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 Secret

The first time I've watched The Secret was 2 years ago. I had a huge belly, a really complicated home-and-lovelife situation and a very confused mind. I didn't know what I should be doing (and thinking of) at that time. The seminar for The Law of Attraction came around that time, followed by the PSI 4-day seminar that totally changed my life.

Why this blog post? Well, my aunt sent me an e-mail enumerating all the keywords/phrases from the book/film, The Secret. I remember how empowered I am every time I see them and I just wanted to share the positivity with everyone. I hope these inspire you the same way they do me.

• Law of Attraction – what will help you generate the feeling to get what you want
• Thoughts become things
• Whatever it is you are feeling is a perfect reflection of what is in the process of becoming
• What you think, what you feel, and what you manifest, is always a match
• The way you feel is everything
• The universe likes speed; don’t delay, don’t second-guess
• Most people offer the majority of their thought in response to what they are observing
• Believe what you want, believe that you deserve it, believe it could happen to you
• When you have inspired thought, you have to trust in and act on it
• Go to the sense of inner vision first, and all other things will follow
• You are the only one who creates your reality
• Happier thoughts leads to essentially happier bio-chemistry
• What you resists, persists
• Focus on what you want; what you don’t want will fall away.
• Every single “why not” is a creation
• Constantly put yourself in a state of joy

Let's Move & Let's Love

Agape. Unconditional love. This is the most important form of love that can ever be given to someone and I vow to give this kind of love to random people for the rest of my life.

I've been thinking about how I will actually go about this. After all, it's love that doesn't ask nor expect anything in return... Well, I am a mom and that automatically - for a lack of a better term - counts but I want to do something for other people. Someone I do not know. I know that I can do something that involves a non-profit organization but I want something simpler.

Okay. Here's what I will do: For the remainder of the year, I will pay for at least one person's jeepney/FX/tricycle fare everytime I go out. After all, I've done this a number of times already. I usually do it for the person who has a lot to carry or is with a baby or a grandparent or with a person with disability. Not that I am trying to brag or anything; it's just that I know how it feels like to commute with something or someone in tow.

For next year, I will come up with something better like, probably, share my umbrella to someone who doesn't have one when the rain is pouring or split a cab to someone running late. Unconditional love doesn't have to be grand or expensive. All you have to do is think about how you can help another person without holding it over his/her head like some kind of debt that you can encash any time in the future.

Love and every act of love is universal that it can transcend any barriers and United Colors of Benetton wouldn't have come up with a better concept for their next line of fragrances. Benetton challenges us to go out and make someone feel loved  as they launch their two new fragrances, Let's Move for men and Let's Love for women:


How about you, what act of love would you willingly give to your neighbor? To your loved one? To your friends?

Karma...

I've been trying to cleanse my being and I would want to think that I am doing a great job. I saw this list and I think the thing I've been lacking in is watching my attitude. I can come off as a know-it-all or a snob...or both. Does that mean that karma will still come after me and ruin a few days in my life?

DAPAT.

Ever since I graduated from PSI, I flinch whenever I hear the word "dapat". I started having this opinion that it is for the narrow and closed-minded people.

"Dapat" - or "should" - is used to impose or limit something. Sometimes, it feels necessary for us to use this word, especially when we feel wronged or we are naaagrabya. Parents, especially, use this word sparingly to make their points "valid" and make them feel like they are THE authority figure.

The word "dapat" confines the person hearing it to what the statement/situation is thus limiting his choices.

For example:
"Dapat kumakain ka ng gulay. (You should eat vegetables.)"

Yes, eating vegetables generally is a good thing. But you see, you don't give the person the chance to use the freewill God gave him. And whenever you hinder a person to what s/he wants to become, s/he will rebel even more. You, on the other hand, will be experiencing stress because you're driving the other person to do the one thing that you like even if s/he has a different approach to things.

The given example can be resolved, of course. How? Instead of imposing it, try suggesting it:

"Alam mo, yung gulay maganda sa kalusugan mo. Subukan mo. (You know, vegetables are good for your health. Try it.)"

This way, you are giving the other person options on what s/he should do. You are also giving him/her the freedom to choose whatever s/he thinks is best for him/her.

