Life at graduate school

Enjoy Life as it Comes

To different people, our human life can have distinct meanings. Is our life on earth a test that we have to pass? Whatever our social standing, we have major or minor issues, personal problems, or particular worries. But is life on earth all about faith in humankind? Do we have the skills or adequate resources to combat the many issues we face every day? Are we all living as transient tenants in this world? Are we borrowing this life from the Creator? Why is a life full of mysteries and questions that only God knows anything about?

We don't know for sure when our exact time will stop, but as repentance often comes too late, we can best spend our time doing good things for others. I feel like I don't have enough time left every morning when I wake up to the sound of the alarm clock, even though I'm only starting my day. But when I get up and look for glasses for my eyes, a whole new world now offers a new vision, like the silence of dawn that never minds vanishing.

To see our loved ones dying is weakening to the bones. The experiences of extreme suffering and tragedy hurt, killed, cut us, and all these left us with nothing but more misery. We have learned a lot of lessons about how to survive because of how they die. But how do we genuinely plan for these catastrophes when we don't understand the fact that we face every day?

As in nature, we need to love and care about one another. Many of the casualties have yet to recover from their horrific fate. Our cooperation is vital to rising as people, as a nation, and as fellow Filipinos dealing with other trials.

We are resilient, and from these encounters, we can heal. There are many little things we can do for our neighbors. Expect people to continue supporting our country, our climate, whatever issues we face. Together, not just this year but in the years to come, we will rise in our lives through the grace of God. The anger, sorrow, tragedy, and other intolerable life events have been encountered by many of our people in recent years. But we should think that sometimes we still slip and sometimes we soon recover and be merry again.

In general, any setback that we experience will only provide us with a new chapter and make us more comfortable coping with the difficulties we may face. Fresh hope is signaled with a new beginning. We must not be victims of the disappointment of our history. We are using them instead as instruments to carve out our vibrant future.

Everybody Dies, But Not Everybody Lives

I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This is one of the most common regrets people have before they die.

Many people seem to be living in a trance state of rigid routine lifestyles accumulated over the years. These routines layout a perception of stability, which amounts to an illusion in a fluctuating world. Bland life variety comes from changing television channels or ears out for latest celebrity or politician scandals in the Philippines doing their roundabouts.

Many dreams are unfulfilled due to the fact of not choosing to pursue them. Overworking leads to missing interaction with loved ones. Hoarded capsules of resentment and bitterness all through life because of lacking the courage to express true feelings. Settling for mediocrity and essence of existence fades out true capability.

Many long for happiness in its true essence, but the fear of change comes with a false presentation of contentment to others and themselves. Friendships and connections slip away once life activities capture them in a net of economic hubs and activities. Beneficial old friends come in the limelight in their final moments and there is regret about not giving friends the necessary attention and time.

Regret comes mainly in the form of what we did not do, and not about what we did. The journey of our soul is an intrepid myriad of a maze with tidal waves life experiences blended in bouts of hurdles and storms. When we are in our twenties, we are set in a robust mode to take the launch into worldwide possibilities. There is an outburst of passion and energy to explore every hidden corner of the universe.

Exploring should have no limits. To live life to the fullest, I should allow changes in the present moment. I should decide on what is of importance to me. I focus now on myself and not what others desire me to be. Everyone has an opinion, even society can impose on our ambitions, yet every breath we take is our own life moments. Once we focus on ourselves, pieces of the life puzzle come together.

Our ambitions matter and we do not aim to settle down in early stages of life on an illusion of 'stability'. Let's take all the risks we need, and not postpone dreams. There might be danger in risks, but remember that every reward has a risk attached to it. Looking back on years that passed by, the deepest regrets come from risks and challenges not taken.

Our past is an important thread to reflect on the lesson learned to step forward into the future. Plan our future, reflect on our past for lessons learned, but live in our present. By being anxious about the future of struggling with something that happened in the past obstacles is sprouted in living life to the fullest. Live in the present. There will always be people in our life sphere pointing out streams of our failures. Success comes from persisting through failures. So let's take action on our ideas creatively, mindfully, and with awareness.   And don't forget— express our love to our friends and family often.

Note to Self on Valentine’s Day

When you're with someone, you want to be consumed in them. I know I do, at least. I want to share my thoughts and I want to know that my good morning text made you smile. I want to know that when I am not there, you reach your hand to my side of the bed in search of my own and the thought of me not being there at least brings you a little sadness.

I want to feel secure in myself, as well as in us, and not be worried that I am going to be replaced or that someone takes my spot when I'm not there. I want someone who wants me regardless of my scars, regardless of the things that haunt my past and linger into my present. I want to be wanted.

I don't want unanswered texts, chat, and mixed messages. I don't want to lie in bed at night and wonder why I am not good enough or what I could do to make myself more appealing

And that is why I can no longer have you as a priority because to you I am only an option. And that is not an option for me.

