I worked out today even if it was raining. Our class was moved to one of the gazebos in the park. The space was limited so it was challenging to move around. Nevertheless, I was able to complete my workout. What mattered most was that I was able to show up and bring my A Game. I may not be employed right now, but I can wake up early and attend a workout despite the bed weather. I think it takes willpower and discipline to carry on despite being tempted to just sleep again.
Day 91: Moving On
I am currently moving on from a traumatic experience in my previous employer. While I promised myself that I will never look back in anger, I allowed my true feelings to surface and eventually, dissipate. After all, it is healthier to acknowledge one's true emotions rather than just let them kill me deep inside.
I spent my previous week working out and catching up on sleep. This week is a time for reading and more workouts. There is something about burning calories that puts things into perspective. I also like relating to the characters I read about. They make seem moving on possible because they have done so in beautiful prose.
A friend yesterday messaged me to encourage me to enjoy my break because as adults, we rarely get free days when we are tied up with work. I am grateful that she messaged me because it makes me see my unemployment in a new light. At the same time, A is telling me not to be desperate and that I am in charge of my own journey. I will keep moving on until I get to the place where movement is no longer a forced endeavor.
Day 89: Fitness on a Budget
I have always been a morning person. It is not a problem for me to wake up early and get things cracking. My favorite way to fight drowsiness is working out. I focus on my abs and thighs, then move on to cardio. It never ceases to bring in results and it keeps sleepiness at bay.
There are days when I do get lazy and I fight that with walking workout videos and barre routines. They are focused on target areas and while they are low impact, they also work effectively. I do not want to enroll in a gym because I want to keep fit my way and of course, my routine depends on what I feel like doing for the day. When I settle down, I might have to enroll in a fitness center. For now, I am enjoying my workouts, be it a couple of hours dancing Zumba in our local park or burning calories while glued to YouTube.
I do not think that there is an ideal way to keep fit. I am living on a tight budget so I keep fitness affordable by going to our nearby park. A workout there costs Php20-50. Meanwhile, it is free to workout at home while following a YouTube video. The important factor is consistency, which is priceless. Discipline is developed through diligence and hard work. There is simply no gym membership that could buy that.
Day 67: Consistency
In an age where there are endless forms of distractions to derail me from being fit, I aim for consistency. It is a challenging journey, because it is also acceptable to just let go. But I am not giving in. Rather, I choose to go all out with my efforts.
I start my day with my morning prayers. I go on with my workout even if I am so sleepy. I carry on even if my joints refuse to cooperate. I will them to obedience. I have been doing this since I refused to let hypothyroidism rule me. I have befriended coffee and promised myself to eat right for my condition. Eventually, my efforts have paid off.
But I am not being complacent. I cannot afford that, as hypothyroidism is a chronic condition. I have to aim for consistency.
This daily journey has to be a consistent one, and it is keeping me grounded. I hope that I will remain faithful to it, and may the fruits of my efforts inspire me to carry on each day.
Day 61: Fit and Fab with Hypothyroidism
Yes, that's six-year-old me on the framed photo.
Having hypothyroidism means that I am supposed to be fat and sluggish. Sure, that may be the norm when my thyroxine level is naturally insufficient. But I am determined to outsmart my condition by being fit, fab, and active!
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was thirteen and I did not choose the path of self-pity and loneliness. Rather, I have noticed that my mood and overall wellness improve when I am constantly exercising and mindfully choosing my activities everyday. I may not be able to engage in stressful jobs such as graveyard BPO roles and advertising agency life with round the clock deadlines, but I can still have a meaningful existence through fitness, proper dieting, positive thinking, and of course, a lot of faith.
Championing courageous wellness through mindfulness!
These photos were taken this morning, and the framed photo shows a smiling six-year-old me. If I can give my childhood self some advice, I would tell her to be courageous enough to defy expectations and outsmart a chronic medical condition.
My life is wonderful even if I have hypothyroidism. I am sure my six-year-old self will be like, 'wow, fantastic!".
Day 57: Life After Diet Delivery
I am currently enjoying regular food after three years of diet delivery subscription. My drivers for this decision to eat normally but within diet portions are:
1) Budget- Food subscriptions are expensive! Especially now that my salary has been downgraded since working in the academe.
