Category: Health

The Waiting, the Wanting, the Yes

Pregnancy & Perimenopause Diary Series: The Waiting, the Wanting, the Yes

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This is what happened next…

Today was quieter than yesterday.
Not calm exactly… but softer.

At around 3 p.m., Hanz and I went to the diagnostic center for the blood test. The one that would say, clearly and officially, whether this pregnancy was real or not. We waited, did what we had to do, and then decided not to hover. We went to a nearby restaurant for my first meal of the day.

It was a nice moment. Ordinary in the best way. Good food. Sitting across from my husband. Life continuing while something very big hovered in the background.

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Pregnancy, Perimenopause Diary Series- Notes from the In-Between

Pregnancy & Perimenopause Diary Series: Notes from the In-Between

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A Note Before You Read

This is a personal diary series written in real time.

It’s about pregnancy and perimenopause — not as medical advice, not as inspiration, and not as a lesson already learned — but as lived experience while it’s still unfolding.

I’m not writing this to explain myself, to perform gratitude, or to arrive at neat conclusions.
I’m writing to witness what it feels like to be here.

Some entries may hold uncertainty, grief, tenderness, or contradiction.
That doesn’t mean I’m lost — it means I’m present.

I’m not looking for advice, reassurance, or interpretation.
What I welcome instead is quiet witnessing.

If you’re reading because you’re curious, reflective, or simply human — thank you.
If you’re looking for certainty, answers, or conclusions — this may not be the place.

This is not an announcement.
It’s a diary.

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woman overlooking island sunset

Closing January, Welcoming February (Again)

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It’s February 1 today.

And instead of planning this post properly, I ended up rereading something I wrote a year ago — “February: The Month I Finally Choose Me.”

I didn’t mean to analyze it. I just wanted to remember how I was feeling back then.

Short answer: tired. Even a little defiant.
Hopeful, yes. But very, very tired.

What struck me most was the list I made.

On one hand, I listed all the things that were working — businesses moving forward, improvements at Oslob New Village, new VA clients, better communication in our marriage. At the time, I acknowledged those wins but somehow still felt like I was falling behind.

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What We Chose Instead of a Japan or Europe Trip (A year-end story about choosing home, nervous-system peace, and slow abundance)

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I’ve carried this story quietly for a long time…

Ever since we moved to Oslob in 2021, I’ve been holding an ache I didn’t always know how to name — the ache of leaving a home I loved.

Letting go of our Alabang townhouse broke my heart in ways I didn’t expect. We left because life required it: farming plans, business decisions, homeschooling, practicality, survival.

And since then, we’ve never really gone back, except for a short visit two years ago that only reminded me of what we had left behind.

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blogging again

I’m Writing Again—Even If I’m Not at 100%

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I haven’t blogged in a long time.

Not because I didn’t have things to say…
but because I kept waiting to feel ready.

I told myself I would write again when my energy was back to 100%.
…When my emotions were settled.
…When my health felt more stable.
…When life felt lighter.

But the truth is…

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Designing a Life of Intention: Why I’m Slowing Down to Build Something That Lasts

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Lately, I’ve been feeling a shift. Not the kind you shout about online or celebrate with a champagne pop. But the kind that whispers gently: “There’s a new way to live, love, and lead. And it begins with less noise, more intention.”

If you’ve followed my journey, you know I’ve always worn many hats—entrepreneur, creative, homeschooling mama, wife, storyteller. For years, I’ve built and juggled, dreamed and delivered, crafted strategies while navigating motherhood and womanhood.

But recently, I realized something:
I don’t want to keep up. I want to go deep.

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Pain Relief

The Art of Vanishing Pain: A Daily Dose of Relief

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Have you ever wished there was an easy solution for life’s discomforts? While I can’t promise that all pain will disappear from your life (unless there is some special spell that works!), I can share with you some daily relief methods that may ease those bothersome aches and pains. After all, I know what pain feels like. I suffered from severe back pains for two years during the pandemic. I was living in Cagayan de Oro at that time and I had this on and off terrible pain on my back that radiated to the right side of my groin. I had myself checked; even had my OB looked into my girl parts down there (I had a transvaginal ultrasound) just to be sure but she couldn’t find anything. So I endured… again, as I said, for two years.

