Success is like that first cup of coffee in the morning, a jolt of energy that perks us up and helps us through the day. It's the fuel that keeps us going. Achieving success often feels like winning a marathon, and we relish the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. But what happens when that feeling fades, and we find ourselves asking, "Is this it?"

One of my biggest dreams was to see my name in magazines as a writer. I did everything I could and should to pursue that goal—and I did. When I saw my name under my very first published article, it felt as if I won the lottery. That I’m already living the dream. It was good while it lasted. Six months later, I questioned myself, why am I not happy? 

I've spent years chasing after success, ticking off one milestone after another on my list. I've climbed the corporate ladder, earned accolades, and built a life that many praised me for. But deep down, there's a lingering feeling that something is missing. It's not a question of ambition or setting higher goals; it's more about a sense of emptiness that success alone can't fill.

The truth is, success wears off. 

The thrill of reaching a long-cherished goal may last for a while, but soon, it begins to lose its luster. The promotion you worked so hard for, the financial stability you achieved, and the recognition you received can start to feel like mere stepping stones rather than destinations. It's like chasing after a pipe dream, thinking that the next success will finally quench your thirst for fulfillment.

In the pursuit of success, we often put our heads down and plow through life's challenges, sometimes neglecting the things that truly matter. We may miss out on precious moments with loved ones, ignore our passions and hobbies, and forget to savor the simple joys of life. And as we keep climbing that ladder, we may find that it's leaning against the wrong wall.

So, why do we still feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled despite all our achievements? It's because success, in and of itself, doesn't necessarily equate to happiness or contentment. True fulfillment lies in the balance between achieving your goals and nurturing your inner self. It's about finding purpose and meaning in the every day, not just in reaching the pinnacle of your career or amassing wealth.

Success should be a stepping stone to a more fulfilling life, not the end-all, be-all. It's crucial to take a step back, reflect on what truly matters to you, and ask yourself what success means in the broader context of your life. It's about finding a way to integrate success into a well-rounded, meaningful life, rather than letting it dominate every aspect of your existence.

This may sound odd coming from someone who’s still in search of what truly satisfies her—a.k.a. Me—but I believe it's never too late to reevaluate your priorities and rediscover the joys that may have taken a back seat during your quest for success. Spend time with your loved ones, engage in activities that bring you joy, and remember that success is a journey, not a destination. When success is no longer satisfying, it's a sign that it's time to redefine your goals and recalibrate your path.

In the end, success is just one piece of the puzzle. It's the love, laughter, and personal growth that give life its true value. So, the next time you find yourself wondering, "Is this it?" remember that the answer lies not in the next achievement, but in embracing the full spectrum of life's experiences. Success may wear off, but the richness of a well-balanced, fulfilled life endures. It's time to savor every moment and find contentment in the journey itself.

Dress is by Michael Costello from Revolve | Shoes from Song of Style from Revolve

Like many of you, I've felt the pinch of rising prices and economic uncertainties. In the face of a world recession and fewer clients on my plate, I've had to rethink my financial strategy. But I'm not here to simply narrate my problems. I want to take you along as I share the lessons I learned and the strategies I've adopted to not just survive but to thrive financially amidst these trying times.

Building wealth amid inflation is no small feat, but it's definitely doable. So, let's dive into how I'm working towards financial stability and smarter budgeting.

Embrace the Power of Budgeting

First and foremost, budgeting is your best friend. I've learned that tracking my expenses down to the last peso helps me make informed financial decisions. There are amazing tools out there like Calculator.me's budget planning calculator that make this process a breeze. By setting clear spending limits and identifying areas where I can cut back, I've managed to stretch my funds further.

Smart Investments are Key

Putting your money to work for you is crucial in times of inflation. I've been exploring investment opportunities that match my risk tolerance and financial goals. Whether it's stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, it's important to diversify your portfolio. It's like planting seeds today that will grow into a financial forest tomorrow.

Plan for the Long Haul

Remember, beating inflation is a marathon, not a sprint. I'm in it for the long haul, and so should you be. Building wealth takes time and discipline, but the rewards are worth it. Stay patient and stay focused on your financial goals.

Stay Informed

Lastly, staying informed about economic trends and market shifts is crucial. Keep an eye on news updates, and don't hesitate to seek advice from financial experts if needed.

While navigating the challenges of inflation during a pandemic isn't a walk in the park, it's not an insurmountable obstacle either. I'm still far from meeting my financial goal but I'm getting there. With careful budgeting, smart investments, and a long-term perspective, you can not only weather the storm but also come out stronger financially.

Stay resilient, stay focused, and watch your financial wealth grow, step by step. Here's to brighter and financially secure days ahead!

I know how it feels when life seems like a never-ending maze, and you're standing right in the middle, lost and unsure of where to turn. It's okay to feel this way, to question your path and doubt your choices. But you know what? You're not alone, and you're capable of so much more than you realize.

Imagine the life you've always dreamed about. Close your eyes and really envision it. Feel the excitement coursing through your veins as you live out those dreams, as you conquer the challenges that stand in your way. It's all possible, but it starts with a decision—a decision to embrace the challenges that come your way.

