Jumpstart a Healthy Lifestyle

How to Jumpstart a Healthy Lifestyle – Here are 4 Tips

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HOW I’VE LOST TRACK OF MY HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

We’ve been eating out a lot more frequently than usual not just because of lack of time to visit the local market for organic stuff (we have to be there by 5am to get the freshest produce and catch, unfortunately, our body clock keeps on moving because of Baby Tuz‘s fussiness) but because I’ve been feeling like celebrating lately. I know a big part of our nation and the world is mourning right now because of certain events particularly having ex-dictator/president Marcos buried in Libingan ng mga Bayani plus Donald Trump’s startling  win in the recent U.S. Elections, but in spite of all of that, I want to focus on the positive and just celebrate life! Looking at our little family, we still have so many things to be thankful for, hence the eating out and mini celebrations as of late… Continue reading →

letting go

The Power of Letting Go

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I just received good news when I woke up this morning! I was on the way out of the bathroom when my phone rang. My phone rarely rings because people rarely call me since they can always contact me online. In a split second, I thought it was Leylan, the electrician who fixed the electrical wiring in the bedroom yesterday who said he will come back today to fix our broken washing machine. But when I looked at my phone… guess who??? It’s my lawyer! Continue reading →

rodrigoDuterte_oath_taking_6-30-16

A Stay-At-Home Mom’s Experience With The Current Duterte Administration

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I am a full-time, stay-at-home mom and I seldom go out of the house except for weekly errands and holiday travels. And when we travel, I am busy minding our baby inside the car or busy looking at Waze for directions. Suffice it to say that I am not like most of the Filipino citizens who really experience the changes (some may say grave changes) that have been happening around the country day in and day out since Rodrigo Duterte took his seat as the Philippine President. But for me, as introverted as I am who normally don’t care about politics or what’s going on around the country, I think I have experienced enough so far to say that I have felt the change . Below are my experiences: Continue reading →

meditation

The Power of Meditation and What I Learned in Taiwan

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The year is almost over and I still have so many things to accomplish on my plate — work, business, pleasure and leisure, passions and hobbies, the upkeep of the house and everything it entails, maintenance of good health, taking care of relationships, etc.

But since we only have 24 hours a day to do everything we can to be productive and live a balanced life, more often than not, it really takes a strong willpower and determination to be able to squeeze in everything we need to do day in and day out including the not-so-important and urgent tasks. Because of this need to be “superwoman” (or superman for our men out there) in so many ways, I remembered the importance of meditation. I am after all, a full-time and hands-on work-from-home mom, which means I am an all-around 24/7 caregiver, helper, yaya, breadwinner, homemaker, partner, cheerleader, and everything else in between and I need all the help and support I can get to remain sane, healthy and happy. I am just so thankful because I have a male counterpart doing same things I do to lessen the burden while at the same time doubling the joy and fulfillment in our little family. But still, there are days when I get so overwhelmed and having a great partner is not enough… Continue reading →

Halloween

Thoughts This Halloween

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I’ve been a lot busier than usual with everything that I had to do (my VA / Virtual Assistant biz, baby stuff, house chores, errands, holiday activities, etc). Our baby Tuz is a lot more active (climbing everywhere he could climb), he easily gets bored now with his old toys (we may need to resell his jumperoo and walker which he only used quite a few times before) and he’s fussier than usual. He cries then laughs then cries again for no apparent reason. We’ve done everything we know until such time that he simply gets tired and takes a nap and then… FREEDOM — for a little while at least, hence this post, before our 11-month old baby wakes up again and our merry-go-round continues. Continue reading →

Nuvali

Top 8 Things to Do in Nuvali 2016

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“Set to bring fun and one-of-a-kind activities and events all year-round, activities reflect NUVALI’s values anchored on the Evoliving (Evolved way of living) principle.

Structured on a system that encourages modern, responsible living supported by a belief in maintaining balance between development and nature, NUVALI’s framework allows each individual the space for a well-enhanced sense of oneness with the natural environment and its bounties.” – http://nuvali.ph

Even before Nuvali opened to the public, this has always been their principle. I was one of the lucky few who got invited back in 2010 to witness everything Nuvali has to offer and as the years passed by, I make it a point to visit the place once in a while because aside from Sta. Rosa being near where I live, Nuvali is just really a fun place to be whether you’re alone, with your significant other or with your family. Continue reading →

Nuvali Night Sky Cinema

Nuvali Night Sky Cinema 2016 Family Event

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I blogged last time that we were attending the Nuvali Night Sky Cinema event. So that’s where we came from last Saturday with my family and as usual we had a blast! We were there early in the afternoon so we did a lot of things first before finally heading to the Open Fields for the 2016 Night Sky Cinema. I’ll blog about that on another post after this — about things people can do in Nuvali.

