tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16985109091163657532024-03-19T20:25:51.731-07:00Wella's WorldMy world, in wordsWellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-76389457126492397412023-01-29T09:52:00.002-08:002023-01-29T09:52:37.577-08:00This 2023...Focus on What Brings Joy to Your Soul<p>2022 was an eventful year for me. From having a baby to my struggles as a full-time working mom- both at work, my business, and my personal life- there are many realizations along the way. But when it comes down to it, I realize that there's only one overarching lesson that persists through it all and that in whatever situation I'm in, every decision I come across, I make sure that I'm choosing to do things that bring joy to my soul.</p><p><br /></p><p>You see, life is too short to make decisions that may serve everybody around you but to the expense of your already full plate and draining mental health. This is not to be selfish; I am saying so that you can always live a life that is true to yourself, which is what matters most at the end of the day and your life.</p><p><br /></p><p>Before the end of the year, I found out that I got selected for a new position closer to where I live. And while I resisted for a long time to make changes in my work life, mainly because I like where I work and my kids(and I) are happy in their school and daycare despite the long, grueling 6-hour daily drives, I couldn't help but tell myself there must be something better than this lifestyle we've been on for years. But I was scared to make the change because it might make things too uncomfortable for my kids, and I was worried. </p><p>But then I also knew deep inside that kids are resilient and that a change of school and daycare may devastate them initially, but they only have new experiences and friends to look forward to after all's been said and done. And they still get to keep their old friends, thanks to the beautiful world of technology. </p><p>And why am I willing to change? I realized that while things are comfortable, deep inside, I'm hanging on to dear life to keep my sanity and health intact. I was tired. Exhausted. My mood is a rollercoaster. And I'm effing tired of trying to catch up and survive. Because of the drive, I don't have time (sometimes even to shower) to do it all over again. And for what? A micro-manager who knows nothing of your job and yet chooses to be involved in every tiny specific detail that has nothing to do with his management.</p><p>So, there's my first rant for this year.</p><p>And this year, I decided to focus on things that bring me joy...writing, spending time with family, sleeping, unapologetically getting massages, and flushing toxic people out of my life. I also just started the NP program, so I will be busy. </p><p>A lot of changes in my blog/biz/coaching life. I'm taking a break from coaching for now as it takes so much energy. As a mental health nurse, I feel emotionally, physically, and mentally drained from helping clients. While I feel good seeing their transformation as they process their trauma, coaching does entail you bring your whole self to the table, and it wouldn't be fair if I'm only half-ass coaching them. </p><p>This year, I will focus on what nourishes my exhausted soul the most: bringing my creativity through writing, journaling, and journal-making. In fact, I already have one journal published in Amazon and many more to come. You can check it out <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR4YXSQC" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>Ok, that's all for now.</p><p><br /></p><p>XOXO, </p><p><br /></p><p>Wella</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-78285410959826518662022-11-08T18:36:00.002-08:002022-11-08T18:36:06.502-08:00This is why #momlife is worth it<p><br /></p><p> I often talked about my son’s struggles during his first few years in school. His teacher/principal/school psychologist/other staff all didn’t wanna deal with him and won’t have him get tested despite all their complaints.</p><p><br /></p><p>Of course they have to blame it on our lifestyle and long drive home.</p><p><br /></p><p>E.g. he has boundaries issue/he always gets up in the middle of the class/he is often restless/does not listen.</p><p><br /></p><p>Instead of offering help or whatever they can do about it, they instead asked me: “if you want him tested and come out with mental health issues, do you really want that stigma for your son?”</p><p><br /></p><p>Needless to say, I had to homeschool him and move him to another school. A school that took the time to work with him and evaluate him. Thanks to the caring staff. And his pediatrician who confirmed what we thought he already had (ADHD) and immediately placed him in an IEP program.</p><p><br /></p><p>And after a couple years of IEP coupled with CBT and yes meds, he’s finally coping well and doing well. </p><p><br /></p><p>Anyways, a couple months ago he started reading for 30 minutes on his own everyday when we get home at 8 PM. He said his teacher told him to read for 30 minutes a day and so he did.</p><p><br /></p><p>And I’m surprised to get this in my inbox. So yes I’m proud of him, and he’ll prolly get a $20 Roblox gift card. And anyone is welcome to donate to his Roblox funds lol</p><p><br /></p><p>To all mommas out there, you are your child’s biggest advocate. Always.</p><p><br /></p><p>Also, shout out Mira Palsario thanks for the awesome tutoring which has helped Marcus a lot. Will be connecting again with you soon since I got more kids ❤️☺️🎉🎊</p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-35542787533923570252022-08-04T14:44:00.004-07:002022-08-04T14:44:47.565-07:00Want to become part of a thriving wellness tribe?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLek0zxy5Uadd0yrXG_Qc3Ga1umvftgq_JCNQEy_M0hwMcDBVaR1eVaVIQ_l5Xaao0aVGKLV1h2r_trIe-ipu12bU4rHYlKy4L563HgWzEROUXpPXYpcOptPG_2PBjw7vk9I3S3p1kAR9LmaHPK39PDuf5gBKA2euQGCNY3otJ5D51ypdnQJxWKvvwA/s3088/IMG_0242_Original.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLek0zxy5Uadd0yrXG_Qc3Ga1umvftgq_JCNQEy_M0hwMcDBVaR1eVaVIQ_l5Xaao0aVGKLV1h2r_trIe-ipu12bU4rHYlKy4L563HgWzEROUXpPXYpcOptPG_2PBjw7vk9I3S3p1kAR9LmaHPK39PDuf5gBKA2euQGCNY3otJ5D51ypdnQJxWKvvwA/w248-h331/IMG_0242_Original.JPG" width="248" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Hi awesome reader!<p></p><p><br /></p><p> I hope you’re doing well. As for me, I’m currently recovering from Covid, and it is a pain.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Although I can say that most of my symptoms have subsided (headache, chills, fatigue, muscle and body ache, still have a nasty cough with phlegm plus diarrhea), id says the virus still took a toll on me I’m still feeling tired.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">On a lighter note, having Covid kinda pushed me to really slow things down a little and just breathe (literally). Yes, I would still get irritated because our neglected home looked like a pig pen. And sometimes, I feel I am only half rested because we have five kids isolating with us (two are newborns).</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">But at the end of the day, I’m happy to not be at work at the moment while recovering and watching all the Netflix series I can (hello, true crime documentaries!) and binge-watch my guilty-pleasure-don’t judge-me-reality show: Cheaters lol.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Ok, so now I’m just blabbing, lol.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><u style="direction: ltr;">An Invitation for You:</u></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Every two weeks (starting Sunday, Aug 14th @ 6 PM PST), I lead a wellness lounge/meeting for women looking to become a healthier and more balanced version of themselves.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><a data-link-id="1000424506" href="https://oursacredcommunity.com/mec-events/connected-moms/" style="color: #09c269; direction: ltr; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></a></span></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><a data-link-id="1000424509" href="https://oursacredcommunity.com/mec-events/connected-moms/" style="color: #09c269; direction: ltr; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">From Chaos to Connected Tribe: Your Wellness Journey</a></span> is about finding the right balance between work and play, diet and exercise, self-care and self-improvement, fitness and flexibility.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">In this <span style="direction: ltr;"><a data-link-id="1000424511" href="https://oursacredcommunity.com/mec-events/connected-moms/" style="color: #09c269; direction: ltr; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">tribe</a></span>, we are dedicated to improving your life and helping each other do the same. It’s a safe place where you can talk about your struggles and receive advice from people who want to see you succeed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">The group is about finding your true self, expressing it, and helping others do the same.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Are you ready to join? For only $1, you get to trial different tribes like Spiritual Development Essentials, Align by Design (which teaches human design), Restore Your Inner Money Guru (one of my faves, I’m an active member), and many other tribes of special interest.<br style="direction: ltr;" /><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Check out <span style="direction: ltr;"><a data-link-id="1000424513" href="https://oursacredcommunity.com/mec-events/connected-moms/" style="color: #09c269; direction: ltr; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; text-size-adjust: 100%; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">From Chaos to Connected Tribe</a></span> here, and let me know...will I see you on August 14th @ 6 PM PST?</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #6f6f6f; direction: ltr; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /></p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-25900388509499568682022-05-13T11:09:00.002-07:002022-05-13T17:57:43.749-07:00You won't believe what I did<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY22DIqcJbe4H74xnIyGqdBam1-0vjpose_c0uoSYSIi9XLZj60Y1CPWE4vs2fB-CBrV8mcUJvgpgs1Za0sEQ-fxNheYfVZopyqFF3LmFm-ERliTBIgHnuM7-db6-bYzket0KysBfYe5mqtkYp1wpRLM6iZcBlhYTI6OcMDVCY3faF1bxc8rCqOhiQfw/s2048/_Z4A2060.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY22DIqcJbe4H74xnIyGqdBam1-0vjpose_c0uoSYSIi9XLZj60Y1CPWE4vs2fB-CBrV8mcUJvgpgs1Za0sEQ-fxNheYfVZopyqFF3LmFm-ERliTBIgHnuM7-db6-bYzket0KysBfYe5mqtkYp1wpRLM6iZcBlhYTI6OcMDVCY3faF1bxc8rCqOhiQfw/w400-h267/_Z4A2060.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">I did something extreme just very recently. Actually, I had this epiphany that finally came to terms with me when I finally let go and shared this with the Universe and my excellent mentor and biz coach last week. </p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Side note: The coach I hired works with women transitioning their idea into a business, and I love how she specializes in helping you overcome fear. IMO fear seems too basic, yet everyone gets set back by fear and anxiety at some point. And sometimes, it’s easier to tell yourself to just get over this fear rather than actually getting over it.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Let me share a quick background: For the past few years, I’ve transitioned from becoming a health/life coach to a blogger, then back to coaching then blogging again without having much clarity on who I am helping, what I’m helping, that person with and why help her to begin with.