I AM BACK!

I had so many things I would like to share here in my blog but I don't know, for some reason, I stopped blogging, at least here. I had all the intentions to blog but work and activities in and out of the house prevented me from doing so. I finish all things I need to do before I sit down in front of the computer at home, and before I know it, I lose the enthusiasm to blog what I want to blog.

That was my main reason, and here are some more:

1. I was updating my Life Bliss Daily blog everyday until May 2012.
2. I was so busy that I can only update one blog. Summer was crazy too so even Life Bliss Daily did not get its own update.
3. There are just too many social media in my plate that it feels like updating everything is just being redundant. I have Foursquare which I also attach pictures with where I am, what I do. I have Twitter and Facebook. I can honestly do away with Facebook and just go there to see my families' pictures. But I can't do away with Twitter. I get all my current events update through Twitter first.
4. And now I am hooked with Instagram. I check this first before any of my social media accounts.
5. YouTube distracted me from blogging. At least for two weeks, instead of blogging when I am in front of the computer, I listened to a lot of Axl Rose, browsed the net for his previous articles and then listen to his music some more.

I don't blog religiously even then and with all these social media, blogging took a backseat even more. But then suddenly, I wanted to blog again, chronicle my day. Just update and do something about my blog. I get excited thinking about blogging. This should be good!

I miss the first few years when I was blogging. I miss my rounds in different blogs from different countries every Saturday when there is PhotoHunt. I browsed on some blogs at BlogHer Directory and checked out some mommy blogs. I really love journal type blogs - just sharing what happened within the day. I love looking at pictures from different countries, how their days went by, simple things.

It's perfectly fine with me if one monetizes his or her blog. In fact I want to do that too, again. Admittedly, a lot of times when I get to encounter a blog with inserted link ads in their post, I lose the enthusiasm to read. I find everything posted to be insincere. It's like the post was just made up for the link ad. I am not saying the story is not factual, but, you know, it's just there for the link ad.

I used to monetize my blog but again, work ate up a lot of my time that I was not able to continue improvements in my blog. Now, I want it again but I want to preserve the personal touch. I hope I can do that, find the balance between entrepreneurial blogging (is there such a term?) and still just share what I want to share.

I have always believed this, even if I get so busy, if I want to accomplish something or a lot of things with great passion and enthusiasm, I will always have the time to do them - and this goes for my blogging too. :)))

Let me savor this moment. I AM BACK TO BLOGGING AND HAPPY ABOUT IT! :))))

WELCOME 2012! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I woke up early to prepare the food and other things we need to celebrate NEW YEAR'S EVE. The new year always, always excites me!

It will get so busy as the day progresses so let me just make a quick but sincere and really excited and happy greeting here in my blog. :)

Thank You, God, for all the blessings of 2011. Lessons learned, experiences gained, loved with all my heart, happiness earned. Life well lived. I am looking forward to another wonderful year. Thank You for providing me great family and friends I can count on.

Welcome 2012! Cheers! God, let the good times roll! Thank You! I'm looking forward to my breakthrough year this 2012! :)

I wish everyone a truly fulfilling and happy 2012! A peaceful and joyful year ahead of us. May all the desires of our hearts come true according to God's will.

God bless!

*Image from this website: Photoming.

Thank You

For a change, let me say this.....

Today My Life Begins (Bruno Mars)

I love, love this song by Bruno Mars.

It Gets Better: Today My Life Begins

"...A whole new world is waiting,

It's mine for the taking

I know i can make it,

Today my life begins."

"Garment of Praise"

At this point I have a very important decision to make in terms of my career. Whenever I am in a difficult situation, this always comes up in my head, "go back to your values".

I know what I value most in my life. I will not enumerate one by one but now is that time again when I am reaffirming my values such that what I do, the way I behave aligns and matches the very things that I value in life.

Reassessing my values help me a great deal. But nothing beats praying and pouring my heart to God. I am not religious but unknown to a lot, I am very spiritual. It is not being fatalistic or being complacent. It's after all I've said and done, I keep still and know that He is my God. This is something I put a great effort on because I am someone who almost always have to see first before I believe. But then I rest my case because I don't know all the answers, because I don't understand everything. It's resting my faith to God Almighty. God is good all the time. I will tread the right path knowing He is guiding me. I can attest to this going back, reviewing the details of my life.