Life is anything but a smooth ride. It's more like an epic adventure, full of unexpected twists and turns. Sometimes, those twists can be tough to navigate. They might make you stumble, doubt yourself, and even question if it's all worth it. But remember, every challenge is an opportunity in disguise, a chance for you to prove your resilience and strength.

I know it's tempting to take the easy road, to stick to what you know, and avoid the uncertainty. But let me tell you, the path you dream of is not found by sticking to the familiar. It's about stepping outside your comfort zone, facing those fears, and charging forward with unwavering determination.

Now, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Pursuing your dreams, especially when the going gets tough, can feel like trudging uphill through thick mud. There will be moments when you'll question if it's all worth it, if you're cut out for this journey. In those moments, I want you to remember your strength. Remember all the times you've faced challenges before and emerged stronger than ever. You've got that fire within you, and it's time to let it blaze.

You see, the beauty of chasing your dreams, even when it's tough, lies in the growth it brings. With every obstacle you conquer, you evolve. You become more resilient, more resourceful, and more determined. Each setback is a lesson in disguise, teaching you skills that will serve you not only on this journey but throughout your life.

It's natural to feel the weight of doubt on your shoulders. But don't let it hold you back. Turn that doubt into fuel for your determination. Every time you doubt yourself, remind yourself of your vision, of the life you crave. Let it ignite a fire within you, a fire that propels you forward no matter the obstacles.

Surround yourself with those who lift you up. Connect with people who share your dreams and who have faced their own challenges head-on. Their stories, their triumphs, and even their failures can serve as a source of inspiration for your own journey. Lean on them when the going gets tough, and let their belief in you reinforce your own belief.

And hey, don't forget to celebrate your victories, big and small. 

Each step forward is a testament to your dedication and courage. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back, to acknowledge the progress you've made. You're not just dreaming; you're taking action, and that's something worth celebrating.

So, as you stand at this crossroads, remember that the journey you're embarking upon is a testament to your resilience. 

It won't always be easy, but it will always be worth it. 

I hope you won't get tired of pursuing the life you've always dreamed about. I hope you'll keep pushing forward, embracing the challenges, and carving out the path that's uniquely yours.

Embrace the grit, for it's shaping you into the person who will conquer your dreams. You've got this, and the world is waiting to see what you'll achieve.

Dress from Zara | Shoes from Lazada

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Follow me on FACEBOOK x INSTAGRAM

March marks the month we celebrate and honor all the females who have made history and all that it means to be a woman. In women's month, we acknowledge equality by honoring the beautiful, brave, bold, strong, confident, and talented women in the world. It’s really empowering to be honest. But I wonder, how long are we gonna do this?

In 10 years to come, are we still going to celebrate the first woman in space, the first woman to become the president, the first female CEO to lead a tech company — and all the “first” and “only” females who did this and that? 

When a woman has done something exceptional, it shouldn’t be a historical moment or a headliner in the Times. It should be an ordinary thing — just as it is for all other men.

Get this look on Revolve!

Why bandeau swimsuits are perfect for women with small boobs:

1. Fall in love with your swimsuit

2. Accessorize

3. Don't burn calories. Burn your negative thoughts!

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.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram

Stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, with malls closed, few to no restaurants to dine in, and traveling still restricted, we are stuck at home and have been spending most of our time online whether it's for work or leisure stuff. 

The thing is, while we have more time to spend on other things at home, it gets pretty boring when you're doing much the same thing everyday. So to keep myself entertained (and sane) during the pandemic, I make sure to try different activities that are surely enjoyable. If you, too, are looking for ways to keep the boredom away, consider trying these activities:

1. Workout

During the pandemic, I told myself that I need to have an active lifestyle now that my commute hours to work have been gone for a while, I have more time to spend at home. So, I am working out at least four times a week not just to look fit but also to feel good about myself. I'm following a workout program from various YouTubers like Pamela Reif. If you're into pilates, there are widely available videos online as well, and to make your exercise complete, you can check out some pilates equipment on a site like https://pilatesmatters.com.

2. Binge Watch a Film or TV Series

Now that the cinemas or movie theaters are closed, we are left with the Internet to watch new movies or series. Go to Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV to check out the new movie releases or binge watch Friends. But if you're living on a shoestring budget right now, here's how to watch TV for free. During this pandemic, I can't count on my fingers how many movies and series I've finished watching. I may not have the Dolby theater-like sound system at home but I certainly still enjoyed watching online. 

3. Try New Recipes

In the height of banana cake and ube cheese pandesal in the Philippines, I tried other recipes and one that stood out was the custaroon recipe. It is a combination of the macaroon (a mini pastry made of dessicated coconut) and custard. I'm not a professional baker. I didn't even imagine myself of exploring what magic the oven can do but I did it well, according to those who tasted my baked goods. To achievesomething great, you don't have to be good. You just have to start doing it. If you have no ide idea abot it, do it still and figure it ut along the way. 

