## Susegad ### Susegad Came across this term of 'suzegad' in my recent trip to Goa. I was surprised by how chill and laid back the lifestyle of the Goans was. Digging deeper, I came to know about this term -- susegad', which actually embraced this laid-back nature of the Goans. It emphasizes taking things easy, enjoying the present moment, and avoiding unnecessary stress or haste. Searching for some social commentary online, I found this snippet on Reddit which best resonated this way of living: > > Just got back home to Florida after a month in southern Brazil, fully disconnected from social media and work and it was exactly what I needed in order to recharge. Something that I noticed, we went to a shop where an artisan would sell gourds, the kind you use to drink mate 🧉 or Chimarrão as they call it in Brazil. A few hours later, we walked back in front of the shop and saw that they had a sign saying "closed for today, see you tomorrow!" This was something that I noticed throughout the trip, a lot of the artisan and souvenirs shops would close at seemingly random times during the day. I spoke about it with my in-laws (they are Brazilian) and their answer made me smile. "The owner must have made enough for the day 😄". I love that idea, that business owners would have a particular profit number to hit daily and they can go about their lives the rest of the day. Let me take you through the story of Paul to illuminate susegad. In a small coastal village in Goa, there lived a fisherman named Paul. He had always embraced the suzegad lifestyle as he believed in living each day to its fullest without rushing through life's moments. Every morning before sunrise, Ravi would head out to sea on his little fishing boat. One day, as Paul cast his net into the calm waters, he noticed something unusual - a baby dolphin tangled up in his net. Without hesitating or panicking, Ravi gently freed the dolphin from the ropes and set it back into the water. The grateful dolphin swam away happily. Paul continued his fishing routine throughout the day, he couldn't help but feel connected to nature around him. He took breaks to soak in the warm sun rays and admire the beauty of the ocean waves crashing against the shore. He also enjoyed sharing stories with fellow fishermen during their lunch breaks – savoring freshly caught fish grilled over an open fire. When evening approached and it was time for Paul to return home with his catch, he realized he had caught more fish than ever before without rushing or exerting himself excessively. Surprisingly, Paul gets more work done when he was slower than usual. Taking rest and savouring those little things. Prioritizing leisure, family time and appreciating simple pleasures is not necessarily a bad thing. The typical 'homo-rationalis' would have carefully weighed all the tradeoffs and budgeted resources to optimise the time he spends fishing. Paul chose to do otherwise: taking rest and savouring those little things. Even in terms of an efficiency point of view, it might not necessarily be a bad thing. After all, isn't spending quality time with loved ones, enjoying good food, and immersing ourselves in nature: isn't this all life is all about?