So what are we to do? Trust God, and just like the birds, praise Him. Keep that song of praise in your heart. When the praises go up, the blessings come down. His joy is our strength through the hard times. When you spend your time worrying, you're not putting your faith out there.

The garment of praise says, "Father, I thank you for the victories you've already brought me. Thank you for the favor. Thank you that you're turning my situation around."

One thing I've learned is that you can't worry and praise at the same time.

You can't say, "I know You're on the throne, and You're good all the time. You always cause me to triumph. You make a way when there seems to be no way," and then worry and think, "I don't know how this is going to turn around."

Supernatural things will happen when we praise. Supernatural things do not happen when we worry. Worry does nothing but rob your joy.

You might feel like worrying is getting you somewhere, but it does nothing but zap your strength. We need our energy for the battles in life, and we need the knowledge of who God is during these difficulties to keep singing.

Suddenly, God can change your situation around like Paul and Silas when they were in prison. In the midnight hour, they were set free. But was it from them crying, fretting and wringing their hands, being in despair and complaining? No, they were praising God and the prison door went wide open.

No matter what the news report says about how many points the Dow Jones is down, each day, wake up with great faith and keep your joy and praise God.

And don't forget to enlarge your vision. You can't do that when you're worrying. You might have lost a lot in the stock market, but God can cause you to make back everything you lost, plus more. There is no limit to what God can do. But what does limit Him is when we don't believe, and we allow worry to rob our joy and faith.

This is what Scripture says in Jeremiah 33:11, "'…Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before.' says the Lord."

That means when you wake up, praise God. Believe Him for restoration in your retirement and savings. Believe God for restoration in that business you lost. There is nothing too difficult for God to do. Everything that was stolen can be restored in your life. God always gives us double for our trouble, and He likes to outdo Himself. The question is do you believe He will?

Keep your hopes up. Don't let worry have any room in your heart today.

Keep a song in your heart. And when you wake up in the morning and hear the birds singing, let it remind you to praise God during these difficult economic times. He has the whole world in His hands. In fact, He has you in the palm of His Hand. Nothing is a surprise to Him. If you will stay full of hope and praise, God will show Himself strong in your life, and you will not be disappointed!

*Quoted from "Worry is Like a Rocking Chair".

Sunday Bonding

The husband has work on Sundays so it's usually just me and my daughter who go out and bond. After church today we went to the mall for our lunch and did some groceries and a little shopping. I bought her a camera case and a tote bag which she will use on their class' field trip next week.

This is just so ordinary but I really look forward to weekends when we can just be with each other whether at home, the mall, a recreation park, hotel, movies, bookstore, tiangge, salon - wherever as long as we are happy with what we are doing together. I cherish times like these with my family. Simple events (or in this case, non-event) like these make it great to look back when all these are just memories.

This was how it was with my family then. It really makes me feel good looking back at my childhood - visiting my aunt's house and walking a kilometer or so to get a ride. There was not much public transport back then in Diliman, Quezon City. We also go to Luneta Park for some picnic. We go to C.O.D. in Cubao during the holidays to watch the show in front of the department store. Yes, that was how simple our life was. But it still makes me smile when I remember those times. Simple joys and yet they keep me happy until now.

Anyway, back to the present time.

Again, it was T.G.I.Friday's. I have mentioned countless times this is my daughter's favorite restaurant. She said she likes the ambiance. Ambiance, yes, from a twelve year old. When I was twelve I only know about SM Foodcourt and Jollibee. She said she likes the wall decorations with old mementos just like a museum.

I like their tacos in spinach and cheese dip. Yummy dip!

This is already good for two, about P245.

My daughter, as usual, had her chicken fingers with fries and honey mustard dressing.

Chicken Fingers, P295

And as usual too, I had my favorite from TGIF, cajun shrimp and chicken pasta. This is really good, must try!

In creamy spicy sauce, P335 for regular plate

And lookie here, part of our groceries include our healthy binge. I did not bother to include the rest outside the green basket. They are indulgences we should be doing without. Haha.

Since I had pasta for lunch, I made sure I will eat light for my next meals for the day. I thought of papaya and toasted wheat crackers.

Don't we all wish it's always a weekend? Or any day just spent with the family doing mundane things which make you simply happy.

2011: Manual for Conserving Paths by Paulo Coelho

Let me just post the entirety of this work by Paulo Coelho. I am just so inspired by this. What work of Coelho am I not inspired in the first place? I just have to put it in my blog as I can go back here easily and read it again and again.