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">But then this idea in my head keeps getting louder and louder. I have been working on a group coaching program for the past 3-4 months, and I’ve put a lot of effort into it. As much as I feel aligned with the program itself because it is “me,” I still feel something is missing.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Anyways, this may shock you, so prepare yourself.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Whenever something big happens in my life or business, I HAVE to tell my readers.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">This epiphany is something that really matters to me… so here I am, sharing this with you!</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><strong style="direction: ltr;"><em style="direction: ltr;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></em></strong></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><strong style="direction: ltr;"><em style="direction: ltr;">… Are you ready for it?</em></strong></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><strong style="direction: ltr;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></strong></p><div style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><strong style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m taking a break from coaching.</span></strong></div><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">There. I said it.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Before you start unsubscribing or throwing eggs at me, let me explain myself! I have a perfect reason behind why I decided to take a break from it.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><strong style="direction: ltr;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></strong></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><strong style="direction: ltr;">It may go against my purpose, but here’s why I did it:</strong></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">I know and absolutely believe that my passion and purpose lie in creating meaningful connections with women, especially moms like me but I feel like I’m on the wrong platform and somehow doing it the “misaligned” way.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">So instead of coaching them, I want to celebrate them.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /><br style="direction: ltr;" />With this decision, I want to provide a platform for you, strong mom, to share your own unique story, dreams, visions, etc. w judgment or worry over wine, coffee, tea, or even freshly infused alkaline water! </p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Note: I’ve always believed there’s truth in wine, and there’s something about it that allows you to relax and overcome your inhibitions. Eventually, the truth comes out when you finally feel that nothing is holding you back in your body.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Here's the thing.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">I have listened to countless podcasts celebrating 6-figure-earner go-getter moms, whether they are staying at home raising kids or building their career and side hustle at the same time. I get it. They work their ass. They have connections. And that is good. Make money. Hell yes.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">But I have never heard the story of the mom who is struggling to achieve what little or huge dream she has. Is this you? If so, I want to know about you, regardless of how much money you have in your bank account, whether you’re hustling or not. Whether you are starting your business, in the middle of it, or don’t’ care much for the entrepreneur life. If you have a hobby you are super passionate about, please share so.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">I want to know how you’re changing diapers while setting your alarm clock @ 1:45 PM so you can take a quick 20-minute nap before you pick up your first grader with your 6-month baby in tow, all the while spending the last $20 of your budget on a Canva template tutorial so you can sell some digital products in Etsy without your so-called well-meaning family members or friends ever realizing it for fear of judgment.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">I want to know how you’re waking up at 4:30 am to prep your kid’s snack, get them ready for daycare while you make time for your morning coffee, shit, and shower routine, and be out the door to beat the traffic at 5:45 am, bracing yourself for the 1.5-hour drive ahead.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">I want to know how you made plans on Friday night to wake up @ 5 am on a Saturday to do some much needed Saturday morning self-care routine as it’s plastered all over your IG feed, telling you how you need that time because it is good for you (and I agree)…only to be woken up by a ready to go toddler asking you to go to the beach @ 4:59 AM.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">I want to provide a sacred space for you to be vulnerable and casually ask yourself: “Will I ever get there?” There- which mean different things to different people. “There” can be a restful, uninterrupted sleep. “There" can be a business breakthrough or a profit goal you have yet to achieve. “There” can be your first sale in your business. There can simply be nailing your morning routine so your first grader can finally show up on time to school.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Because it’s ok to doubt yourself sometimes.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">I doubt myself too.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">I doubt myself while writing this. Is this something that the world needs? Another place to vent?</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Maybe by expressing yourself (or venting, as you may call it), you are actually helping another soul, say, on the other side of the world or street?</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Maybe by sharing your truth and becoming as authentic as you are in a casual convo over wine or tea or whatever, you are inspiring the next person to accept the frustrations of her life so she may learn to thrive in them instead of resisting them?</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">After all, this is simply an idea. But if you like it, and if you have a story you wanna share (every story I believe is worth sharing no matter how uneventful you think it is), will you let me know?</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Hit reply/comment and share your brief story so you can be the first (or one of the first) in my list of amazing moms ready to share their truth.</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="direction: ltr;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">Can’t wait!</p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #6f6f6f; direction: ltr; font-family: Poppins, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"></p><p style="direction: ltr; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%;"></p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-78988096144575279662022-04-29T11:00:00.004-07:002022-05-13T11:11:22.852-07:003 Toxic Mom Myths You Need To Break Away From Right Now<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrMNOVhsGGi8m9fj-6ww-r6UrpfrC0YnJpdUx9BWQ5jnTn8c9zTiYzg0cgoJ7yk9IACIHKeIZ2Ry_MeJ_7KXIUxpXFPTsNldPWhp71xG6ZfJzCfu1RdFSPrKqdaMBcmoEk58pc0PqegXL5eISc1SZs67YjgbfoNdRlV3Apb9gXUKc8B-_TtlXRAGXKA/s2560/Lifestyle-SG-421.1-Pixistock-31-scaled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2560" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrMNOVhsGGi8m9fj-6ww-r6UrpfrC0YnJpdUx9BWQ5jnTn8c9zTiYzg0cgoJ7yk9IACIHKeIZ2Ry_MeJ_7KXIUxpXFPTsNldPWhp71xG6ZfJzCfu1RdFSPrKqdaMBcmoEk58pc0PqegXL5eISc1SZs67YjgbfoNdRlV3Apb9gXUKc8B-_TtlXRAGXKA/w400-h266/Lifestyle-SG-421.1-Pixistock-31-scaled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: ArialMT;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">Hey momma! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">Did you ever get caught up
with those Unrealistc Super Mommy goals? I know I did at some point. I gotta
admit it’s always a struggle.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">But lemme tell you about
these 3 toxic myths that you break away from, especially when you just had a
baby, whether you’re a brand new mom or you just had baby #7.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">As the popular saying goes,
“you are your worst enemy and best asset” so it’s time to align that mindset.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Myth #1: You will get your
body back in X amount of time. You just need to wait and kill yourself every
day at the treadmill.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">It’s time to give yourself
that grace and embrace that mombod you got. Regardless of what it looks like
remember you just literally grew a human that you either pushed out of your
vajay or had somebody cut you open. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">Healthy is always better
than skinny. If you know you are taking care of yourself, you’re not getting
sick, you’re getting your wine on I mean green juice, then seriously stop
obsessing over your voluptuous, stretch marks-fested new and improve body of
yours.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">I had someone ask me 3
months after I had this handsome boy why my tummy is still big. I’m like B*$tch
please, it’s been 30-something years since your last one and yours still worse
than mine. *drop the mic<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Myth # 2: Motherhood is
enjoyable.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">If you’re not enjoying
being a mom then so be it. Be curious about it, explore it and accept that you
feel that way. No need to add this to your list of #reasons why you have mom
guilt. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">That’s why you go see a
shrink, pop a Prozac, get your wine and move on. Ok I know it’s not always that
ideal. But it’s ok to not enjoy this role of being a mom. It’s not ok to
neglect your mental health.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1 style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;">Myth # 3: Breastfeeding is
best.</span></p></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">I breastfeed my baby and
supplement with formula. Why? Because I’m not a milk factory and my body can’t
make enough milk to match his needs. He’s growing like crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">Some moms can’t breastfeed
for certain reasons. Maybe they don’t want to. Maybe it’s just hard. And that’s
ok. Again, no need to put that in your #momguiltlist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">But just as there are so many
reasons why moms can’t do it, so is the judgment. To be honest, as long as your
baby is fed, that’s all that matters. Ain't nobody gonna call child protective
services on you just cuz your boobies ain't hanging out feeding your baby 24/7.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;">Why is believing in
these 3 myths problematic?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">Because believing in these
3 myths will cripple you from being the mom you wanna be. Your<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">confidence gets affected,
you don't seek guidance, and then…you know. #momguilt.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">As someone who’s been
through this 3 times plus all the stepkids I’m blessed with, I’ve been there.
