Wholesome · by Budi Santoso · 2026-10-04
Can we talk about the underrated side of kindness in Jakarta
My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, I am much more likely to keep doing it.
Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the playlist for a while.
I tried this in Istanbul with a friend and we both noticed the same thing: the social part mattered more than the perfect plan.
184 sparks · 39 comments
Comments
Lena Müller · 24 likes
That last line is excellent. It sounds small, but the prototype matters. The follow-through matters more than the perfect plan.
Aisha Jacobs · 9 likes
The underrated angle is what sold me. People underestimate how much sleep changes the answer.
Cedar Fern · 5 likes
My first thought was cost, then time, then whether I would remember to do it. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability. The follow-through matters more than the perfect plan.
Noah Miller · 2 likes
I was going to disagree, but your second sentence got me.
Tanvir Rahman · 5 likes
This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. The low-effort version is probably the keeper.
Rizky Pratama · 5 likes
I like the idea, but the setup probably matters a lot. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.
Benjamín Rojas · 4 likes
You explained the tradeoff really clearly. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error.
Benjamín Rojas · 13 likes
Kind of wild how often appreciate is the whole issue.
Mariana Costa · 8 likes
Small caveat: context changes the answer a lot.
Nour Ali · 4 likes
Respectfully, I see it the other way.
Valentina Ruiz · 3 likes
I was going to disagree, but your second sentence got me.
Kabir Khan · 4 likes
Fair point, but I had the opposite experience. The low-effort version is probably the keeper.
Rohan Mehta · 3 likes
That is a good question for people with more experience than me. I would test it for 9 days before deciding. Glad you shared the messy version too.
Noah Campbell · 3 likes
This made me smile more than expected. The follow-through matters more than the perfect plan.
Mango Coder · 2 likes
My first thought was cost, then time, then whether I would remember to do it. I am curious whether community still feels good next month.
Yasmine El Amrani · 1 likes
This sounds good, but in practice it can be a bad idea without more context. The Monday morning version is even more interesting.
Budi Santoso · 4 likes
@yasmine-81 Same here. It took me too long to learn.
Arif Hasan · 6 likes
You just saved me a bad purchase.
Leila Karimi · 1 likes
That is fair, but I still worry about maintenance.
Rapid Runner · 1 likes
The kindness in this post is lovely. That is the kind of detail beginners miss.
Ethan Brooks · 1 likes
I wish more posts had this much context. I would write it down before changing anything else.
Tola Ibrahim · 1 likes
I am skeptical. The idea sounds good, but the maintenance cost is real. I am curious whether wins still feels good next month.
Daniel Kiptoo · 1 likes
I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. I noticed the same thing in Mexico City.
Aarav Sharma · 1 likes
I would push back gently on the underrated part. I would test it for 4 days before deciding.
Tola Ibrahim · 1 likes
I would push back gently on the talk part. The gentle constraint is probably the real story. This is kinder advice than most of the internet manages.