22/06/2025

ON SUNDAY JUNE 22, 2025 theSunday Special V

KHU FRUSRUDWH FDUHHU VKH WXUQHG WR 6X¿VP and meditation. “ , XVHG WR FKDVH PRQH\ DQG VWDWXV EXW it never made me happy. Now, I prioritise VSLULWXDO JURZWK RYHU PDWHULDO ZHDOWK ´ K DP OLYHV D PLQLPDOLVW OLIH LQ /DQJNDZL HDUQLQJ MXVW HQRXJK IURP SDUW WLPH FRQ VXOWDQF\ ZRUN WR FRYHU KHU EDVLF QHHGV She spends most of her time reading, PHGLWDWLQJ DQG HQJDJLQJ LQ FRPPXQLW\ service. “ 3HRSOH WKLQN IUHHGRP LV DERXW WUDYHO OLQJ RU TXLWWLQJ \RXU MRE EXW UHDO IUHHGRP LV LQ \RXU PLQG ,W¶V DERXW OHWWLQJ JR RI ZKDW GRHVQ¶W VHUYH \RX ´ I V WKH ERKHPLDQ OLIHVW\OH WUXO\ DFKLHY able? 7KH DQVZHU GHSHQGV RQ ZKDW \RX DUH ZLOOLQJ WR FRPSURPLVH ,I \RX FDQ KDQGOH financial instability, there are ways to PDNH LW ZRUN ,I \RX DUH FRPIRUWDEOH ZLWK PLQLPDOLVP \RX PD\ QRW QHHG DV PXFK LQFRPH DV \RX WKLQN ,I \RX YDOXH IUHHGRP over certainty, the trade-off might be worth it. A V IRU PH ZKLOH P\ VHDVLGH YLOOD H[SHUL PHQW GLGQ¶W ZRUN RXW , KDYHQ¶W DEDQGRQHG WKH SXUVXLW RI DOWHUQDWLYH OLYLQJ ,QVWHDG ,¶YH HPEUDFHG D K\EULG DSSURDFK ± ZRUN ing remotely, taking long sabbaticals to travel and prioritising passion-driven projects. B RKHPLDQ OLYLQJ LV QRW D RQH VL]H ¿WV DOO FRQFHSW ,W¶V DERXW FUDIWLQJ D OLIH WKDW DOLJQV ZLWK \RXU YDOXHV ZKDWHYHU WKDW PD\ ORRN OLNH :KHWKHU LW¶V OLYLQJ R̆ JULG travelling the world, creating art or simply UHMHFWLQJ VRFLHWDO SUHVVXUHV WKH WUXH HVVHQFH RI ERKHPLDQLVP LV IUHHGRP ± RQ \RXU RZQ WHUPV S R WKH UHDO TXHVWLRQ LV :KDW GRHV IUHHGRP PHDQ WR \RX"

Siti working at a cafe in Chiang Mai

Mei at one of her ceramic workshops

The digital nomad, Siti Khalida, 34 Siti’s version of bohemian living involves constant movement. A freelance graphic designer, she has spent the past three years hopping between Bali, Chiang Mai and Penang, working remotely while LPPHUVLQJ KHUVHOI LQ GL̆ HUHQW FXOWXUHV “I love the freedom of being able to ZRUN IURP DQ\ZKHUH 0\ Ṙ FH FRXOG EH D FDIp LQ 8EXG %DOL RQH PRQWK DQG D EHDFKVLGH KXW LQ /DQJNDZL WKH QH[W ´ While this lifestyle seems enviable, it FRPHV ZLWK ¿QDQFLDO XQSUHGLFWDELOLW\ DQG visa restrictions. “Malaysia still doesn’t have a proper GLJLWDO QRPDG YLVD VR , KDYH WR ¿JXUH RXW KRZ WR VWD\ OHJDOO\ LQ GL̆ HUHQW FRXQWULHV constantly. Freelancing means that I make a lot in some months and in others, I make EDUHO\ DQ\WKLQJ ´

The van-lifer, Firdaus Daniel, 38 I QVSLUHG E\ WKH 9DQ/LIH PRYHPHQW )LUGDXV FRQYHUWHG DQ ROG 7R\RWD +LDFH LQWR D WLQ\ KRPH RQ ZKHHOV +H WUDYHOV across Malaysia, from the Cameron +LJKODQGV WR 7HUHQJJDQX¶V EHDFKHV GRFX PHQWLQJ KLV MRXUQH\ RQ ,QVWDJUDP “ 3HRSOH WKLQN LW¶V DOO DGYHQWXUH EXW YDQ OLIH KDV LWV VWUXJJOHV ± ¿QGLQJ VDIH SODFHV to park, dealing with vehicle breakdowns DQG WKH ODFN RI SULYDF\ ´ 7 he biggest challenge? Malaysia’s in IUDVWUXFWXUH LV QRW GHVLJQHG IRU YDQ OLYLQJ “ ,Q :HVWHUQ FRXQWULHV WKH\ KDYH UHVW VWRSV ZLWK SURSHU FDPSHU IDFLOLWLHV +HUH I rely on petrol stations and R&R stops. Some places even shoo me away, thinking ,¶P KRPHOHVV ´ D HVSLWH WKHVH LVVXHV KH ¿QGV WKH OLIH style rewarding.

“ , GRQ¶W KDYH UHQW , ZDNH XS WR QHZ views every day and feel more connected WR QDWXUH WKDQ HYHU EHIRUH ´ The urban bohemian, Mei Mei, 31 Not all bohemians live off-grid. Mei embraces an alternative lifestyle right LQ WKH KHDUW RI .XDOD /XPSXU $ FHUDPLF artist, she lives in a co-living space with like-minded creatives, sharing rent, meals and ideas. “ :H¶YH FUHDWHG RXU RZQ OLWWOH DUWLVWLF KXE 2QH RI P\ KRXVHPDWHV LV D PXVLFLDQ DQG WKH RWKHU LV D ¿OPPDNHU :H DOO FRO ODERUDWH DQG VXSSRUW HDFK RWKHU¶V ZRUN ´ F RU 0HL ¿QDQFLDO VWDELOLW\ UHPDLQV D concern. “Making a living as an artist in Malaysia isn’t easy. I teach workshops and sell my FHUDPLFV RQOLQH EXW LW¶V XQSUHGLFWDEOH 6WLOO ,¶G UDWKHU VWUXJJOH GRLQJ ZKDW , ORYH WKDQ EH VWXFN LQ D VRXOOHVV MRE ´ The spiritual seeker, Kam Boon, 45 F RU .DP ERKHPLDQ OLYLQJ LV DERXW LQQHU IUHHGRP UDWKHU WKDQ H[WHUQDO OLIHVW\OH FKDQJHV $IWHU H[SHULHQFLQJ EXUQRXW LQ

Me holding my precious Indra Chakra Circle embossed and stitched leather journal with semi-precious stones during my brief pursuit of bohemian living.

Firdaus’s converted van

Kam meditating