inspirational
February 25, 2022
There was a time in my life when I felt the odds were in my favor—I had a stable income, a happy soul, and great career opportunities. While the opportunities were beyond what I have imagined, they were overwhelming to the point that I had to let go of some things so dear to me, including my most stable job in one of the Philippines' biggest TV networks.
I did this so that I can pursue my biggest break at that time. But that move was something that terrified me to the bones for many reasons. One, I'll be working with one of the country's most sought-after celebrities; two, it's going to be my first time doing the job; and three, I have nowhere to return to if this project fails. Before and after I said yes to the project, I questioned myself every day if I can really do it.
Long-overdue update on this post: a lot has been accomplished, and it went well. At first, at least. But after two months, the celebrity decided not to continue it. Therefore, all the production staff (including me) lost this huge project in a snap, without any warning.
Fast forward to today, I found myself in the same position as I was in years ago. This time, it's a lot more challenging and a lot more terrifying. Just like before, I have to let go of something I've already loved. I have to step out of my comfort zone again to enter a new path. I will be doing something I find most difficult to accomplish. Doing something I’ve tried to avoid for the longest time. And doing something that scares me… again.
But this has always been me—doing something I was a little not ready to do.
Well, this is me: saying yes to new things even if it’s absolutely daunting. Saying yes to something that’s totally new to me. I can’t risk letting the opportunity go. So just as it has always been, I said yes and will just figure things out later. Because at the end of the day, I know things will fall into place.
You see, it's okay to be scared. It's normal.
But if you let your fears stop you, you're not going to grow.
You might end up spending a lifetime thinking of regrets and what-ifs because of the job you never applied for, the places you never traveled to, the person who got away because you didn't tell him or her how you feel, and the chances you didn't take.
There’s always going to be something that will scare you. It might be touching the head of a puppy, or jumping thousands of feet from above. It might also be letting go of someone dearly. But the most terrifying of all is failure, right? Because what if we fail? What if it doesn't get better?
But what if we don't?
What if we do it and actually get everything we ever wanted?
You must do the thing you think you cannot do. — Eleanor Roosevelt
Looking back, although I felt like a failure for choosing what I thought was a "wrong" decision at that time, it was only years after that I realize it was a huge lesson and certainly one of the best opportunities I had. It actually led me to bigger things. That project, although short, opened so many doors for me. Did I fail? No! Am I still going to be afraid? Most probably! Will I stop venturing into things I know nothing about? Certainly not!
My dreams are bigger than my fears. And I hope yours, too. Today, I hope you learn to embrace discomfort. I hope you will allow yourself to grow. I hope you will believe in yourself that you can do it. And finally, I hope you do the thing that scares you.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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August 29, 2020
Here's the thing about change—it's scary. You step out of your comfort zones, you leave behind the routine that you're used to, and basically, you leave behind what's safe for you.
While change is intimidating, it should never halt you to start living and going after the things that you want. The things you really want. Because when you keep on waiting for the "right" moment, chances are, you'll be waiting all your life and it might already be too late when you finally decide to take a leap.
Don't let anything get in the way between you and your dreams. As Nike says, just do it. It won't be an easy journey but you'll be fine.
June 21, 2020
Let me start this by telling you how I hated the times when you always ask me about that app you just downloaded that I think won’t be of use at all for you, because hey, it’s Instagram, and the times that I got annoyed when you asked me about the life updates of this certain vlogger because I actually don’t have any idea at all who that person is. And do you remember the time when you kept asking me over and over again like a broken record about this TikTok “famous dance”? I was surprised you know it because even I don’t have any idea about it at all.
It got me thinking, am I really the young one here?
I forgot that you are cool and that you just want to keep up with the trend like the way you were when you were my age… just like how I am today. I got to admit, you’re way cooler than I am, Dad, and I love that about you.
But not just because of being the “trendy old man”, but because you really are the coolest and greatest Dad in the world.
You taught me how to be kind even if others are not, and be patient even if it takes longer than expected. You taught me how to be contented and make the most of what I have. You taught me how to be strong and stand up every time I fall, and to never give up even if life hits me so hard. And most importantly, you taught me how to love unconditionally despite the imperfections. So, thank you, Dad.