But as someone who helps other moms like me, I’ve seen breakthrough after
breakthrough and I know that it’s not difficult. Just people don’t have the
right support when it comes to #momwellness and #momselfcare.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">They get advice from people
who have their own opinion of them, then they start thinking they’re not good
enough.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">The bottom line is if you wanna
be a good mom then just stop comparing yourself for once. You are the standard.
Take heart and don’t doubt yourself for a second.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">P.S. Tbh, I go off and yell
at my kids when their unmedicated, sugarized behinds are all over the place.
But then again, I’m just a mom tryna get through the day. Who loves her kids
with all her existence..that’s all!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p>XOXO,</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><o:p>Wella</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-29583467290111606572022-04-04T00:00:00.003-07:002022-04-29T11:01:16.246-07:0010 Secrets to Creating Small Zen Moments Even When You Don't Have Time<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4CHtk85U1gw-eQCzvEBV63Ss9iWR-QEM9KXDVUBMgSeAKeiqZrinxBEAuLehRKNFkDbXype-ro3OBBDAWOU_R8X23Njpzm-nfUeofbTDJjJ8RY7Rqdp6fStsU2M5j6jaVhfX0dYcDr2K9PxmF8gW-aPdlRO5RCCDcp6jy4Nf0CIiFOgkVxN1cjzgIg/s2560/Lifestyle-521-SB-Pixistock-63-scaled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2560" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4CHtk85U1gw-eQCzvEBV63Ss9iWR-QEM9KXDVUBMgSeAKeiqZrinxBEAuLehRKNFkDbXype-ro3OBBDAWOU_R8X23Njpzm-nfUeofbTDJjJ8RY7Rqdp6fStsU2M5j6jaVhfX0dYcDr2K9PxmF8gW-aPdlRO5RCCDcp6jy4Nf0CIiFOgkVxN1cjzgIg/w400-h266/Lifestyle-521-SB-Pixistock-63-scaled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Being a full-time working mom can be overwhelming. Sometimes, balancing life as a working mom can be almost impossible if not challenging. There are several misconceptions behind the idea of a calm, zen-like lifestyle, including the fact you have to endure lengthy, grueling meditations every single day. I’m sure there are some people that choose to do this, but it’s definitely not the case for most of you, the busy working mom.</p><p><br /></p><!--wp:paragraph-->
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<p>The truth is, living a balanced and peaceful life can mean many things, but the basic idea behind it is to turn your attention inward and truly reflect on your life, your thoughts, and your emotions. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<p>Sometimes, being at peace means slowing down and being mindful of the things you do. It means you are content with your thoughts and your place within the universe. All of these things are fully obtainable for anyone, no matter how much of a newbie you are to this Zen-like lifestyle. To help guide you on your way, here are 10 secrets: five morning and five evening habits you can try so you can be on your way to a calmer, peaceful life in no time. Let’s dig in!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Secret 1: Journal Your Thoughts</span></h1><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<p>A great way to kick off the first hour of the day is to journal your thoughts and reflect on the blessings in your life. It’s a wonderful way to clear your head and start your day on a positive note. I sometimes call this my "brain dump" hour. </p>
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<p>Journaling helps train your mind to actively seek out those moments, feelings, people, or experiences that you’re grateful for. This will also help you gain more clarity on your goals and your intentions for the day. It not only puts your goals out there front and center but keeps you motivated and focused on the direction you’re heading. </p>
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<p>Journaling is also a great way for you to look back and review these goals on a daily basis. It’s been said that writing down your goals will increase your chances of success by a huge percentage. It’s well worth a shot don’t you think? Make every effort to do this first thing in the morning and you’ll be surprised at how much more productive and less chaotic your days start to become. </p>
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<p>I have started journaling on my quiet Saturday mornings when everybody is still in bed, as that's when I usually do my writing. I don't journal every day, but I try to be consistent at least once a week, or when I sometimes get the chance (which is super rare) during the weekdays. All you need really is to get started and commit to that 10, 15, or 20 minutes of time for yourself.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">Secret 2: Get Your Body Moving</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>This is one of those habits that you might groan at, at first but it’s such an important one. This is why I like to call it movement instead of exercise almost people refer to. Movement is not only exercise. It is whatever feels comfortable for you and your body: dance, walk, swim, run, stretch, etc.</p>
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<p>Starting each day with any kind of body movement will help set your day up for success. Not only will you have more energy and mental clarity, but it also helps boost your productivity throughout your day. </p>
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<p>Moving your body also lifts your mood and helps you kick off the day with optimism and a smile. Don’t think too much into it. As I said, you don’t have to run a marathon each morning or do a grueling, hour-long workout. Simply get your body moving and your blood pumping. If you’re new to exercise, start by taking a morning walk or try some yoga (this is also great for clearing your head). </p>
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<p>Look up a 20-minute workout video on YouTube or download a fitness app to help get you started like <a href="https://www.zumba.com/en-US/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Zumba</a>, <a href="https://ondemand.jazzercise.com/?code=GSN2021&gclid=CjwKCAiA4veMBhAMEiwAU4XRr5OkSgld_gi9n-n5w0ZzHhxplkxr_ISMlY3BSxMlETDnNwqW3xXzQRoCp4QQAvD_" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Jazzercise</a>, or <a href="https://dailyburn.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Daily Burn</a> (if the gym is not an option). They may have both free and paid options so be sure to check into that before you get going. Start slow and just be consistent. You’ll find that being active first thing in the morning also helps you make healthier food choices throughout the day and sleep better at night- and that’s a win-win.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">Secret 3: Sit in Silence</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>What do you do when you first wake up in the morning? Do you tend to reach your phone and check your emails/text/social media? </p>
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<p>Before you begin your day, take time to simply sit in silence for a short while. Before your phone starts beeping, horns start blaring and everything else gets crazy, give yourself a moment to embrace the silence. How often do you actually allow yourself to do this? If you’re like the majority of people, it’s probably not very often. </p>
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<p>It’s so easy to get preoccupied with the craziness of life and forget to stop and smell the roses. Make an effort to really notice the beauty around you – even if it's simply to say a little prayer in your room or step outside for a minute to feel the gentle morning breeze blowing and the birds chirping. </p>
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<p>Take note of your breathing. This can be a form of meditation within itself just focusing solely on taking one breath in, letting one breath out. Waking up before the world can be one of the best parts of your day because you can clear your head and simply. Just. Be. This also gives you an opportunity to take in a beautiful sunrise while the darkness of the night fades away into a brand-new day.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">Secret 4: Visualize Your Future</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>When you start each day by visualizing what you want your future to look like, you automatically raise your frequency and set yourself up for success. Take 5-10 minutes each morning to picture something that you’re working towards. </p>
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<p>Is it a new job? A better car? A house on the beach? A staycation? That trip to Hawaii you’ve always wanted to take? Whatever it is, pick one thing and envision yourself living that moment.</p>
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<p> Tap into your creativity. How do you feel about making this dream a reality? What emotions are you going through? What are you wearing? Where do you live at the time? What does your life look like at that exact moment? </p>
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<p>Imagine yourself there and give visibility to your dreams through this process. A quick tip: Let go of the “hows.” During your visualization, you don’t need to know how your dream is going to happen, simply that it does. This is a fun way to get to know yourself better. Plus, it gets you pumped and ready for the day ahead.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">Secret 5: Water Yourself</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>This may be one of the most obvious suggestions but it’s also one that many people don’t follow. One of the first things you want to do when you wake up is drink water to rehydrate your body. Not only does this jump start your metabolism but it also assists in weight loss and increases your overall alertness during the day. </p>
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<p>Water helps to rid your body of toxins and can even give your skin a radiant glow. Need I say more? Those reasons alone make it so much more beneficial than reaching for a cup of coffee in a Starbucks drive-thru or grabbing a can of soda at work. Plus, limiting all that caffeine and sugar will do wonders for your overall health. </p>
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<p>Make it your best effort to grab a glass of water each morning to give your mind and body the kickstart they need for a successful day.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">Secret 6: Read a Book</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>I'm gonna be honest with you. I don't remember the last time I've read a book. But, I listen to audiobooks a lot on my way to and from work. But I believe that reading is so good for you, especially after a long day when you're unwinding right before bedtime. This not only relaxes your mind but reading has also been known to reduce stress and anxiety levels and combat insomnia as well.</p>