It doesn't end there, though. Whatever the other person decides on, YOU ACCEPT because if not, you, again, impose "dapat" into the equation by thinking that the other person SHOULD do whatever it is you suggested.

It sounds complicated but it is actually very, very simple. We just got sooooo used to the complicated.

Try it. Prove me right, prove me wrong.

Tamang Hinala-ing.

I hate this feeling so much. Especially when I started my day with much glee like I did this morning. I was sooooo inspired by the words I've read and the way the morning sun struck the windows that I thought nothing could ruin my day. Well, no one can unless you give them permission to and that's what I did. I let one text message, most probably an innocent one, ruin the day for me. And it's not even lunch time yet!

I've learned in PSI that an action from the outside will trigger a reaction from inside you DEPENDING on how you look at the situation. Imagination plays a huge part to how you react.

An action from the outside could be absolutely anything. In my case, a text message simply saying "Papasok na ako". The text message was sent at 7am. Let's name the sender "Bry" and one trivia about him: In my one year and 7 months with TVSTYLE, he was never on time. Okay there was one time when we had early morning coffee in The Columns, January 2010 but that's it. So anyway, his text message shocked (yes, SHOCKED) me because of this.

First thing that got to my mind, SINO BA YANG COORDINATOR NA YAN? MAGANDA BA YAN? You see, the office has a new coordinator in place of the previous one who was pregnant (no, it's not me. Some other coordinator who will give birth this September). So far, I know that her name's Mikko/Miko/Mico, she's Japanese and that she panicked when one of the writers yelled at her. Other than that, wala na.

Let me tell you something about myself now: I have the biggest insecurity after the pregnancy. The way I look, as well as my body looks, is now different. I look - well - like a mom now. Don't get me wrong, I am every bit thankful of Brianna. I would just prefer for me to look like Adrianna Lima the way she did after she gave birth to her baby.

I mean, look at her! She's still Victoria's Secret worthy! Parang di nanganak!

Long story short, though, I got paranoid thoughts (i.e. He likes the new coordinator) and did not give him the benefit of the doubt. I was paranoid enough to not think that he may be getting rid of his bad habits and that he wanted to find more clients because more clients = more moolah = brighter future for our family. I also just talked to one friend from the office and she told me they were having a meeting first thing this morning.

Now that I let all that out, I now am feeling guilty for being a meanie. Apologizing would get rid of the guilt I am feeling but when he asks me what I'm apologizing for, I'd feel guilty all over again having to explain to him why.

I make my life complicated.

Agape.

I want to help all the people I can in my own little way so I am posting the next PSI Basic batch schedule here. It's the anniversary batch, there will most probably a whole new curriculum for this batch. The previous batches were fabulous but this is supposed to be the best. Of course, 240 is the best for me but it's PSI so there isn't much of a difference.

PSI Basic Leadership Success Seminar Batch247: Aug. 25-29, 2011 ANNIVESARY BATCH

Tentative Venue: 5/F Soliman Corporate Center,  2182 Chino Roces Ave., Makati City
Investment: Php 11,088

For details pls. contact Camille at 0917-7231976; 0918-5785981 or 621-6132

I guarantee you, Php 11,088 is NOTHING compared to the lessons you will learn and the strategies that will be taught to you to get what you want. Plus the experience pa. The best. If you feel that the seminar did you no good, your investment will be refunded. There will be free pre-seminar orientations available, too.

Batch 247 Coffee Orientation

August 11, 2011, 7PM at 6/F Soliman Building

August 17, 2011, 7PM at Dulce Latte, Quezon Ave. cor. Sgt. Esguerra, QC

I repeat, these coffee orientations are FREE. This will be an overview of what will be happening in the main seminar and you can decide here whether or not you'll attend the seminar itself. This will be worth your time. Itataya ko ang pangalan ko jan, as Kris Aquino would say in one of her ads.

I am a PSI grad and my outlook changed and my priorities have been rearranged since I attended this seminar. Most people who haven't attended this seminar don't understand how empowered I am after I walked out Soliman. It was probably one of the highlights of my life and I couldn't thank the people who encouraged me to take the seminar enough. (Hi Kuya Delong and Ms. Mares!)

