Got to ride a jeepney today. We parked the car a little further than usual so we either walk, take a trike(cycle) or ride a jeepney. Walking was a bit dangerous in the area so we said either one of the last two we will take to get to the car. My brother T (and Y and T) got to a trike first. D and I got to ride the JEEPNEY. It was short (and a bit scary because the area is known for thieves! Haha) and interesting. Reminds me of days when I used to commute all through public transportation. It was great experiencing this again.

Resonating thoughts: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

Be grateful of the lessons of the PAST. Forgive ourselves of the mistakes of the past. Be open to the learnings it brings to us to be stronger, tougher, and wiser. Look back to those memories with gentleness and warmth.

Be PRESENT today. Pay attention to the details. Be aware of what’s infront of us. Remove the distractions so we can give our full attention to what deserves our attention. Be mindful of what to ignore when it only creates toxic thoughts or emotions. Life is short to think of the shallow. Life should be spent on those that beautifies our moments breathing.

Be hopeful of the FUTURE. Look forward with positivity. Know that the future is within our reach because of our investment in looking back and staying mindful of our today. The future will be here soon enough. Be patient. Be vigilant. And look forward with optimism. Know that we are blessed with grace and being prepared for the future we worked for.

Most importantly, stay thankful for every waking moment and for every experience that is meant to enrich and unfold at life’s divine timing.

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #SecondLife

Mountainous run this morning but loving the chilly weather!

Resonating thoughts this morning: STOP AND GO. STOP TO GO.

January is about to end and it has been a busy and productive few weeks. Met some familiar faces from prior years and it always is a joy to see them reaching for their dreams. Met new faces as well and is a joy to learn from their unique experiences and stories. There are days I felt pumped up because energy is up and high. There were days I felt tired I had to recharge by having some alone time.

One thing I realized these past few weeks is that every meeting whether with new people or not, has to be rewarding for the other person and ourselves. Those people from prior years has good stories to tell and we shared good memories together. The new people I met these weeks I am sure I will miss till next time.

But the most important thing is BALANCE. Sometimes it means we need to stop so we can move forward. On days I grew tired, there is a need to rest (Thank you to my friends for reminding me!). Sometimes, we try to chase everything in one day. But M reminds me we cannot change the world in one day. J also reminds me that we need to rest so we can do many more things. B teaches me to keep going; that one rejection is not the end but the beginning to keep going. D teaches me to keep being excited for the weeks ahead.

We need to STOP to GO ON and conquer the world with GOOD intentions and ACTS that make this world a little bit better.

Let the FUN begin!

#TheGratefulCompilation #RoadToBubbles #42on40

Been here since Sunday and this is the first time my feet touched the sands.Quiet morning today and it was beautiful outside.

Resonating thoughts: CONVERSATIONS.

We interact with many personalities. And we interact with many reasons. Sometimes it comes very natural. Sometimes it is a lot of work for some (like me!). It is time spent and where we spend time, we spend energy.

Where energy is invested, parts of us are opened up. And when we open up, we let ourselves become vulnerable. And vulnerability is PRICELESS.So let’s keep conversations HONEST and WORTHWHILE.

Keep it going with those who invest on us and with the right intentions. Move away when it starts eating you up or if you cannot return the required openness. We treat people as we treat ourselves.And if that happens, it should only get better.

Let’s maximize every opportunity to enrich us and others in every MEANINGFUL conversation.

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #SecondLife

I was anticipating an easy run. But got an extended trail run instead! It has been a while and I can feel my hamstrings all tightened up. Good terrain elevations for today’s run. Was a slow run but overall good for my leg muscles and knees to get warmed up. Got to see some impact of the storm that hit the island but got to see the beauty of the island in many different angles.
Slow 5km trail run today but truly blessed morning.Resonating thoughts today: STARTING ANEW.We all have experienced pain and suffering in many forms. We have had our own share of struggles. All those taught us lessons. All those kept us standing till today. While vulnerability is a risk, it is also a gift we give ourselves to keep us soft and steady.When starting anew, we need to learn to give up those that are not good for us. We need to give space to those we choose to keep in our lives.Most importantly, we need to forgive ourselves and those that were part of the broken-ness we felt.START OVER. But this time, wiser. As we run the steeps and slopes, remember every road leads to where we desire to go. And it is up to us to push forward to get there – battle scars and all and standing. No room for doubt just a lot of hope.#TheGratefulCompilation #RoadToBubbles #42on40

All these smiles brought to you by 108 sun salutations by Evolve Yoga. Good thing this group’s energy all throughout the practice was contagious!