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<p>Reading helps distract your mind from the daily chaos of life and redirects your focus to what is written on the page of the book. In other words, reading creates a brief escape from the world around you and there’s no better time than right before you drift off to dream. </p>
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<p>Reading is also a great way to broaden your perspective and open your mind to new possibilities – this is why it’s no surprise that it can give your creativity a boost. Adding this habit to your nightly ritual can make a huge impact on how you sleep as well as how you feel the next day. What are you currently reading?</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">Secret 7: Pamper Yourself</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>We often push self-care routines to the side because we don’t have time, life is too crazy, it doesn’t work anyway – the excuses go on and on. However, developing a morning or nightly self-care routine is so important. </p>
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<p>You need to take time out for yourself, even if it’s just 10-15 minutes at a time. Besides sitting in silence or journaling first thing in the morning, try a nice, relaxing bubble bath on those nights when you have a little extra time or like I mentioned, reading a good book. This is a great way to unwind after a long day and let the noise of the world fade away. </p>
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<p>Give yourself the spa treatment and try a facemask or a Mani/Pedi to pretty up those nails. Making time to an actual spa is great and all but DIY is just as good especially if you're on a tight budget (as often is my case). Buy yourself some fresh flowers, go for a hike or watch funny videos on YouTube that make you laugh. </p>
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<p>Simply put, do something simply because you enjoy it. A self-care ritual is a great way to put you in a relaxed state and prep you for a good night’s sleep, or the day's craziness, whichever works.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">Secret 8: Prep for the Next Morning </h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>One way to make sure the next morning isn’t super chaotic is to prep for it the night before. Depending on what your mornings usually look like, your night prep might be something as simple as getting your clothing laid out for work or deciding on 3 tasks you want to focus on for the next day. </p>
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<p>Think about what will help your mornings run more smoothly and do that. If you are constantly running late because you have to make the kids lunches, start making them up the night before to give you a head start to the day. Developing a routine each evening where you feel prepped and ready for the next day will not only reduce stress but keep life from becoming too crazy the minute you wake up. </p>
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<p> In my case, this is something I really need to get started on because early mornings are spent prepping our kids for the long drive to daycare and school. Prepping their breakfast in the morning during the drive takes a good 15 minutes of our time and add 30 minutes of drive time.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">Secret 9: Limit Electronics Usage</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>Despite how wonderful technology can be, it can also greatly affect our ability to get a restful night’s sleep - or even fall asleep for that matter. From your smartphone to your TV to video gaming devices, you want to make every effort to reduce how much you use these electronics as the sun goes down. </p>
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<p>Instead of watching that last episode on Netflix or scrolling mindlessly through Facebook 30 minutes before bed, how about journaling or reading a good book to help you unwind (see Secret # 6) ? </p>
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<p>It’s especially important to keep your bedroom free from digital distractions. Set boundaries where you recognize that your bedroom is a place of relaxation, not an in-home movie theatre or social media station. By establishing this nighttime ritual, it’s much more likely that a long, peaceful sleep is in your near future.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">Secret 10: Meditate</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>Right before bed is a great time to try your hand at meditation so you can calm your mind and prepare for a good night’s sleep. If you’re new to meditation or have trouble shutting off your thoughts at night, it might be overwhelming to even know where to start. </p>
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<p>This is where guided meditation comes in. This type of meditation can help you focus and get out of your own head while keeping those distracting thoughts at bay. There are several apps to help you get started including <a href="https://insighttimer.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Insight Timer</a> and <a href="http://www.headspace.com" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Headspace</a>. Or, you can always look up <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=short+guided+meditation" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">free short guided meditations in Youtube</a>.</p>
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<p>You don’t have to commit to an hour-long meditation - who has time for that anyway? There are a ton of short and quick meditations to start with so just pick one and roll with it. Meditation takes practice (even the guided kind). Don’t give up if your mind should start to wander the first 12 times you try it. Be consistent and in just 5-10 minutes daily, you can start to transform your life with little to no effort.</p>
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<h2><br /></h2><h2><br /></h2><h1 style="text-align: left;">Conclusion</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>Daily life can be full of stress, craziness, and a never-ending list of to-dos. For this reason, it’s super important that you commit to morning and evening rituals that allow you to find your Zen – a little calm inside all the chaos. </p>
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<p>If you find yourself constantly on edge, overwhelmed by life, and unable to sleep at night, that’s a good sign you need these simple habits to make your life a little more calming and peaceful. </p>
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<p>You don’t have to commit a ton of time and effort. Simply be consistent and make these rituals a part of your everyday life. Start small and try one or two at a time just to ease yourself into the process. Don’t beat yourself up if your mind wanders during meditation or you don’t drink as much water as you should. It’s all part of the journey. You may slip up a time or two. </p>
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<p>Give yourself patience and grace and keep at it. Finding your inner peace doesn’t happen overnight but with a few of these ideas, you are well on your way to a life-changing transformation.</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-15197572323922428272022-03-28T16:45:00.006-07:002022-03-29T00:39:47.862-07:005 Empowering Affirmations that will Calmly Take You Through Difficult Moments<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxUT-uTbetLuKUv257rxPTeeUmdm9r8gX8XumTxUfJisXZz1PE7Zbrk_fWejiYwNMpcV0YJPEuKmfcyM0doV4vzWPDp3TkICbZtwTK8rHO1CSNXZJCjUCv9FvEdt8uRCeUEMFc-naVeFa0HFZ9C23VxVuv9Wmqk24_Mal63KcZjKWwFi0SNMCj_4ExQ/s2560/825E9290-81D2-4687-94D3-BB9FFB184D19.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1707" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxUT-uTbetLuKUv257rxPTeeUmdm9r8gX8XumTxUfJisXZz1PE7Zbrk_fWejiYwNMpcV0YJPEuKmfcyM0doV4vzWPDp3TkICbZtwTK8rHO1CSNXZJCjUCv9FvEdt8uRCeUEMFc-naVeFa0HFZ9C23VxVuv9Wmqk24_Mal63KcZjKWwFi0SNMCj_4ExQ/w265-h399/825E9290-81D2-4687-94D3-BB9FFB184D19.jpeg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>We all have it. Those days when you feel nothing ever goes right. Or you feel stuck with the choices you made from the past. You regret seeing how your life has unfolded much less looking at yourself in the mirror. You have questions. Am I even on the right path? Did I really just do that?</p><!--wp:paragraph-->
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<p>You then decided to get up but hated yourself for doing so.</p>
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<p>We all have days when we feel like nothing is going right and we're not on the right path, and it's normal to question ourselves and our choices. Sure, you might regret what you've done or wondered if you're making the right decisions. But the truth is that we all have these moments, and there's no one way to get through them.</p>
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<p>I’ve been there before. I’m still there sometimes. For some people, it takes a combination of medication and therapy. For others, it may be retreating from the world and having much-needed respite. It just depends on how you are wired mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Your resilience may even play a part.</p>
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<p>In my case, I added some good old affirmations on top of my (already in place) mental health treatment. It did help me get rooted in something that I probably did not believe of myself in the past and I didn’t know at the time it was exactly what I needed. I guess our brain is wired for some magical scientific reason to eventually believe what you keep telling yourself over and over again. At that moment, I chose to adopt a different set of beliefs rather than the negative perceptions I have of myself whether or not they are true.</p>
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<p>This is why I want to share these affirmations with you, in hopes that one statement resonates and at the very least, helps you get through today.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">I am exactly where I'm meant to be.</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>As with self-doubt, oftentimes you find yourself wondering if you’re on the right track. You got too many things going on, too many distractions, too many goals...too many failures. Heartaches. Stress. You feel stuck and wonder: is this really what you are meant to do and feel?</p>
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<p>There’s a time for self-reflection as much as acceptance and sometimes as hard as it is, you just gotta believe that you are in that place and situation that you need to be. You are here because of divine intervention and guided even if you don't see the big picture just yet. Trust that this unpleasant event in your life no matter how much you try to avoid is no more than a gift containing a life lesson you have yet to learn.</p>
