Everyday Happiness

Today, my BDJ Spark Your Magic workbook assigned to me this journaling prompt:

ā€œWhen was the last time you laughed out loud? What was it about? Who were you with? Were you alone or with a good friend?ā€

I last laughed out loud while watching the Magulo Na Bacarros weekly vlog. I am a regular listener of the Wake Up With Jim and Saab podcast, so their vlog has also become a part of my routine.

I adore Saab Magalona and Jim Bacarroā€™s two sons Pancho and Vito. Their laughter and playtime makes me so happy. I feel like their playmate whenever I watch their vlog. I usually do so by myself while crocheting at home.

I look forward to each vlog episode because I remember the innocence of childhood and how awesome it is to be happy with the simplest joys. I hope to regain the ability to be glad with lifeā€™s everyday surprises!

I am so excited for Mondayā€™s vlog episode!

A Mindful Exercise

Today, I was assigned to perform A Mindful Exercise on my BDJ Spark Your Magic Workbook.

Here was the assignment:

ā€Exercise is defined as a process carried out with effort in order to achieve a specific purpose of sustaining or improving health. There are no shortcuts in exercising. This is work that needs to be done to unleash your magic. List what you can do to improve your physical, mental, and emotional healthā€¦and commit to them.ā€

And here are my answers:

Health

  • Drink 8 glasses of water everyday

  • Get 6-8 hours of sleep every night

  • Workout everyday

Heart

  • Read the Bible everyday

  • Use a gratitude journal

  • Journal everyday

Mind

  • Post blog entries at least once a week

  • Listen to at least one podcast episode each day

  • Crochet everyday

  • Talk to my partner more about current events

  • Commute once a week

I have been practicing most of these already, so I am off to a good start! It is understandable that there should be room for allowances due to the pandemic. However, I am determined to commit to practicing all of these for my own good!

Hereā€™s to a more mindful way of living!

5 Things that Iā€™m Good At

Today, I picked this card for my BDJ Dare To Be Creative deck:

Make a list of 5 things that youā€™re really good at

ā€What do you do and give so effortlessly? Think of what other people ask you help for.ā€

Here are the 5 things that Iā€™m really good at:

  1. I am good at writing

  2. I am good at playing the flute by ear

  3. I am good at taking photographs

  4. I am good at crochet

  5. I excel at cardio, especially Zumba

And here are ten more things that Iā€™m really good at:

  1. I am good at identifying local businesses to support and promote

  2. I am a good and fair product tester

  3. I am a good singer

  4. I am a good foodie in the sense that I am effective in sharing restaurants and delicious dishes

  5. I am a good and effective brand ambassador

  6. I am good in public speaking

  7. I am good in building and following routine

  8. I am good in giving gifts to people I know well

  9. I am a talented commuter!

  10. I am good at walking

Bonus: People ask me to pray for them, so that makes me a good intercessor!

I can do all these, and more!

One Month Of Journaling

Today marks the first month of my daily journaling habit. This is my first daily journaling experience with a paper notebook and an actual pen. I must say that physical, tangible journaling has been helpful in the following ways:

  1. I am able to share my stress management routine.

  2. I am able to process anger.

  3. I am able to break down what grief means to me and how it affects me.

  4. I am able to plan the things that I still want to be better at for the rest of 2021.

  5. I am able to share my favorite songs.

  6. I am able to share my desk essentials and how they help me.

ā€¦and many more! I did not expect journaling to be a roadmap during the pandemic. It has become my guide to becoming a better person. I have built a habit that invites me to be kinder to myself. As a result, I am able to pass on this kindness to other people.

Hereā€™s to more months of journaling!

Honor Your Tools

Today, my BDJ Dare to Be Creative deck tasked me to Honor Your Tools:

ā€These are the objects that allow you to do what you love to do every day. What are your favorite tools for work? Your desk essentials? Draw them and write what you like about them.ā€

Since I cannot draw to save my life, I will share photos of my desk and preferred tools:

Standing desk from Mangkakahoy- I love working while standing, so this is the ideal desk for me.

Tulip Etimo Red 4.00mm crochet hook from Oh My Yarn!- This crochet hook lets the yarn glide effortlessly for a smooth and easy crochet experience.

A6 Journal and Vegan Leather Sleeve from Noted Journal PH- This handy notebook is perfect for self-expression and serves as my pandemic diary.

0.5mm Gel Pen from Muji- This pen is my favorite for journaling on both my bullet journal and daily journal.

Slim grid notebook and vegan leather sleeve from Noted Journal PH- This notebook is the ideal size for me and it serves as my bullet journal for my schedule, tasks, and habit trackers for workouts and bible reading.

My tools all deserve to be honored as they serve me well and allow me to be my best everyday!

Killing ANTS

Today, my Spark Your Magic workbook tackled ANTS or Automatic Negative Thoughts. Their prescribed method for lessening negative self-talk is Jim Kwikā€™s ABRA or Acknowledge, Breathe, Release, and Align.

