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September Has Come and Gone
The last few months of 2024 are here. And I have not moved closer to a decision I held off on all year. What is to come in 2025? Let’s make these last months count.
When WORK Becomes Life
You need to reset Stop. Take a break and go back to the reason we work in the first place. It is so easy to let work devour you and forget the whole point of labor in the first place. Organizational Change and New Responsibilities: Work ate up almost every waking hour of the last…
How to Deal with Post-Vacation Blues:
We all deal with Post-Vacation Blues, and no one said there are ways to combat it. After almost a decade with the rollercoaster of emotions from taking a vacation. Here are a few things that can help:
The Fear of Getting Back to Work
I took leaves left and right in the first few weeks of the year.
Here is why getting back to work after a long break feels terrible.
Hamilton: Did I Throw Away My Shot?
Hamilton came to the Philippines and I am still hungover. Here are some thoughts if you think you have thrown away your shot:
Growing Up and Working Meant Change—So Much Change.
No one told me that getting older meant compounding change and working meant new processes, re-organizations, and always new workmates.
Change on change on change. And maturing amid this change is never easy.
Growing Up: Why Holidays Don’t Hit the Same
Holidays hit differently as the years go by. Maybe that’s why we are all drawn to the simple magic in Hallmark Movies. Here are a few things that have changed over the years that I miss:
Facing the Definition of Success
I stood face to face with an ideal of success. Here is how reality kicked in and what I learned success really means for me:
Thoughts: Retreats Should Be Mandatory
Retreats give you space to breathe, rest, regroup, re-strategize, and eventually move forward as you navigate the never-ending demands of the world. So why aren’t companies mandating this?
Prioritizing What Matters: Getting Our Kitten Neutered
Would you step out of work to have your pet fixed?
This year, I had a workmate who took a leave because he was about to adopt a puppy!
Six years ago, I reported to my office on the morning my father accidentally backed into our dog with the car. Tears running down my cheeks,…
Getting Over a Reading Slump- Three Books That Could Help
I haven’t read more than 2 books this year. I was in a slump and called a friend for help. So here are 3 books my friend lent me to get out of my reading slump:
Reminder: Don’t Take Work Too Seriously
We take work and responsibilities too seriously. Life is more than just the 9-5 grind and the household chores. Here are a few reminders that may keep you from falling sick due to being too serious about these necessities:
Use Your Remaining PTOs Before the Year Ends! – Travelling to a City I did not Plan to See (This Year)
The year is almost over. How many leaves do you have left? Yes, year-end targets are on the horizon which means your PTOs will expire (if that is a thing with your company). My previous company only carried ten leaves from the previous year, or you lost them. So don’t waste it!
How to Adult with Needy Pets?
Having clingy pets is great for the cuddles but tough when busy with work. So, how do people balance adulting with needy pets?
Want a Better Work Week?
For September, I plotted my calendar in a way that would remind me to take myself seriously. After a day of work, I give myself almost 2 hours from doing anything and have 8 pm to 11 pm blocked out on my calendar to do things that should matter more to me than my 9…
Winding Down -Sitting Alone at a Cafe
Clad in all black, she sat upright by the counter, sipping freshly served coffee. The world around her roared with life. A group of college boys jeered each other over their crushes, and another group of friends clapped at the prospect of a friend’s future. Either way, she sat oblivious to the joy and chatter…
Overthinking the Small Things
Have you ever stood, paralyzed over indecision about trifles like a pair of shoes, a film to watch, or even which foot should take the next step? Last Tuesday was one of those days. I can only look back and laugh at how the simplest thing confused me to madness.
When you overthink, even the…
Thoughts from Sitting in the Dark
A few weeks ago, Baguio City was greatly affected by Typhoon Doksuri. As I sat in the dark for 3 nights, here are a few thoughts that made life feel a little more worthwhile.
Small Things Can Change a Whole Year—I Guess I Now Own a Cat.
Who knew small things can change the course of a whole year!
A Kitten smaller than my 2 hands showed up on our doorstep, and now, I own a cat. Here is how it all happened:
The Time That Slips Between Our Fingers
We focus so much on making money, the things we can do and purchase with money. We forget there is more to the word invest than money and getting rich.
Only recently has the world remembered the value of investing in yourself and investing time in things that matter down the line.
Choice and Time- Thoughts of a Late 20-year Old
2023 is halfway through. Here are 4 thoughts about time and choices we can consider for the rest of the year.
1 Year at that New Remote Job
A new job after 6 years, remote working for 1 year and things I’ve learned in between.
Here are a few lessons I have learned 1 year into this new remote position:
Halfway Check 2023
6 months have past. 6 more months to go. It’s easy to feel like you are stuck in the middle.