Resonating thoughts: Do something you have never done before. See the magic happen.

This was my first time doing 108 sun salutations as a dedicated practice. I have always been curious so I decided to give it a try.

Started off with a gentle flow of Surya Namaskara A that grounded and convinced me I miss being on my mat. I started happy and stable and highly focused on the breath. As the practice shifted and the pace increased with every pose, I noticed myself getting distracted and I started losing track of the breath. There was no stopping and I could feel pain in my arms (I dont have strong arms…yet). As the pace increased further, I find myself struggling with the poses and was finding it hard to keep up with the instructions of the teacher. I started to feel frustrated and a little angry at myself as I always want to do well in all I do. So I pushed and pushed.

Then a thought. Yoga is about being gentle with ourselves. It is NOT about forcing or pushing. It is about staying in the moment going with the flow where the breath take us. At one point, I decided to rest when my arms got too painful. Few breaths in Child’s Pose, sometimes in Standing Pose, sometimes in Down Dog. I wanted to return to the breath, breathe through the pain, accept where my body was willing to take me. I smile in between because I realize I have done something new. Something new. For me. ☺️😜😘

There is always good in doing something that challenges us. While it maybe difficult as we go through it and maybe painful at times. Post all of it, we will thank ourselves for going through the process and learning.

The practice ended with one last round of Surya Namaskar A and then Savasana. That is where the magic happens – we think through the experience and we pause and step back. Reassess then get up and start a brand new morning bringing the lessons of the mat. The magic of going, getting and most especially the magic of rest.

#TheGratefulCompilation #LessonsOfTheMat #AneurysmSurvivor

In 2019, this all happened: Quit job. New job. Survived Aneurysm. Prescribed to get rested for six months (to one year) for full recovery. Grateful for my second life.

In the span of my healing period: Got my first tattoo. Barista Training. Home brewing class. Gradually getting back to yoga and running. Took swimming class (can now swim!). Took Baking Class. Fell in love with Yin Yoga. Travel to my favorite cities again – Osaka and NY.
Got clearance to be back to work and discovered Texas (Dallas, San Antonio, Waco and Austin). Reconnected with family members and friends.

Been a very eventful 2019.

It is a year full of endings and beginnings. It is a year of goodbyes to those just passing by and a story of reignition of those choosing to stay. It is a year of struggles and triumphs. It is a year we witness how God can transform adversity to blessings.

It is a year of revelations of what is true and not. It is a year of filling the gaps with what matters – family, and friends who we think of as family. It is a year about rediscovery of what we love and value and about discovery of else we were scared of before but winning over fear. It is a year of skills unlocking and of finding time to rebuild ties and bonds. It is a year of spending time and energy on those that matter. It is a story about time and that is not given to be wasted but to enjoy to get us better, healthier, stronger and wiser.

It is a year of openness and guarding of the heart while learning to be strong and soft at the same time. It is a year of getting marked for all the life lessons learned leading to gratitude. It a year of stories of survival and forgiveness. It is a year of being proud of our battle scars that becomes a symbol of us standing tall and a symbol of bravery unlocking the warrior in us. It is a year of finding our way back home.

Let’s bring the lessons we learned this year. Forgive ourselves for our misgivings and overdoings. Be kind to ourselves and keep an open and strong heart. Treat everyday as if it is the last. The right time is NOW. Laugh loudly both at our mistakes and our follies. Love like how you want to be loved. And witness how gratitude changes us and how that changes the world.

Cheers to the new decade that awaits!

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #SecondLife

FIRST month “out in the open” with my story. First 30 days of getting back to my version of meaningful work. And almost SEVEN months after being discharged from the hospital after aneurysm.

Some resonating thoughts:

Every moment. EVERY person. Is another OPPORTUNITY to learn. Be good. Be bad. Is all meant to ENRICH us. Teach us to dive into our greatest FEARS and chase those which give us JOY. Some people will leave. Some will stay in our lives. Some will mean well. SOME will care less. And in many instances if not all, we will choose to remain open and accept all that life GIVES. Some we will accept with FULLNESS. Some we will reject sometimes leaving that bad taste BEHIND.