Thank you for shaping me and for letting me pick a life that I love… that I dreamed of, even if society told me otherwise. Thank you for teaching me how to love my flaws and accept who I really am. Thank you for making me realize that it’s okay to be different, that no matter how different I am, someone will pick me, someone will love me. Because you did.
And you know what, Dad? Whenever people tell me I’m very hardworking, I always think of you because I got it from you. What can I say? Hard work is hereditary. I owe everything to you of what I am today.
I am so lucky to call you my Dad.
You are my strongest critic yet my biggest fan which makes it even because I’m also your biggest fan, Dad.
You are also the toughest yet most softhearted man I know and I salute you for that.
We might not say it a lot but we love you, Dad!
Like what we said to Mom, a “thank you” is never enough to match what you’ve done for us.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
***I wrote this article for a leading Southeast Asian budget hotel chain and was originally published at www.zenrooms.com.
June 20, 2020
One of the biggest mistakes in life is to think that talent alone is enough to be great, successful, and become a high achiever.
Sure talent can be a huge factor that could lead you to your dream—whether it's landing on your dream role, launching an album, or anything your heart desires—but when you start to believe that it is the most essential piece to the puzzle of victory, you have built up a wall all on your own that instead of success, will only lead to failure in life.
Everyone has a different journey. Let's say there are these two equally talented individuals—one achieved the things he has always imagined while the other one faced the greatest downfall he didn't expect at all.
If they were "equally" talented, why did they end up on different sides of the world? The only difference between these two individuals is the effort they made.
The latter was only relying on talent alone. At first, it was going good but as time passed, everyone is also getting better until he couldn't catch up anymore. Why? Because he didn't make an effort to improve himself or to learn new things. He was so confident that his talent is enough to lead him to success.
But let me tell you this, from my personal experience and from what I've observed from other people, just because you are extremely talented at something doesn’t guarantee that you will have long-term success, and the moment you stop nurturing and developing your talent, someone else with less talent is working day and night to beat you. I know this because I saw some people who became like this.
When you work in the media, it allows you to meet different kinds of people from all walks of life. And some that I met were like the latter person. But most importantly, I know this because I experienced this myself.
I may not have the 10+ years of work experience to justify my claims nonetheless, I believe that claims are qualified when it's based on personal experience regardless of the amount of time you've spent working.
When I was still studying, I dreamed of becoming a writer for a teen magazine. Honestly, I wasn't so confident that I can get a job in a prestigious company because there are so many people who write better than me. But you know what, it didn't stop me from getting what I want. And guess what? I stood out. Why? Because I had something great to offer that others didn't have, that's my blog. Back then, blogging was not a huge thing yet. I got in. And they didn't. Why? Because they got scared and followed the "rules".
A few months later, I wanted to try something new. I applied for a job at a competitor TV Network, but this time, the job mainly focused on TV production which I have no idea or interest in at all. I told myself before graduating that I will never ever work for TV Productions, specifically in the news. That's my most weakness. But then, opportunity knocks, and I wouldn't let my weakness scares me off. So I applied and got in. A few months later, I got promoted, earlier than other people. It led me to meet new people from the average to high-rank officials that became good connections of mine that helped me expand my career.
This is not to brag but just to tell you that stepping out of your comfort zone can really make a huge difference. I wasn't the best writer or producer and every day, I get assigned more and more difficult tasks and projects that made me cry on some days (and nights). I thought if these people believe that I can do it, then why shouldn't I?
In short years, I realized, you don't have to be too talented to make it. Like Master Pakku from the Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender has said, "With fierce and determination, passion, and hard work, you can accomplish anything. Raw talent alone is not enough."
So what should you do?
1. Do something every day to develop and nurture your talent. Even if it's just a little task or a new hobby, just do it. A little knowledge can go a long way.
2. If things get hard, don't be scared. Face it. Challenge yourself and take on difficult tasks. Look for opportunities to test yourself and keep pushing yourself to see how far you can go.