So here are a few questions we regularly ask when we do halfway check-ins. These may help you sit and look back at the last 6 months and even breathe as you look forward to…
Where You Are Today- 6 Months of New and Old Places
I wanted to take advantage of the “work from anywhere” perk that company proudly advertised on its hiring lists. Last year, I worked from Cebu and Bohol over Christmas break, and a week before that I worked from Isabela as a volunteer counselor for this youth camp.
This year, I was supposed to make traveling…
Felt Burnt Out: Went to Seoul
I was on the verge of burnout, so I took the plunge, booked tickets to Seoul, and ran from work responsibilities for a “week.”
Here are some do’s and don’t that may help you recharge and reset if you’re about to burn out:
Beef: The Futility of Work and Striving for Success
Netflix’s Beef is a series we can all relate to because work is frustrating and we are all finding our place in this world.
Here are 4 facts about work and success that we can learn from this thought-provoking series:
Catching the Early Signs of Work Burnout
Work has been feeling off lately and now I think I am leaning on the edge of burnout. Here are the 5 things I have been feeling and how burnout is defined by these different articles and business publications.
When Work Begins to Feel Like a Chore
When your internal monologue begins to chant TGIF first thing on a Friday morning, and your heart feels heavier at the end of a Sunday evening, something is wrong.
I may not know the answer, but I know that things have to change.
So here are 3 things that can help us understand what is…
Sometimes Plans Fall Through, and That is Okay.
Last week, I missed a year-long planned hike up the third-highest peak in the Philippines, Mt. Pulag.
I got a terrible cold. It, for lack of a better word, sucked. I had to watch my sister and friends enjoy the beauty of nature, under the stars, and above the clouds. But here is how great…
Understanding Your Energy Levels in a Busy Work Week
Last week I was in a slump. This week my mind feels like it is slamming itself into a brick wall, trying to keep up with everything I didn’t do the weeks before. A week before that, I was bouncing off the wall with all I was excited to get done.
Over the past…
Falling Back In Love: Ballet (Dance)
February was a month of falling back in love. So I decided to try to fall back in love with dance. Here is what the last four weeks of dancing looked like for someone who hasn’t done this for almost 15 years:
Falling Back in Love: Nature
Falling Back in love with things that make me smile: Nature.
Staring at gadgets 16 hours a day is showing on my face, my mind, and my body. I was on a trip and was reminded to fall back in love with Nature. Here are 3 reasons why being under trees or wading in…
Falling Back In Love: Reading
Life is tough. Even tougher when you go through it without the moments and hobbies that give you joy. This month of February, I decided to find ways I could fall back in love with the things that used to make me smile.
So here is my journey back to reading.
Knives Out: Things I Learned from Rian Johnson’s Murder Mystery Series
I fell in love with Knives Out when I first saw it in 2019 (I think). With the release of the 2nd Installment of the series, I binged through the two films and found myself down a rabbit hole of the life and filmography of the writer/director Rian Johnson. And wow, I am a fan.
…
Goal Check-2022 In Recap
Have you made your 2023 resolutions? It is easy to make new ones, but looking back on your 2022 goals and building from where you left off is a totally different ball game.
So here are things I learned looking back at my failed 2022 goals:
Sitting On the Sidelines of Other’s Milestones.
Weddings and Promotions. People around me seem to be moving forward in life.
But just because your milestones are not publicly celebrated does not mean you are not progressing, too. I know I am not alone in my silent journey. You aren’t too. So here is a reminder for those on silent journeys like me.…
Looking Back At A Year I Prioritized Myself
Last year, I resigned from a job I hated, stayed unemployed for five months, got back into reading and writing, journaled, traveled, found a better job, and slept… A lot.
2022 was a year I prioritized my pace, weariness, and need for healing.
So here is what a year of prioritizing myself looked like:
Getting Older: Five Shows to Help You Appreciate Your Late Twenties
Ended another year of existence. Here are 5 shows that helped me understand my pace, appreciate my age, and love where I am:
Finding Freedom In A Full-Time Job (For Now)
I ran away from a corporate job to be free, but found myself working again. Here is how I found freedom in another Job as a Freelancer.
A Flashback Concert to High School
Lessons I learned looking back at my High Schools days with the help of a come back concert of Boys Like Girls.
Falling Back Into 5 Bad Work Habits
Getting a new job meant facing old demons dressed as bad work habits and attitudes. Here are 5 bad work habits I found myself falling back into and things I have learned along the way.
Navigating a New Role: Four Things that Saved Me Through a Busy Week
Starting a New Job is tough. Much more when you are in a new industry and learning processes you have never heard of before.