If I had all the money in the world, I would enroll everyone I know to the PSI Basic Seminar. But while I'm on my way there, this will have to do.

Agape.

This is an excerpt from one of the newsletters I received from the PSI mailing list. I want to share it with my readers and I hope you all will be enlightened by this the same way it enlightened me:

Attitude is the thing you have total control over in your life. You decide. You choose. You can wake up each day and decide what attitude you will take into each moment you are faced with. You can even decide moment-by-moment what attitude you will bring to each circumstance. Do you know that your attitude at the beginning of a task will affect its outcome more than anything else? The bottom line is that you are either the master or the victim of your attitude. The choice is up to you. Relish the power and joy of that choice, every time you make it.

Since I'm going back to work soon...

...I will be needing a yaya to take care of Brianna. But I need to get a yaya who's a PSI grad because the first 5 years of my baby is crucial in terms of "programs" and PSI grads know how to send out positivity.

I shall ask other PSI grads if they know someone.

It's hard being sick.

Before, being sick meant staying in at home and not waking up early in the morning to go to school or work, being able to boss people around because you're "too weak to do anything" and having all the chocolates you want. Never mind that your head hurts and you can barely move, you're just too happy to be home and not somewhere you don't want to be in.

Today, I realized that everything has changed for me.

First and foremost, I have been staying at home since October 2010 that it gets pretty boring here at home. Yes, I have all the TV and the internet I could take but it gets tiring watching the same shows over and over again. I know I will regret this but I honestly want to work again just to mingle with other people and visit other places (Okay, regret over this depends on what job I land). And I honest-to-goodness miss being productive.

Next, since I went to the PSI seminar last November, I started to dislike having people do what I can do for me. I used to boss people around, making them do what I should be doing and I enjoy doing it. But after that seminar, I learned that to accomplish what I need - and want - to be accomplished in the way I wanted it to be, I should be taking control. That's why now, I want to do everything. I feel so weak having to let people do things for me. Feels like I am not taking control of my life.

Chocolates now have become an obsession of mine. I used to want salty food more than sweet food but during my pregnancy, I shared this tight bond with sweet things - especially chocolates - and now, even if Brianna's here already, I still am in an affair with anything sweet. With that said, chocolates are not part of the positive side of being sick anymore.

Lastly and most importantly, I don't get to hold my baby. I know this sounds so mother-like but I realized only now how strong that bond between mother and kids is. I wanted to comfort her and hold her in my arms when she cries even if I know that she just wants to eat. I want to talk to her even if she doesn't understand me yet. I want to stare at her face up-close and kiss her nose when she sleeps. I sound in love and that's because I am!

I now officially hate being sick.

Damn all the drama, may sakit lang naman ako. Bukas magaling na ako!

This is what I'm talking about when I say responsibility.

After PSI, I learned that whatever it is that's happening to my life is by my own doing. Whether it is consciously or unconsciously, it doesn't matter. Now, if it is through conscious efforts, it will be easier to detect and to ACCEPT but if you do it unconsciously, I don't think you will be able to even think about accepting it. In fact, you might even tell yourself and everyone else "Di ko ginusto 'tong nangyayari sakin! Hindi ko hininging maging miserable ang buhay ko!" and all those victim statements we usually say because admit it, it's so much easier to blame other people than to blame yourself.

So, anyway, when I find people who complain so much in what's happening to their lives, I want to tell them that they should be taking responsibility and not pointing fingers to everyone else. That whatever they say about their lives is actually what happens to their lives. That if they declare something, positive or negative, it will eventually manifest in their lives, blah blah blah. But I personally don't want to get caught with the debate that comes along with it because I am only starting to fully understand the concept and I wouldn't be able to explain to them some of the deeper concepts so most of the time, I just shut my mouth and watch them ruin their lives.

A few months back, I subscribed to Bo Sanchez' twice-a-month newsletter online which is the sole reason why I check my e-mail. This was sent in yesterday, twice because he said he wants to make sure his readers receive the newsletter. Anyway, read on to understand what I'm talking about when I say responsibility. Since I don't know how to explain most of the concepts discussed in PSI and in this article, I'm posting it here despite Bo telling his readers to keep this to themselves. I want to help people understand. I want people to see how they are completely responsible of what is happening to their lives.