For now, here’s a photo essay of how our Pre-Halloween Family Get-Together at Nuvali Night Sky Cinema went and a guide as well for those who plan to do this next year in case you missed it last Saturday.  Continue reading →

Nuvali Night Sky Cinema

Nuvali Night Sky Cinema – 2016 Pre-Halloween Prep

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To all those who know me since way back, you know that Halloween is my most favorite time of the year. Christmas only comes second followed by Summer. This is why every year, since I was little, I always celebrate the season one way or another — whether by visiting the dead and playing with candles in the cemetery, watching horror flicks (which I don’t enjoy at any other time of the year because I easily get scared — so ironic!), doing tarot card reading, palm reading, playing with a makeshift Quiija board, giving out candies to kids, trick or treating, holding Halloween costume parties, attending Halloween costume parties, etc. These are the things that I’ve been doing since. Continue reading →

surfing

Surfing – a History of Conquering Love and Fear

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When I started this new blog, I’ve shared with you that I’m re-reading Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project because I want to bring more happiness into my life, the kind that really comes from within me and not the type that is pressured into my life by other people or caused by pride and envy (which is why I started this whole new blog and let go of my old persona even if people close to me advised me against it). I want to be just me. Be me. Be Jen. Which is why I am writing a lot more now about my life, my thoughts, my past experiences, etc. because I am first and foremost a diarist more than a typical blogger, more than a marketer or any other kind of writer. I like looking at my own past experiences, enjoying those happy forgotten memories and using the positive energy they give me to bring more good things into my present life so I can forge ahead with a bit more wisdom, inspiration and strength towards a brighter future. And one thing about my not-so-far-off past that gave (and still gives) me so much joy is SURFING.

This is more of a story of love and letting go of fear rather than a pure guide to surfing. Although there’ll be bits and pieces about how to surf, where to surf, how much it costs and what not, more than anything, I’d be sharing with you a photo journal about it and how this water sports activity has changed my life and influenced me (hopefully for the better). Continue reading →

Quick Typhoon Preparation Checklist: Super Typhoon Lawin (Haima)

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Mahal and I love listening to the news and up until recently, it’s been all about the upcoming typhoon LAWIN which is why I want to share this quick typhoon preparation checklist below.  Though we don’t want to get so worried, especially for our countrymen in the regions that will get directly hit by it, we can’t help but feel scared for them and very concerned. We really pray that all the preparations being done by the local government will help them and we pray for their survival of this very, very strong storm.

Super Typhoon Lawin with international name HAIMA, is now fast approaching and about 3 hours ago was already at 300 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora according to Rappler (featured photo from Rappler too). The provinces of Cagayan and Isabela are now at SIGNAL NO. 5 — a first in our country, which means that it is indeed a SUPER TYPHOON which will surely destroy most things on its path. So the whole of northern Luzon is on alert and the whole country is awaiting it and praying for its quick passage and little devastation. Continue reading →

How to Not Worry

How to Not Worry in Life and Love

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We were having lunch a while ago when I suddenly blurted out to Mahal“OMG! I’m so excited!” He looked at me and I saw in his eyes that he was wondering what was I excited about. So I immediately added “I’m excited about all our upcoming travel plans both near and far!” Like this month we plan to celebrate Halloween at Nuvali, we plan to do some hotel hopping in Manila, and we want to explore those parts of Laguna we haven’t visited yet. Then next month we’ll be in Batangas. We already booked an overnight stay at Acuaverde for baby Tuz’s first birthday. Then come December, for Christmas until New Year, my parents want to spend it at the beach with the whole family and I’m already calling various beach resorts to inquire for their cheapest rates. Then on January next year, we’ve already booked flights to Cebu and we’ll be going home to Oslob. Then on my birthday month, February, I want to explore a place we haven’t been to yet (Tuguegarao perhaps?) then the whole summer I want us to go back to Boracay, visit Aklan, Capiz, Romblon and Masbate! So exciting!

After a little while, now that I think about it, I started to worry a bit, like, okay, how are we going to do all that with baby Tuz in tow? Where will we get our budget? Can we really travel that many times like I used to do by myself before? Hmmm… Then I remembered that it’s not good to worry so much about it and just let things unfold. So this is what this blog post is about. How to not worry whether about life in general or even love…

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