Turning the focus back to Health in MoneyandHealth's blog - How a cycling trip relates to our financial journey 😉

A photo diary of my cycling trip which relates to our financial/investing journey

For my latest post, decided to shift the focus back to the 'Health' portion of my MoneyandHealth blog after an overdose of past several posts on investments, money and financial markets 😅.

My MoneyandHealth (Mr MH) here hasn't gone for a cycling trip for years and recently had some inspirations to bring my 小红 (bought during Covid-19) for a night ride along the northeastern shoreline of Singapore (told my kids that I'm going on a night patrol of our waterways and coastline, haha...).

As I cycled in the cool night sea breeze, and take in the new developments around me, I realised the cycling trip not only clears the mind but I also see similarities of my cycling journey to our life situations and investing journey too. Anyway, this is more of a light-hearted photo diary that also highlights certain interesting sights/features that people who don't live in the northeast may not know. And see if U can catch the nuggets of financial insights along the way, Enjoy! 😉

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1st stop - The famous Lorong Halus red bridge - 船到桥头 自然直

• The famous Lorong Halus red bridge aka 船到桥头 自然直 (loosely translated as the bridge will straighten itself when the boat reaches it) - Just as our long winding investing journey, there will be 101 things to worry about (trade wars, geopolitics, inflation, recession, pandemic etc.) but sometimes we just have to take thinas as they come and adapt along the way. For those of us who invest for the long term => Stick to business fundamentals and our investing principles/objectives. And for those who trade short term => Follow the trend and go with the indicators.

  
  

2nd stop - Chillaxing with a drink opposite the red bridge (on which many cyclists were coming from Pasir Ris into Punggol and vice versa)

• Amidst the hustle and bustle of cyclists to and fro on the red bridge (or euphoric jumps and drastic drops in the stock markets), sometimes, its better to chillax (隔岸观火? Or maybe 静观其变 more apt here, haha) and wait for the hype/euphoria or fear/uncertainty to settle down a bit before making our next move. As my 师父s/trainers have reminded us many times - NOT taking any actions (i.e. NOT buying due to hype or NOT selling due to fear) is ALSO an action! 😎 Ok, I know, it takes a while to sink in and to diffuse into U! But on deeper tots, there's much wisdom in this!

The journey in front seems never-ending, uncertain or undulating, esp when U are tired, sweaty and don't know what to expect ahead...

• This photo reminds me of the 2021 NDP theme song - NDP 2021 Theme Song - The Road Ahead [Official Music Video] (Bing Videos)! The path ahead may look never-ending, the route may look undulating with lots of ups and downs; similarly, there will be uncertainties in our life journey, obstacles/setbacks, there will be times when we are uncertain/hesitant, but we just have to keep walking on! Same goes for our investing journey, there will be ups and downs but in the long run, market shall keep moving up and we should persevere - Time in the market, not timing the market!

  
  

Can you spot the latest Punggol Digital District (PDD) and the newest University in Punggol (Singapore Institute of Technology, SIT)?

• It took the government much planning and years to build the Punggol Digital District (PDD) and the newest University in Punggol (Singapore Institute of Technology, SIT). Similarly, it will take years and decades for us to work on our financial journey and build up our portfolio but it will bear fruits for us in the long run!

  
  

The coast-to-coast trail signboard showing the distance of the NParks park connector

• Seeing the distance/journey signboard immediately reminded me of the Chinese saying - 千里之行，始于足下（translated as - Every journey of a thousand miles starts from the first step we take). Just as many of my friends are wondering how to take their first steps into the investing journey, my advice is always to start small but start NOW! The best time to start was yesterday, the next best is to start NOW! Don't regret to start late like me!

  As the saying goes - "If you don't try to make your money work HARDER for you, then you will HAVE TO work harder for the money until you die!"

  
  

Can you see the Coney Island in the backdrop?

• Many a times, in our life journeys or in our investing path, there are often important things which may be hiding in plain sight or be blocked (in this case the darkness cover of the night). We just have to open our eyes bigger to see clearly or to use external assistance (e.g. powerful torch) to guide us along.

The bund leading from Punggol to Coney Island is closed from 7pm.

• Well, just as the bund is closed for the day, we can always come back the next day when it opens again, don't FOMO. Same for any stocks that you wish to buy, there will always be another chance or another candidate that comes along at the right price, so don't FOMO (reminder to myself too, haha...)

Bet you non-Northeasterners didn't know there's a marina in Punggol (Marina Country Club)!

• Check out the nice scenic views, delicious food and idyllic ambience of the Marina Country Club (Marina Country Club)

View of the Marina Country Club with the Johor skylight (middle of photo) and the Punggol Northshore HDB estate (right of the photo)

Various boats/yachts berthed at Marina Country Club's piers, did you know there are seaside dining right beside the piers?

• These boats berthed at the marina reminds any investors/traders not to be too upset when a boat has sailed, or a stock's price has risen before you bought or dropped before you sold.

• There will always be a next boat that returns to the pier, or there could be other bigger/better boats that comes along. Remember, 塞翁失马焉知非福 or Each cloud has a silver lining! ☺️

Contrast the day and night view of the JB shoreline as I breezed through on my bike

• This photo sparks the saying - "Its always the darkest before dawn"! 黑暗即将过去，黎明即将到来！There's always light at the end of the tunnel! In reverse chronological order - Trump's Liberation Day in 2025, Fed hiking interest rates in 2022, Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Global Financial crisis in 2008, SARS in 2003, Asian Financial crisis in 1998 and so on, have the global economy not recovered? Has the stock market not surmounted higher peaks? Have countries and the human population rebounded stronger?
  

  Let fear not be what stops us in our tracks but let courage be the spark that sets us forward! by Mr MoneyandHealth!

Ok, hope you have gained some insightful nuggets of knowledge for your own financial health or investing journey! If nothing else, I hope U have found interesting views of the northeastern coastline! I definitely enjoyed the ride and boosted my health a bit. Oh man, missed those days when I went for intensive exercises/sports to boost the health, e.g. kayaking, rock-climbing, gym, jogging, swimming and cycling! Shall try to muster the willpower and squeeze out time for my own health journey! 😍

Ok, back to my 2021 NDP song - The Road Ahead: "There were times we were uncertain

But we just kept walking on

It's always darkest just before the dawn.

Though the road ahead is daunting

I know we're gonna be alright.

Come whatever on the road ahead

We did it before, and we'll do it again! "