Today (November 30) marks the birth anniversary of the known Filipino hero Andres Bonifacio. Many including me are used to hearing Bonifacio's name but never really got to deepen the appreciation and knowledge about him. There were controversies and unresolved issues regarding the motivation, personality and death of Bonifacio; but in this blogpost, the focus would rather be on the learnings we could possibly derive from the story of Bonifacio and how we could reflect on it when applied on our own respective lives. Family and friends first At the age of 14, Bonifacio needed to stop going to private school to support his five other siblings because both their parents died of illness in a duration of a year. Because of this, he earned a living for his family until his siblings had been regularly employed thereafter. On the other hand, by mere impression, Bonifacio treated Rizal as a friend or as an important person of the Filipino revolution. Motivated by this, Bonifacio with his c...
There are words that stay with us long after the people who spoke them are gone. For me, one of those words is the Cebuano phrase: “Padayon lang.” These simple words describe my life motto. It is short, almost ordinary. It does not shine with poetry. Yet it has a quiet strength, the kind that you don’t just think about but actually feel deep inside. Literally, it means “just continue” or “keep going.” But in Cebuano life, padayon lang is less of a command and more of gentle encouragement, just a soft pat on the shoulder, a light that shows you the way in the dark. I first heard it as a child, when I struggled with school and say, “Padayon lang sa imong pagtuon.” Keep studying. It is not a word of triumph. It does not promise success. Unlike congratulations or I’m proud of you, padayon lang accepts that life is hard, that the road is tiring, and yet it reminds us that moving forward, even slowly, even step by step is still worth it. It is the Cebuano spirit of resilience, no...
The world's largest collection of sculptures in a park is attracting one million people every year. The art pieces, which were made from bronze, granite and iron features the appreciation of the human spirit of Norway's most renowned sculptor Gustav Vigeland. Click the link below: http://vimeo.com/65900073 Visiting Vigelandsparken makes one realize things in life, inspired from the different sections of the park: the Main Gate, the Bridge, the Fountain, the Monolith and the Wheel of life. The main gate is very simple but elegant. It features a long pathway towards the main section of the park. It gives the visitor the feeling that life requires a pathway and direction where one should follow through. That direction is the person's purpose in his or her life, that will guide all his or her actions, no matter what situations the person will be experiencing and whoever the person will be meeting. The bridge is one of the most dramatic part of the park, which...
Have you ever experienced being annoyed by acts of others that you really hope they never have done? Well, I realized these infuriating acts reflect how we as individuals have been brought up. This somehow reflects we as human beings, unique from others, and in this blogpost I am going to enumerate some of them. Leaving your used cup or glass after work Who are you to behave like that? Your cup is from your mouth, and you expect people to get your cup and clean it for you after work. Your cup is for me part of another's intimate zone, so keep it to yourself, not the entire workplace. How would people think of themselves? Next time, I would put my used tissue paper in that cup even you are still drinking. 🤣 Talking too much, but loses interest quickly Unfortunately, this is very common. For me, it is better to talk about your enthusiasm most to yourself, then act. Do something before talking about it. Some people talk as if they were finished doing things, even they even have not s...
All of us are encouraged to share. This is a virtue that was taught to us since we were younger. However, sometimes culture determines how generous one should be to family and friends. When can one say generosity becomes excessive and gearing towards abusive nature? As a Filipino, I was taught to be hospitable, although I do not completely adhere with it. My family raised me to be patient and accommodating enough to anyone who needs favor or help. The best thing my parents encouraged me to do indirectly is give favors for free and ask nothing in return. When one could say another is exploiting one's generosity? Unnecessary When one asks for a favor or help from another, which one does not lack or need. For example, a friend, who is perfectly capable and has the time and resources asks help from another even though the latter is unable to do so or will experience difficulty and undue discomfort in doing so. Hence, before one asks for help, he or she must be sensitive also of the...
According to the recent Happiness Index and Positive Experience Index (2015), Filipinos are considered one of the happiest in the world. There are many empirical evidence supporting this, including the magnitude of resilence and effectiveness of Filipinos in coping with several calamities and personal challenges. There are ofcourse scepticism on these researches, given that happiness could not even be measured objectively, and even more difficult to be compared. Happiness is indeed subjective, such that it is experienced differently among various persons with unique backgrounds and histories. Therefore, it is a challenge to make a summary or list of what makes one happy for a certain group of people, such as Filipinos. However, there are similarities among Filipinos that one could deduce effectively to answer what makes Filipinos happy. This is the focus of this blogpost. Family counts first. Family is most powerful source of motivation and happiness for Filipinos. More importantly,...
Health is that elusive state of being that we all strive for, yet never quite seem to reach. We all have our own definition of what it means to be healthy, whether it's the absence of illness or the ability to run a marathon without breaking a sweat. But the truth is, defining health is no easy feat. It's like trying to catch a greased pig - you can chase after it, but it always seems to slip away. So, let's take a lighthearted look at the complex nature of health and how we can try to define it. I have come to understand that determining who is healthy is not as simple as it may seem. The connection between norms and health is intricate, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. In my experience, health is not just about the absence of disease but also about meeting societal norms. For instance, a patient who presents with symptoms of depression and anxiety may be considered unhealthy, even though there is no physical ailment. This ...
Being happy is one of the most elusive feeling one could have. People seem to search and aim for it, but only few people attain it. Quite strange but this leaves a question to all of us, "how do we become happy?" People all around the world do everything to be happy. Some travel from different places for them to feel something new, savoring every moment before those happy days are gone. People find new friends, hoping that they can provide the happiness they are longing for. Some turn to their addictions for them to escape from the sad realities of the world. Interestingly, there are people who are waiting for luck to do a sudden turn in their lives to be happy. Everyone needs to be happy. It is equated to wisdom and even self-actualization. Because of this, people perceive that happiness is a life-long journey that some people become successful, while most fail in their lifetime. Since happiness is equated to wisdom, it gives us the impression that happiness is a pr...
In the last 18 months, there has been a significant increase in my personal financial capacity. However, the greatest challenge is to keep a reasonable lifestyle against my earning ability. It was not easy, I was feeling that I can buy more than I was used to. However, in the process of finding the balance, I was committing financial mistakes due to my prior misconceptions. This will be the focus of this blogpost. 1. Working for time, not for results. I have once published a blogpost on what is expensive and what us cheap. This concept has been solely based on hourly rate. Perhaps, it not wrong to write that post. It was mainly an attempt to create a guide on determining the appropriateness of one's spending habits, in comparison to one's earned income. However, the mistake occurs when one focuses heavily on hourly rate, and not on results. This concept is however applicable to all jobs, whether service, manufacturing or industry-related. I consider this as a mistake in a way...
From February 9, 2015 to November 4, 2017 is the eleventh "chapter" in my life. To summarize that 1,000-day period, take-off is the most appropriate phrase to describe it. Take-off is not entirely hassle-free, it is actually one of the risky part of the plane journey. It has its risks, turbulence and uncertainties are part of it. Like that phase in my life, I experience some of toughest challenges, heart-breaking events and there were some low points I was at the verge of giving up. This blogpost will use 8 points to highlight some remarkable things that made this time of my life unique. Traveled to 19 countries, 41 cities I started traveling very often at the start of 11th chapter in Copenhagen, Denmark. I really did not expect I would travel that much thereafter. All the travels cost a lot of resources, but these trips have expanded my knowledge and even lowered my threshold in accepting differences with others. From east to west Europe, to Asia, I made sure I ...
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