Seriously giving it a thought.

Alright, alright. I may be jumping the tattoo bandwagon later than everyone my age did but I only get the chance to get one now because I FINALLY stopped breastfeeding Brianna. Yes, she's turning three in 10 days and she just stopped now. Better late than never, right? Plus, when I was younger, I was scared what my mom would say but now, I don't really give a damn. No disrespect or anything. I just figured now - late, too, I know - that she can't do anything about it when she sees it on me so there's no point in cowaring anymore.

Anyway, I'm giving getting a tattoo a serious thought now that I'm finally finished with the whole breastfeeding hoopla because one, I don't really have the extra budget for that with Brianna's birthday coming up (no, I'm not throwing her a party) and enrollment season fast approaching and two, I'm scared that it will hurt. A lot. I want my first (and probably my last because I can't think of any other tattoo that would make sense in the future...at least for me) tattoo on my ring finger. Something like this but I want mine on the side of the finger, I want the lightning to be facing me (does that make sense?) and I want it colored in, not just the outline.

Good thing I didn't - couldn't - get a tattoo back in 2011. I would've regretted marking my body with this. But this lightning bolt...I'd definitely get this before I get married.

Law of Attraction, do your thang!

Since I don't have extra money to spare with enrollment season coming up, I'll leave it all up to the Universe - as usual - to give me this watch Miranda Kerr posted on her Twitter account:

I can barely even afford a Timex watch, what more a Givenchy? But, yeah. Positive vibes, come to mommeeeeeeh!

(I've been waiting for the text editor to load these past few days to post only this. Yes, that's how important Law of Attraction is to me. Hihi.)

More, more help for the Philippines!

Ever since I realized that helping people gave me the greatest joy, I've never stopped lending a hand to those who needed help. Okay, granted I didn't get to help everyone who has a financial problem as I am struggling financially, too, but those who needed help with, say, relationship problems... I was always willing to share what little experience I have in the matter. They don't have to follow my advice or anything for me to feel joy; I am just happy I helped.

Helping in repacking goods for the Yolanda survivors last November 2013 with a very good friend has got to be one of my most memorable moments of helping people. I mean, I always, always help my people I know anyway and even though I've sent a small amount of money to those affected by the Habagat in 2013, this particular experience still takes the cake. Nothing beats the feeling I got while I was pouring bigas into bags and actually carrying tons of them from one side of the basketball court to another with a very kikay girl who kept on texting on her phone (normally, something like this will piss me off but nothing can take the high away that night). I really feel great whenever I remember that night. That's how great the feeling of helping is.

Getting messages like this is just a bonus when you help people. Gratitude from other people makes you feel grateful that you have the capacity to actually help.

Now, Globe is giving everyone another chance to help with #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014. For this project, I would love to give the gift of positive thinking to the Filipino people. It seriously changed my life and I would love for people to get the chance to change theirs, too. Now, I know what the question's gonna be: How can I give that as an actual gift?

Well, I've been talking about the PSI here and how joining that 4-day seminar changed my life and the way I look at things. That's how I'm going to give the gift of positive thinking to my fellowmen. Like I said back in 2010: If I won a hundred million pesos from the Lotto draws, I will most definitely enroll everyone I know to that seminar.

Now, if Globe would grant that wish for me, I'd love for the most important figures in the government and in the entertainment industry to undergo the seminar so they'll know how to use their power to the advantage of the Filipino people. A lot of the very influential people in these fields don't know that a single victim story can change the whole mindset of a person. This seminar will also help them take responsibility of their decisions, which is very much important in the position they are holding in the society.

I swear by the power of positive thinking and I hope that everyone else in this country uses this to their advantage. There are a lot of cynics but I just dare them to try it, no questions asked... I am going off topic. That's how passionate I am about this positive thinking thing.

Anyway, share what gift you'd want to give to the Filipino people if you were given the chance in the comments section, too, for a chance to win amazing products such as the iPad 2, Globe Tattoo Broadband sticks and prepaid cards! This reminds me of how the Christmas season never ends in the Philippines. It's always the season of giving this side of the world. So take this opportunity to think of ways that you can help. What you give out to the universe, comes back to you tenfold.

The Science of Happiness - An Experiment in Gratitude

I stumbled upon this video while I was browsing through my Facebook feed just a few minutes ago (started writing this post at 12:14pm). After attending the seminar that changed my life back in 2010, I vowed to myself to read books, watch shows and click on links that I know will uplift my spirits so I did just that; I clicked on the link. A few seconds into the video, I thought "Ay, alam ko na'to" but after watching the whole video, I can't help but tear up a bit and feel all happy(/ier?) than I already am and I suddenly felt the need to express my gratitude towards this specific person. So now, I will be doing what the "happy scientist" suggested by the end of the video: I will be writing about that person who gave a huge contribution to who I am now and how I see myself most of the time: My Tatay.