2) Convenience- As my food provider grew its reach, their delivery times became erratic. I work in a company that has strict security, so it will not be easy for the rider to bring my food up to my office.
3) Adaptability- I cannot be dependent on a food provider for life. After three years with them, it is time to let go.
I am fortunate that our cafeteria has vegetables, the half cup of rice option, and fresh fruit shakes. It has been a fortnight and I am already eating healthful meals. I get to enjoy guilty pleasures such as shawarma rice and sausage muffins, but only if I eat vegetables and half rice for lunch. It is about compromise and balance.
I am addicted to kebab rice meals.
Vegetables with half rice from our cafeteria
Portion-controlled snack at a work event
Yummy way to begin the day
Day 56: Stretch
6:30am, MRT platform
I woke up this morning to do my workout. I raised my heart rate during cardio, flexed my muscles, and brought everything back to normal during the cool down stage. I realized that stretching is something that I cannot always perfect. I am not naturally flexible, plus I also have scoliosis. I can only do my best, but I cannot force it all the way.
The same goes with life. Right now I am upscaling my skills through classes, coaching, and mindful writing. There are limiting factors such as the fact that I am employed full-time, the difficult commute I have everyday, and hypothyroidism. However, I realized that I owe this to myself. I may not reach my toes but I can build my abs, so to speak. I even found my niche through my rallying cry, which is "wellness through mindfulness".
I hope that you can join me in stretching myself while being careful in observing my limiting factors. It is not about fear, it is about prudence. Balance is key to achieving my goals this year, and I know it is possible to continue realizing my purpose through everyday mindfulness and blogging.
Day 55: My Work Journey
My name is Sam. I have worked in an Australian BPO for five years as a Senior Risk Officer and Sales Support Officer. I have also handled PR and newsletter publication. Wearing different hats was challenging, but it has thickened my skin and sparked the idea that I could be more than just a typical BPO worker. When my employer underwent a change in management which was not pro-people, I resigned and gave myself a break.
BPO's are notorious for not providing adequate leave credits to their employees. I only had ten leave credits a year. Ten. My lunch and washroom breaks were also strictly regulated by our online system, so I was not able to do much during my employment. Resigning felt like freedom, and I was determined to never work for a BPO again.
Job hunting proved to be challenging. I was receiving calls from mostly BPO's because I was in demand for that industry. I must admit that I was tempted to accept some invitations. In fact, I even went to some interviews, but I did not like what I experienced because I was given a lot of uncertain terms like "shifting", "rotation", "bond", and "contractual". I did not care if the company seemed well-known or multinational. I was determined to brave uncharted territory, reject BPO's and contractual positions, and wait it out. While doing so, I worked out everyday, which was not easy because I have hypothyroidism. I regained my energy which was lost in the daily grind of handling other people's complaints and arrears. I read voraciously and ate healthfully. In time, I found employment in my alma mater.
Working in my university as a Program Officer is not easy, as I have major adjustments to make. I am an independent worker, as I have handled a senior role for half a decade. Working within a small department is not always easy because their work ethic is different. After two months of working there, I have somehow adapted. Since my job comes with significant free time and internet access, I have decided to improve my circumstances by immersing myself in knowledge. I have enrolled in online courses to improve my writing. After finishing two classes, I was able to put up this blog on my own. I met friends in the interwebs with similar interests, and I was able to see the status quo as a journey and not the end. I am enjoying it so much that I have enrolled in a purposeful branding e-course which is going to run until September 2017. I am turning thirty-one in August, so this is the best gift I could give to myself. I am learning so much and I know that my skills in project management, risk management, branding, and writing can help my community.
I am also passionate about social entrepreneurship and supporting local and handmade. When I am not writing on my blog, I eat out with A, practice creative journaling, and workout. I am also living a healthy life as hypothyroidism is already a constant variable.
I hope that I will also hear your stories soon. Let us support each other!
Day 53: My Rallying Cry
I blog to show that it is possible to achieve wellness through mindful living.
Day 41: Faith and Fitness
It has been my ritual to offer eggs at St. Clare Monastery as often as I can. I try to go there weekly, and it has been helping me find my center since I have decided to let her intercede on my behalf. I have hypothyroidism, so I am dependent on keeping fit in order to have ideal blood test results. Praying at the monastery has given me hope and renewed my faith. My ideal time to visit would be after my weekend Zumba class, when traffic is nonexistent and my drive is as leisurely as it could get. The endorphins I have released post-workout also triggers my belief in a Higher Power. I offer eggs because it is my only tangible gift to an unseen intercessor. This bridges my prayers from this world to the next, and I hope that my offerings are appreciated in heaven.
