At Permata Wealth Wisdom, lessons on economy and neurology collide; revealing that true resilience begins with a connected, healthy mind.
Sometimes the mind gives up long before the body does. And sometimes, the body quietly follows the signals the mind keeps whispering. Today’s event reminded me that resilience isn’t just about having strong savings, but also having a strong brain.
Every year, I get invited to Permata Wealth Wisdom, kind of like my annual “school trip” to The Ritz-Carlton Pacific Place. This year’s theme: Resilient Wealth, Confident Future. I arrived at 9:30, just in time for the keynote speech by Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs. The topic: Navigating Indonesia’s Economy Amid Global Shifts. Basically, he talked about how Indonesia’s economic resilience relies on innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive growth.
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), the former Governor of Jakarta, with his trademark blunt honesty.
Josua Pardede, Chief Economist of Permata Bank, who has that calm economist aura that makes you trust his graphs.
Arief Wana, Managing Partner of Ashmore Asset Management, who broke down the big picture of global uncertainty into something clear, all while I was still coffee-deprived.
Their main message: Indonesia is doing relatively well amid the world’s chaos, but resilience isn’t automatic. It must be built, planned, and maintained. In short: don’t panic, but don’t get lazy either.
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| Full house Permata Wealth Wisdom room Wealth |
By 11:30, my brain’s resilience gave up before my stomach’s did. I sneaked out ten minutes before the session ended, straight to Kyochon, my loyal lunch destination every time I’m at Pacific Place. I don’t even look around anymore. My order’s always the same: Combo 1, the holy trinity of crunchy perfection. Still the cheapest, most complete, and most satisfying meal with free refill tea. I’ve convinced my friends to try it, and all have thanked me later. (You’re welcome.) Make me Kyochon ambassador please! 🐔🍗
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| Twinning with hubby: Combo 1 Kyochon. All for less than 200k. |
Speakers:
Prof. Dr. dr. Yuda Turana, Sp.S(K), Neurologist and Rector of Atma Jaya Catholic University, who can make a serious topic feels light and fun.
Prof. Dr. dr. Eka J. Wahjoepramono, Sp.BS(K), Ph.D, Neurosurgeon, Dean of UPH Faculty of Medicine, also the first neurosurgeon in South East Asia to successfully operate on the brainstem. He's the kind of speaker who commands the room with logic and charisma.
Stephanie Arvianti Gunadi, Director of Astra Life, tying the discussion back to lifestyle and prevention.
Dr. Yuda was hilarious in that smart-doctor kind of way. Cracking jokes that made you laugh first, then realize they were actually terrifying truths. Like this one:
Do you know the differences and the similarities between depression and anxiety? Depression is wanting to die. Anxiety is being afraid to die. Both die faster.
That line earned half a laugh and half a nervous chuckle from the audience. But he had a point.
He shared data that hit close to home:
30% of Indonesians have hypertension, often without symptoms.
High blood sugar leads to increased diabetes risk.
Sleep quality matters because it supports brain plasticity; the brain’s ability to grow and adapt.
Loneliness increases the risk of dementia by two to four times, because it literally shrinks your brain.
Sleep apnea and inactivity are also silent destroyers of mental health.
And this one stuck with me:
You can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely, especially when you feel unseen, unheard, or unappreciated.
That, I thought, explains so much about why some of the busiest people I know still feel deeply empty.
Dr. Yuda explained that healthy brains thrive on three things:
Social activity – for example, joining a religious group or community gathering.
Mental activity – practicing gratitude or learning something new.
Spiritual activity – prayer, meditation, or reflection.
I loved how he simplified it. It’s not about expensive supplements or high-tech brain games. It’s about being alive with others, not just around them.
Prof. Eka added that dementia isn’t the same as Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s is the brain physically shrinking.
- Dementia is the loss of cognitive function, which can come from trauma, aging, or disease.
That question echoed in me. Because really, we plan so much for our financial future: retirement funds, investments, insurance, etc. but we rarely plan for mental longevity. What’s the point of wealth if your brain can’t remember what it’s for?
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| Twinning with Debby. Wearing my comfy Rohde shoes |
After the event, Debby, my relationship manager from eight years ago, came to see me. She’s been promoted so my RM has changed, but we’ve stayed in touch. We caught up while waiting for my husband’s meeting to finish in front of Starbucks. Almost 4 p.m. we left, dropped by one of our Jakarta properties to pick up a few things, grabbed some delicious satay nearby, then stopped by at my sister’s place to drop off an unused dishwasher. We ended the day at home, sharing satay with our eldest. Tired but content, the kind of ordinary happiness that quietly fills my heart.
I opened my laptop, looked up more research on the link between loneliness and brain health. “The Impact of Loneliness and Social Isolation on Cognitive Aging” (2023) reports that in a meta-analysis of 10 studies, prolonged loneliness and social isolation were associated with about 49-60% higher risk of developing dementia than those who do not experience those states.
It made me think: maybe “resilient wealth” isn’t just about investments or economy; it’s about connection. About staying engaged, emotionally and socially.
Maybe the richest people aren’t the ones with the most in their accounts, but the ones whose minds are still curious, whose hearts still find meaning, and whose relationships still feel alive.
As INFJ, I tend to live deeply inside my head. I think, reflect, and empathize until I burn out. But maybe brain health starts when I stop carrying everything alone. When I share stories, listen without judgment, and show up even when no one asks me to.
It’s funny how, after a whole day of serious discussions about economy and neurology, the most valuable takeaway was this: don’t let your brain grow lonely.
Because loneliness isn’t just sad; it’s deadly.
I opened my notes, and remembered a quote from The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk:
Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health.
Maybe the brain doesn’t just need nutrients or rest; it needs belonging.
Because the mind can survive a lot of things: loss, stress, change... but it cannot thrive alone.
And that, I think, is the real wealth we should be protecting.
The healthiest minds are not the quietest; they’re the most connected.
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