For the record, I don't have the guts to actually tell what I'm about to write to him over the phone, let alone in person so I just hope he stumbles upon this post somehow...

The person who's made the biggest impact in my life is my Tatay. He's been my rock for as long as I can remember. There has been a lot - and I mean A LOT - of times when I have disappointed him - I know because he makes the disappointment known - but at the end of the day, he's the first person who makes me feel loved despite everything. He talks about me (and my little accomplishments) with pride to practically everyone who's willing to listen - and with me in the same area, within earshot - which really means a lot especially to someone who's been struggling with her self-esteem for the most part of her life (quite ironic with the whole idea of this small project but there's a back story I'm not willing to go into...not right now, anyway). He always, always gives me a pat on the back whenever I did a job, no matter how small, well done which never fails to send a warm feeling in my chest.

He never interferes whenever I have a confrontation with my mom - which I always lose in because, well, "I'm just a kid" - but when I make a strong point, he's the person who acknowledges it.

He might not be in favor of a lot of my choices and he always gives me a piece of his mind in his scary, angry voice but once I make the decision, whether it favors him or not, he supports me with it (but not without getting the cold treatment haha!). Not just the para masabi lang support that most parents tend to give their children but real support wherein I don't hear any sumbat after I suffer the consequences he told me about in the first place. He helps me pick up the pieces of whatever's broken but just hands them to me, to make me figure out how I should piece them all back together myself (which I really appreciate 'cause that's how I want things to be in the first place). And if ever I finally made the right decision, I can feel the pride and the happiness radiating from him even if he has his poker face on and he remains silent for the most part. He might not say it but I feel loved with every "'Nak" uttered and every little smile sent my way.

I'd be lucky to find a partner who's half the man my Tatay is. I think that when that person comes, he'd know the man's right for me, too. I mean, parents have that kind of instinct, right?

I love my Tatay so much even though I don't say it much (I don't think I've ever said it to his face) and practically everyone knows how I'm a self-proclaimed Daddy's Girl even if he never made us, his kids, feel like he has a favorite among us. Bakit ba? Feeling ko lang naman yun and I'm pretty sure my sister feels the same way, too.

I've never teared up that much for a blog entry before but I really feel good right now. I started 2014 with gratitude and I know it's still too early to tell but as I've said in my Instagram post, so far, so damn good. This Science of Happiness thing is true. I encourage everyone to try it. :)

Wide awake

Yep, it's 3 o'clock in the morning and I'm still all giddy. It's probably because I'm rewatching Friends for the nth time in the past couple of months. Or maybe it's because I'm just so excited by the fact that I am experiencing all these again after long, long years of hiatus. And no, I'm not talking about sex. Although...

Everything just feels really good. So good, I can't get myself to sleep.

January 1, 2013 vs. January 1, 2014

I know, I know. I've taken up that relatively pricey PSI seminar 3 years ago and I should have let go of these kinds of programs but I've always thought of January 1 as the basis of how the days of the year will go. Although it wasn't always true in the past years, I still believe in starting my year right.

Last year's January 1 was the worst by far, having been called a gold digger for wanting a normal family life. I was bawling my eyes out until about 3 days after that. Despite the wild turnaround of events halfway through the year, I still consider 2013 a rather harsh year for all the heartaches it gave me but I'm thankful nevertheless because the permanent huge grin I have on my face in the past few months up until now wouldn't have happened if I didn't get my heart broken (twice!) last year.

This year, January 1 also ended with tears but not because of some kind of hurt. It was because I've never felt so much appreciation, support and love from anyone else before. Even the best of my exes didn't make me feel even half of what I'm feeling right now. It's like for the first time in my life, I finally know what it feels like to be a special someone and to be treated like one of those girls in the movies. It might seem shallow to some people but for me, it actually means a lot. I mean, I feel like a queen right now so I don't really care. Don't even get me started as to how he treats my daughter because I will bore the living wits out of anyone who's willing to listen. Of course, I'm still testing the waters as I don't want to suffer another heartbreak, especially from a friend from way back when.

Hopefully next year's January 1st is the same as this year's. I don't ever want to experience last year's January 1 again.

So excited for 2014.

2013 gave me a whole lot of things to be thankful for: successes, heartbreaks, accomplished goals, disappointing failures... I wouldn't have it any other way, yes, but I would also love for 2013 to end. I've grown so much this year - a lot of people can attest to that - and I can't wait to grow even more in 2014.

Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to an abundant 2014. Cheers!