One Swing Philosophy — What Golf Taught Me About Life

I don't think I have more luck than other people. I think I've simply learned how to notice it. We often hear that everyone gets a few big strokes of luck in life. But these days, I wonder if luck comes to us much more often than that. Maybe many of our lucky moments are just too small to notice. For me, a good cup of coffee can be a little piece of luck. A delicious meal shared with someone I like can be a little piece of luck. A beautiful golf shot that comes unexpectedly can be a little piece of luck. Even a funny scene at a swimming pool can become a little piece of luck. Yesterday, for example, I saw several senior swimmers secretly following an aqua exercise class from a distance. They knew they weren't actually part of the class, and they were smiling as they copied every movement. It was so funny that I started laughing to myself. And then, without even realizing it, I started following along with them in the water. Yes, I joined their little secret lesson, too. ㅎㅎ ...

I recently started a very important project. Project: Flat Belly. 😂 And there is actually a reason why I started it. Ever since I started my blog, I've been taking a lot more photos of myself. Golf photos. Walking photos. Everyday life photos. Pictures with friends. Pictures of me doing all kinds of things. And when I started looking at all those photos… I noticed my belly. 😂 Not in the mirror. In the photos. Apparently, cameras are much more honest than mirrors. 🤣 At first, I thought, “Hmm… maybe it's just the angle.” Then another photo. And another. And another. Okay. Maybe it isn't the angle. 😂 So I decided to do something about it. I'm giving myself about six months to work on my posture and gradually make my belly flatter. I'm not adding another workout to my already busy routine. I already play golf, swim, walk my dogs, and stay active in my everyday life. Instead, I'm paying more attention to my posture and the way I use my body throughout the day....

Some people think my study abroad journey was supported by my parents. It wasn't. After graduating from university, I worked for many years and saved my own money.  In my late twenties, I once asked my father if he could send me abroad to study. He said something I still remember. "I have six children. If I send you, your younger siblings may want the same opportunity, and I can't do that for everyone. But if you want to go to graduate school in Korea, I will support you." At the time, I simply said, "I understand." I went on with my life, worked hard, and even completed my Korean MBA supported by company while working full-time. But some dreams don't disappear. The dream of studying in the United States stayed quietly in my heart for many years. Eventually, I decided to go. I paid for my study abroad with the money I had earned myself—almost 120 million KRW in total. Because I was older than many international students, I made a promise to myself before...

For a long time, I thought I knew myself quite well. I knew my strengths. I knew that I was good at negotiating and mediating between people. Even when I was working, I often thought, “If you need someone to find a middle ground, I can probably do that well.” But as I get older, I have realized that knowing my abilities is not the same as truly understanding myself. Sometimes, life has to happen first. Only then do we understand why we behave the way we do, what truly matters to us, and what kind of person we have been trying to become all along. Recently, I discovered something about myself that I had never clearly understood before. When I was young, there was one thing I wished for. “Please let me become someone who can help other people.” Looking back, that simple wish explains a lot about me. I have never had a strong desire for expensive things or luxury. Of course, I would be grateful if someone gave me something nice. But my first feeling would often be, “I hope I don't bec...

I didn't play golf today. And somehow, I'm still having a very happy day. Rain was in the forecast today. Usually, I might have felt a little disappointed. “Of all days, why does it have to rain today?” But today was different. At around 4:30 a.m., I went for my usual walk with Ruby and Rich. The forecast said the rain would start at 6, but less than three minutes into our walk, I felt a few raindrops. We hadn't had much rain for almost a month, and farmers were already suffering from damage to their crops because of the prolonged dry weather. So this time, I didn't mind the rain coming early at all. Normally, I might have complained, “Oh, come on. Why is it raining already?” But today, I thought, “That's okay, rain. You can come early. Pour as much as you want.” After such a long dry spell, the rain felt like something to be grateful for.  We quickly went to a nearby park so the dogs could do their business, and then we headed home. But just as we were getti...

This early morning, as usual, I was getting ready to take my two dogs, Rich and Ruby, for a walk. But when I opened my front door, I suddenly froze. There was a dark pile lying right in front of the entrance. I was scared to look at it closely. Honestly, I thought it might be a dead cat because it was about the same size. I didn't pick it up. Instead, my mind was already getting busy and stressed, imagining how I was going to deal with a dead animal first thing in the morning. Then I turned on the light. And guess what? It wasn't a dead cat. It was my golf wear! 😂 After yesterday's round, I had hung all my golf clothes on the laundry line in the side garden. I must have been too tired to remember to bring them inside because I still had to teach until 9 PM. Apparently, one piece of clothing had fallen from the laundry line. And Rich had found it. He must have carried it all the way to my front door and stayed with it through the night. But the most surprising part? Rich di...