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My Secret to Having a Young-Looking Skin

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I posted this mini vlog on my social media accounts last Monday and I wanted to share it here too. As I’ve said before, I’m such an introverted person that I really seldom talk to people, but when I do, we get deep into conversations and I notice that most, if not all all of the people I speak with, get surprised when they find out my real age. I’m 45 years old but they all say I look so much younger for my age. Thank you! Sometimes that’s a good thing; sometimes, not so much. I say not so much coz like when I was 25 years old and was earning like P250k/month, no one believed me. Everyone thought I was using my ex’s money when it was the other way around. Lol! Actually, even with Mahal in my late 30’s, I had a feeling his family didn’t believe I am financially independent and can take care of myself. I even supported Mahal during our first few years together. I didn’t mind. We are life partners and I love him! He took care of me and Tuz while I was busy working and that, to me, was priceless. Even now that he’s taking care of us financially, he never stopped taking care of us emotionally and in all the important ways. He’s our hero! Anyway, back to my “baby face”, because I don’t look like my age, I have this feeling that people think and feel that I’m not financially responsible enough. Well, sorry to burst their bubble, but this girl boss here, right now, is set for life… a simple life that is. 😉 Anyhoo, I don’t have any special skincare regimen (although I did experiment on A LOT OF EXPENSIVE SKINCARE PRODUCTS IN THE PAST BUT THE GOOD EFFECTS DIDN’T LAST LONG) but I may have a secret that could be contributing to my seemingly younger-looking skin… younger than 45 at least, from what they say. And if you want to know what this secret is, watch my mini vlog to learn more about it. Let me know if it somehow makes sense. Here it is… 🙂

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5 Things You Can Do Instead of Social Media (Facebook Disabled My Account and I’m Thankful!)

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Oh my goodness! 

It’s going to be Christmas soon, then New Year, and I still haven’t blogged about the things I’ve always wanted to blog about (like the happiest Halloween we’ve ever had)! As usual, so many joyful and exciting things have happened and continue to happen in my life for which I am very much thankful! I’m living my dream beach life and each and every day I try my best to spend it as if it were my last but without sacrificing my health too much this time around (hence, I’m not forcing myself to stay awake and do more than what my 16 waking hours would permit) coz health is one thing that we really treasure the most these days plus, at this day and age, it could really be our last with Covid around and this endless pandemic!

Anyway, it’s a blessing in disguise that Facebook disabled my account last Friday night just because I was posting photos of Mahal and Tuz in a five-star resort bathtub! They weren’t fully naked and I didn’t know bathtub photos were not allowed so I immediately deleted the post only to be disabled afterward. I can’t post, I can’t comment, I can’t react… and it’s going to be for a week! Argh! Has this happened to you before? What did you do? 

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New Year's eve

My Little New Year’s Eve Diary

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When I think about what 2020 has been for us, I have nothing but prayer of thanks. 

Though this pandemic did affect some aspects of our business, we were able to pivot, adjust, and not only survive but thrive. Truth is, in the 3 years that we’ve lived in Cagayan de Oro, 2020 has been our most successful year. And for that, THANK YOU, GOD! 

A huge part is because living and working from home is not new to us. We’ve always been the introverted type and my work has always been online, so it didn’t really change our routine much. And because most of the world turned online, business has never been better.  It also helped that we got out of our tiny pad. Since travel was restricted, our original plan of living somewhere half the time and living in the tiny pad the other half of the time was no longer possible. I needed space to breathe and just be and I’m so happy we got to experience living in a cozy house here in Cagayan de Oro City. Before the year approached its end, we even got to host online and overnight parties. 

But don’t get me wrong… There were dark days, yes. Days when I felt like the world was going to end as if we’re entering the era of zombie apocalypse…

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happy sunbathing

An Epilogue To My COVID-19 Nervous Breakdown

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I must admit that the previously growing anxiety inside of me since the emergence of Coronavirus has hampered my productivity and creativity levels. I mean aside from my own work, motherly tasks and house chores which are the only productive things I do these days, I haven’t done anything else. Before, I was also busy with other things like:

– continuous marketing for Tuscany Highlands and Training Workshops CDO.
– I was actively reading my books and attending online courses I bought.
– I blogged and I did my journal
– I did creative things like making designs for our future home.
– I concocted marketing strategies for Tuscany Highlands
– I planned future family travels, family projects and what-not.

But since this deadly coronavirus emerged and wreaked havoc on every nation, I found myself operating on survival mode: WORK. TAKE CARE OF TUZ. DO HOUSE CHORES. REPEAT. WORK. TAKE CARE OF TUZ. DO HOUSE CHORES. REPEAT.

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