I am not a thought that crosses your mind when you turn over to see the spot next to you bare. You only care about you. And that is why I have to let you go. And that's okay. I have spent years catering to others, hoping that one of the times all the things I do for this person or that person would finally fill this emptiness inside.

I deserve the type of love and the type of relationship that feeds my soul that does not drain it. After falling face-first into the hard concrete of tough relationships, I think it is time to take a step back and take care of me. So I am choosing to stop putting you first, and to give myself a shot.

I come from a long list of insecurities, each a little less pretty than the last and I am looking to change that. I am not looking to make the list longer. I want to wake up in the comfort of my own company and not have this burning need to text or chat with someone. I want to tell myself good morning and feel the sunshine on my face and know that I am okay with or without you, or anyone else for that matter.

So I am vowing to myself, to let go of those toxic relationships that allow my insecurities to weigh me down like two pockets full of rocks. I vow to embrace the potential relationship with myself and work as hard as I can on looking at myself in the mirror and knowing in my heart that I am enough. Learning to love me is truly the greatest love of all. So from now on, I will always say "Happy Valentine's Day to me!"

When My Heart is Filled With So Much Gratitude, My 2016 Yearender

I felt frustrated, unmotivated, uninspired, uncreative, or just plain exhausted in updating this blog. The outcome, my blogging journey took a rest for some time. I had a hard time maintaining it as my mind didn't produce enough creative juices worth sharing with everyone.

However, this month of December I was just surprised, I was getting some energy and enthusiasm to get back to it. My blogging is now moving once more. Maybe it is this season of the year I felt I already have enough materials, stories, and experiences to share with the world.

Before 2016 ends, it's like I am obliged to tell everyone how much I have grown and improved as a person since the last time I wrote about my life. This blog post is also my expression of gratefulness to people who journeyed with in good times and bad. It is an admirable habit to count the blessings instead of our inadequacies and misfortunes. I learned in life that it is not happiness that makes us truly thankful, but rather our ability to be thankful makes us happy.

In the previous years, I detailed on my Facebook post my great adventures as my year-ender event. This time, it is quite different as I'm going to speak more about individuals I met and who made a huge impact on my life. I am forever grateful to these people for making my 2016 an awesome year for me. So let's begin.

1. My Boss

 First up, I am very grateful to have the most astoundingly dependable and caring School Principal whom I worked with in my 10 years of teaching. His name is Dr. Roger Lozada. He is organized as he is nice and friendly. I like his reassuring, patient, and welcoming personality. He is truly a diligent public servant. He doesn't lecture us what a hard-working teacher is; instead, he embodies it so others may just follow him. At faculty meetings, he always motivates teachers and leads successfully in his own particular manners. And mind you, he is extremely shrewd and great at what he does, whether it is overseeing our school or outlining other educational programs. With that, he earned respect quietly.Every time he expresses appreciation, it fills our hearts with joy because we know it is true and meaningful. He gives everyone a space in the academe to act naturally and to use potentialities rather than demanding to imitate him. He doesn't insult or abuse his power as our boss. Rather, he approaches everybody with respect and dignity. For me, he is a good leader, our great inspiration and I am very thankful for him as my role model.

2. Co-Workers

 

There is so much joy working with people in a place that encourages cooperation and mutual respect. These people affect my day, my disposition and my workload. I like my colleagues because they are open-minded and really sincere in their assessment of me. They share thoughts when needed and they listen because they are also willing to learn from me. When you make lapses, they provide you constructive criticisms for your own benefit. They also assume liability whenever there are shortcomings along the way. I am thankful to them for being such a great help at work.

3. The Grade Niners Group

I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my Grade 9 co-teachers for the amazing involvement with each other this year 2016. Going with them is always fun and memorable. I can simply act naturally when I am with them without fear of being segregated and stereotyped by other individuals from the other departments. I am truly thankful to be surrounded by these wonderful people who are not only creative and proficient but also passionate about their work. With them, I experience honesty in the workplace and genuine love for one another. I wish to spend more time with them as I already consider them my family.

4. Companions / Buddies

This year, I have met a few wonderful companions from different walks of life. I thank my gym buddies, research collaborators for the best time we shared. It was an amazing experience to have known you, folks. Trust me, we will have more opportunities to crack jokes and bond next year.

5. Positive Peeps

To Bebe Mayang, Bebe Haziel, and my other duckling friends (bebes) who refused to be called swans- you're one of the best circles of friends I've had. A few circumstances you prowl in into my private life like you need to make dynamic participation in the majority of my love affairs. It is as though you're the ones who would tell me if the person is ideal for me or not. This year I have great conversations with you and I felt I had the most honest and longest laughter with you all.