3. Work hard on the things that will make a difference. Work hard to learn. Work hard and accept the feedback. Work hard at getting better. Always.
4. Don't be shy to ask for help. It doesn't make you less of a person. Surround yourself with like-minded people and use their talents to help you grow and perform and vice versa. That's what teams are about.
To end this article, I want to leave you with a quote from Tim Notke that sums up everything I have been trying to say:
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
May 9, 2020
How do we even start to say thank you to the woman who deserves the world?
In times when we thought we’re alone, you made us feel we belong.
When we thought we had no one to run to, you were always there.
You lifted us when we’re down and carried us through heavy times.
For the times you had to stay up late to take care of us when we’re sick and for the times you had to wake up early even before the roosters crow just to prepare our meals, we can’t thank you enough for all the things you have sacrificed for us.
We’re sorry if we lose our patience at times when you ask how to navigate an app over and over again when in fact, you never stopped helping us with our homework even if it took a lot of your time when we were little.
We’re sorry for the times you had to endure our shortcomings and worst version of ourselves; for not being able to comfort you on your bad days despite the fact that you were always there to ease our pains; you’re our favorite shoulder to cry on. You are our safe place, mom.
And we’re truly sorry for the times you had to cry in private when we’re hurt—or worse, for when we hurt you.
Please don’t think that we don’t appreciate you because we do. We really do.
We love you beyond words. We may not say it enough but, thank you for everything, Mom.
You deserve so much more than just a greeting, you deserve more than the most expensive designer bag, or more than just a staycation—you deserve the world. You deserve to feel special. Not just today. But every day.
We would like to take this day as an opportunity to say how grateful we are to be raised by such a strong woman like you.
A “thank you” is never enough to match what you’ve done for us.
Happy Mother’s Day!
***I wrote this article for a leading Southeast Asian budget hotel chain and was originally published at www.zenrooms.com.
March 27, 2020
Since the coronavirus outbreak started, the world has seen the worst it could possibly be. Thousands of people get ill and die around the world and the healthcare system is overloaded. Some hospitals can’t even accept new patients anymore because of full capacity. Schools and work are closed. Some companies collapsed. And some employees lost their jobs; even those who would risk their lives to work to feed their families can’t even go out to earn.
While this pandemic has brought a lot of pain to us, it gave us a gift; a perfect opportunity to live our lives meaningfully. In the face of overwhelmingly bad news about what’s happening to the world, we need to stay strong. We don’t set aside the fact that the coronavirus threatens us all but what we’d like you to think right now, at least for the meantime, is its bright side.
We now have the opportunity to take a time off
Let’s admit it, before any of these things happened, we were all soaked and letting ourselves drown in work. We’re always dedicating our time to accomplish our tasks, which is not wrong, but most of our time in a day is focused on our tiring jobs. We forgot to give time for other meaningful things. It may be too hard to believe but the pandemic just gave us a gift—a gift of time. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, we got the opportunity to spend more time with our families. We can now enjoy the break we’ve been longing for so long. Or we can do the one thing we’ve been dying to do, but can’t because of lack of time. Whatever you do now, make it worthwhile.
We can now be closer to our families
Gone are the days that we have to leave the house before the sun rises and go home late in the evening. Because of the home quarantine and lockdowns, the time we spent commuting can now be dedicated to our family. This is the best time to finally bond with them and relieve the what-could-have-been great times when you’re busy working. Cook for your parents; have a chat with your siblings; play board games or have a movie marathon together. Now is the time to create more great memories together as a family.
We can contribute to many great acts of kindness
And generosity. Because of what’s happening right now—lack of supplies and down businesses—more and more people are willing to give a hand. People are helping each other. From the big companies who donated billions of dollars to an ordinary citizen who gave free food to the frontliners, people showed their compassion and love for their country and fellowmen. If you think you don’t have the capacity to donate money or food, you can still help by simply spreading the word on social media and letting the world know that someone needs their help. Make the most of what you have.
