FBC – 315 – Today was a good day

Today was a good day.

Today, I just want to tell you about the beautiful things that happen to me to be honest. I had the most amazing day full of surprises and want to tell you about it.

Not business related stuff. Just my life and happy moments…

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://anchor.fm/freedom-by-choice/support

Today I actually had a surprise birthday party with all the kids from the orphanage. The whole basketball team was there. And it was really, really awesome. I wasn't actually expecting it. I really didn't see coming. But it was really awesome.

So a surprise birthday party. Some people love it. Some people don't. I usually don't celebrate my birthdays just because with all that kind of stuff, I don't like to receive. That's too much attention to me. I like celebrating other people's birthdays.

So my birthday is actually tomorrow, so I'm going to open the cards from the kids tomorrow and read them. But they took the time to actually draw stuff for me and to write some nice words in those cards.

I got some really, really nice presents from the kids as well. And just to show that, at least for me, I'm really not materialistic or anything, but the gifts they gave me, they mean a lot more than any, you know, any expensive gifts or whatever that, you know, I could have gotten or something, a computer or this or that. They just give me some photos, you know, some photos of me and the kids, all the moments we shared at basketball and stuff.

That means a lot more to me than any present that I can recall, you know, so it's pretty cool. So I have a few pictures that were framed. So I'm going to hang them here at home. But it's a very, very good day. And again, it was a surprise.

Today was a good day

So I got there, I saw like pandemonium because I think when I showed up, they weren't expecting me to get there. And people started running and hiding behind the poles and stuff like that. I was like, oh, Jesus Christ, what's happening there? And then I realized that, oh, man, it's a surprise birthday party and it was really cool. And the cake. Oh, man, the cake was awesome. It was the best.

Katie actually baked the cake. Katie is Claire and Richard's daughter. Oh, Jesus Christ. I really thought the cake was coming from some fancy, like pastry shop or restaurant or something like that, you know, like a really high end cake that they flew from Los Angeles or something or from Paris. You know, it was absolutely insane. It was really good. So, uh, I mean, all in all, it was a beautiful, beautiful day.

I'm very happy. So that's pretty much it. I don't have anything like business related or whatever to tell today. I'm just really happy about how the day went. I think I'm going to sleep like a baby. It’s actually quite early for me. It's like a quarter to eleven. So for some people it might be late, but it's actually quite early.

I'm going to upload this podcast and then I'm going to go to bed with a smile. So it's always good, right? So we'll see you tomorrow for New Adventures.

All right, guys, you just heard a brand new episode of the Freedom by Choice podcast with me, Martin Ebongue. So I got a question for you. Did you like this? Episode, if yes, can I please ask you a small favour? All right, so here's the thing. The biggest thing that helps my podcast grow and bring more value to other people is if you guys leave a review, if you break the podcast and if you subscribe to the podcast.

Why? Because this is the platform that I'm actually bringing a lot of value to you. And you like my stuff. The more people like my stuff and the more I don't show you to other people. And this way we can make sure that we can impact a lot of people with this podcast and this community. All right. So what I want to ask is, can you please take three seconds out of your busy day? Because I know everybody's busy.

And if you could just, like, subscribe to the podcast, write this episode and leave a review, it is three seconds for you. But for me, it will actually make my day and it can help someone else on the other side of this planet.

OK, and one thing I like and one thing I want for this forecast is for it not to be a monologue. So I want to get feedback from you guys. Right. So if you want to contact me, it's very easy. You can send an email to contact at www.martinebongue.com. And in this email, you can give me feedback on the episode or on the whole podcast, but you can also give me some suggestions about subjects that you want me to cover right now.

If it's interesting and if a lot of people want to hear it, then I will cover it. OK, so anyway, thank you for listening to this episode and I see you in the next one. All right. Thank you very much, guys. Bye.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Martin Ebongue value handmade gifts more than expensive ones?

Because effort and attention carry more meaning than retail price. Martin describes a surprise birthday party where kids from a Bali orphanage gave him hand-drawn photos and handwritten cards. He says those gifts mean more than any computer or luxury item because they reflect time, thought, and personal connection.

What charity work does Martin do with kids in Bali?

Martin coaches a local basketball team made up largely of children from a Bali orphanage. He invests time in the kids weekly, attends their events, and treats them as family rather than a one-off donation. The relationship is consistent and long-term rather than transactional.

How do simple acts of kindness create more impact than money in Bali?

Because consistent presence builds trust that one-time donations cannot. Martin says showing up weekly for basketball, learning the kids' names, and remembering their stories has done more for the local community than any single financial gift, since the kids see him as a stable, reliable adult.

What can entrepreneurs learn from giving time to local community projects?

That gratitude and perspective scale faster than revenue. Martin uses his community work in Bali to stay grounded, reset priorities, and remember that money is a tool rather than the goal. Entrepreneurs who skip community involvement often burn out faster despite hitting higher income milestones.

About the Author

Martin Ebongue is the founder of martinebongue.com, an online business and lifestyle design blog focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs build location-independent businesses. Since 2014, he has been creating and scaling online ventures across multiple niches, from digital products and affiliate marketing to SaaS and content platforms, while traveling the world. He shares the real-world strategies, tools, and systems that work, with a particular focus on AI-powered automation for solopreneurs. Follow him on YouTube, X (Twitter), and Instagram.

Related Reading

• FBC – 4 Part 1 – This is the story of my life: Success, Failure and The Hurdles.
• FBC – 3 – Escape your life of sacrifice! Don’t settle for less than your dream lifestyle.
• FBC – 8 – The Weirdest Challenge To Boost Your Confidence
• Other really cool tips that will give you an unfair advantage