Notes to self.

I was really having a bad week so I decided to re-read all my PSI notes for enlightenment and these were the reminders that seemed to have jumped out of my notes.

• Be selectively open.
• Whenever you are not being what you are meant to be, you experience stress.
• Being created in the image and likeness of God, WE WERE NOT MEANT TO FAIL. WE ARE MEANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
• Stress is the battle between good and evil in us.
• SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND TO BE UNDERSTOOD.
• Be committed to get what you want.
• Every problem you see, you know the solution already.
• FOCUS CAUSES CHANGE.
• Whenever you resist, you give up control.
• It's not realistic to expect. Why? Because you expect others to be like you.
• WE CAN'T CONTROL EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES. WE CAN CONTROL HOW WE FEEL ABOUT IT.
• Do whatever it is you do to make yourself better.
• TO THINK IS TO CREATE. TO ACT IS TO ACHIEVE.
• The only thing that can hold you back from your goal is you!
• No one out there is an obstacle to you, it's just you.
• When your intention is clear, the mechanisms appear.
• THE MIND DOESN'T SEE THE NEGATIVE!
• What you resist, persists.
• DON'T TRY. DO.
• Do everything for yourself first.
• SUFFERING IS OPTIONAL.
• The man crucifies himself between 2 thieves: The regrets of the past and the fear of the future.

Every time I open that yellow notebook, I pick-up something different. Amazing.

Victim, victim... TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!

After PSI, I have developed a new pet peeve:

People who tell victim stories.

(Meaning those people who blame other people, things, circumstances, etc to what happened to them)

A victim story goes like this:

"Grabe, nung isang araw inis na inis ako kasi super traffic sa Ayala, na-late tuloy ako sa meeting ko."

This example is a classic example of a victim story because I guess it's safe to say that people actually use this excuse when they are late. People ALWAYS blame the rush hour for being late.

PSI has taught me to take responsibility of what happens to me.I would give this same excuse to my boss every damn time I was late. Oh, sure, whenever I reached the terminal, there's this long ass line and everything gets ugly when we reach C5. But the truth is I woke up, prolly, an hour late that's why I got stuck in traffic on the way to work. I would've gotten up a few hours earlier. I know I'd hear non-stop parinigs from my boss regarding my being late but it sure would've been better to take responsibility of what happened to me than just blame something I can't control.

I know there are things you can't control in your life: traffic jams, a nagging mom or an absent boyfriend but you can always take control of your part in the situation and even the way you would respond to situations you are in. By taking control of these aspects of your life, you see things in a different perspective. The word "understanding" would mean more to you.

Now, since I know that I should be taking control of my thoughts and responses, I should probably understand that not all people are brave enough to take responsibility of what happens to them. I should help them take control of their life rather than blame everything else around them. It will be hard to do that because most people don't accept their faults and can't accept the fact that I may be right but I will not stop. One person at a time lang naman, I don't have to conduct a seminar to 40+ people, anyway.

P.S. Sabog-sabog ang thoughts ko, sorry. I was distracting myself. Will prolly fix this one of these days.

My bestfriend and I were talking about where I should give birth...

Medical City was the only option I had before PSI. I just thought that I'll be putting my parents into more hurt if I don't follow what they want after my explosive announcement. But now that I know better, I know that I am just assuming all these things because I would feel this way when this has been done to me. Not that I am putting their feelings aside... Okay, enough about PSI.

Anyway, I was chatting with my bestfriend online when I realized that the choice of hospital is not practical for Bry and me. I will talk to my parents one of these days regarding this. It's my responsibility as Brianna's mom to decide for the both of us.

I just realized...

I am part of Batch 240 of the PSI Basic Seminar.

My anniversary with Bry is February (2) 4, 2010...

Wala lang.

Maiconnect lang. Hahaha! :))

How ironic...

I posted this status in Facebook just a couple of hours ago (Facebook says 19 hours ago but I can't be sure) and now, I am here at home, SULKING, 'cause I should be want to be someplace else - someplace where I am with my boyfriend and a couple of friends with beers, cigarettes and jazz music - but the responsible, mommy voice inside my head asked me to stay home instead.

