On 2016

This might be a little late (or maybe not), but Happy New Year, dear reader/s! I said it already in my instagram birthday post, but I will say it again. 2015 was a very great year for me. 2015 was the year that I made many of my dreams come true, such as going to Universal Studios for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I honestly admit that I teared up when I stepped on the replicated cobble stones of Hogsmeade, drank butterbeer, and went on the "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" ride. I also cried when I almost lost my Hermione wand (but the staff found it!).

I was also able to get a working visa here in Japan, so I can now live in my dream country. I still consider Philippines as my home, and nothing beats home. But for now, Japan is where I need to be. Here, I am my own woman. Here, I rely on myself, and it's a very liberating feeling. 

I do get sad and lonely sometimes. I look for my mother's touch on days when I am sick; I miss being driven to places by my Kuya; And I miss the ruckus and noise of my family on holidays. But I just think of the sadness and loneliness as experiences that I need to become stronger, and I believe that I've become more stronger than when I was in the Philippines.

I'm looking forward for this new year, because this year, I am open to new things. Last year was all about fulfilling my dreams, and I did it. Thus, for this year, as I live my dreams and continue to fulfill more, I want to see new things, feel new things, and experience new things. So I say, bring it 2016!

Spring

Spring is settling in in this part of the world, and it actually feels like it's battling with summer already (blame global warming for that). It's my second time experiencing spring and, for me, it's definitely not the same as before.

On Frustrations

I have to admit something. Living here in Japan, for a month and a few days now, is not all fun and games. Yes, I'm greatly enjoying my time, and I'm amazed about the things I get to experience here. But, when I'm alone or there's nothing to distract me, I get frustrated, scared, and homesick too. I left all my comforts and all the people I love back in the Philippines hoping for a more secured future. So there's nothing I can do to but to devise my own ways on how I can overcome these overwhelming feelings. I have to find ways to keep sane because now my friends and family are not 24/7 available to listen to my frustrations in life. Today, I wrote three reminders in my journal that I'd also like to share with you (to the few people who reads my blog and to those who are  just passing by),  hoping that these would also help you out in keeping your goals and keeping your strength as a person.

The Drafted Post

I'm a buried once gain in end-of-the-term responsibilities. Right now, I'm writing a critique paper due tomorrow along with compiling a class portfolio. I don't know why I always resort to doing everything last minute. I hate it, but it seems to work for me. And yes, I know I have to do something about my cramming attitude. Anyways, I needed a short break, hence, this post. And so I opened my Tumblr account a while ago and saw that I had a drafted post that I really want to share to you girls (and guys as well). I don't really remember when I wrote it or why I wrote it. What I remember though is that it's something that just popped in my mind. Sometimes, thoughts like this comes up, which is why I always have to have a notebook with me all the time. Sometimes, they're just feelings untranslatable to words, so I'm quite lucky to have written this one. Here goes the drafted post:

On the Idea of an "Ideal Guy"

I would like to believe that almost every girls have an “ideal guy”. For me, he’s someone who reads the same books that I do; someone who can be at par with my brother when it comes to video games; someone  who loves music; and someone who loves to travel as I do. Passionate and sensitive, my ideal guy craves for adventure, instead of normalcy - wonder over routine. I could just imagine all the new places he could show me and all the wandering we could share.

But it would be crazy for me to ask for that “ideal guy”, and even impossible to find exactly him. I mean, I know that not everyone gets to be with their ideal person. We are subjected to this world to traverse through mobs of strangers, hoping to get lucky or worthy enough to meet that someone who, as most people would say, will “complete” us. However, although I know these realities, I won’t be someone who settles with one significantly distant from that person inside my head. I’ll find bits and pieces of him from the people I meet or from the boys I date. One day, I might find someone who’s almost him. Although I might fall for someone who’s a total opposite of him - falling in a sense of “there’s nothing you can do about it” - I’m not going to just settle for far less than what I know I am worthy of. I’m not asking for Mr. Perfect, but I think I deserve Mr. Perfect-for-Me.

Discipline Managed!

I've been trying out different diets and workouts for the past few years already, but my results has always been minimal or none at all. So I just kept on gaining and gaining pounds, and a few decimals away from being obese. Therefore, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the diets nor the workouts that were faulty; it was me all along. I kept on giving into temptations and finding ways not to work out. I am fat because of my own choices (how philosophical is that?). And so, I decided I'll work on my discipline first, and that led me to this: my own discipline card, and I gladly share them with you!

It's pretty simple to use actually:

• First, print the card. It's  3in x 4in, so any kind of paper will do. I used a white cardboard paper for mine.
• Write on the blank the habit you want to keep on doing or a bad habit that you promised not to do.
• For each day of the month, encircle, highlight, or cross out the days in which you were able to do or not to do the habit.
• See your progress!

That is pretty much it. Simple, right? As a bonus, I also chose two inspirational quotes that can help you keep your discipline, which you can print at the back of your cards:

My card currently says "This month, I solemnly swear not to eat rice.", and so far. I've gone five days without rice already. I'm feeling "lighter" than the usual although there are no drastic changes yet, but I can't wait to finish my first month! I greatly believe that small changes can make drastic changes, so start your small changes now! :)

Credits to the following for the fonts used:

Simplicty by By the Butterfly

KG Ways to Say Goodbye by Kimberly Geswein 

Neou by André Uenojo

 

Vote for "Gift of Life" to Win the Webby Awards!

Energizer Philippines and Manikako presents "Gift of Life", which is nominated for a Webby Award under the category of Online Commercials. It's about a robot named Blitz falling in love with Litly, a cute doll. Watch their love story unfold, and see how true love makes sacrifices worth it. If Blitz and Lily's story wins, the Philippines will have its first Webby Award! Don't forget to vote!

 

 For those who doesn't know about the Webby Award, it's like the Oscars for the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. This year's Webby Awards will be hosted by Patton Oswalt ("The King of Queens"). Vote now!

  

*This post is not sponsored.

Be Kind to Yourself

As I've mentioned in my previous post, my new year's resolution every year is "Change". It has never failed me, and I feel like I'm in a better place in life than I was years ago. Sometimes, however, "Change" can be a bit of negative, as it can mean that something in me is wrong and that it needs to be changed, which is not usually the case. This is why I loved Verily Magazine's recently posted Style Resolution, which is "Be Kind to Yourself". In this resolution, you simply have to look in your mirror everyday and try to say one thing that you love about yourself, whether it be a freckle on the nose or your big wide smile. Janet, the writer of the blog post, said that "This isn’t about some “feel good mantra,” but a real exercise in learning about yourself, your worth, and your undeniable beauty."  So, to start this resolution, here's my first kindness to myself, which I would love to share with you:

How about you, dear reader? How can you be more kind to yourself? What do you love about yourself?