4. Play Online Games

I'm not a gamer and playing online games wasn't really my thing. But when I did, it was hard to let go of my phone or the controller. Playing online games can really be a stress reliver. I tried various games from Nintendo Switch such as the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Kart, and Mario Tennis. I also saw plays.org, a website that lets you play free online games. What I liked about their games is that they feature various cartoon characters that will remind you of your childhood. I tried Powerpuff Girls Unordinary Week Beat-em-up Fighting Game and it was fun. This is a side-view beat them up fighting game where you play the Powerpuff Girls fighting through a week-long battle with each day being another level. The game becomes more challenging as you enter a new day or level. If you want to make the most of your time, you can also try games that pay real money so you can play while earning. 

Just because you're stuck at home does not mean you stop having fun. There are lots of ways to enjoy your days at home.

In this day and age where social media is (almost) everything, many people are now shifting to the world wide web to build their career to pursue the “dream." Among the most popular online careers are bloggers, vloggers, and social media influencers. But as many would have thought wrong, braving this world is not that easy because there’s really a huge and serious competition out there.

Speaking from experience, having passion is not enough to succeed in this world. Because with so many people who have the same passion and goals as yours, how do you make yours stand out? How do you increase visitor numbers and build a loyal following? One way is leveraging platforms like Tokmatik to buy followers. But increasing your following organically, that's the challenge. And how do you get people returning to you for more?

So in this article, I will share with you how I became a successful blogger. This is not the typical finding your niche blog tips. While it’s a factor as well, there’s more to blogging than that. 

How I started

The Girl Behind the Pen started nine years ago. I created this blog as a way to reach my dream of working in a popular teenage magazine in the Philippines. At first, I shared random things in my life and eventually, it became a fashion blog. I love mixing and matching pieces-that-don’t-work-well-together-but-somehow-I-managed-to-pull-off.

I didn’t have sponsors that time, I featured my old clothes from my closet and sometimes, I’ll spend my savings from my allowance to buy clothes to be featured. I asked my little sister who was 10 years old at that time to take a photo of me using our digital camera. I got several good comments telling me that I was able to help them fix their fashion dilemma, while some told me that they were really inspired by my posts to get through life’s challenges. As time passed, my blog grew and my reach became even wider. 

Back then, I really had no intentions of monetizing my blog nor becoming a famous blogger; one because I was really a shy person, and two is because I really didn’t know that it was possible. A few months passed and one international brand reached out to me and that was my very first paid collaboration. Eventually, it continued with both local and international brands. I got invited to events, asked to review products, wore pieces from a shop’s new collections, became a brand ambassador, and so on. That got me thinking, whoa, it’s really possible to make a living out of blogging. But I didn’t want to make it that way, I want my blog to remain a hobby because I don’t want to be pressured that I have to earn this amount of money or go to five places a week for an event to consider myself successful. I just let it be. Besides, what I really wanted was to become a writer.

My setbacks

Though I told myself that I will not make this blog a living nor becoming a famous blogger, in the back of my mind, there’s a part of me that wants to because it’s the dream, right? You just have to go to events and get paid, you will get free clothes or skincare in exchange for one blog post, you meet a lot of people, and so on. These are really fun. 

If only I did the right thing at the right moment, blogging could have been my full-time career, and perhaps, I’ll be a popular blogger. But I didn’t because I was afraid and I wasn’t open to making use of the new platforms (Instagram). In short, I refused to adapt to the new trend and that was really one of my biggest regrets to this day. I’d be lying if I tell you that it was all okay. I had a hard time riding on the trend because, by the time I did, I thought I was too late. All the bloggers that started at the same time as I did were ahead of me already. I got unmotivated so I laid low and thought I lost my readers.

But instead of allowing that to bring me down, I used it as a motivation to work harder. 

How I got back in the game

I was so close to giving up that time because I was pressured on the thought that I was too late and there are so many people, even younger than me, who are “making it” in the industry. While it’s really challenging, I told myself that I have to brave the road and get myself out there. And so I did.

I continued blogging. I’m not as active as I was before but this is a good restart. This time, I didn’t let the pressure of the numbers get in the way. I blog at my own pace and in my own terms just how it used to be. But in order for me to be a successful blogger, I have to be more creative than ever. This, I think, is how I will stand out. Thankfully, there are still people who read my blog and appreciate my articles. They may be less than it was before but what matters most is, someone still reads my blog.

I’ll continue to write about fashion and self-help tips to empower other people. Alongside these, I’ll also share some of my travel discoveries, food recommendations, and so much more. I’ll be the blogger that anyone could turn to whenever they have a dilemma. 

Key takeaways

To summarize everything, here are the things I learned from my setbacks for me to succeed in the industry.

• Don’t let go of your passion.

• Be open to changes.

• Timing is key. It really is.

• Don’t be pressured by society.

• Be creative.

• Build your network.

• Know your worth.

• Engage with your readers.

• Have a clear goal.

• Be consistent.

• Always be humble.

Becoming a successful blogger does not mean you must have a huge following on social media. Sometimes, all it takes is one person who believes in what you do. There's not really an accurate answer as to what success is because we all have our own definitions of success. And as for me, this is success. 

1. Always stay a student

2. Think that you're not the best at your craft

3. Take small steps

4. Go for the menial job

5. Get out of social media. For awhile. 

6. Beat resistance into submission

7. It's okay to fail