I can identify talking about crossroads, honoring my path and loving my path. This year I intend, I expect to walk on the paths I have been praying for. Through God's grace I shall.

1] The path begins with a crossroads. There you can stop and think what direction to follow. But don’t spend too much time thinking or you’ll never leave the spot. Reflect a lot on the choices that lie ahead, but once you have taken the first step, forget the crossroads for ever or else you will always torture yourself with the useless question: “did I take the right path?”

2] The path doesn’t last for ever. It is a blessing to travel the path for some time, but one day it will come to an end, so always be prepared to take leave of it at any moment. However enraptured you may be at certain landscapes, or scared whenever you have to make a great effort to go ahead, don’t get too used to anything. Neither to the hours of euphoria, nor to the endless days when everything seems so difficult and progress is so slow. Don’t forget that sooner or later an angel will appear and your journey will reach an end.

3] Honor your path. It was your choice, your decision, and just as you respect the ground you step on, that ground will respect your feet. Always do what is best to conserve and keep your path and it will do the same for you.

4] Be well equipped. Carry a small rake, a spade, a penknife. Understand that penknives are no use for dry leaves, and rakes are useless for herbs that are deep-rooted. Know also what tool to use at each moment. And take care of them, because they are your best allies.

5] The path goes forward and backward. At times you have to go back because something was lost, or else a message to be delivered was forgotten in your pocket. A well tended path enables you to go back without any great problems.

6] Take care of the path before you take care of what is around you. Attention and concentration are fundamental. Don’t be distracted by the dry leaves at the edges or by the way that others are looking after their paths. Use your energy to tend and conserve the ground that accepts your steps.

7] Be patient. Sometimes the same tasks have to be repeated, like tearing up weeds or closing holes that appear after unexpected rain. Don’t let that annoy you – that is part of the journey. Even though you are tired, even though certain tasks are repeated so often, be patient.

8] Paths cross. People can tell what the weather is like. Listen to advice, and make your own decisions. You alone are responsible for the path that was entrusted to you.

9] Nature follows its own rules. In this way, you have to be prepared for sudden changes in the fall, slippery ice in winter, the temptations of flowers in spring, thirst and showers in the summer. Make the most of each of these seasons, and don’t complain about their characteristics.

10] Make your path a mirror of yourself. By no means let yourself be influenced by the way that others care for their paths. You have your soul to listen to, and the birds to tell what your soul is saying. Let your stories be beautiful and pleasant to everything around you. Above all, let the stories that your soul tells during the journey be echoed at each and every second of the path.

11] Love your path. Without this, nothing makes any sense.

From Paulo Coelho's blog, 2011: Manual for Conserving Paths.

2011!

Today is 1.1.11. It's the first day of the new year of the new decade. It's like a new chapter in our life book. And so it is. :) I feel so positive not just for the year but for the decade and let me say the whole life time. Haha. :)

Why is this so? The coming of a new year is my favorite time of the year. I feel renewed, recharged, raring to go especially now that I am older and wiser. I have been true to my resolutions and achieving my goals. I only have God to thank for for guiding me, "pushing" me and leading the way.

There were challenges, plenty of them, and not all goals are achieved, some are answered as I prayed them to be, some are delayed, some are not according to how I prayed for, some are still not answered. But through God's grace, I was able to grow through them, learned from them indeed.

I made a resolution when I attended our church worship service last Thursday. The message was clear, anything and everything is possible through God who loves us. I should know that. I am a living testimony of that. I pray a lot but I am openly saying this, that I will live a God-centered life that all my actions and decisions are all for His glory. I cannot do it alone as I have my vulnerabilities. God is my strength and I openly acknowledge that.

I am so excited for this year and the years to come. Indeed, more positive, fruitful, productive milestones will be achieved this year and beyond for myself and my family. I am grateful for all the blessings and ever ready to receive more blessings from God.

God knows the desires of my heart. He planted them there and He will guide me, as always, to get to them and share my blessings. Thank You for a rewarding year that was 2010. I am definitely looking forward to 2011, a year to soar further.

Three things on top of my list and on top of my mind this 2011: Be God-centered in all that I do. Share. Expect greater things to happen to me and to my family.

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade!

De-stress

What do you do when you are so stressed? De-stress of course, at least try to. I have been under so much stress these days. How do we really get rid of the stress in our lives when we face the cause of stress everyday?

