under the sun

It’s been a while!!!!

Can’t belive we’re almost done with the first quarter of the year already! It’s mid-March!!! That means, I am less than a month away from being 25 and that sucks. Oh well. With age comes wisdom, so I better be grateful!

Why do I feel like there’s a deadline for everything?

Anyhoo, to give you guys an update (wow, as if I have existing readers! :P) it’s been a while since I wrote about myself. I am always disappointed about not having the time to write and just be myself. 😦 I guess I have to commit myself more to personal writing.

I am still working as Public Relations Officer slash Writer for *insert government agency here* and I am still enjoying it, obviously. Let see, hanggang kailan.

But recently, I realized the need to rethink some of my career decisions. After my recent accident (got hit by a motorcycle), I realized the need to secure my future and start rethinking my financial decisions. I need to save up! It is really, really smart to keep at least 6-month worth of salary as an emergency money!

So, there. I am still busy at work with so many things happening in the background! Nevertheless, I keep all the learnings that I know for sure will help me in my professional career.

Speaking of it, I would just like to share some of the things that I appreciate about my work:

• I get to meet people in the industry – I mean, hey, I was able to talk to media companies not just those from the Philippines but even those based outside (Bloomberg, CNN, Oxford, The Economist, Euronews!)
• I get to know great people both from private and public sector – It’s not everyday that you’ll get to witness an important event, but in my work, I almost always see key people in the economic and business sector. I am very humbled.
• I share stories of success – As part of my work, I get to share success stories of Filipino entrepreneurs and brands. I always feel the kilig whenever I see/ discover / meet amazing Filipino people. I am just so amazed with the Filipino talent.
• I am mentored by the best – My mentors are incredibly brilliant and known in their industry. My supervisor is a seasoned ad person. Our USec is a known leader in the IT BPM and software industry. She is also among the great women leaders today in government.

I am just grateful for the opportunities that my current work opened for me. There is a long way to go cos I know I need to know and learn more pa.

But I am like a young kid right now, always excited for the next challenge!

I thank God for giving me this life and for blessing me every single day.

Hi, Kate.

Congratulations for making it! After a heartbreak, it must be super hard for you to understand that life will keep on throwing you lemons. For sure, you learned your lessons, right?

Don’t be scared, I’m sure you will find the right love at the right time. And don’t be scared to fall inlove again. If ever you get hurt once again, you will definitely make it. Trust me.

I envy you — you, the naive, happy, and confident girl. You experienced cruel and harsh people and yet you continue to value life like it is all yours. Well, it is your life. No matter what you hear and see in the future, just keep your eyes to your goals. Just keep moving forward. Dream big and things will fall into their perfect place.

This is probably the time when all you want is to figure out what you want to pursue — don’t be too harsh on yourself. You will never find out until you’re 25. Life will surprise you with so many things in so many different ways. So, go on. Choose whatever you feel like taking. You want to be reporter? Go, take that communications course. You want to be a doctor? Go, take that hard-science course. Just keep choosing what your heart desires cos it will come to a point where your options will be limited and get stuck in making so many adult decisions.

Thank you for being strong. Thank you for taking that course. Thank you for not allowing any person break you.

You taught me how to do just what I needed to do.

Thank you!

I am turning 25 this year and the idea makes me nervous.

We all have our anxieties about life and what makes me more skeptic about it is the idea that I don’t have fixed plans yet.

Am I doing it right? Been wondering for quite some time now.

In 2017, I somehow embraced uncertainty. Rejected a job offer I’ve been wanting for so long. However — where I am right now is something I don’t want to leave yet. Plunging myself to a lot of unusual work, I thought I’m not going to make it. But I find it comforting when I realized that I have done better than expected. Great job, self. *pat pat*

It was comforting to know that I am not alone in these uncertainties, there were, perhaps, a few friends who were there whenever I feel bad about myself and the current path that I am taking. Those people made me stronger. Those people made me feel I am capable and I am truly grateful. *cries buckets of tears*

But more than anything, what I realized in the past two years of trying to adult (hay) is that I need to stand up on my own. I am on my own. My parents won’t tell me what to do next. There’s no course guide in here.

That idea that I am on my own makes me more anxious about my decisions to take, the things that I might encounter along the way, and all the crazy stuff that I have to overcome. But I find comfort that I know I won’t let myself down.

2017 was a wake up call. It was my turning point — it gave me strength to pursue greater and even bigger dreams for myself.

That’s why in the year ahead, I promise to be bolder. 

Bolder in a sense that I won’t hold back — easier said that done. But I promise to keep moving forward.

I need to trust myself.

In the past years, I have always been the type of person who worries about what to do next, where to go next, and it was overall a drag for me. Particularly in times when things didn’t go the way I wished them to be. It was tiring, you know? Trying to chase those expectations no one actually asked me to meet but myself. I was also sad and lonely. I feel betrayed by myself everytime I think I failed which I think is super wrong.

So this year, I promise to take everything slowly. From my career decisions to my personal life, I’ll be a little bit lax. I promise not to slave myself with others’ expectations. I promise to live the life I want and the way I want it. I will take life in my own course, my own time. No matter what happens, I will prioritize what makes me happy.

I swear to spend each day of 2018 with joy and optimism. (Luuuh, how?)

I swear no matter how many failures I get, I’ll continue to stand up and will never be shaken by any rejections. I shall keep moving forward.

I’ll be 25 and I know it will take more than knowing the things that I want.

It will take maturity and understanding.