Now that all responsibilities for the role are transitioned onto my plate, I needed a little saving. So here are a few things that saved me as I navigated the…
What Does Happily Every After Look Like?
So Prince Charming saved you, or you saved yourself. Why does this not feel like I am happy ever after? Here are 3 things I learned to accept as my happily ever after.
Self-improvement: Five Things That Helped Me (Not Self-Help Books)
So many self-help books are recommended left and right, but here are 5 things I learned about self-improvement that go are not talked about in the Self-help craze.
Sometimes Only You Can Save Yourself
It may be time to be your own hero.
This time, there may be no knight in shining armor knocking at your door to take you to your happily ever after.
You may have to make a choice. Get up from your prolonged slumber, and leave the tower you are stuck in.
The End of Creativity: Four Ways I Hurt My Creativity
As this topic and month have concluded, I learned that I have hobbies and unconscious habits that tend to stifle the fire to create.
Aside from screens, sedentary lifestyles, bad renditions of good books, and the lack of solitude, there are a few things I have noticed from my day-to-day life that have hindered me…
Solitude and Creativity: I left the Corporate World to Work Alone
Loneliness, Solitude, and Silence May Be Your Key to Creativity In the loneliness of being an independent contractor, there are a few things about solitude and how it helps build your creativity as a creator, freelancer, remote employee, or entrepreneur.
Here are four points I have learned about solitude and creativity.
Persuasion: Four Things We Can Learn From Jane Austen’s Creativity
Persuasion was released on Netflix in my part of the world today. I was ready to sink my teeth deep into the screen adaptation after cramming through the book over the past few days and immensely enjoying myself.
Here are a few creativity tips I’ve picked up from reading no less than five books by…
How Staying Active Helped My Creativity, Productivity
Who knew that staying active and exercising can help you focus and boost your creativity?
So get your blood pumping and learn how being physically active can help you achieve your goals.
Here are three things exercise and stretching have helped me with in the past few weeks.
3 Lessons for Life’s Tragedies from 3 Shakespearean Comedies
Shakespeare’s comedies are a twist of optimism to life’s bitter blues. Here are three things we can learn from three Shakespearean Comedies in the face of tragedy.
Our Blues: Learning to Float on the Ups and Downs of Life
This K-Drama on Netflix is an anthology series of different loves and lives of a group of friends on Jeju Island.
The Netflix series is a reminder that we all have blues and can pull through to blue skies after the storm.
Spa Day: 4 Myths About Self-Care I Believed In
I had a Spa Day with a group of friends and the day helped me realize truths about Self-Care. Here are four myths about Self-Care we have to change.
Dirty Laundry and Fragile Careers: The Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Trial
The former couple squabbled in court over statements that allegedly affected their careers. And in the process, they aired their dirty laundry for the world to see.
No matter the verdict, there are two things the average person can take away from the woes of these world-famous celebrities.
EUPHORIA: Life Choices and Your Past
I binge-watched the series over the weekend or so and found myself lost in the universe of the Euphoria.
The life and choices of the characters hit close to home. It is a fact that our childhood affects us but then, we are always given choices in life.
Here is something we can learn…
Decision-Making: Your Future at Stake.
How the 2022 Elections made me reflect on my decision-making mistakes and how each choice puts my future at stake. Here are a few factors I learned about decision-making on the journey to finding myself.
Get Away: Importance of Time Away
After joining the Great Resignation, I had to learn that true rest has to do with proper Time Away and Time Management. Here are a few things we can learn from getting away.
Wind-Up Bird Chronicle- 4 Realities Everyone in the Middle May Need to Hear
I Finally finished the book Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami after almost a year. The book made me look at realities in my life with some newfound (strange) perspective. So here are 4 realities you may need to hear if you are stuck in the middle.
Bladerunner 2049- We, Millenieals, all want to be Special
After hearing so much about Blade Runner 2049 for years, I finally got to sit down and watch this 2 hours and 40-minute film. I found myself drawn to the main character and saw how we all wish we were special.
Check out what we can learn from the life of the Replicant K,…
Getting Off Track in Your Career and Life
I went way off track but found myself exactly where I was supposed to be in the end.
Two weekends ago, I went on a spontaneous trip to San Juan with a few friends and my sister. We found ourselves off track and stuck somewhere we least expected. Just as we were giving up, the tides turned…
We all Need a Mentor and Feedback-A Management Lesson from Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Screwtape’s letters provided his nephew tips and tricks to excel in the field of temptation works with a patient that kept slipping through his fingers.
The relationship between the two makes one wonder if Screwtape was an effective mentor to his nephew. And reminded me of my newbie days in the corporate world and how…
Things we can learn from the aspiring socialite Anna.
