Good evening at the 23th off December, 2023.

 Good evening everyone, 

Today was cold and cloudy in the Netherlands, with little rain. 

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Sometimes economy marks are degrading. The Dutch Economy has shrunk this last quarter off a year with 0,3% and it doesn't look positive for the next year. But sometimes progress isn't just economy. Sometimes progress and growing goes with millimeters, where it was first centimeters, or meters. 

The progres off a day can consist a shower, a good night off sleep, a good meal, a small gift to someone or yourself- those things. A clean toilet, a clean kitchen, those sort off things. The Dutch economy doesn't see it back in it's growth marks when you have mopped the floor, but to you it can be progress. I'm speaking in terms off someone who has always been poor and who is a psychiatric patient. The AEX index can be low, and almost all companies except the war driven ones can be at minus in the index part off the newspaper, (I have seen that) but progress should not always be measured in such marks. But in personal steps, the consequences for the surrounding and the amount off wealth you do gain from something. To purchase a small bush off flowers to decorate the table is progress. It looks wealthy to have it on your table, and you become happy from it, And you purchased something which helps the economy, even though it's just a small thing.  

To get out off bed and make a cup off coffee for yourself is progress if you look in the eyes off the mental. To have coffee is wealth nowadays. To cure from the flu or Corona is progress. To let your hair cut is progress. The economy marks are off little importance, as long as this country still makes progress somehow. Personal progress is much more important. To put on a clean t-shirt when you have made stains on it is progress. 

To understand to put your needs first and see them as progress every time you take a step helps to relativate the bad economy. I have tried to do so ever since January this year. Ever since I understood the Dutch economy has shrunk. 

Offcourse we do need the money that comes from the wealth you gain from economic growth. And the progress that does come from economic growth. But as far as this goes, we should be happy we still have everything we need to do what we need to do. And taking steps in what we need to do is true progress from the eyes off a psychiatric patient. Who does hard in that. That's true progress. I hope you can live with that. 

Allright, that's about it for now- 

Thank you for reading.