AFTER the rise of the “you only live once” (Yolo) mindset, young people in Indonesia are now adopting a more cautious approach to life and spending, known as “you only need one” (Yono) mentality.
Twenty-eight-year-old Ammar Fika Abdillah is one of the millennials who has embraced a minimalist lifestyle, fully embodying the philosophy of Yono – a more current mentality that helps her simplify her life and focus on what truly matters.
Working as a personal assistant to an entertainer and entrepreneur, Fika shared that she has been embracing the Yono attitude by meticulously managing her spending, from weekly expenses to savings and insurance.
Fika has made a habit of defying trends, whether it’s upgrading her smartphone with every new release or attending music concerts, choosing instead to live by her own rules, staying above the constant cycle of what’s popular.
Coming from a middle-class family, Fika has learned to be frugal since she moved out from home to go to a university a decade ago.
“The Yono mindset has been ingrained in me [for years]. It gives me peace and stability, knowing I only spend on what I truly need,” she says.
<> Yolo: popularised by Drake's hit single 'The Motto'. Yolo promotes living in the moment as life is short.
<> Yono: grew out of TikTok's minimalism and frugality trend. Yono focuses on mindful and sustainable living.
In a different journey, Aida Nuraini, a 30-year-old copywriter living in the upscale residential complex of Pondok Indah in South Jakarta, had been following the opposite Yolo lifestyle religiously for years, until a new perspective shifted her reality.
“I used to believe, ‘I’m here for a good time, not a long time.’ I had no liabilities, didn’t want kids, and, for some reason, I didn’t think I’d live a long life,” she says.
Since childhood, Aida had spent much of her time in hospitals due to various health issues that worsened over the years. ‘I figured, I probably won’t survive to old age anyway, so why not just Yolo?’” she says.
Embracing this mindset, Aida indulged in splurging on concert tickets for her favorite artists, collecting K-pop merchandise, spending freely on gaming apps and frequently going out with friends.
Her room was filled with albums, photocards and dolls of K-pop idols like BTS, TXT and BoyNextDoor. However, recently, Aida began reflecting on her ever-growing collection of K-pop items and game accessories.
Managing the clutter had become a hassle, requiring extra storage to keep everything organised. Looking at her collection, she started reconsidering her spending habits. She realised she needed to cut back, particularly on gaming apps and K-pop trinkets, to save more money.
“I started thinking, what’s the point of all this? When I calculated my spending on these things, it was insane,” she says.
“I’ve also learned that in the afterlife, we’ll be questioned about everything we bought. That thought really shook me.”
Mindset change
The phrase “you only live once” caught the public’s attention when American rapper Drake used it in his 2011 single The Motto. The term encourages living in the moment, without worrying too much about future consequences, as life is seen as too short to not enjoy fully.
Financial planner Mike Rini says the Yolo lifestyle emerged as a reaction to the desire to experience life to the fullest, often driven by social media pressure to share accomplishments and experiences.
While enjoying life is important, she warns that without proper financial planning, Yolo enthusiasts might face difficulties due to excessive spending and little allocation for savings or investments.
“The financial risks of the Yolo lifestyle often include impulsive spending, which can lead to debt,” she says.
As 2025 begins, the Yono mentality has emerged as a more frugal and mindful approach to life, countering the consumerist mindset of Yolo, which has started to feel less fulfilling.
Rini says the rise of the current mindset was due to growing awareness of sustainability, a shift toward minimalism and a focus on quality over quantity. Financial consultant Eko Endarto says that economic uncertainty also played a significant role in the rise of the Yono mindset.
“With an unpredictable economy and changing regulations, people are becoming more cautious with their money. That’s why we’re seeing the Yono trend emerge,” Eko says.
Striking a balance
Clinical psychologist Monty Satiadarma explains that Yolo emerged from an excessive focus on living in the moment, often leading followers to neglect their future wellbeing.
He adds that Yolo can also stem from a sense of superiority, justifying extreme activities as a sign of capability, indulging in foods simply because one is young, or purchasing unnecessary items just because one can afford them.
“Enjoying the present is important to avoid stagnation because our mind is stuck in the past or overly anxious about the future. But Yolo tends to be associated with a lack of awareness and loss of control,” he says.
On the other hand, he says, Yono is rooted in a conscious effort to prioritise function and necessity, making it a more structured lifestyle. However, frugality should neither come at the cost of essential needs, nor should it turn Yono followers into overly stingy individuals.
“People need to balance between resources and necessity, because, in the end, life is about finding balance,” he says. — The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network
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