Well, sure, we should come to terms with it, treat it like a mature person would meaning deal with it squarely and look at the brighter side. Been there, done that, still doing it. That's what I actually do. Face what is stressing me head on so I can do something about it and then I can freely move on throughout the day.

Aside from that, other things work for me.

1. I take a deep breath, try to be still and pray. I am a living testimony that prayers work wonders. Whatever I'm about to do, I pray first. It gives me a light feeling knowing that I have my God with me all the way. Praying calms me down, this is my number one de-stressor. And it definitely works. Maybe not in an instant but you will see, things will just fall into their proper places. You will be amazed.

2. I exercise! I focus on burning calories and strengthening my muscles. I sweat it out. I feel so recharged after every exercise that I feel like I'm a new person after. I am reborn. :)

3. I do household chores. I cook even if there is someone else who can do that for me. I wash the dishes. I clean the kitchen. All these take my mind off whatever it is that is causing me stress.

4. I turn to multi-media. I read my favorite book for the moment. I channel surf until my mind bleeds and find something interesting. I surf the net.

5. I pour my heart out in my journal and then magically, I get to clear my mind and think straight less the emotional baggage of stress.

6. I think of my favorite things (think Julie Andrews, yes). I think of my dreams. I think of beautiful thoughts. I look forward. Remember, nothing lasts forever. Whatever is causing me stress, it won't last forever. This too shall pass.

7. I read inspiring stories. I look at inspiring people. They too get stressed out but they manage. So can I.

Sometimes it's easy to get rid of the stress we are feeling, sometimes not. But ask yourself, is it worth it? Is being stressed out worth all the trouble? My answer is a resounding NO. Give yourself a break.

In a nutshell.....Accepting what is.....doing something productive to counter stress while looking forward to a wonderful what will be.....praying.....calm me down.

Ready, Set, Go!

On this day of your life, Lynn, we believe God wants you to know ... that God will give you everything you need once you are ready to receive.

God is abundant and is only waiting for you to make yourself ready to receive what you truly need. Think now what can you do to make yourself ready?

I am so ready, God. :) I can feel it.

I am surprised with myself lately. I have longer patience. I am calm in situations which otherwise agitate me. I feel so happy with my husband and daughter. I am just so excited and looking forward to ---------------- this, these, that, those. Let me just keep them to myself and my God. :)

It's Hard To Look The Other Way

Things went fine today. All good as a matter of fact. The saying "the day will take care of itself" is true for today. Nurture your positive thinking and things will fall into the right places. I thank God for that. Smooth.

Snapshots of my day.....

I voted in the morning together with my husband. It's the local elections and we practiced our right to vote.

It's supposed to be a holiday but I have to be at the office in the afternoon for the monthly strategic review. It turned out good and suddenly, I really didn't mind if we were called to report for the meeting unlike how I was feeling when I first read the announcement for it. We are pressed for time as next week will be another four-day work week because of All Saint's Day. This was my first time to attend the organization's strategic review since I am new. I prepared for my presentation and glad it was a breeze. I know now what to expect next time.

There was good camaraderie among my colleagues. I hope this continues.

Great sales performance! My team and I received a commendation for it.

My daughter had her screening at the church finally. It also went well. She had her church duty tonight.

My daughter and I were able to schedule her reviews for their mastery tests in advance. :)

I was home early. I brought home siomai fron Hen Lin which really tastes good.

I had a fairly smooth ride even if it was raining.

And with all these blessings, it's hard to look the other way.

I was lining up in the taxi bay when a man carrying a baby appeared among the crowd. He was selling fresh sampaguita flowers to each person in the line. As expected most people ignored him. I tried not to look when he came in front of me. But I gave in.

I looked for my wallet and gave the man P20 without getting the flowers. On my mind was the money was for the child at least. What is it compared to how he must be feeling? He's not actually begging but selling flowers but with that pity-me stance, holding a baby on a rainy night. Talk about abuse. But what the hell. Let me spare a few pesos. That won't hurt me but maybe he'll use it to buy some food.

Did I just help a parasite? Well, he was selling sampaguita. Let God take care of the man, especially the child he was holding.

My Comfort Zone

I prayed for this, for the position at least. And now I have it. I am tempted to tell myself be careful what you wish for. But no, I am thankful God has given me this opportunity. It's not easy but I know He has a purpose in giving this to me so soon. On my mind was I'll prepare myself thoroughly for this position a year or so after I've flexed my muscles some more in the corporate world.