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<p>The key to learning and discovering that lesson waiting patiently for you to realize is to go through that mess knowing that nothing in this world is permanent and as with every situation, there is always a silver lining to it. I never knew my silver lining until 2 years after my divorce, when my little girl was born. And I began to understand and thanked my instinct for choosing to be true to myself. It was an aha moment for me. This is why I needed that divorce. Why I had to move on and go against the grain. Why I gotta sacrifice my reputation over living my true self. Chose judgment towards yourself. Say goodbye to the Filipino culture and tradition of “no divorce”.</p>
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<p>She was the reason. So that I get to hold her 2 years later. Did I know it back then? Absolutely not. But I trusted my choices regardless of what everybody else around me said. She was my gift and lesson all at once.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">I forgive myself and I'm at peace with what is, what was and what would be.</h1><div><br /></div>
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<p>This is one of the harder "mantras" and lessons to internalize simply because forgiving yourself can be a daunting task. But acceptance of what happened is important for you to move forward.</p>
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<p>Maya Angelou couldn't have said it better when she said .." Forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn’t know before you learned it”.</p>
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<p>You can't keep beating yourself up, punishing yourself, and blaming yourself for what bad things happen in your life. These events are consequences of your actions, of course, but think about the big picture. What, if anything is it trying to show you? (At some point, you gotta learn to love yourself again).</p>
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<p>I'm not saying stop taking responsibility for your actions. It's great to take responsibility but what's even better is understanding your human nature, that you make mistakes and poor choices that may cause havoc every now and then but from these mistakes, are lessons and the desire to be better with your life. This brings me to the third mantra...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">I am getting better every day, in every way.</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>For a long time, I thought my life was just getting worse. Family, relationships, financial responsibilities.</p>
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<p>Until I learned that once you decide to make a change for yourself and live your truth...my dear life becomes messy as it is. But you need that mess. In essence, you're simply coming out of your comfort zone, something that probably nobody ever expected you to do and that's why they couldn't handle it.</p>
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<p>Life is not meant for you to remain in one place, situation, state, or emotion. You may get hurt but then move past it. </p>
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<p>You accept responsibility, turn around and then make things right when you make a mistake. And as always, you get better. Difficult situations do not intend to break you. They’re not there to make you bitter, but better. Believe that every day is a gift, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do better than the day before.</p>
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<p>Keep moving towards your dreams, goals, and aspirations. Continue to become a better, truer version of yourself.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<h1 style="text-align: left;">I have a purpose in life.</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>I know it sounds cliché but you do have a purpose and it’s your job to find it. It doesn’t have to be clear nor perfect. You're so much bigger, have so much more potential than what you're currently led to believe by your loved ones, friends, or even yourself. And lastly...</p>
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<h2><br /></h2><h2><br /></h2><h1 style="text-align: left;">I am enough.</h1><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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<p>When I got divorced I was all kinds of mess. Because my choices didn’t go right with people I've been trying to please for years, I was never good enough at that point.</p>
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<ul><li>I wasn't good enough for a job.</li><li>I wasn't good enough to be a mom.</li><li>I wasn't good enough to be in a relationship.</li></ul>
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<p>All these I realize are lies that I tell myself. So, I started telling myself "I am enough" even though deep inside I thought it was pure bs. But then one day I started believing it. The mantra actually empowered me. And I started believing in myself again.</p>
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<p>When life gets too hard, it can be difficult to stay positive. It may seem like there are no good days ahead, or that your life is just "one big dark tunnel." You may find yourself feeling isolated.</p>
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<p>But you don’t need anybody else's approval of your choices. You don’t need to look outside of yourself for answers. What you need is to trust that what you're looking for is already inside of you. It's just a matter of asking yourself the right question and believing that you, my friend, are enough as you are.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
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<p>XOXO, </p>
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<p>Wella</p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-34473277814829827442021-10-08T22:43:00.002-07:002021-10-08T22:43:40.341-07:00If I was to write about myself...here's my story.<p>My name is Wella. Or as my coworkers call me- Row</p><p> </p><p>A few years ago I got divorced. You can find out about my brief story <a href="https://thriveglobal.com/stories/dear-beautiful-please-stop-wearing-your-mistakes-like-priceless-gems/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.inspiringlivesmagazine.com/health-wellness/truth-be-told/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><p> </p><p>Yes. I was devastated. I was ashamed. Never thought it would happen to me. The works.</p><p> </p><p>Why wouldn’t I? I was supposed to be happily married. With a son. Living this awesome dream military lifestyle. Add to the fact that it’s a long-held belief that Filipinos don’t divorce. There is no such thing. You need to stick it out no matter how bad or worse it gets.</p><p> </p><p>Such a grand, sweet idea, isn’t it?</p><p> </p><p>When everybody is rooting for you to have this oh-so-perfect marriage?</p><p> </p><p>Nope, not me. Apparently, I was the one to defy ”every-body-else-around-me’s expectations” and it wasn’t a pretty scene. Add to that the culture, tradition, religion, and every aspect of society’s expectations of you.</p><p> </p><p>What do you have?</p><p> </p><p>On the outside, it was a diamond of a disaster in the rocks. Shame on myself. Constantly telling myself look what you did. Yes, you did this and you gotta do everything you gotta do, bend over backward if you have to to make amends and do damage control, on yourself, your reputation, your husband, and everybody else you disappointed.</p><p> </p><p>But underneath the scorching hot mess?</p><p> </p><p>A realization.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A realization that I was hiding. All these years. I was hiding behind the façade of a perfect life and relationship when I was torn inside because I was fucking miserable for losing my sense of self. If you’ve ever Ellet like that before, then you know exactly what I’m talking about.</p><p> </p><p>How can it be that when you did everything right every fiber of your being still is not in agreement?</p><p> </p><p>Well, the answer to that is simple. I was doing everything right yes, but it wasn’t according to my own terms- it was according to what’s expected of me. N short, it was someone else’s terms. Other people's terms.</p><p> </p><p>It was a hard pill to swallow, the truth.</p><p> </p><p>But it was my truth.</p><p> </p><p>And so I decided, no more hiding. No more pretending. Because the moment you stopped worrying about what other people think of your life choices- that’s when you start truly living.</p><p> </p><p>And that’s what I want for you.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Today:</p><p> </p><p>I’m happy with someone. We are in a good place. I have my son with me, and I and my life partner/bestie have a beautiful daughter (and soon-to-be son!). Yes we are growing. On top of that, we have a huge extended family.</p><p> </p><p>I now know what it's like to be truly content and at peace in my relationship and I couldn’t ask for more.</p><p> </p><p>My promise to you:</p><p> </p><p>You get caught up with all these life’s distractions that you forget to tend to yourself, and that’s ok. It happens. Life does that to you.</p><p> </p><p>But it's not ok to continue putting yourself on the back burner. No-no.</p><p> </p><p>So let's rediscover ourselves, shall we? Our purpose and passion so that we can live a life that's balanced, courageous and 100% REAL. </p><p> </p><p>I simply urge you to take this journey with me.</p><p> </p><p>So you can make up your own rules and your own terms.</p><p> </p><p>So you can finally let that person come out from its hiding place.</p><p> </p><p>So that you can finally live a life that is true to yourself and no one else.</p><p> </p><p><u>My Challenge to you today:</u></p><p> </p><p>Give yourself permission to be yourself. No quirks. No add-ons. No reservations. Just plain and simple you.</p><p> </p><p>Why? I truly believe that doing something truly unexpected for you is not just liberating, it also feels damn good.</p><p> </p><p>And feeling damn good is not a luxury. It is a necessity, my dear.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Some more “about me”</p><p> </p><ol><li>I “mildly” cuss, especially when I'm passionate about something (or upset, I can't help it). So if you’re the type who gets offended with occasional curse words, this blog is not for you.</li><li>I don’t write about happy things and a happy mindset all the time. I write about the truth about myself, my past mistakes and lessons learned that I love sharing as ugly as it is. It's what you deserve, believe me.</li><li>I’m inspired by: Bronnie Wares The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.</li><li>I love semi-sweet dark chocolate, but sometimes I crave Hershey’s Kisses. If IM ever mad at you, those precious things will make me un-mad in seconds.</li><li>I’m in love with my soulmate, my kids, and my extended kids and family. I guess I can say they were the silver lining waiting at the end of my rough patch</li></ol><div>My story. