August: Reflection Month

I woke up in such a good mood today. EXTRA GOOD I must say. You may think that this is an ordinary day but this is no ordinary day for me. Nothing special happening or no big event to attend to, no big client meeting of some sort or what but immediately, I know that this day is no ordinary day. Today, I'm happy.

The moment I opened my eyes, i know that it's not an ordinary day. I woke up in such a good mood with no feeling of lack of sleep. Went straight for shower then fixed myself, got dressed, applied make up - which I don't usually have extra time to do - then had breakfast which was very yummy! I had oatmeal for breakfast which is unusual so I guess this is also one factor why I am in such a good mood. Today is not an ordinary day. Today is very special for me.

God is so good. I cant stop being thankful to Him and for Him for He never fails to lead me back to where He wants me to go. He never judge me for being who I am and for who I am not. He knows that I will fall down or be uninspired but He leads me back to the right path through the people around me or sometimes, he just works wonders by giving me beautiful days like today to appreciate all the things He have given me.

Looking back, I never imagined my life to be the way it is now. It's so different from what I have envisioned but THIS IS ALL I EVER WANTED. I am exactly where I want to be. Not really the way I imagined it but better opportunities. See? He always has His ways to give us what we want and what we deserve.

He keeps blessing me so much more than I think I deserve. I'm just really thankful for:
(1) I feel so blessed to have a perfect best friend  (hi, Sarah!) who I can't stop expressing my love to everyday (creepy).
(2) My sister Wuns whom I can never stop being thankful to God for having. She is just the bestest! Been living with her for 2 years now and I can't stress enough how lucky I am to have a sister like her who acts as my second mom and who loves me for me and for being patient with me. CANT THANK GOD ENOUGH.
(3) My family here who I feel so comfortable with now that I don't feel home sicked anymore!
(4) Allan, my friend who keeps inspiring me from Day 1. He taught me all about the law of attraction and I dont know when I started believing in it (THE SECRET) but my life just keeps getting better everyday ever since. Allan, continue inspiring other people! Whenever I'm having a very good day, I always remember him (creepy or what?) not because I am in love with him but mainly because I know that he will understand me. Being happy for no reason and being thankful for God's gift everyday and I always try to let him know that I'm having a good day and it's because he taught me about it that I am living in such a happy life.
(5) My job.
(6) My life.
(7) Myself. (LOL)
(8) Living in Cebu
(9) having new friends
(10) Getting closer to my friends
(11) My family back home
(12) My old friends
and the list can go on and on and I don't think it will ever end. I'm thankful for everything that's happening in my life and I just can't wait to live the life God wants me to live. I will do my best to achieve it and hopefully to inspire other people too.

I have been side tracked with my priorities this month of August but I'm so glad to have a little break. At least now I know how it feels and I don't ever want to go back in that position ever again.

POSITIVITY all the way.

Hope you, reader, will also have a good day. Be inspired.

xx,

Annie

NASHVILLE

As I said on my recent post, I'll try to start getting to watching TV series and so I downloaded Devious Maids, Nashville, and with the recent death of Cory Monteith, I find myself wanting to watch Glee again because I saw a lot of new characters that I do not know and there's a hot guy I'm crushing on!! Jacob Artist! <3.<3

But the downloads are taking forever because I try to download one episode at a time and stop and play the downloads whenever I need to use the internet. The download greatly affects the speed of my internet. It becomes unsurfable (like there is such word but you get me). So the download is taking forever plus I'm only watching during lunch breaks and after work but I'm currently hooked to Nashville and Devious Maids.

Devious maids is still on its fourth episode of season 1 and I can't wait to finish the whole season. It's so intriguing. It's actually my first time to watch that kind of tv series because I mostly only watch the chick flick type.

NASHVILLE is asdfghjklqwertyfaufgsdjbvsibwu!!!!!@#$%^&*!!! OMG so cute. I downloaded the soundtrack of the whole season 1 and listening to it while typing this. I'm inlove with the storyline, the characters, the songs and everything about it. I can't get enough of it. I'm on the 6th episode now. Still downloading the rest of season 1.

If you are reading this and is not watching Nashville, you should definitely watch it. It's a musical type of tv series like Glee but the story line is of course, different. 

If you are watching it, let me know your thoughts about this! :*

xx,

Annie

I recently colored my hair and it's lighter now. I like it but I miss my dark hair. Thinking if I should go red or go back to black.

The one who needs to organize her life

I have been very disorganized in all aspects of my life and now, I want to do something about it. I feel like I haven't been living my life in its full potential like I have been missing out on a lot of things I should be doing instead of..... what is it that I don to waste my precious time everyday? Instagram? Twitter? Well, I have been spending a lot of time in social media looking at what other people are up to. Very nosy. This social media hype is a gift and a curse at the same time.