Ironic as it may sound after landing this valuable but painstakingly demanding job, there's one thing I realize and this comes from the heart. My career does not define me anymore. Whereas before I see myself as a fulfilled woman having to balance career and family life, among other things, I see my life now in a different perspective.

Sure my career is very important because it gives me financial freedom. It fulfills me in the sense that it opens more opportunities to learn new things, meet all kinds of people, contribute significantly to the company and share my learning to my team and co-workers. I give my best in my line of work.

But gathering from my experience, everything is temporary. We cannot hold on to things or positions like our life depend on them. We will thrive, a great life will go on without them. Apart from my family, my happiness lies with the thought that I serve a God who never abandoned me in my life (even if I thought He did, shame on me), who always restores me whenever I go astray or failure hits my plans. I am comforted by the fact that I am secured because I have a God who sees me through, leads my way and helps me succeed. I have proven this since I was a child. I serve a God who does not mind if I am a vice president of a company or if I am a stay-at-home mom whose happiness is to take care of her family. Why would I mind either or other people?

I am calmed by the thought that God sees me as a whole person no matter what I do. I feel secured because God has given me the gift of faith. I entrust God my life for His plans for me, and my family, are always for the best. I have witnessed that so many times in my life. All I have to say is Thank You.

THANK YOU

I've been keeping a gratitude online journal since last year. I thank the Almighty everyday for anything and everything that made me happy.  But this day deserves a BIG, BIG THANK YOU!!!

All for your glory, God. Thank You.

"For today and its blessings, I owe the world an attitude of gratitude." (Clarence E. Hodges)

Big hug to to my big God. :) 

Another Get-together with High School Classmates

Some of my high school classmates and I had a get-together yesterday at our favorite restaurant, Cravings at Shangrila. We often meet here because it's convenient for most of us. It has space for long tables which we usually occupy, there's the salad bar for anyone who wants it. But next time we said we should change venue, just for a change of atmosphere. :)

This is the second time this year we met with high school friends based in a different country and vacationing for a few weeks in the Philippines. It's a great feeling to see familiar faces from one of the happiest periods of my life - high school.

Anyway, it was really exciting to see again a former classmate, one of my close friends during my early years in high school, after twenty six years. She is in the country with her family for a month-long vacation. This is the first time I have been with at least three of them after high school graduation. They had a reunion during the early 90s at Barrio Fiesta but I was not able to make it. In fact I don't think I even know they were going to have a reunion then. I was so preoccupied with my own activities that I was practically missing in action during those times.

I started reconnecting on 2006 and have not regretted it since then. In fact I have been immensely enjoying catching up with former classmates and friends, even relatives, I have not been with for quite a time.

I am happy to note that everyone is doing good at whatever it is he or she is busy with. Success is relative. One cannot argue with that. As long as you are truly happy with what you are doing, with what you have, and you won't exchange if for the world, you feel successful, you are successful.

One of my favorite sayings goes like this, "A man or a woman is successful if he wakes up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between loves what he or she does." Very, very true.

Everyone's doing a different thing but one thing we have in common is leading a happy family life. Some are in the corporate, some have their own business, some grew up to be doctors and lawyers, some are stay-at-home-moms and loving it, some are still single, some are already planning of how they will retire. Generally, we all are thankful for the blessings and times like what we are having - meeting each other again to catch up, reminisce the happy past we had and just be there and have fun with everyone else.


I love my high school life and my high school classmates! I keep on saying this, high school is one of the best times of my life. I will forever treasure it.

Agree!

Yes, I agree with this, 100%! Things change, people change, times change. We have to adapt, change if we have to and need to and want to. We have to want it, if I may say that. Work on improving ourselves and further enhancing the talent, the skills and knowledge we already possess. All these without compromising our values.

*Post-it notes left to their fate in public places.

Paying It Forward

I have seen this video clip of a man giving a motivational speech in a high school maybe middle of last year. I was so touched by it and was really motivated. I saw this again from a link in my husband's Facebook account. I thought of sharing it even if I know it has been circulated in so many networking sites and in YouTube.

NEVER GIVE UP by Nick Vujicic.

*Video from YouTube.
Why did I think of sharing it? Like what I have mentioned in my status, ".....Who knows, there just might be someone out there who is needing some inspiration and encouragement at this moment....."

