Fear and Friendship

Yesterday was a fun one. I started my day with a visit to Philippine Artisan Trade, where I saw these cute plushies from Knitting Expedition. I knitted with them at Banaue last February, so it felt like a homecoming. 

Afterwards, my friend Luti and I settled down over Bukidnon coffee and cinnamon rolls at Hineleban Cafe.  

Hineleban was the venue of this month’s Word of Mouth night. The topic was fear, and I spoke about overcoming my fear of heights, being single, and expressing my feelings. 

I was grateful to speak in front of my high school friends Luti and Jamie. My childhood friend Chesca was also there. It felt awesome to have my friends with me.  

I love having different friends together!

We then transferred to Milky Way for some halo-halo and catching-up.  

I crashed at Luti’s pad for the night, and woke up feeling fabulous after being with friends.  

I had so much fun! I need more of this. Here’s to  more coffee and excellent company!

Day 4: Designing my Life with Intention

I am at a point in my life where everything has to be intentional. I am already thirty-one years old. I know myself well by now and I am no longer wasting my time with people, experiences, and things that are not going to positively influence me.  

Today, let me teach you how to begin designing your life with intention so that you can live more meaningfully.  

I am inspired to design my life with intention!  

Reese Fernandez-Ruiz of R2R was so sweet to have included this handwritten note.  

I love this book so much, I have given copies as Christmas presents in the past! 

With Word of Mouth friends Char, Dianne, Brian, and Rucha  

My first time at NCAA! 

I was into philately back in grade school. I guested on the show Tipong Pinoy back in the day (and I spoke about my love for stamp collecting) so it was a treat to pose by this backdrop!

My delicious mushroom risotto from Ilustrado  

1. Live like a winner. I won this R2R passport case and signed copy of The Genius of the Poor by Tom Graham. It all started when I listened to the In Good Company podcast. I supported the podcast since they began releasing episodes because I have been supporting social enterprises like R2R for nine years now (my first R2R purchase was a clutch in 2008!). When they had a giveaway, I joined and of course, I was glad to be one of the lucky winners. Now, you might be thinking what this has to do to “Living life like a winner”. Well, I would not have intended to support social enterprises and handmade business if I did not have a healthy dose of self-respect and self-love. By buying from these social enterprises, I am sharing this love to the artisans and communities whose dignity is being restored with every purchase made. This makes me feel like a winner because I get to share my love. I listen to podcasts that spark joy and uplift my mood. In the end, I live life like a winner and I am inspired to design my lifestyle around my intention to thrive, grow, and win!
2.  Attend events that can inspire you. I am inspired by cultural and artistic events which could inspire me to elevate my taste for a quality life. By immersing myself in stories, artworks, performances, and music, I get to feel, process how these feelings correlate to my experiences, and have a chance to empathize more as I go along. For example, I attended a Word of Mouth storytelling event at the NCAA auditorium at the beautiful walled city of Intramuros. I got to see my friends Char, Dianne, Brian, and Rucha and we also had lunch at Ilustrado. I felt renewed and restored after listening to stories and catching up with friends over delicious food. I couldn’t really ask for more on a rainy Sunday. 
3. Be mindful of the choices you make. My Girlboss Workbook by Sophia Amuroso begins with an oath, which allows me to promise to myself that each choice I make must be deliberate. I blog about pursuing wellness through mindfulness, so I’m all for being deliberate with my choices. It begins with asking yourself if each choice is going to be good for you. If it will help you become a better person, then go for it! Remember, mindfulness begins with self-love. Separate your emotions from the love you feel for yourself. Make sure that you love yourself first. From there, all your choices will be deliberate. 

From the Girlboss Workbook

Design your own life with intention, and be sure that each choice you make is deliberate. Don’t ever lose sight of your self-love. Lastly, do not give up when you experience setbacks. Choose to move forward. After all, each new day is another chance to redesign your life!

 ***Comments are welcome at speakoutsam@gmail.com***

Day 4: #30GratefulDays | Word of Mouth

Do you enjoy public speaking and listening to true to life stories? I do, and last night, I was privileged to be one of the speakers for Word of Mouth. It is a monthly gathering of storytellers and friends who are asked to observe a "no judgement" rule. The topic of the evening was "Modern Romance", and I spoke about my tendency to join workshops and realization that my return to traditional crafts has helped me focus on face-to-face love. I depended less on technology and focused on loving myself more in order to be able to share that love to others. It was freeing to tell my story even if I am not really the typical heroine in usual romance settings.

What made the night special though was listening to the other storytellers. It was refreshing to unplug from the mundane and simply appreciate the sincerity of their personal love stories and perspectives. Not to mention that the coffee at the venue, Cool Beans, was comforting. It was a relaxing and intimate evening of genuine human connections.

Word of Mouth is something I like being part of, whether as an audience member, a speaker, or online follower. I admire how the people behind this movement has brought together various storytellers in order to broaden our mindsets and open our hearts to the different facets of humanity. It is here that I have met the most honest people and have been moved by the rawness of each sharing. I look forward to more Word of Mouth nights and hear more stories without judgement and reservations.