I know this shouldn't be hard considering the condition I am in but still! I've decided since last week that I will be there only to change my mind the last minute. Masama pa sa loob ko yung pagpalit ko ng decision... which shouldn't be the case because it's for my bebe anyway BUT STILL! (Ayaw talaga palampasin...)

THINK POSITIVE, ALE! ☺
This shouldn't be that much of a dilemma to you. You are doing the right thing.
If it is really that hard, you already need to re-audit.

This seminar changed how I look at life. Seriously.

To tell anyone honestly, I didn't want to take this seminar before. I resisted like hell. You should ask the people who invited me countless of times to attend even just the 'coffee' session, which was an orientation to the seminar itself.

On November 12th, I've finally decided to attend a coffee session happening at the Soliman Corporate Center in Pasong Tamo just 'cause I got tired staying in at home, doing nothing. Besides, I missed the people who invited me. I listened to the people who conducted the orientation and the people who shared their experiences with the seminar. I have to admit I became curious. I wanted to get everything that I ever wanted. I wanted to break free from my programs and my prejudices. I wanted change. I NEEDED change.

That was when I've finally decided to attend the seminar. I didn't have cash with me (plus I don't have work anymore so I really didn't have the money) so I borrowed money from Bry and my previous boss, Ms. Mares, 'cause it felt like I had to take the seminar right away not just for me but for Bry and my baby.

Last Thursday, we started with the first session of the seminar and can I just say that on that first night, I literally had that Ta-Da! moment already and I already can't thank the one who persisted in asking me to join enough. That first night was a total eye-opener.

The seminar lasted 'til Sunday and those 4 magical days totally changed my outlook in life. There's so much love and positivity inside my heart and my mind that nobody and NOTHING can change my mood.

If we were to win the Lotto draw tonight, I am going to enroll everyone I know to the next PSI Basic batch because I want them to feel the happiness and the impact of the seminar that I felt each night I walked out of the Soliman Corporate Center. I want everyone to be at their greatest!

But since the draw isn't until 9pm tonight, all I can do is invite everyone to the join the PSI Basic Batch 241. Here are the details:

PSI Leadership Success Seminar

Batch 241

January 27-31, 2011

Soliman Corporate Center

Php 11,088.00 (VAT inclusive)

Take responsibility of your own life.

Enroll now!

My Micro Buddies (PSI Basic 240)

♥

Still on a high.

I am still on a high from that seminar I attended. It was a 4-day seminar in Pasong Tamo called PSI Leadership Success Seminar and it is the best thing that has happened to me... Next to Bry and Jellybean, of course.

I love how positivity and love exist in this rather negative (depends on how you look at it) world. There's so much to be thankful for!

I literally felt the heat radiate through my body in the duration of the seminar. Love and positivity now fills my whole being.

I LOVE THIS FEELING OF POSITIVITY! I WILL STAY HERE FOREVER!

I AM GREAT!

I am the best mom to my daughter!

I am the most faithful wife to Bry!

I am the most loving Ate to my siblings!

I am the most loving daughter to my parents!

I AM GREAT! ☺

It's official.

Yes, I've finally attended one of those "coffee sessions" my officemates have been raving about since God-knows-when. They've been forcing me to attend the session as an intro to PSI Leadership Seminar. Or as how they call it, PSI Basic.

Basically, it was a sneak peak of what will be happening in the PSI Basic seminar that will be held Thursday to Sunday next week. Why it's called "coffee session", I don't know either.

So anyway, my boss and my boyfriend (WTF, I was about to spell 'paid' as 'payed') paid for the seminar fee but not after Bry and I started snapping at each other ('cause that's how we are with each other).

I like the whole idea of attending this seminar except for one thing: The 3rd day falls on the 20th which is Bry's birthday. He said it's all good but I feel walang kwenta for not being there on his birthday. Guess I'll just have to make it up to him the weekend after PSI.

Anyway, this seminar's supposed to help me decide and get what I want (e.g. marry Bry and actually live with him just in time for Jellybean's arrival). Hope this really helps me.