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>XOXO,</div><div><br /></div><div>Wella</div><p> </p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-27556770861440622342021-08-21T14:26:00.004-07:002021-08-21T14:42:07.199-07:00Don't Abandon Yourself<div class="WordSection1"> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEincOnb4oSwJ_Cro_8Yt486sNzSTk9LNU18y6HZ2jRgCW6pV_20Z8D-BtB-DEnaPwZQNWgvxVxPOJC1vyuNmClIHNckWgvQCWhR1l28mYKlrhObO3ft9Zwuv0HZdQGxqnk_cLXRezYT_Er02JlUGmZn9dO_rr3hqFk-DulleTNsknE9kaV3X-EQGCVqbQ=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEincOnb4oSwJ_Cro_8Yt486sNzSTk9LNU18y6HZ2jRgCW6pV_20Z8D-BtB-DEnaPwZQNWgvxVxPOJC1vyuNmClIHNckWgvQCWhR1l28mYKlrhObO3ft9Zwuv0HZdQGxqnk_cLXRezYT_Er02JlUGmZn9dO_rr3hqFk-DulleTNsknE9kaV3X-EQGCVqbQ=w427-h640" width="427" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">I came across this poem as one of my coworkers shared it on my workgroup thread. I don't normally pay attention to random, non-work-related posts on there unless it pertains to me. Turned out it did pertain to me, not in a direct but a relatable way. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">This poem started with the concept of self-care, one thing I preach incessantly but need to actually apply more in my life but wrapped up with the lesson of not giving up on yourself...no matter what.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">What got me was the part when the author says you will die many times in your life only to recreate yourself. I look back and realized yes, the old me has died, or better yet, the old me has always been there buried underneath my pretentious self. But I'm back. Bolder. Better. Brewing another life, a boy, so to speak. And the old me has been there all this time. She was never lost.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">And so every decision that felt like death to me a few years back because it started the end of something in my life, I now accept as a precious gift.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Don’t Abandon Yourself</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">— Jeannette Encinias</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Not when you’re sick.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Not when you’re tired.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Not when you’ve lost</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">the thread</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">the thought</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">or the thing you thought</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">defined you.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">You will die many times</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">in one life</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">and create yourself</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">anew.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">This is natural.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">This is a gift.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">I’ve died a few times now</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">here in this world.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">The person I was—</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">gone.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Throw that older skin into the water.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Give it to the sky.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Step into what wants to emerge now.</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Nothing can hold you back</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">when you are willing</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">to be yourself</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">XOXO, </p><p class="MsoNormal">Wella</p> </div> Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-39144169694298140792021-06-14T17:39:00.001-07:002021-06-14T17:52:15.619-07:00I found a gem in Sudshare<p> <span> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rDZ31k0J0RRToyoghmUPbpmThTMWClFQ2lrVczztHysCdgIUHIC89WQFJsQ04zLo88yOUf1d-EcoGtU68a_cNroEws8jKuNxf4AZ1ydYU3-8qr1NlmCTAPJ8FtNQ4bJRU51jeiSIK2vG/s2048/Lifestyle-320CW-Pixistock-33-scaled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1353" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rDZ31k0J0RRToyoghmUPbpmThTMWClFQ2lrVczztHysCdgIUHIC89WQFJsQ04zLo88yOUf1d-EcoGtU68a_cNroEws8jKuNxf4AZ1ydYU3-8qr1NlmCTAPJ8FtNQ4bJRU51jeiSIK2vG/w422-h640/Lifestyle-320CW-Pixistock-33-scaled.jpg" width="422" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span><span> </span> </span>I don't normally write reviews for things I use, and I did not intend to convert my blog into a review site but hey, if this is where it goes eventually, then so be it. This is my world, so to speak. Wella's World. And I intend to share my world with my readers: what makes me tick, what aggravates me, what makes me smile, what I'm doing, my guilt and shame days, my hopes, my dreams to work from home as a nurse possibly doing some case management gig, or my other dream to be a real estate guru with a seven-figure blog...and my mistakes that haunt me to this day no matter how often I forgive myself (everyday, at the very least). So when I decided to do a little self-care to free myself a couple hours (so I can do more painful things like write this 15 page research paper for school), I thought why not have some laundry service?</p><p><span><br /></span></p><p><span> This isn't my idea to begin with, I was listening to Kate Northrup's audiobook Do Less where she teaches women, us, how to be more of who we are by doing less. Meaning, to simplify our lives. Now isn't that a grand idea? But to be honest, it's easier said than done. </span><br /></p><p><span><span> </span></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span>OK so going back to, of course, my Sudshare experience. In one of her experiments she talked about delegating things so that you can do prioritize what's really important...something like that. For example, subscribe to a laundry service. And I thought to myself: That is exactly what I need! I effing hate doing laundry. My whole weekend is spent doing laundry. Even on weekdays I do laundry. And it would be nice to have someone do my laundry once and for all. But I also knew it was an expensive service.</span><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span> </span>But then a long time ago I told myself that I will never tell myself I can't afford something. Even though I know having someone do your laundry seems like luxury, I asked myself: How can I afford it?</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span> </span></p><p><span><span> </span> </span>Enter Sudshare. Thank you, Google. They charge $1/lb. It doesn't seem much but when you're on a tight budget feeding 4 hungry people 3x daily, that's something. OK, I will try. Maybe, we will just skip eating out for one or two nights (even though with our on-the-go lifestyle it's a necessity) and eat leftover and ramen noodles. </p><p><span> </span></p><p><span><span> </span> </span>If you haven't heard of this wonderful service, Sudshare is like Uber or Doordash for laundry. And they are amazing. Well, at least the sudsters who have been doing my laundry so far. The first time, I didn't really know what to expect. I downloaded the app, scheduled pick-up. It took me about 3 minutes because I kept changing my mind between what detergent to use: Tide, Kirkland or hypoallergenic? I went with Tide/Kirkland because that's what we use at home. </p><p><span> </span></p><p><span> </span>Pick up is before 8 pm same day, but you will have a better estimate of the pick up time after a sudster pick up your job and notify you what time they will be there. They have up to 24 hours to wash your laundry and deliver it back to your home sweet home. Isn't it amazing? In their FAQ, they have until 8 pm the following day to return your nice, freshly washed and folded clothes. Sudshare authorizes $60 on your card once you place your order, but the final charge will be depending on how many lbs your clothes weigh after they have been washed, folded and placed in bags. They charge an extra $8 for blankets, so I usually just wash blankets and towels myself.</p><p><span> </span></p><p><span> </span>The first time I used Sudshare, a sudster named Ashley picked up my laundry. She was communicative the whole time, and delivered our clothes back about the same time she picked up the day before. The second time I used the service, a sudster named Kattie even blew my mind. She picked up and delivered my clean laundry in only a few hours like 3, maybe 4 hours. I didn't expect my laundry to be back until the next day, to be honest.</p><p><br /></p><p>Verdict:</p><p><span> </span></p><p><span> </span>I think for $1/lb Sudshare is definitely worth it. It saves you so much time especially if you'r a busy mom, whether working somewhere, working at home or even stay at home. In fact, I would highly recommend the especially for stay at home moms. You already work 24/7 with not much rest and you deserve a good downtime where you are doing absolutely NOTHING unless it's watching some murder-for-hire Netflix Series. </p><p><span> </span></p><p><span><span> </span>I actually started budgeting laundry service (of course, compromising some luxuries like...IDK) once every payday so I can catch up on things. I still do the laundry regularly of course (and my partner too) but once or twice a month, we give ourselves a little break. </span><br /></p><p><span><span> </span></span></p><p><span><span> </span>If you're still on edge, or at the very least curious about the service, go ahead and use my <a href="https://referral.sudshare.com/xKrB" target="_blank">referral code so you can get $10 (10 lbs) worth of laundry done for free</a>, and I will get $10 too so thank you for making my day! If you like it, good. If not, trust me, you don't ever have to have them do your laundry, again. Please remember you're also supporting your a small business out there, your sudster so make sure to tip them if you like their service :-)<br /></span></p><p><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span>Wella</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>P.S. And here's for before and after pics!</p><p><br /></p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-73388903962554628652020-12-30T05:48:00.000-08:002020-12-30T05:48:15.064-08:00Love Notes to Bella<div class="WordSection1"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxq1mP1ZyhNvFbiT7n_OacO6MLcVYComOl9v96gbXvnwClY2EG6mYLhXUKYXKGSzy_47pcmFH6ne-Kq85NqpqOprzwGBpV2Bu_cUNs2r1a9H0OMQAmOLAzirBGW4GjU6k-KCs3a1SYiWZ8/s1200/Wellas+World+Letters+to+Bella.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxq1mP1ZyhNvFbiT7n_OacO6MLcVYComOl9v96gbXvnwClY2EG6mYLhXUKYXKGSzy_47pcmFH6ne-Kq85NqpqOprzwGBpV2Bu_cUNs2r1a9H0OMQAmOLAzirBGW4GjU6k-KCs3a1SYiWZ8/w428-h640/Wellas+World+Letters+to+Bella.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">My dear Bella,<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Today you turn two years old. Well that happened so fast didn’t it? With that said, I’m not gonna go about the usual cheesy narration parents do on Facebook like “So many years ago, a baby came to our lives, etc. etc. and our life was never the same again *hashtagheart, *hashtag crying face emoji” and all the other shenanigans that come with it.