Things we can learn from the aspiring socialite Anna.
After binging through the Netflix Series: Inventing Anna, I decided to breakdown how such a young girl came so close to her dreams.
So, here are five points we can learn from the series Netflix Series: Inventing Anna.
I Joined the Great Resignation.
On the afternoon of January 6, resignation letter “in hand” (or more saved and digitally signed), I took the plunge. I pressed send, and in seconds the letter was waiting in the inboxes of my immediate supervisor and team head. No turning back now.
I was finally a part of the Great Resignation.
I may…
A Notebook on a Life that also Loved Cats.
The book is an anthology of various anecdotes, an introduction to the author’s brood of cats, cat-care advice, and book reviews/recommendations.
It is a lovely book about a life revolving around literature and many, many cats.
Reading through the book gave me a concrete image of a life where two loves are intertwined and…
You are not One-Dimensional. A Takeaway from Hospital Playlist.
It took me a Pandemic and years of long-suffering to open my eyes to the reality that my job is just one piece of a puzzle that defines who I am. So watching the Hospital Playlist on Netflix struck a chord in me that I know many would relate to as well.
This Korean Series…
It is never too late to transform yourself
It’s never too late to become a person you are proud of. Transformations may not be easy, they take time, hurt, could be expensive, and they are messy. That does not mean they are not worth it.
Life Lessons from the series: For Life
My family and I decided to binge-watch the series For Life on Netflix over the holidays. To be honest, I was hoping to find details online if Netflix is to continue the series. Sadly, I could not find any news if this was picked up for a new season. I hope it does since season…
New Year: New Goals
2022 is posing itself as a new hill to climb. I look forward to the new challenges the year will bring. This year, I aim to accomplish more than I did the last. And so, I spent the first few days of the year figuring out new Specific goals for myself for 2022. I had…
Celebrating Christmas: 27 years Around the Sun.
The past month has been rough. We experienced a loss. Another birthday came which was celebrated with more than a few tears. The year was finally coming to a close, and more than ever, I felt more than incredibly stuck.
Hopefully, I could tell how much things have actually changed—even if I feel like things…
Here’s a Thing About Commitment
Commitment as an adult is in everything. As a kid, you never really think about promising your life, time, and resources to anything in particular. We are all brought up in an environment of transience.
Job Hunting in the Time of the Pandemic: Things I Learned the Hard Way.
Looking for work in an industry you have no experience in is difficult. With rejection after rejection, here are a few things I learned that might help you on your job hunt:
A Lesson in Selfcare: Taking a Week Away from Work
I took a week away from work and learned these key things.
Sometimes the busyness of everyday can distract us from the flowers around us. It’s okay to stop and take a break.
Blogversary: 5 things I learned in 1 year of writing
Maintaining a blog for a year has not been easy. I have come to feeling that I am not doing the right thing or that I am straying far from what this blog is supposed to be. I entered this saturated market with wide eyes and high hopes. Right now, I feel jaded. The internet…
Facing Life’s Storms: Finding Joy in the Rain
The rainy season has officially arrived on our shores. This leaves us with nothing left but to face the rain.
5 Things I learned in the corporate world: The why and woes of work.
Yellow and Pink Alstroemerias (Peruvian Lilies) perfect symbol for the blog.
Having been in a job I never really liked, I wondered how people allow a company to dictate their life. I struggled with the value and concept of earning and having money. And I grappled with the injustices and hardships I and those around…
Back to the Start
We all know we can be better, or get back to being a wide-eyed doe before life became so jaded. Self development sometimes means getting back into old healthy habits you lost along the way. For the month of April I decided re-re-incorporate hobbies or activities that once made me happy.
Of Time and Self Love
Valentine’s Day may have come and gone, but it’s never too late to learn to love yourself.
2021: Get Things Done
It is a New Year. While it is early in the year, we should get the ball rolling. So here is how I plan on getting busy. What about you?
Christmas Prospects
The year is almost over. With what happened in 2020, it’s not easy to say things will get better. Nobody truly knows what is ahead. We had held hopes for 2020. This year has served a lesson. What did you get yourself for Christmas? The Christmas rush has come and gone. I have been very…
Surviving a Pandemic
No one knew this was going to happen. No one was ready.
October Confessions: Ending a Chapter.
2020 is almost over, and so is a long overdue chapter.
Yesterday: The Hard Reality of Every Dreamer
‘Yesterday’ (the film) is a kick to the gut of anyone who has gone out and chased a dream.
5 Jobs You Can Apply for NOW!
Here are 5 different jobs you can apply for during this pandemic.
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There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
― C.S. Lewis
Busyzi 