Keeping fit physically and spiritually is possible. I am dependent on rituals, and this is my personal one. It has helped me especially during those times when my faith is challenged. I also go there to give thanks. Every prayer ends with an amen , and the promise of a better day ahead.
Day 39: From Bed to the Beat
I woke up to the sound of rain. I immediately knew that working out at the park is not feasible so I dragged myself to dance. I exercised to the beat of my videos and I eventually felt my joints loosen. My body got warmer and before I knew it, my workout was over. I was starving but I had better ways of rewarding myself for bouncing from the bed to the beat.
I had coconut water along with my thyroxine supplement for my hypothyroidism. I drove to my favorite monastery to pray, and enjoyed my leisurely trip to SGD Coffee. I had an etag carbonara and SGD black. All this rain and morning chill got me craving for a piece of Sagada, which I did experience! Not bad for a Saturday morning, and it is only 8:54. I still have the whole day ahead of me.
Day 33: The Beginning, Part Two
Today marks the end of my second round of my 15 Days of Writing True Class. It is a beginning more than an ending, because my first one ushered in a daily writing habit which led to attending the Writing Room e-course and embarking on my own #The100DayProject. Today is also my thirty-third day into this journey. I am thankful that I never run out of topics to write about. Life has many experiences to delight, surprise, and move me. Even a recent traumatic event has led me to count my blessings and realize that yes, there are still plenty of reasons to say thank you for each new day.
I will soon be ending my three-year relationship with my diet delivery service. My workplace does not allow deliveries of food subscriptions without knowing when to expect them. The recent growth of the diet company has led to erratic delivery times, so I cannot have them delivered to my office. If I continue having them delivered at home, it will cause me to be late for my shift. It was a painful decision, but being with them has trained me to count my calories, practice proper portion control for my body's needs, and eat healthful options to address my unique nutritional needs. Having hypothyroidism AND keeping trim is difficult, but it IS doable. Embarking on this new chapter may seem shallow to most people, but for me, feeding myself without the aid of my diet service is a form of freedom. Of course, responsibility comes along with this, so I have to continue controlling my portions and choosing my food with care.
I am excited to commence writing without a writing class for the first time in over a month. I will learn to use my voice to highlight the good and keep it real in my online island. So instead of marking this last day of #15DaysOfWritingTrue as an end, I am considering this as a beginning.
I cannot wait to write on the ordinary, the special, and the true!
Day 18: Why I Don't Write
I'm writing this entry as I am enjoying a cup of halo-halo! The definitive Filipino summer delicacy is perfect for this sunny day. It is also a sweet way to usher in ROUND TWO of my 15 Days of Writing True!
I have learned in design thinking that repeating a process albeit in a different iteration fosters creativity. I chose to repeat my class not because I failed, but because I want to see how this journey can be taken differently. How can I enjoy a trip with another perspective? There is only one way to find out and that is by taking it all over again.
Here's my fearless Day 1 output!
I am here at Human Nature for their beauty fair! They have released a bronzer, lip miracle (sunflower oil-infused lip balm) and cheek tint! I have personally tested them and they are perfect for sensitive skin and everyday use. I also adore this brand as they are a social enterprise that provides employment to those who need it most.
I can't wait to see how Round Two turns out. For now, I need to finish my halo-halo and shop for sustainable makeup.
Day 5: Push Yourself
I woke up this morning feeling lazy. I was tempted to press the snooze button before I dragged my feet off the bed to change into my workout clothes and prepare for my fitness class. I can actually make it in time for my aerodance group. I was about to get inside my car when I asked our helper to take my picture.
The picture was enough to inspire me workout. I'm a visual learner, so photos really speak to me. Seeing my abs has motivated me to push myself further. Just like that, my laziness has melted away. I rode my car and drove to my aerodance class.
I had so much fun dancing and moving for an hour and a half. Sometimes, all I need is a picture to push myself even when there is a force pulling me back to bed. Note to self: the bed cannot give you abs!