It has been a gift to me because I can see other people's healthy lifestyles and I want to do the same. I feel inspired every time I see other people eating healthy food and go to the gym and work out or anything health related. It just makes me want to live a healthier lifestyle.

Recently, I have been following fitness, weight loss accounts in Instagram and I have yet to really research (by that I mean search the www) on clean eating/ healthy eating. I'm planning to go healthy grocery shopping tonight so I should research NOW.

It has also been a curse for me because I waste all my time looking at the news feed I never actually do something like really workout. I always just want to do it but I never actually do it.

That's why I'm going to try once again to make it a habit since I know the first time is always the hardest but once you get the hang of it, it will never feel like a chore ever again. I know because I have been in this state before, I just have to kick start it again. I will workout straight for 21 days and eat healthy food because they say that you need to do something for 21 days straight to make something a habit. I don't plan to workout everyday for the rest of my chubby life until I reach sexiness but it's a good start just to motivate my very lazy self who is so used to her sedentary lifestyle after college graduation! Since we talking about graduation! It has been 2 years since my college graduation!

June 25, 2011 Graduation with Ken, Sarah, Lala and Kenno 

I cannot believe it has been 2 years since I moved here to Cebu. My life has changed so much since then. I am so much more responsible now than I ever was in college and I miss those times. Who doesn't miss college? HAHA Why can't I move on from college anyway? HAHA I'm just saying that being grown up comes with hell lots of responsibilities that I never imagined I will have this early in my life. I'm so excited though. I'm also glad that I am forced to have these responsibilities or I would have wasted 2 years of my life not doing anything about my life and probably partying my ass off every weekend drinking alcohol, trying to be cool, trying to fit in, making myself be surrounded with fake happiness that is going out to clubs with the latest songs blasting off the speakers.

I think that this is God's way to bring me to the right path. He knows me very well.

I kind of miss Manila though. I miss going out at night stuck in heavy traffic and feeling bad for being late again and trying to get somewhere faster. I miss going out every day and going to my friends' house and picking them up to get somewhere else and just spend time together doing practically nothing but be together.

I love how my life is now though but I could love it more so I have do something more worthwhile than drowning myself with social media and that is also why I chose to deactivate my Facebook to cut out on my social media participation since I tend to be hyper on them. Forgive me, they're the closest I can get to having a social life, okay?

Lunch break and I'm so hungry so I guess I'll end this post here.

xx,

Annie

Things I buy a lot of but don't really use

There are things we like to always but but do not really use. I have a lot of these. The things I always use, I don't buy much of but I buy plenty of those I think I will use but don't really do.

To give a few examples are:

1.) Make up
Yes, I don't use much make up and even if I do, I still think I have more than enough makeup to use for myself but I can never really stop buying.

2.) Accessories
I can't help myself eyeing those cutesy little stud earrings whenever I drop by Accessorize to see what's new in their stores. They just have the cutest accessories ever. That's heaven for me. I always want to buy those little stud earrings in set in stores like Accessorize, Forever 21, H&M and etc. I look at them and can't help myself from buying thinking how cute it is and how good it will look on me so I go ahead and buy a set or two. In reality, I don't really wear earrings on a daily basis. I only wear it whenever I remember and that's very seldom.

3.) Books
This post was mainly inspired by my desire to buy more books. I'm in love with buying books. Yes, you read that right, BUYING. Just buying. Hihi. I buy books thinking I'll read them but then it piles up and I never get to read a lot of them since I am extremely busy and always have something else better to do. Well, except if I'm totally glued to the book then I make all the time for my books. I have tons of unread books back at home and I even brought most of them here in Cebu thinking I'll read them but then I buy more and it accumulates. Now, I have a book shelf of books I haven't read yet. :s

(Picture to follow.)

I'm in love with the idea of reading books, I just wish I can really find time for it.

Two days before the weekend and I'm off to paradise!

See you soon.

xx,

Annie

Life Choices

I'm currently very stressed out again. I thought that I will get over and done with this but seems like here it is again.

Why have I never thought of taking up something more challenging as my course in college? Why have I never thought of taking up say, engineering? I have always been so sure I'll end up working for my family business which is a clothing manufacturing company that is why I never bothered to take my college seriously.

I have always been happy go lucky. Never gave a single thought about my future. What I'll do in the future and where I'll work is not something I was interested in. I was so sure I will end up helping my family out with the family business and a lot of say that I don't need to take up a business course to be able to learn about it so I never bothered to take up something related to it. Instead, I insisted on taking up Psychology as my course because that is what I wanted. I wanted to know more about the human mind and how they think and why they think that way because I was curious. I never thought about if it is what I wanted to pursue in the future.