Hereā€™s my ABRAcadabra list:

  • A is for ACKNOWLEDGE

    ā€œAcknowledge your negative self-talk and donā€™t fight it because what you resist, persists. What are your ANTS today? Scribble them below.ā€

    1. Fear of being rejected

    2. Fear of being alone

    3. Anxiety because my contemporaries are getting married, having children, etc.

  • B is for BREATHE

    ā€œControlled breathing offers many health benefits, including reducing stress. Breathe in what you want. Jot down the things you ā€œinhaledā€.ā€

    1. A stable job

    2. More opportunities for my website

    3. More books (such as apop books!)

    4. More coffee

    5. A lifetime with my partner in life

    6. More crochet projects

    7. An afternoon at a coffee shop, such as Cinema ā€˜76 Cafe (a big deal during the pandemic)

    8. Mini Estela or Aadi bag from DBS

  • R is for RELEASE

    ā€œBreathe out what you do not want. What did you exhale? List the things you want to let go.ā€

    1. Anxiety about weight gain

    2. Cabin fever

    3. Mood swings

    4. Unnecessary arguments with my loved ones, such as my partner

    5. My temper

    6. Angst

    7. Anxiety about jobhunting

    8. Negative relatives

    9. Negative ā€œfriendsā€

    10. Ungratefulness

  • A is for ALIGN

    ā€œCreate new thoughts and beliefs that are more aligned with who you really are and what you really want. Write them down here.ā€

    1. I have full control over my emotions

    2. I can thrive with or without a corporate job.

    3. I am fit and healthy

    4. I have enough time and passion to pursue my interests

    5. I am a writer and I am lucky because I have my own website

    6. I have a supportive partner

With my new ABRA strategy, I can manage my ANTS and improve myself during this pandemic and beyond!

Keep Learning

I picked this card from my BDJ Dare to Be Creative deck today:

ā€What would you like to be better at this year?ā€

Here are the things that I would like to be better at for the rest of 2021:

  1. I would like to learn how to control my emotions better.

  2. I would like to learn how to sustain my career as a Content Creator through continuous journaling.

  3. I would like to learn how to publish an ebook.

  4. I would like to learn how to publish a book.

  5. I would like to learn how to crochet the Stella Top.

  6. I would like to learn how to crochet a velvet bag.

  7. I would like to learn how to crochet the Sehana Top.

  8. I would like to learn how to crochet the Calico Flowers Scarf.

  9. I would like to maintain my figure.

  10. I would like to learn how to continue my journaling habit.

I feel so blessed to have skills such as writing prose and crocheting because they make me feel young. There is always something new to write about, and there is always an interesting pattern to crochet. From here, I can continue expanding my horizons.

Indeed, the love for learning gives me a reason to live!

Center of Magic

I am still working on my Spark Your Magic workbook. Today, I was asked to identify my ā€œCenter of Magicā€:

  • What are your talents?- I can write prose, blog, sing, play the flute, drive an automatic car, host events, run an online shop, and influence people.

  • What job or task are yo really good at?- I am a skilled communicator. I am an effective public speaker and a prolific writer.

  • What good deed are you most proud of?- I have been a World Vision sponsor for the past fourteen years.

I really enjoy journaling with the Spark Your Magic workbook because I get to identify my strengths and weaknesses. Lately, the pandemic has been feeling like a dark, heavy cloud above my head, so I feel the need to explore new ways to learn and grow each day. Who knew that journaling would open up my heart and spark the habit of writing everyday? In fact, this habit has even let me complete my book manuscript!

Great things start from small wins. I just joined a journaling workshop last month, and now, I am journaling on a daily basis. It has helped me process old wounds and look forward to each new day.

I am so excited to see where this journaling habit will lead me to!

My Top Three Songs

Today, I picked this card from my BDJ Dare to Be Creative deck. I was asked to ā€ā€˜make a playlist and fill it with the soundtrack of your life! What are your top three songs?ā€.

Here are my Top Three Songs, as evidenced by how frequently I listen to them every single day:

  1. Across the Universe by The Beatles- This song was also a favorite of my late fatherā€™s. It reminds me of how short life is and how my life stays the same, even in an ever-evolving universe.

  2. Winter from The Four Seasons Allegro con Molto by Antonio Vivaldi- This has been my go-to song whenever I need to motivate myself. I love how it wakes me up and energizes me.

  3. Everlong by The Foo Fighters- This is the love song that has captured my hopelessly romantic heart. Fun fact: three ex-boyfriends of mine have dedicated this song to me. While I no longer have feelings for them, the song still moves me to keep on believing in true love.

Just like that iconic line in Across The Universe points out, ā€œnothingā€™s gonna change my worldā€. Of course, from my point of view, life is constantly changing, but in the universal scheme of things, I remain to be a human being, a mere speck of cosmic dust.

I will always find that humbling.

Things Within My Control

Today, I watched Rica Peralejo-Bonifacioā€™s vlog episode on forgiveness. She shared some very important thoughts:

  • There are things that you cannot control

  • There are some things that are still within your control

  • God has control over everything

These are timely reminders for me as I am currently working on my temper. I have already trained myself to identify the fine line between triggers and actual manifestations of anger. Yes, there are several things that are upsetting and inconvenient each day, but that does not mean that I should act negatively each time. I can remind myself that there are still things within my control, and that I should focus on those instead.

Life is too short to dwell on upsetting realities. There are still more things to be thankful for than the bad. By focusing on things that are within my control and remembering that God has control over everything in this world, life would be less burdensome and treacherous.

Spark Your Magic

The pandemic has recently been causing me to feel heavy and desperate for change. I felt the need for a safe space for me to explore my emotions, so I purchased a Spark Your Magic kit by BDJ Planner. This is not a sponsored post, as I am just a happy customer! I received my kit yesterday, and I am very satisfied with my purchase.

I got the Renew Your Inspiration kit which includes a couple of notebooks, a gel pen, a deck of journaling prompt cards, and a downloadable workbook. I already started working on both the deck and the workbook. Both tools were designed to aid in self-expression and psychological first-aid during the pandemic. While this is not a substitute for professional help, it is an effective set of resources for someone like me who is looking for prompts to assist in healing and renewal. I especially appreciate how the prompts ask me to list down my strengths, which I have definitely taken for granted during the quarantine.

If you also want to journal this quarantine and know yourself better, I highly recommend the Spark Your Magic kits! They are afforable, locally-made, and effective.

Stay safe and healthy, dear readers!