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">No, my dear Bella. You know who you are, and you know who you are to us on a deep spiritual level. In fact, I believe you chose me. You chose me and your dad to be your parents. You wonderful little ball of delight full of knowing and personality actually chose me (broken, unsure, unmedicated and insecure me) to be your mom and your ever goofy clumsy dad to be of course, your dad. And you never, ever, ever fail to turn our gray skies blue.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">For all of that, I am breathtakingly grateful. Who would’ve known that a positive pee test in my darkest, anxiety-inspired days would’ve saved me from my own damn self? You were such a blessing then, as you are to us now and continue to be. Your angry, grumpy mornings waking up with no pacifier in your mouth and sippy cup on hand makes my mornings super happy. Your OCD at bedtime cuz you gotta have your blanket, your ipad (that you fall right asleep to), your pacifier and of course, sippy cup makes for another gratitude-filled night.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXbz-A_KAdh8aAyDKh4obeqN8W1jkmLYDaPGTAahcjiXWzWr0Ocwc6G2c5THed8TGXGGeBj8wmLl3yH6Qm2z-cI6NrgvKxG6KoVTU4IkSIylEl3kx0MAsmbCbeKmh3XN2-ODcnwNaCSSN/s2048/Letters+to+Bella.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1446" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXbz-A_KAdh8aAyDKh4obeqN8W1jkmLYDaPGTAahcjiXWzWr0Ocwc6G2c5THed8TGXGGeBj8wmLl3yH6Qm2z-cI6NrgvKxG6KoVTU4IkSIylEl3kx0MAsmbCbeKmh3XN2-ODcnwNaCSSN/w452-h640/Letters+to+Bella.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><br /> <p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I am looking forward to many more years getting to know that little girl with the deepest look in her eyes who unbeknownst to her, sends everyone into a sort of trance with just one look. Right from the start I knew you were something else and just like your older brother Marcus, I love it when you surprise the hell outta everybody with your wits. Because my dear, one thing I know for sure is that people will attempt to underestimate you. Put you down like they own you. Like they did with me, your dad, your brother, your family. But you are stronger and more capable than you think, NOT WHAT THEY THINK. And you are going to own it plus the world that is your playground.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">And you got places to go I just know it. When the time is right, you will build your own path that is completely you. Not a replica of my path, nor your dad’s, your brothers’, sister’s friends’ or whoever the hell expect shit from you to happen.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">No my dear beautiful Bella Alessandra Smith. It will be your own signature path, not a watered down version of yourself. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhs5QEnj2y8N_7sR0aaSS6QY0bRWL8CRlitY005K_HUZj2caLelwcIAkHnvMt1MuwEfmvXkAuzAjo1NgQwYxQyOoyv5FvuK1dascjZLpWIGLhDi38oAuVDqxvYbSheNDADZqDdhCyYSkCz/s2048/Wellas+World+Letters+to+Bella+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1446" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhs5QEnj2y8N_7sR0aaSS6QY0bRWL8CRlitY005K_HUZj2caLelwcIAkHnvMt1MuwEfmvXkAuzAjo1NgQwYxQyOoyv5FvuK1dascjZLpWIGLhDi38oAuVDqxvYbSheNDADZqDdhCyYSkCz/w452-h640/Wellas+World+Letters+to+Bella+2.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Happy Second!<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">XOXO,<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Momma<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi67j6CFnnXmAdGVvro-codoGlOjtEC9ftlQQvtJt_xAiinUXK2ES68trc25aLlvyjK5SlNUFJzfoJ7ApxzfGEas4-n8n1BGMOGhhIcn4eCI7gsukPBScNF0b4ooD-nYuiGzLQr-7XkOv/s2048/Wellas+World+Letters+to+Bella+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1446" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi67j6CFnnXmAdGVvro-codoGlOjtEC9ftlQQvtJt_xAiinUXK2ES68trc25aLlvyjK5SlNUFJzfoJ7ApxzfGEas4-n8n1BGMOGhhIcn4eCI7gsukPBScNF0b4ooD-nYuiGzLQr-7XkOv/w283-h400/Wellas+World+Letters+to+Bella+3.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-89628428292633801932020-12-01T16:47:00.001-08:002020-12-01T16:47:58.662-08:00The One Thing that will Make a Difference in Your Writing<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzC3xooNxoiMBVyur715yDFDixqfqhkj4AXUSn89uMgFLk32xWJPXdAn_6M1gTYLjZpVlzOYdL6TTgCLFtdJkGX2ofbzVl6bNPzj2egb2sReNkn1_3SBNPq-m-mABoYVSI27vOeiA-DZ0T/s1200/The+ONE+THING+that+will+make+a+difference+in+your+writing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzC3xooNxoiMBVyur715yDFDixqfqhkj4AXUSn89uMgFLk32xWJPXdAn_6M1gTYLjZpVlzOYdL6TTgCLFtdJkGX2ofbzVl6bNPzj2egb2sReNkn1_3SBNPq-m-mABoYVSI27vOeiA-DZ0T/w426-h640/The+ONE+THING+that+will+make+a+difference+in+your+writing.png" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Early this morning while trying to write my research paper and failing miserably due to the art of procrastination that I ever so perfected, I came across one of the little notes I wrote for myself when I would have those short, fleeting aha moments throughout the day. When I was in the middle of a blogging crisis and felt stuck wth no readers, no voice, and no reverberating message. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You see, my mind for some reason is an energizer bunny machine constantly churning out new ideas all day everyday even in my sleep before I can even catch up to them. For a year now I've used Google Keep and Penzu to write down my ideas- things I would love to write about, learn, explore or simply dream about. And then I go from there (or the next shiny new object). </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #202124; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So anyways, gong back to the original topic, this post is going to be short since I just wanna share with you this one </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">lesson I’ve learned in my years of writing and it’s that you must write for yourself before anybody else.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Focus on yourself, your inner thoughts before you focus on others. Before you help others.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Why?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because I believe you need that clarity and focus, to get to know yourself on a deeper level so you truly know the people you wanna serve.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">By becoming self-aware, you can figure out who you truly wanna write to, and trust me you don't wanna write to everybody. You don't even wanna try.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so it’s not selfish to make your writing about you. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s not selfish to write about how you truly feel even though the gurus tell you nobody gives a shit about your problems, people only care about theirs and so you should be speaking to them. But if you don't know who you truly are, and you're simply copying someone else's writing style, then how would you resonate to those readers? How would you set yourself apart from everyone else if not for that weird, quirky or sometimes annoying personality of yours?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Trust me, it's ok to be annoying. In fact, I've followed people on social media and subscribed to their emails just because I find them annoying- whether it's their voice, message or just the way they look and they never fail to grow in me)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The truth is, if you are truly writing from the heart, then the people who would resonate will and the rest...oh well they will move on and prolly block you on social media. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that is exactly what you want.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m not talking about writing and transforming yourself into a content mill. That shit’s exhausting. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m talking about writing as a personal journey towards self discovery. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing that will move you to your deepest chasms.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’s the kind of writing that will create possibilities and make changes in your life. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The kind you’d want to reflect the person you are and represent you in all your form and glory. The kind you want to grow from. The kind that will make everyone around you a believer. The kind I want for you.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So go right ahead and start writing, and if you are a writer/blogger, take time to hone your voice and message. It's ok to not jump on share threads for the sake of over inflating your blog traffic and social media followers. Although kudos to you, if you actually can make time for that. I honestly felt like a hamster on wheel reciprocating shares and likes and comments. That in and of itself is a full time job.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good luck to you and if you ever need advise on how to start a blog, you can always contact me. My advise is free but I may have some recommendations that I'm an affiliate for :-)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">XOXO,</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wella</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://itsalovelylife.teachable.com/p/5-day-start-a-money-making-blog-crash-course/?affcode=112500_fyzrxaxw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg1QGv_R5pOOBH9SqbW-QG9QAbnG1Z12CHk2ESI-Mazq5PRiJObO8b1h0i74eoO8ayLfYEFSe1rr3etxX_ZgriW7ppl4uWEW1fHJ3khmuW3IhSKP59zgLMY8B7t1MXlUbZC2Y0jz4E8gO/w640-h640/Free+Blogging+Blastoff+Course.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: none; letter-spacing: 0.1px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-50750424320699164622020-07-27T05:18:00.006-07:002020-07-27T16:08:16.434-07:00Lessons from my Homeschooler<p><br /></p><p>Last week my son Marcus celebrated his 7th birthday. 7th. It all happened in a blink of an eye I think. One Thursday morning I was surprised to find out Id be having him since he wasn't due for another month. The next thing I know here he is, a super lively boy with lots of things to say.</p><p><br /></p><p>He did have an interesting first-grade, including the fact that he had to be homeschooled because I didn't feel that he was being supported at all in traditional school and of course, the first thing the staff wanted to do when one of their students are having problems was to blame the parents. </p><p><br /></p><p>Blame us for the long drive we put him through daily to go to school without understanding the whole family situation and why we opted to send him to school close to where we work- not close to where we live.</p><p><br /></p><p>But lemme just get one thing straight. Marcus is an awesome and smart kid. Yes he is. All his life he had to fight all these silly diagnoses: e.g. at age 2 he was diagnosed with Severe Cognitive Delay because he didn't know 200 words and he didn't respond to the speech therapist when she called his name. First off lady, he didn't know you and you put these toys in front of him. Who do you think will he pay attention to? Who or what would be more interesting to him: a bunch of nice, brightly colored toys or a boring old lady attempting a conversation?