295: Back to the Grind

Wow, so the last post that I have written here was more than a year ago. It's kind of surreal to be back here and read my entries and realize how far I've come. Since my last post there were a lot of good things that happened to me.

1. Reached my sixth year in HP before I left the company
2. Found a new job
3. Achieved my emergency fund
4. Opened a new three investment account
5. Travelled to Hongkong and got to see Disney Land
6. Became a licensed Financial Advisor for AXA
7. Progressing in my Bedspace project

I have a lot of things to be grateful for, but it all stemmed down from the fact that Ora et Labora works. I'm a graduate of St. Scholastica's College and the school's motto is Ora et Labora. It's basically Prayer and Work. Sr. Angelica Leviste, OSB., the President of our school then shared this quote from St. Agustine: "Pray like as if everything depended on God, and work like as if everything depended on you."

It's a quote that I gently carry in my heart. I've always been a firm believer of doing our best and letting God do the rest. To say, my journey had not been easy. In fact, even to this day, I've been still struggling. There are a lot of things to accomplish, but I always believe that God never fails.

There are new challenges to conquer, and I like to share them here once again.

Love,
Leah

294: In Doing Something Significant

If you have been around my blog you would notice how much I'd write about finding my purpose here in the world (particularly tagged with #BetterFuture) because I've always been a firm believer that I am born with purpose. I've always wanted to make a contribution and to be useful. But you know if there's anything that I have learned in seeking my purpose, it is equally important to know myself too. It's ironic to think that I have lived my life knowing little of myself. There are few things that I can blame why I know little of myself, it's because at one point of my life I have focused entirely in identifying what I want by copying others, allowing others to decide for me, or joining bandwagons because it's fad.

Some people I know would wonder why am I so bent on being significant, but I'd tell you what, it's because I want that in the end of the day, when the sun sets for me, I know that I have lived my life to the fullest. 

Besides knowing myself, I also have learned that it's important to live life with personal values and principles. Living life with values and principles is something I have learned from Tony Robbins (and I swear his Awakening the Giant Within book is a must have). The reason why values are important is because it's the foundation that we can always go back to when faced with challenges, when deciding, and when we need to navigate life. Here are the values  → principles that I uphold to:

• Excellence  → Excellence if everything I do
• Perseverance  → Perseverance despite difficulties
• Resilience  → Get up, when knocked down
• Enthusiasm  → Do everything with interest
• Kindness  → Always be kind to people
• Trust  → Value the trust given to me
• Follow Through  → Do not stop until the goal is met
• Faith  → Believing that everything has been designed by God
• Discipline  → Obey self conditions, living life with standards
• Bold  → Taking risk, and pushing boundaries outside my comfort zone 
• Confidence  → Being certain in my abilities, skills, knowledge, and talent
• Loyalty  → Being steadfast with allegiances
• Integrity  → Upholding my moral values

It took me a while to know the importance of values and principles, but I am glad that I was able to learn this the soonest. I haven't perfected it yet (far from it), but I am constantly working and practicing to uphold them.

I haven't done something significant yet (there are minuscule), but I am constantly looking for more. I know one day, I'll arrive there. But one day when I make my mark, I swear I'll make the most of it.

293: Choosing a Leader: Leni Robredo

I always have thought that it's equally important that we choose our leader or role model in life. The reason why we needed to have a role model or a chosen leader is because we look up to them. From my last blog entry, I have written that I have chosen former Congresswoman and Now Vice President, Leni Robredo as my leader. The reason why I have chosen her as a leader is because of what she exudes. I believe most of the Filipinos are familiar of her background, how she emerged as a lawyer - wife of a politician to Vice President, how from 1% she was able to bag the second highest position in our country.

These are the few qualities that I admire in her:

1. Resiliency - Leni Robredo had been very outspoken when how she values resiliency. Her life had been a struggle: from the death to her husband, to raising her kids as a single mom, championing her town as a congresswoman - and now taking the role as the mother of our nation. Leni, is not a stranger when it comes to challenges, even before taking her oath as a Vice President she had a hard time winning the confidence of Rodrigo Duterte (who won the election as a President from the opposing party). Before winning the confidence of Pres. Duterte she was not given any role in Duterte's cabinet. Many thought that she was being bullied, but she remained very supportive of President Duterte and tried to remain confident that she will not be useless even if she wouldn't have any role in Duterte's administration. And she did, before Pres. Duterte can even give her the portfolio as HUDCC secretary, she was already looking for partners who will help her rally her causes.
2. Courage - When she accepted to run as a Vice President a lot of people doesn't know her and her accomplishments, but did that stop her from running? No. I also applauded her courage, that in spite of being part of the admin she's not shy to voice out what she stands for even if it means standing in an opposite position from the President (i.e Death Penalty).
3. Industrious - Hands down. Mother of all cows, she's an incredibly hardworking person, did you know that she's the VP candidate who was able to cover all of their sorties? And on her term as a congresswoman (FYI this is her only term) she was able to pass 121 bills and 14 laws. She is also known to start her work at 8AM consistently! And now as a Vice President, she set her work schedule/events/functions to weekdays, and weekends will be scheduled for her to reach out the far flung barangays/towns. If you follow her in Facebook, you'll get yourself familiarize with her activities. By the way, this quote from her really inspired me to this day: "Hindi tayo tumatalikod sa trabaho" (we do not turn our back to duties given to us) ; and a demand of excellence in whatever you do.
   