It happened to me once, a long time ago. I was feeling really depressed over a work situation which was affecting my home front. I was just browsing the internet when everybody else in the house was sleeping. I landed on a YouTube site, the link unfortunately I forgot. One of the slides said, "Hang in There". And the owner was just so kind to say that he made it because "There might be someone who needs some motivation and inspiration at this very moment. Don't give up." That was the gist of his message.

It was just so uplifting for me that someone devoted a few minutes (or maybe hours) of his time to create inspirational slides just because he cares. I am sort of paying it forward. I was really inspired by that YouTube presentation.

I hope I have inspired someone too by posting Nick Vujicic's story. I'm a fan of his from hereon. And yes, I will try to find that YouTube clip which helped in one of those nights that I needed to be inspired.

Here's Nick's official website Life Without Limbs and a site about his motivational speeches, Attitude is Altitude.

I found the purpose of my existence, and also the purpose of my circumstance. There's a purpose for why you're in the fire. Nick wholeheartedly believes that there is a purpose in each of the struggles we encounter in our lives and that our attitude towards those struggles that can be the single most effective factor in overcoming them.

Nick shows through his own life that the major keys in fulfilling our biggest dreams are persistence and choosing to embrace failure as a learning experience, rather than allowing the guilt and fear of failure to paralyze us. (About Nick Vujicic)

The lesson I learned from that random browsing on the internet on the particular night I mentioned here is DON'T HOLD BACK. DON'T HOLD BACK A SMILE, A HELPING HAND, A KIND WORD...IT JUST MIGHT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN ONE'S LIFE. I hope to find that video clip and thank the man.

Life 2009

2009 has come and gone. I guess that was fast. It was a year of realization and appreciation for me. Thinking about it, there were some things which kept me motivated and inspired throughout 2009.

1. Keeping positive. And actually saying and doing things that will evoke positive emotions and attitudes. The days are not always peaches and cream but being positive let me bounce back quick.

2. Reaching out to people, even to some people I am not that familiar with. A few times I initiated a conversation in a spur of the moment or when I felt there is a need to. This gave me an inner glow knowing that I have made a connection with someone how fleeting it may seem to be. Sometimes too I find myself inspired by some people's ways, reactions, the way they do things no matter how simple it may be. I have always loved observing people.

3. Reconnecting. I started reconnecting with old classmates, a few acquaintances, gym mates, neighbors and some people who had been close to me one way or another in the past.

4. Keeping a gratitude journal. I started mine last October. I list at least five things, situations, people, whatever it is that made me happy or satisfied throughout the day. This helps me a lot to be grateful day to day.

5. Keeping myself updated about the current trends in areas of interest to me, of things that are relevant, of current events. More often than not, they add fuel to my passion.

5. Exercising. Who knew the time will come that I would enjoy going to the gym and actually doing a lot of exercising, even yoga and dance classes. But really, I get so recharged after every session. In fact my mind and body crave for the gym when I am stressed out.

6. My family's unconditional love. My family is my support system and my source of strength.

7. Creating, giving time for the family especially for my daughter.

8. Having an epiphany about a very important matter in my life.

9. Indulging in a hobby. I cooked a lot of times and baked a few times (well, instant brownies, haha). I took photographs which led to an idea of creating a photoblog for 2010.

10. Reading inspirational books, passages, even twits on a daily basis. An inspiring line or two sometimes makes a great difference.

11. Mingling with my churchmates. I am inspired by their faith and how they are so eager to serve God.

12. Being mindful of the present. Keeping still when my mind starts with its simultaneous planning again. This helps me to be more focused.

13. Enjoying life's simple joys. A successful adobo, a beautiful picture I took, Glee.....

14. Keeping myself excited on what is in store, keeping my dreams alive both personally and professionally, and continuously working to achieve my goals.


15. Praying. At all times. Communing with God is very powerful.

I intend to keep doing all these on 2010. They made me feel so alive and purposeful. Life is good! I embrace LIFE 2010 and onwards with even greater positivity! We all freakin' deserve a great 2010 and beyond! :)

Through the years I have learned that there are a lot of things to be excited about. I love this feeling of adrenalin rush. It keeps me going. I am excited and looking forward to what is in store.

God is good all the time! :)

On a More Optimistic Note.....

A link from Time's Tweeter caught my attention, Overrated Optimism: The Perils of Positive Thinking. Intrigued, I clicked on the link and read on. On my mind was what can be the perils?