We now have the opportunity to reflect on ourselves
The coronavirus outbreak gave us an opportunity to reflect on things and to rethink what we do and why we do it. May it be the job we thought we really wanted in the first place or the trip we’ve been planning for so long, we can now reflect and discover ourselves more. We can also make up for the things we took for granted like the environment, our health, friends, and family. This is the time to make changes. For the better.
The Earth can finally breathe again
Due to the lockdowns and community quarantine in some countries, the roads that were used to be clogged have been cleared and the bumper to bumper cars are no longer seen. If there’s one good thing that COVID-19 did that will definitely change the world, it’s this. For weeks, the Earth can finally breathe and the people will be able to feel fresh air because there will be less pollution. There will be no smoke belchers on the roads.
It radiates love, hope, and positivity despite the terrible things
In these globally trying times, what we need most right now is support from one another. We need to believe that all bad things will soon end. What we didn’t have before the outbreak can now be seen across the world. The pandemic radiates love, hope, and positivity. During these times, we lift each other up. We help each other in the best ways we can. We make sure that we’re there for each other.
It only took one little but deadly virus to remind us of what we have taken for granted before all these things. Don’t let this ever happen again.
And no matter how hard the situation is now; no matter how difficult this time is; we can and we will overcome this together.
March 14, 2020 Banaue Rice Terraces
When it comes to traveling, you can always count on me except for one thing—hiking. Take me anywhere but the mountains. I've never been a fan of the mountain and long hours of trekking. I'm afraid of the trails as there could be wild animals or snakes that might attack us along the way and we're far away from help. My friends tell me that I'm just overthinking. Perhaps, I was.
Then come February this year, I decided to take the leap and finally go out of my comfort zone. I went on a 9-hour bus ride to Banaue only to find out that we'll be hiking almost three-fourths of our trip. From our home-stay and hot spring to the cold waterfalls and the famed rice terraces, name it, there's always hiking.
Whenever I'm in a new place that involves a lot of stairs and going ups, I make sure to count the steps but this time, I lost track while catching my breath. The numbers aren't important that time, I just want to rest already. For a woman who has never been to the mountains and not physically prepared, hiking is a challenge.
But I'm already there. I can't just go home, waste the money I paid for the trip, and leave the adventure that could have been the greatest one. I don't want to go back to Manila wondering what if I pushed through?
So, I embraced the challenge. I braved the thousands of steps—mostly steep and narrow paths—while being baked under the sun, wearing the wrong set of clothes just to see what the world has been talking about. And they are right, Banaue Rice Terraces is majestic! It's like a spot straight out from a postcard. All the hours of hiking, trekking, and countless catching of breath moments are totally worth it. Because with a view like this, how can you resist?
Taking a leap and going out of your comfort zone has risks, as does anything in life, but it's a great way to discover yourself and push yourself to the limit.
There's one thing I regret though... I regret not doing this sooner.
Photos by Hendrix Vargas
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
December 27, 2015
After more than four decades of waiting, the Philippines has come to reach its most coveted victory in the Universe. It's been a week already since Pia Wurtzbach was crowned as the Miss Universe 2015 yet, most of us are still not over with it.
It took her three attempts to bring home the crown that every beauty queen is aspiring for. From her first try to join the Binibining Pilipinas in 2013, she ended up as the first runner up while on her second try in 2014, she went home with nothing. But this year, Pia proved that third time's a charm because she bagged the title Binibining Pilipinas-Universe. Meaning, she will represent the country in the most prestigious beauty pageant in the universe.
Knowing her story, I realized something. Successful people are the ones who know what they want and do something about it. For Pia, she wanted the crown so bad that it didn't stop her to chase her ultimate dream. Look at where she is now, the elusive crown is on her already. Because of her good example, she has inspired many people. And I have to admit that, I am, too. With her journey to victory, she taught me some things:
Knowing her story, I realized something. Successful people are the ones who know what they want and do something about it. For Pia, she wanted the crown so bad that it didn't stop her to chase her ultimate dream. Look at where she is now, the elusive crown is on her already. Because of her good example, she has inspired many people. And I have to admit that, I am, too. With her journey to victory, she taught me some things:
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