I have traveled with you. I never thought you will be one of the best buds I will ever have. You are my travel partners as well as one of my dearest friends. At whatever point I have issues like love issues you're there to listen to my stories. I thank you for the many encouraging words and suggestions on how to handle them.

6. Team Awesome / Friends for Keeps

They are the people who are dependably there to chuckle with and to perk me up when I am down. I thank you all for the most marvelous circumstances, the food trips, the laugh trips. Special thanks to my Friendship Alma Arrubio, To Maam Onie, and to Bestie Mae. You are part of my growing up years in the academe.

 You see? My year 2016 has been a nice and gentle year for me. It's a year of exciting travel, meeting new acquaintances, and learning from the smooth and rough relationships with family, colleagues, and friends. I traveled a lot of beautiful places I never imagined would be possible and I met a lot of astonishing people who became my great friends and mentors. The highlight for this year was discovering places and learning valuable lessons from the bizarre experiences of these people.

  

To be honest, I'm one of those individuals who are difficult to love yet I give an abundance of thanks to people who have cared for and loved me. Even though at the time I feel they wasted their time for nothing, I have come to realize that they did not. I now love with an open heart and walk with a positive outlook. So I give many thanks to the individuals who show at least a bit of kindness and love to people like myself. I wish you nothing but the best of health and happiness in this yuletide season. Together let's welcome 2017 with a bang!

                                                   

Reasons to Say Goodbye to 2016

These beautiful birds do not belong in this cage. I don't like to see them as prisoners and pets. I'm now letting them go so they can be totally free and do whatever they want to do to enjoy life. In like manner, I am also liberating myself from the bondage of this life and the toxic things that occurred. I want to say goodbye to 2016 and say hello to 2017. But before it can totally happen, I need to say goodbye and resolve some of the important concerns in this current year.

I say goodbye to the voices in my mind that say I don't have the talent to prove my worth or I am someone who is unequipped for accomplishing something. They lie a great deal, and I ought to realize that at this point in my life.

I say goodbye to the need for others' approval or validation. We need approval or validation from time to time but I don't need to continually seek after it. For whatever length of time that I see I am most extremely potential or how far I have become, I do not have to look for anybody to affirm that for me.

I say goodbye to the times I was not proud of myself. I now leave that negative thought behind me because I am not leading a perfect life. I am an individual who is as yet figuring out how to live.

I say goodbye to the promises I didn't keep and realize that planning is everything and great things in life require some serious energy and thinking.

I say goodbye to the instances I questioned myself and my relationship with God and all the pessimism  I had last year. It might not be the cheerful closure I needed, but rather it could be a happy beginning I didn't see coming.

I say goodbye to the circumstances I cried and the circumstances I was suffering because of pain, and give myself a gesture of congratulations for overcoming yet another hurdle of life. Fingers crossed, I will be able to complete the maze.

I say goodbye to the individuals who just dumped me for nothing. They are not intended to be a major part of my life for some reason anyway. I now concentrate on the ones who do and the ones who love me for who I am.

I say goodbye to the memory that keeps repeating in my mind whether great or terrible, the one that is keeping me up around evening time pondering where it went and regardless of whether it will happen once more. I twisted them and delayed them far too often. Now the time has come to discover another thing to watch.

I say goodbye to the dependence I had for my gadgets and social media, or anything I was fixated on. I will invest more energy with nature and educate myself that a lot of anything unproductive will choke me out.

I say goodbye to the expectations I had for myself that at this point I ought to have done this or done that. Life can be chaotic and the exact opposite thing I need is getting connected to its disarray.

I say goodbye to the degrading words people used to describe me which made me love myself a little less. Consider how little these individuals know about me and my story. Consider how a few people jump at the chance to disparage others just to gain attention and favor. I should forever say goodbye to these individuals.

I say goodbye to the circumstances I was childish, out of balance, or had no judgment skills. These are the times that remind me of my earthly nature and that I am still learning like a child does. I should be more mature now and know where I better position myself. I say goodbye to the instances I missed somebody who didn't miss me back. In the long run, I won't miss them any longer, and I will discover that other individuals miss me more than I know.

I say goodbye to the travels I didn't take, or the places I never went to, or the fun I missed out, or the chances that passed me by. Not all things will go as arranged and I do not need to convey the blame with me wherever I go. It is a simple reminder that regardless of how hard we attempt, we won't generally be in control. I say goodbye to every imperfection I saw in the mirror and the times I didn't like who I was looking at. I now have a new mirror that changes the way how I look at my reflections.

At long last, I say goodbye to the thought that one year from now will be the same and that nothing will ever change. I will be free as the birds and choose to embrace all the beautiful opportunities ahead, the wonderful dreams I am about to realize, and the hopes that are so bright waiting for me in the year 2017.