   
4. Graceful under Pressure - Some people even uses #KalmaLikeLeni because in spite of challenges thrown in her way, Leni seems to be never panicking. To say, parang I haven't seen her giving into her emotions. She seems so in-control of her situation.
5. Humble - If there's anything that's consistent in her interview when being asked about her preference to use a bus in spite of her position as VP, she'd say that the reason why she continue to ride it is because it's economical and at the same time it's her way to keep her grounded. As much as she can, Leni didn't want to change her lifestyle because she doesn't want to get used to it. Additionally, one of the things that made me realized how humble she is, is when during her Thanksgiving (right after her Inauguration), she told her supporters to stop fighting with other supporters because she had already won. Honestly, she didn't have to say that. She didn't have to tell her supporters to stop fighting, but she did. She appealed for her people to unite, to rally on the causes of the new administration.
6. Integrity - Leni's net worth is 8M, and admittedly she said that it might have lessened because her daughter is taking up medicine. It's not like as if having a meager net worth makes you a person of integrity, but she has many times have mentioned about sticking to her principles. Honestly, if she wasn't really a person who doesn't value her principles she might have taken the opportunity and left Liberal Party. But she didn't, she's sticking up to the party in spite of it's tainted reputation in the meantime. There are many times that she might have taken opportunity to allow herself to look good, but she didn't. She was very vocal on her stands, and she's not going to back away from her own words.

You might think, so what? The reason why it's important we have a leader is because (somehow) we can use what we see in them to live our life. You might not know it, but when you admire someone you actually try to follow something in them: how they wear clothes, hairstyle, etc., This is also the reason why there are currently vigilantes because - well - they were inspired to carry out the task themselves. 

So we need to carefully choose who we look up to. Leni is just one of those people I do because what she stood for in this life inspires me to be a better person. 💪

Flip your hair like Leni!

gif from maria-lenor @ tumblr

292: Political Awakening

Where have I been last month? I was not really away, but I was occupied. Last month had been a busy month in the Philippines because of the elections. To say, this year's election must be the most divisive and brutal election ever. I think most of us had been a witness of how each candidates fought to ensure victory. This also encouraged their supporters to take action too. We have seen people fighting in the internet. The fight that took place in social media was the worst!

There are a lot of bickering, insulting, name calling, and whatnot. I'm not sure if we will ever get back to the way we were for the next few months. But hopefully we will!

You may wonder how is this related to my post, you see last month I also took action. Well, the reason why I rallied for that candidate I believe in is because I believe that if I really wanted that person to win I should not only render a lip service, an action is necessary. So yeah, I took part.

If there's anything that I have learned in the election it's necessary that we choose a side. The most disservice that we can do for our country is to remain indifferent. It doesn't matter if we choose black or white what is important is that we choose a side based on our moral values, based on our beliefs.

If you want to know if my chosen candidate won, she did. She won by a slim margin. But her victory was not the end, it's just the beginning of a long journey for her and for us her supporters. The next step that we have right now is to provide our service for her causes too. We need to dream along with her. We need to help her achieve her dreams for the people in fringes of the society.

I'm excited.

gif from maria-lenor @ tumblr

291: Hotel Review: Saved by the Bell!

Image from PH Hotels

Hotel in Focus: Red Planet Hotel at Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City

I booked on this hotel very spontaneously. I was in the metro and have to pick up my sister and since I had no place to stay, I decided to book in this place. Why? I could not afford any hotel at the heart of Makati as they are too expensive for my spur-of-the-moment-stay. This is not the first time that I had been in Red Planet Hotel. The first was at Aseana place. What I love about this hotel is that it's affordable. This is the type of place a traveler would book if you only need a roof above your head without exposing yourself to risk because you opted to choose a low budget lodge. For 2330 (as of April 2016) a night you get the following:

an air conditioned room
two fluffy pillows
a ginormous bed
a glacial pace wifi

Also, for that price you can choose between a large bed, or a two single bed. There's no actual difference in price.

All in all it's not bad if you just need a place to sleep, and nothing fancy.

cross post from my TripAdvisor review: Here