Many things this year has taught me. One thing very clear is it is about letting LIFE happen as it should. With courage for second chances and being comfortable in new beginnings; wisdom to know the difference between those who INTEND to ravage us and those who intend to fill our hearts. Be filled with grace or angst. Or just be.

Most especially, this year is about being thankful for the blessings of everyday – another CHANCE to reawaken what was lost, to reignite our ‘lost’ passions, and by reconnecting to lost ties, AND letting go when we should and must. In many ways, by helping ourselves, we help the world. In the same way, as we give to the world, we receive for ourselves.

One friend told me, “Really be you as you are. Because it will INSPIRE the world.” Let’s all inspire life to be better and see what magic it brings. Everyday is about making that difference matter because life is very short.

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #SecondLife

It was a tiring trip. Took a straight flight from Manila to LA, then LA to Dallas. First time to take this route and got myself safely “home” to the hotel.
I was wondering all throughout the trip how “support” will pick me up. There was no specifics just that it will be waiting by the baggage claim area. I got there waiting to claim my luggages then the phone call. Wearing a suit with a gold tie, he called while waving at me saying he will just be there and will wait for me. Told him I might take a few minutes because I was waiting for my bags. It was Sami. He was the driver assigned for me.

Then we started our trip from the airport to the hotel.
SAMI. He was warm and personable and ‘had stories’ to tell. He told me he is Jordanian and has good Filipino friends. He wants to visit the Philippines. He is not scared of asking question and you could tell, he is well updated with growth in the area and world happenings.

Then all I knew we were just chatting – about population, how one place is growing and how one place is getting smaller, to impacts of war and the quest for peace: we talked about discipline how it is critical for success, how balance is important to ensuring we have “lived” our lives; we talked about how our parents played a big role in setting us up for success (I was telling him of anecdotes from childhood about my mom and dad) and he told me stories of his dad; we talked about chakras and why it is important to pay attention to what messages we are receiving from the Universe (he knows this, too! Can you imagine my excitement on this conversation?);

He is also a believer that nothing happens as a coincidence, that there is a GRAND PLAN – Everything meant to happen will happen. It was an enjoyable 40min ride from the airport!

Angels are around us in forms of family, people around us, and even strangers! Last month, I met Nicole from NY, and now on my first day, I have met Sami. I maybe feeling physically tired, but my heart is grateful appreciating the little conversations and being listened to. What a warm welcome in the midst of 9°C weather!

#TheGratefulCompilation #SecondLife #AneurysmSurvivor

PS. Photo was a ‘stolen’ shot.😛😛

Lots of thoughts today. On work and people. Of friends and ‘friends.’ Of strangers and family.
I fought for my life and was lucky to be alive today. With the grace that God provides, I try to make sense of the ‘whys’ and the ‘hows’ as to why I am still here and what it is for.

Some resonating thoughts:
There will be those that will be authentic to us. There will be those that will constantly disappoint us. But here is a thought, we cannot control those. We can only hope that every relationship that starts and ends, goes well and ends well. It is about time to be open, time to be vulnerable, and to treat people how we expect to be treated. And sometimes, it is about being hurt. Sometimes it is about disappointment. But we all get strong nonetheless. There is always reason for everything.

I also realize that there are those who don’t deserve to be in our lives and we don’t deserve to be in theirs. That even if there was a ‘click,’ then maybe it is about tangent lines. You meet for a reason. You meet for a lesson. And you meet at one point in our lives. And that’s it. I try to fight that before and it takes a lot. Now, it is different. Life is short and can be taken so easily. Today, no pushing, no pulling, just letting be while appreciating those who want to stay more than those who just pass by.

And then there are those who we appreciate and appreciate us back. Those who love in silence even if we have not been perfect. Those who show up when it matters. Those who we don’t readily recognize as gold in our lives. Sometimes, we are the ones like that to other people.

My point, people will choose how they spend their time. And they will spend it with heart and soul. We will be asked to forgive or we will ask for it. We will be exposed and some will expose themselves back. Watch who chooses us. Watch those who runs away from us. We might be very surprised.

#TheGratefulCompilation #AneurysmSurvivor #SecondLife