Twist of fate came on my last term in college, around February. I was offered a job in Cebu to be a manager of a glass processing company and I thought, why not? I did not think much about it. The only things I considered were:

A.) I hated the commute when I took my OJT so I never want to experience commuting to work every single weekday.
          I live in Valenzuela and it's no secret that it's very far from the corporate world of Makati where most offices are located or maybe Ortigas. It will take me almost or more than 2 hours to commute to work plus another almost or more than 2 hours to go back home. OH NO. I will die. I had my OJT (On-The-Job training) on one of my last few terms in school in Accenture in Cubao. Cubao is considered close to Valenzuela already compared to Ortigas or Makati so I was so glad I got accepted there. Official office hours was 9-6 but it was flexi(ble) time, meaning you can be a little bit late as long as you adjust your office hours. If you get in at 10, then you'll have to go home at 7 to complete your 8 hours a day work. Back to what I was saying... I had to leave home at 6:30AM just to get to office at 9 something AM. That's more than 2 and a half hour of (bus) commute to Cubao. Don't get me started with MRT which will take me more time to fall in line and blahblahblahblah....

I just hate the commute. Okay?

So it was either I suffer travelling to work or I work in the family business which I realized is also not something I wanted to do because...

b.) I wanted to grow as a person.

Somehow I don't see myself grow as a person if I work in the family business because I'll get too comfortable with my parents and sisters as my boss. I'll just sit around, play computer, have an easy life, not moving forward, spending my parent's money on everything I want, etc.

This, I realized only later in my life. I wished I realized this before I started college so I could've given myself more challenge in choosing the course that I want. Not that I'm saying BS-Psych was not challenging but I am pretty sure engineering will be so much more challenging.

WHY DID I NEVER EVER THINK ABOUT TAKING UP ENGINEERING FOR COLLEGE?

I know the answer but I want to ask anyway. Because it's not a girl thing and no (majority of the) girl(s) will ever think about taking up engineering if they don't have any background.

Oh well, it could have been so much easier for me now if I took up something related to machines/electronics. Life will be so much easier if we can see our future so we can prepare for it like taking the right course in college.

That was enough blabbing. My hand kinda hurt now.

I was not done blabbing yet!!!

As I was saying, I was not able to fully contemplate about the situation, me moving miles across the country. My thoughts were generally:
 
a.) Hey, cool! I'll live above my office, I don't need to commute from Valenzuela to Makati anymore.
b.) Oh cooler, I'll have my own car to drive around the city and to work (future office at that time and currently my present office).
c.) Coolest! I'll have my own room!
d.) I'll be a manager and I'll be powerful.
e.) I'll have greater opportunity to grow as a person rather than to be dependent to my family like how I used to be.
f.) I'll be rich!!!

NEVER THOUGHT OF:

a.) I'll be away from my family.
b.) I'll be away from my friends. What's the use of your own car if you cannot use it to go out and lakwatsa anyway??
c.) I don't even have friends. :|
d.) I left practically my whole life in Manila.
e.) Everything is new here in Cebu.
f.) I just graduated college, I don't know a single thing about business what more managing a business?
             
 I didn't realize that to be a manager is a BIG responsibility until I was here for about 3 months already and when I finally realized it, I was so close to crying and had thoughts of going back home but I know I couldn't do that and I wouldn't do that. I will not quit with what I have started. I just have to face this with courage and strength. I have to believe in myself that I can do this and that I am not alone. What was I thinking exactly when I said yes to the offer? I don't remember giving much thought about it. I was just glad I have a job that's not bad  very good for a fresh grad student and all the shallow reasons I stated above.


I am just thankful for my bosses for believing so much in me and for sticking up to me. I just know that the future will be bright because I believe in Him.



xx,

Annie

More than 24 hours a day

What happened to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday? That was the first question I asked early this morning as soon as I found out it is already Thursday. Shocked, I was. In fact, I was very shocked. I can't quite believe how fast this week went by. Normally, I will not care, but sometimes, you feel like you need to get so much things done you wish there are more than just 24 hours a day or more days in a week. :s

