Hey you,

I was blessed to live such a comfortable life in my home country.

When I was still in Jakarta, I ordered takeout a lot because it's much more practical. Many places were open late, and online delivery services were always available. On top of affordable food, discounts were everywhere.

Bike taxis could be booked quickly from my phone, so I didn’t walk much. I used digital payments whenever possible because I didn’t like carrying cash. Malls were crazy great for everything: meetups, events, shopping, eating out, etc.

Now, picture my life in Jena as the opposite of everything I just said.

Over time, I realized that eating out isn’t sustainable, so I taught myself to cook. There’s no such thing as bike taxis here, so I walk more. At first, my muscles couldn’t handle it.

Malls? Try boring shopping centers.

Is it bad, then? Do I live miserably now?

Not really.

That’s the thing about stepping out of our comfort zone, isn’t it?

Leaving my safe haven was scary, but I’m glad I did it because...

I wouldn’t be as tough as I am now if I hadn’t.

And this is more than just my new lifestyle. I’m talking about being more resourceful and resilient to take on challenges and situations that once seemed out of reach. Getting back up after breakdowns. Not giving up when life gives me crap.

After nearly 2 years of living abroad, I’m also grateful that:

• Minor life inconveniences don’t bug me as much as they used to. There are bigger things to worry about as a foreigner. Small stuff like late trains or noisy neighbors become less triggering.
• My idea of what is “normal” broadens. It’s normal to eat with your hands in Indonesia, and it’s normal to use a knife and fork when eating in Germany. Things are as they are; it’s just the way we see the world is a product of our environment.

I’m not saying that living abroad is the only way to get out of our comfort zone. Nor was I saying I’m better than those who don’t move abroad.

In fact, I want to use this week’s hard truth to encourage you to stretch your comfort zone, whatever it may be, because I think growth looks beautiful on anybody. Here are 3 simple ways:

🤔 Exercise curiosity

Afraid that curiosity will kill the cat?

In The Maze Runner, Thomas's curiosity causes his friends' deaths and society's collapse. But it later reveals a grim reality about the outside world. It helps them survive.

I once was curious about the taste of Sauerkrautsaft (the juice out of fermented cabbage). It didn’t kill; it was just bad enough to serve as a lesson. 😛

So ask this instead: how many opportunities have we probably missed by not asking questions about the things around us?

Not all curiosity kills. But whatever answer comes from it, handle responsibly and keep moving forward.

🔨 There’s no need to welcome challenges every day

The fight-or-flight response is set off by challenges, and it helps us deal with stress and danger. The more problems we try to solve, the more likely we are to succeed.

Even though it sounds great, that doesn’t mean we should do it all the time for the sake of faster growth.

Experience is indeed essential to self-growth. But on days when we’re depleted of energy, we can also say no without feeling bad about it. Take as much time as you need.

💪 Allow yourself to change

Speaking on camera has always made me self-conscious. That's why making Instagram reels can sometimes feel nerve-wracking.

But if I hadn’t started it, I wouldn’t have known how much fun it is to record myself and work on the editing. Or how much Reels could increase my brand’s reach.

We do have a choice about whether or not we want to change. And although not every change is comfortable, feeling uncomfortable is a sure sign of growth.

Disclaimer: Everything expressed here comes from my personal experience. I never claim to be an expert.

🌱 Good to know

​What Having a “Growth Mindset” Actually Means​

Thanks to Carol Dweck, I now understand the concept of a growth mindset in a completely new light. Known best for her work on motivation and mindset, she debunks common myths about growth mindset, which has become something of a cliché. 💭

​Give yourself grace as you grow​

This tweet perfectly captures why we might be hesitant to try something out. It’s not because we lack the skills necessary to do it. 🛠️

👀 On the side

​I put myself out there, and these happen​

Even though I’ve only been blogging and sending out newsletters for three weeks, I’ve already picked up a lot of valuable lessons. To stay motivated on my creator path, I jotted down three important micro-goals. 🐜

​Hey, I’m joining TikTok too!​

I put up screenshots of some of the things I’ve written—very simple videos, and it seems to have struck a chord with some people. Maybe you want to check out my videos too? 🤳

Life as an 🇮🇩 in 🇩🇪

As the temperature keeps dropping, a pullover underneath my jacket is now a must.

I recently switched from Telekom to Aldi Talk as my mobile network provider because they have annual plans. Instead of paying monthly, I figure it would be better to pay once a year.

I found the process pretty complicated, but thankfully, my boyfriend’s got my back. 🥰

I also made an Instagram Reel about how I felt when I went to Berlin to get a new passport.

The algorithms for both Instagram and TikTok are crazy in their own ways. I’d love to write about how I’ve used both platforms to spread the word about my writing.

I hope you enjoy this letter. See you in the next one. 💕

Cheers,

Devi