I know that positivity resulting to complacency is one. It can be detrimental if all one does is sit all day, do nothing but just give oneself sweet talk that good fortune will come like magic. That will cause agitation at least for me.

The article as I understand it commented on certain groups of people and even organizations whose reading of positivism became more of wishful thinking to the point of sugar coating words thinking of this as motivation and optimism.

What comes to mind are the two leaders I encountered in my corporate life.

Mr. Action Man simply inspires the organization, from the lowest level up to the top management. He kept the flame, which was already quickly fading, so alive for the people once again.

We can attribute his charisma to sheer sincerity of his intentions. He is a man for others and truly an action man. He was very sensible and charismatic without being big on words. His words are not rehearsed but always with so much wisdom. His very presence vibrate positivity.

The work environment suddenly turned from tired and worried to one that is dynamic, positive and harmonious. True enough, our organization turned around barely six months after he assumed CEO position. The company made its profit after years of being in the red.

Then the torched was passed on to another leader. I commend her attitude for trying to reach out to everyone in the organization. I just don't know why her sincerity cannot be felt. She is good in delivering speeches, in making presentations but none of these were able to ignite the passion the organization once had. Even the middle managers do not feel any vibrancy on her leadership.

A leader cannot just be full of positivism and words to live by but lacking concrete and effective directions. The people will readily perceive false optimism.

Mr. Action Man managed to put actions into his words. He gets things done without much ado. He is very positive that the action plans will work and he, together with the whole organization, worked hard to make them real.

I can see where the article is coming from.

True, there were a lot of factors why the organization went back to being in the red. This is not to say it was just about the change in leadership. For one, the employees across all ranks and departments have their roles to play. The economy, the competition were the biggest hurdles (but that's why there are CEOs and executive committee).

But regardless of all these, an honest to goodness positive attitude and management are still possible as we have already proven.

"Stuff happens" as mentioned in the Time article but positivity cannot be discounted. Sobriety, when called for, should not harm our passion. Keep faith and optimism alive. Stuff happens and you start to be negative about everything, you're doomed. I still choose positivity. What else is there in the first place?

That's the point I want to deliver when it comes to creating and implementing positivity in our lives, professionally and personally. Positivity is bringing out the best in a situation, implementing actions with conviction with an unwavering faith and belief to what God can do in helping us achieve our goals.

One thing that did not sit well with me in this Time article was the way life coaches like Joel Osteen and Tony Robbins were regarded. These people live what they preach and they are not out there just to sweet talk the people. I did not mean to say the article implied something like that. But it felt like it downgraded how powerful and real life coaches like them are able to share to the people who listen and reflect.

"Optimism was not only patriotic, it was a Christian virtue, or so we learned from the proliferating preachers of the "prosperity gospel," whose God wants to "prosper" you. In 2006, the runaway bestseller The Secret promised that you could have anything you wanted, anything at all, simply by using your mental powers to "attract" it. The poor listened to upbeat preachers like Joel Osteen and took out subprime mortgages. The rich paid for seminars led by motivational speakers like Tony Robbins and repackaged those mortgages into securities sold around the world." *Overrated Optimism

I do believe that God wants to prosper us. God is good all the time. I will let this post end with this question again, tell me, what better else is there to believe? I will always choose positivity and being optimistic the way I stated it two paragraphs above. They are still more practical choices if I may say that.

Father-figure - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Father-figure - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

The death of Executive Minister Eraño “Ka Erdy” Manalo of the Iglesia ni Cristo, who passed away last Monday at the age of 84, has plunged the church his father founded in 1914 into deep grief. For many members, the loss was most personal. The reaction of a volunteer worker at a church-affiliated TV network reflected the distress of many: “Father is gone. Father is gone,” the volunteer said in Filipino, weeping.
To the millions of Iglesia members, Ka Erdy was, simply, “Tatay,” the father-figure of a growing but close-knit family. To other Filipinos, especially Roman Catholics who only had a hazy notion of the beliefs of the homegrown church he led, he was a mostly mysterious figure—not because his life was shrouded in secrecy, but because he was a truly simple man, and averse to publicity. It is this quality that gave him an aura of mystery; he was unlike other religious leaders who cut a high profile or whip up congregations into a frenzy.

The Iglesia ni Cristo has been blessed, to use a rather worldly criterion, with the longevity of its leaders. Founder Felix Manalo served as executive minister for almost half a century, and his son and successor served for over 46 years. This blessing has allowed a church famous for its discipline to hold fast to its core beliefs even in a changing world; analogously, the distinctive architecture of INC temples has enabled the church to retain a very clear image of itself even through the years.

