262: Take Me Back to the Sea

A weekend get-away to San Juan, La Union.
I wish I can live here forever.

Details on how to get there next time!

261: Take Me Back to 1940's

First and foremost, before you proceed my dear readers please, play this song:



I'm not sure about you, my wonderful readers, but I have a certain fondness towards Jazz and Classic/French songs that was popular back in the 1940's. What I particularly love about these vintage songs is how it was composed, the arrangements, and the story behind it.  Just to say most of the 1940's were in the WWII era, the songs are somewhat inspired by what had transpired during those time: Lovers are forced to separate because of war, the tragedy, the depression, etc.,. To point out, remember the song in Casablanca (As Time Goes By), and the story? -- yeah, bucket of tears.

It's one of the things that I listen to when I am about to sleep (recommended playlist: here), or I just want to relax. It definitely sets my mood, and it's also a good way to romanticize the night (dim the lights to darkish yellow, enjoy a sip of warmed whiskey (or any liquor for that matter), and play the recommended playlist).

You might wonder what's the point of this entry, but the point of this entry is for us not to forget these songs. I know they won't go anywhere because they are classic, but I hope we get to enjoy it while we can. Take us back to the 40's, and remember how life were back then.

260: Note to Self

If there's anything that I have learned is that we cannot depend our happiness towards others. We cannot depend our happiness to our partners, to our parents, to our friends, to people who's currently with us at the moment, because the thing is, all of them will eventually leave. They will go on their own life, they'd move on to another chapter that may not include us already. If we find happiness, and completeness with their presence, imagine how broken we are when they have left.

259: Run a Little Longer

If you've read my last post Failing Forward 2014 I have ranted how disappointed I was this year. But one of the things that could alleviate my disappointment is how I have performed in my running this year. 

To say, I have written about running once, and had mentioned it quite a few times already. It's only lately that I had fallen in love with the activity. I have hated everything about running because it's painful. But honestly, for the past few times that I had been running, I realized that it's not only about a habit, a sport, or a lifestyle, but it's also a meditation. It allowed me to reflect how the discipline about running applies to my life.

How I had been performing in my running is just how I had been in my goals, as one of serious runner told me -- albeit rather bluntly while I was ranting how painful my feet were after running for an hour: 

 "You know what? You're not in pain. If you are, you'd be sitting instead of walking. But you've been walking for a few meters already. You know what you are? You're lazy. And I'm telling you, if you are lazy right now in your running, you'd be lazy in other areas in your life as well. You better think about this, you claim you love running but you're lazy to work hard on it. How much more for other things that you claim to love doing? -- do it, go run! Don't stop until you know you have given everything." 

That comment went straight to me, and hit me hard at the heart. I realized that on everything I have ever did it was all half hearted. I realized that I never had done something where I have gave everything, gave my best effort; and that I how I had approached goals, and tasks were delivered without such gravity.

After hearing the comment, I ran. I ran, and ran until my lungs were pumping gas and my throat were on fire. I knew I had to do it, my life were already in spinning out of control, and running is probably the only (out of few) things that I have control over. I do not want to beaten here.

I joined the HP Run that was held last Sunday, I took the 10K run. To my surprise I was 20 mins early this time compare to my last year's record. I wanted to finish the race within an hour but at least even though I didn't, I broke my own record.

I love running, but I still hate the process. I hate how hard it is to run, the painful process that I had to go through before I reach the finish line, but the feeling of finishing a painful course made it all worth it. It's one of the (few) event that always made me feel so relieved, and grateful that finally I had arrived (in the finish line). I guess that's how it feels like when we have won, and I love that feeling; and that's why I love running.

258: Failing Forward for 2014

The essence of man is imperfection. Know that you're going to make mistakes. The fellow who never makes a mistake takes his orders from one who does. Wake up and realize this: Failure is simply a price we pay to achieve success. - J. Maxwell

It's early to say this, but if I have to summarize how my 2014 had been, it's a decline. It's an opposite of how productive my 2013 was. The fault that I had with why I did not achieve that much this year is because of how I handled my goals. Most of those I have listed had no follow through. There was no time management involved as to when I should do them, and I basically left them all to the *right time* -- whatever that means.

Last month, when I checked on my supposed goals, I ended up really depressed about it. I realized that my year had been nothing but (felt) a straight line; there was no self-progression, no highlights, nothing spectacular, plus to make it worst, my goals at work was spiraling out of control! I was mortified when I did a performance review that I realized that for a year my *supposed goals* at work was all scattered.

There was really no one to blame but myself, and how I handled my targets. I guess I should have been smart about handling my time, wiser on my priorities, disciplined to do a follow-through, and faithful to my commitments.

I was on self-loathing, and on the edge of losing my optimism, faith, and hope that all of these are just a temporary set back. Boy, it was hard to pick up myself again and start again just as the sunrises on the morning.

On Recovery
In the midst of my self-hatred, hopelessness, I thought I had to recover once and for all. I thought if I continue to feel bad, and not move forward I'd be in the pit of shit that I had created for myself. So, the first thing I did was that I started reading personal development books. I started on a book that allows me to forgive myself which is: John Maxwell's Fail Forward and it has been an amazing self-help book. It taught me to look at a bigger picture than just dwell on what I had failed on.

Up to now, I'm still recovering but I am back on track. Starting with how I should look at this year. In-spite of the decline of my goals, I want to look at it as an achievement for finally allowing myself to make mistakes. I may had always been afraid to make mistakes and I guess this is the best year to experience it.

I'm looking forward to 2015 as a better person, a spring to my (2014) autumn.