My Ultimate Bucket List

Everywhere, I continue catching wind of the significance of responsibility. In the event that you make an objective open and have individuals to consider you responsible, you are substantially more prone to finish your objectives. So this bucket list is the means by which I am considering myself responsible.

But for those who don't know I need to answer the question, what is a bucket list? Simply, it means a list of things you might want to do before you die. It is a considerable number of goals you need to accomplish, dreams you need to satisfy and educational goals you are longing to understand. It was made well known from the film called “The Bucket List” where two terminally ill men (Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson) meet in a doctor’s facility and after that set out a plan to attempt to accomplish everything on their bucket list.

Why did I begin a bucket list? My bucket list was originally posted in 2015 on my Facebook wall. So by publishing them, it urged me to do not so much imagining about them but rather more doing or accomplishing what’s on my list. Throughout the years I have written a lot of substance about my bucket list, since I have faith in the force of them to such an extent.

Ever feel your days are passing you by with no substantial yield to discuss? What did you finish in the previous 3 months? What are your goals for the following 3 months? Having a bucket list helps you to remember what is truly essential so you can follow up on them.

The target of making this bucket list isn't to impart some sort of a race against time or to make abhorrence toward death. I don't see our reality to be constrained to only our physical years on earth – I don't see our reality to be restricted to only our physical years on earth – our physical life expectancy is yet a short bit of our reality in the universe.

The general purpose of making bucket list is to boost each snapshot of our reality and carry on with our life minus all potential limitations. It's an indication of the considerable number of things we need to accomplish in our time here, so that as opposed to pandering our time in pointless exercises, we are guiding it completely toward what makes a difference to us.

The following are my ultimate bucket list:

1. Go back to Japan to study
2. Study Ph.D. in USA
3. Travel around the world
4. . Record my own music album
5. Enroll in Film course
6. Direct short films
7.Invent gadgets/ make innovations
8. Develop a drug/treatment method for Cancer
9. Publish my own book/ literary folio
10. Drive a chopper/airplane
11. Make friends with UN and ASEAN people
12. Go to NASA
13. Explore the Philippine Islands
14. Maintain my blog
15. Read 20 books in a month

16. Go scuba diving / snorkeling and experience marine life up close

17. Go skiing

18. Go horseback riding

19. Do an extreme sport

20. Climb a mountain

21.  Perform a kind deed without expecting anything in return

22. Make a difference in someone’s life

23. Fly in a hot-air balloon

24. Do volunteer work

25. Get Married

26. Send a Message in a bottle

Writing a bucket list gives you significant clarity and focus on what you want from your life. It’s an invaluable exchange. If you already have your list, take this opportunity to review it. If you will create your own list, answer the questions below.

1.      What if you were to die tomorrow?

2.      What would you wish you could do before you die?

3.      What would you do if you had unlimited time, money and resources?

4.      What have you always wanted to do but have not done yet?

5.      Any countries, places or locations you want to visit?

6.      What are your biggest goals and dreams?

7.      What do you want to see in person?

8.      What achievements do you want to have?

9.      What experiences do you want to have / feel?

10.  Are there any special moments you want to witness?

11.  What activities or skills do you want to learn or try out?

12.  What are the most important things you can ever do?

13.  What would you like to say/do together with other people? People you love? Family? Friends?

14.  Are there any specific people you want to meet in person?

15.  What do you want to achieve in the different areas: Social, Love, Family, Career, Finance, Health (Your weight, Fitness level), Spiritual?

16.  What do you need to do to lead a life of the greatest meaning?

Just Because Somebody Is.

I made a lot of thinking lately. And a few thoughts crossed my mind which boosted my self-confidence and eliminated completely those negative vibes. I wish to share here on my blog my positive mindset.

Just because somebody is more gifted than I am, doesn't decrease my own particular talent. I should step forward and find my own spot under the sun.

Just because somebody is more grounded than I am, doesn't markdown my own particular versatility. Now that I am older and a lot wiser, I have more “deskartes” in life than I can think.

Just because somebody is better ready to bolster a friend in the way that other people require at times, doesn't mean I am not helping them or that I am not as great of a friend. The truth is I am generous most of the time.

Just because somebody is preferred at our occupation over me, doesn't mean I am not adding to my working environment especially at school where I teach.

This is my belief: I should work hard in silence and let success be my noise. I should not stop attempting to ever enhance or work on myself. It's a reminder that what each of us brings to the table the world values ​​is intrinsic in its reality. What any other individual brings to the table, the world is random. I don't have to put somebody down to bring myself up. Moreover, someone else going up does not demonstrate that I am going down. There is no world quota on goodness. I know I can be great in my own chosen expertise because I know what I am capable of. Now it's time for me to encourage others to do the same and inspire them to make a difference.