But the INC under Ka Erdy was also quick to adapt to changing circumstances. In 1968, the church began expanding to other countries. Today, it is present in 90 countries. The INC is also very media-savvy, with its central offices housing TV networks that help broadcast the news and spread the faith.

By all accounts, Ka Erdy was a true man of God, personally modest, devoted to his family and above all dedicated to the ministry. The deep grief INC members feel at his passing comes, not only from their belief that he was God’s chosen messenger, but from their keen recollection of his kindly nature.

But any discussion of the role Ka Erdy and his fast-growing church played and continues to play in Philippine society is not complete without a mention of the political influence the Iglesia ni Cristo wields—a direct consequence of its church discipline.

While it is not true that every single member of the church votes according to the discernment of the church leaders, surveys have confirmed that by far it is the most cohesive religious organization, and votes mostly as a bloc.

A telling tribute from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s eldest son, Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo, made when he visited the religious leader’s wake, was not lip service but the candid truth. Ms Arroyo, the congressman said, would not have become president if it weren’t for Manalo.

This simple assertion is true for most presidents since the reelection of Ferdinand Marcos in 1969. And in point of fact, Ka Erdy was already executive minister then. The estimate then was that the INC’s 300,000 votes went solidly for Marcos in a contentious election. This support became one of the main reasons Marcos became the first president since Manuel L. Quezon back in Commonwealth days to be reelected.

So Mikey Arroyo had reason to make the dutiful trek to the Iglesia’s Central Temple, as did many other politicians. (Speaker Prospero Nograles bused in well over 100 House members to the wake—surely a crystalline sign of the church’s political clout.)

It should be noted, however, that when President Arroyo made her first attempt to fast-track Charter change in 2006 through a Senate-less constituent assembly in December 2006, the Iglesia ni Cristo was among the religious organizations that vigorously protested the self-serving maneuver’s blatant immorality. Not even the President’s closeness or deference to Ka Erdy Manalo could disguise the rank immorality of the unconstitutional maneuver.

Mikey Arroyo may thus choose to remember the support the Iglesia ni Cristo threw his mother’s way in 2004, but he would do well to also remember a warning from the Bible: What the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away. Ka Erdy’s long and full life is a lesson in providence.

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Stars and Free Will

Mercury is in retrograde from January 11 to February 1. About.com:Astrology says it can alter perceptions of what is going on, and cause things to go haywire or be delayed. I know a lot who are a little under the weather, having slow response from some persons they need to hear from as soon as possible, indecision too is quite the trend in a few quarters I work with.

I am thinking maybe this planetary condition is affecting me already.

Maybe this happens to you too, once in a while. Even petty things have great annoying effects. I am generally patient. Not today. Emotions ran high.

I woke up at the wrong side of the bed. My thoughts were horrible. Getting off the bed, the humid temperature outside the room makes my temper shorter.

I was a mess in the kitchen this morning. I used the wrong ware. The pan cover fell on the floor which really ticks me off even on ordinary days. I just don't like how it startles me. Also I thought the food won't get cooked on time. I am working on a schedule here.

I tripped on the sidewalk. I recovered my balance immediately but still my foot was a little hurt plus the fact that it was a bit embarrassing. And my cell phone fell to the ground as I was getting out of the car.

The work I intended to start today did not get done. I was thinking maybe today is not the right time to begin with it. I decided to postpone it for tomorrow. Or was that just an excuse to procrastinate? But really my mind tells me to take a breather.

I feel so sleepy now. Maybe because of all the work and all the thinking I did. By the way, I went back to the gym today. I was at the gym for two consecutive days now. I do not normally do this, it's always alternate. So this means muscle aches here and there. Still I am thankful I proceeded. Working out gives me a good feeling which results to clearer thinking which makes me more rational.

There are things we bring upon ourselves. There is what we call free will. It's not always in the stars (or the planets). It is what we actually do which brings us retribution or reward.

See, I slept at around three in the morning because I want to witness a history in
my lifetime, the inauguration of Barack Obama. Having only three hours of sleep can make one flounder and commit some blunders. A quite simple equation.

Right now I just want to relax my mind. Read my book and have a good sleep. Tomorrow I will be attuned with myself as I always am. Looking forward to it. :)