Reason 1: Diet

I am very looking forward for the weeks to come especially next next week because I will be going home for Holy Week. I will spend Holy week with my family in Ilocos and this is something we don't usually do as a family, family outings. Not that we are not close to each other. The reason is because we are a very big family that's why going out of town is such a hassle so we usually just stay in a hotel during the holidays. But since we are all grown ups now, it is easier to arrange something like an out of town trip. We can bring more than 1 car to fit all of us now since there more drivers in the family now. Yay! Sadly, I am included in that one additional driver. I hate driving. I loath driving. I am okay with driving but if I can do with a driver, then I will definitely pass driving. I find it really hassle especially here in Cebu where I am not familiar with the streets and the streets are so small so I drive really slowly in my fright to run over someone. Ayaw ko nga makasagasa or may mabundol. That will cause me more hassle. But driving do have pro's also! It is convenient and I can go anywhere I want to (i.e. I can go to the mall anytime, any day to watch Hunger Games. by anytime I mean, after work, when I am free). Annnnnd, that was completely out of the topic!

Going back to what I was talking about, it was such a bummer that this week went by so fastly, like a breeze. I am trying to lose weight and I think I can reach my target by the time I need my sexy body comes (insert-Bora trip on my birthday-here. I am not happy that I don't have much progress this week. Not happy at all. In fact I want you to imagine me shaking my head while saying "not happy at all". Maybe you are thinking "wtf? the week hasn't ended yet what's the fuss all about?" I want to lose as much weight before Saturday arrives because I will eat out with my sister and my friend, Val. Surely, I will gain some weight but it's okay, I will just diet again. I am running out of time to diet..... I am sure that I will gain weight in our out of town trip but I will still try to eat as healthy as I can.

Reason 2: Books to Read

I made a new year's resolution to finish 2 books in a month because I want to go back to my old love which is reading. So lately, I've been spending my idle times reading a book and I enjoy it so much now I wish we have more hours in a day and more days in a week and more weeks in a month and you know what's next. I want to read more books!!! Some of the books I read I finish faster, some books I've been reading since last year, stopped reading, read another book and never finished the books I previously read.

Reason 3: Bucket Lists to finish

Since I love making bucket lists like this one, I wish I have more time to accomplish them. I never realized how time really flies until today. I realized I set too much goals at the beggining of the year and I still haven't accomplished much yet. To me, it's still new year, until today, I realized that time is ticking and it's not going to wait for me. I have to do things now. The things I listed, which are the goals I set for this year are not going to scratch itself off off that list. Tick tock tick tock, now I fell so pressured, I feel like a chicken in a pressure cooker. I.MUST.ACT.NOW.

Reason 4: My birthday is coming, again. I'm growing old young old.

I'm growing old. :( It's an ugly truth. I know birthdays are supposed to be happy but for me it's not. I can still remember my 21st birthday like it was last week but now my 22nd birthday will be in a few weeks. I hate the fact that I can no longer run away with being a kid. No longer free from responsibilities, no more just thinking about fashion, beauty, what TV shows to watch, what make up to buy. I know that age is just a number but it's a number that comes with responsibilities. Now I can not just think about fun, I have to start thinking about life. I have to start saving up for my future. I have to reach the goals I set for myself like "get rich by 25"--no, I did not set that, but maybe someday I will or maybe, this is what I'm setting now since I came up with the idea. hihi. Anyway, I don't like the idea of me turning 22, no more happy-go-lucky-ing, no more procrastinating-since-I-have-tons-of-time-in-my-hands. Maybe I haven't fully accepted that I am now an adult, a grown up. I am in denial.

I love ranting in my posts but this is not a rant post. You may think that this is, but it's not, because this day has given me an opportunity to make realizations.

Realization 1:

Time is gold.

Sound so cliche but we all know it's true. It is so important to live each life to the fullest. Do what you love, do what's important, do what makes you happy even if it's not important. Just do not waste your time sitting around regretting things you've done wrong over and over again. Sure you can be sad for a day or two but please don't waste your time being sad all the time. Find things that makes you happy. Remember, there are just 12 months in a year, don't allow yourself to waste one precious month or even a day.

Realization 2: 

The clock is ticking and life is moving forwards not backwards.

We can never go back to yesterday so live wisely each day. I can never go back to yesterday and not eat those extra crackers that made me gain weight today. I'm under pressure so there are no time to waste. Make every decision wisely. 

Realization 3:

Live life to the fullest. 

No matter how much I rant and plead on how 24 hours is not enough in a day, I can not do anything about it. It's life, we have to accept it. What we can do is to live my life to the fullest. And you should too! Live it to your fullest potential. Push yourself to do more. I wish I knew this earlier, I could have done more things back in college when I had more time to do things rather than sleeping and eating. I regret not achieving more, not learning more but what's the use crying over spilled milk, right? After all, the world is our playground, we can try as many new things as we want. It's okay to make mistakes because we learn so much from it.

xx,

Annie