to remember on my own because my body doesn't do it. Until I do that, I have to do it continuously. There is a saying in Confucianism that emphasizes the importance of self-awareness. It's not resting. If the Earth said, I'm tired of orbiting around the sun, so I'll take a break today, the world would be in chaos. We need to breathe, eat to live. Oh, it's so annoying, I want to stop now. Oh, what's wrong? If you do that, what will happen? You'll die. Breathing is like time. If you hold your breath for a moment, your life will end. Are you going to continue to do something continuously like nature, like the Earth, like the five grains without resting throughout the year? This concludes Kim Yong-mi's speech.

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