</p><p> </p><p>So they offered speech therapy (why not, it's free and covered by insurance) and he did just for the hell of it (even though I know as a mom, that there’s nothing wrong with my son)and guess what? After 5 months he met his milestones and HAS NOT STOPPED TALKING SINCE. </p><p><br /></p><p>Another example: school staff assumed he had ADD because he'd rather play than sit on his chair and stay put, but they won't spend the money on getting him tested or the resources that he needed and instead, wanted me to take him to get tested myself. These are presumed experts we're talking about (school psychologists, teachers, the principal, and staff of whom I have to fight with) who already treated him differently and somehow just gave me the feeling that they wanted him out because he refused to act and behave the way they wanted him to or expected him to. </p><p><br /></p><p>Ok honestly, I'm proud of him for that, as we've always been taught to stay in our line and in this imaginary box called “category”.</p><p><br /></p><p>Marcus started homeschooling last year after a couple of months in traditional public school since he wasn't getting what he needed at the time from traditional public school. It just wasn't his thing. He was not interested and nothing they do or say can make him. </p><p><br /></p><p>What a blessing in disguise especially when Covid 19 hit. While others struggle to make peace with their new routine and online classes, he was already ahead in his program and kept going with his curriculum. He kept working and studying on his own. His homeschool teacher even told me he knows more than the other first grader who had just started homeschooling because of Covid. But I'm not one to compare. Only thing I can say is, results speak for itself.</p><p><br /></p><p>Marcus recently completed first grade and his 360 assessments. His math level: that of a third grader after 6 months of school. His reading level: that of a second grader after 4 months of school.</p><p><b><br /></b></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><font size="6" style="font-weight: normal;">Lesson learned 1: Believe in your child. Allow them to decide how they wanna learn.</font></h1><p><br /></p><p>Am I sending him back to public school? Damn right I am. Because he is looking forward to going back to school and he does love it there as evidenced by his favorite subject: recess. And he did get accepted to another elementary school but we will see how this fall semester goes. </p><p><br /></p><p>If I was to decide (and I thought about it deeply), I would enroll him in a charter school where they go to class in small groups, and do some days online, some days in-person. But then he talked about how he's looking forward to going back to school again and meeting new friends. He wanted to go back to traditional school. So I decided why not give him a chance since this is what he wanted and he's giving himself another chance. Maybe this time things will be different especially since we know better. Of course, things are in a limbo right now. </p><p><b><br /></b></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><font size="6" style="font-weight: normal;">Lesson learned 2: Let your child show you how he wants to learn.</font></h1><p><br /></p><p>Marcus loves computers. He thrives in it. I think that's why he thrived in online learning. Not to mention the fact that he loves to play games in his tablet. So I downloaded Homer and Elephant Learning App for his reading and math and it helped him tremendously. Our rule is that: if you want to play games, you gotta do your learning first. </p><p><b><br /></b></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><font size="6" style="font-weight: normal;">Lesson learned 3: There are more than one options on how to "school" your child. Embrace it.</font></h1><p>This is a huge lesson for myself. Since I grew up in traditional school, I thought that that's the only way to go. But then I realized that just because I learned a certain way and grew up doing certain things doesn't mean my child will do the same. </p><p><br /></p><p>There is no right or wrong when choosing how you want your child to be educated- it all depends on what works for your child and your family lifestyle. Be open to options and again, let your child show you how he wants to learn.</p><p><br /></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><font size="6">Lesson learned 4: Last but not least: your child is unique.</font> </span></h1><p><br /></p><p>He won't be like everybody else. And it's a good thing. Accept it, so that in turn he learns acceptance- of both himself and others.</p><p><br /></p><p>And here is the little man of the hour:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8c32liHZToUPP_CpaTziRVm6dBTs8lAmS0ZuTWzh4TZ-LdY0i_VXw9tBUSEtHNZQJ7r3CgidKONiDRDd_X0XbXTmwC7D8e5IlPyXtWPZMOQvLzSYWewSFXbqOTFrWwsmig9aDy3l2LFt/s2048/IMG_0321.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8c32liHZToUPP_CpaTziRVm6dBTs8lAmS0ZuTWzh4TZ-LdY0i_VXw9tBUSEtHNZQJ7r3CgidKONiDRDd_X0XbXTmwC7D8e5IlPyXtWPZMOQvLzSYWewSFXbqOTFrWwsmig9aDy3l2LFt/s320/IMG_0321.JPG" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>XOXO,</p><p><br /></p><p>Wella :-)</p><p><br /></p><p>P.S. From now until July 31st Friday, my friends at Ultimate Bundles are having a sale. It's called the <a href=" https://ultimatebundles.com/sale/uhsb2020-main?a_aid=5df9379988652&a_bid=b0a3c868" target="_blank">Ultimate Homeschooling Bundle</a>-a collection of 50+ resources plus bonuses (from K-12) to help your child learn- no matter where you and your child decide to go to school. Learning resources are always good. It's what helped me become a "better-awared" parent. And being involved in your child's learning whether they're homeschooled or not, is always a good thing. </p><p><br /></p><p>P.P.S. I am an affiliate of the Ultimate Bundles, which means at no cost I get paid a small commission when you use my link Thank you in advance. Check out the Ultimate Bundles <a href=" https://ultimatebundles.com/sale/uhsb2020-main?a_aid=5df9379988652&a_bid=b0a3c868" target="_blank">here</a> :-)</p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-11043467783258673812020-05-25T11:51:00.000-07:002020-05-25T11:51:33.799-07:00Brown is Beautiful<p><br /></p><p>I never used to believe that.</p><p> </p><p>When I was young, I wanted so much to be light-skinned. I was born dark and I never understood why because my mom was super pale light, my sister takes after her and my brother is kinda light. In fact I asked myself quite a few times, Whatever happened to genetics? How the hell did it miss me?</p><p> </p><p>My dad, on the other hand, was the brown skin carrier of the family. My dad’s side of the family is primarily dark-skinned except for a few anomalies, and yes I look more like them. I can blend in well with them.</p><p> </p><p>My mom’s side however is a different story as most of the time they don’t even know about me or my existence (except for my Grandma, of course who always seemed to find me amusing). Often, I would be mistaken for the help’s daughter if not the help.</p><p> </p><p>So no, I never liked myself because of the fact that I was dark. I grew up in a country where the standard of beauty is a mestiza looking girl with pointy nose, thin lips, pale face, big eyes, and super light, oh-so- flawless skin..</p><p>But…</p><p>I was brown.</p><p>I was short.</p><p>I had small eyes.</p><p>I had buck teeth.</p><p>I had pimples.</p><p>I had thick, straight, boring, lifeless hair.</p><p> </p><p>And all I had going for me was my super excellent grades in school (Where else was I. Supposed to devote my attention too?) and a few good friends. Who wants that?</p><p>I thought if I was lighter, I won’t be picked on much by stupid boys.</p><p>Instead, I would get noticed more…especially by boys I liked. I thought I would have a better future ahead of me if I was lighter.</p><p> </p><p>If my skin was lighter…I thought I would finally be happy.</p><p> </p><p><img alt="" class="wp-image-1623 aligncenter" height="342" src="http://www.simplywella.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2-300x300.png" width="342" /></p><p> </p><p>All my childhood years, that’s all I prayed about. Lord, please. Make me pretty one of these days. You can start with my skin.</p><p>When we became teenagers, all my friends (and my sister) started to get noticed. But me? I was just there.</p><p>Watching as they get their daily supply of Toblerone chocolate (a big deal if you are a broke high schooler in the Philippines)</p><p>A few dozens of roses on Valentine’s Day.</p><p>Then there’s the love letters.</p><p>And getting hit on.</p><p>Yes, little plain old me can’t help but feel slightly depressed (and jealous!).</p><p>My world revolved around the belief that I was less than who I was because I wasn’t the embodiment of true Filipina beauty.</p><p>But then… something happened.</p><p>I grew up.</p><p>”Woman-ed” up.</p><p>Woken up from this wild dream.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, I refuse to spend my last few change on some skin cream whitener promising to make me look like a typical Filipino celebrity.</p><p>I decided not to starve myself anymore (in an effort to buy these whitening products) and instead, I used the extra change I have to buy me some fattening food.</p><p>I simply stopped giving a shit about being liked (or not) anymore. Nor would I even try. I wanted people to like me for who I was and not how much melanin is swimming in my skin.</p><p> </p><p><img alt="" class="wp-image-1625 aligncenter" height="345" src="http://www.simplywella.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/4-300x300.png" width="345" /></p><p> </p><p>I asked myself: Why do I have to be influenced by this 300 yr old concept that was somehow forced upon us- The lighter you are, the better you look, and the better your life will be in all ways?</p><p> </p><p>Why do women subject themselves in this madness- going as far as getting glutathione injection an d pills in an attempt to look White?</p><p> </p><p>I remember back then when I used to complain to our help that no one will ever marry me. Instead, I’ll be a nun instead Bound to spend the rest of my life in celibacy not because I have a calling, but because I prolly had no choice. Nobody wanted a dark skinned girl back then, at least back in my time.</p><p> </p><p>Gently she’d tell me…”Maghintay ka lang, dadating din yan” (Just wait, he will come).</p><p> </p><p>So I waited…</p><p>And waited…</p><p>And waited…</p><p> </p><p>And showed up he did…years later. And yes, he loves me for who I am, regardless of the difference in our skin tone.</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes you get caught up in a cultural belief that honestly serves you no purpose as it does sticking your tongue out in pictures.</p><p> </p><p>Question is, do you really have to jump at the bandwagon like everybody else?</p><p> </p><p>So you ask..What about those people who absolutely still feel the same way? Who don’t think they are beautiful unless they are light-skinned? You cant really blame or force them to think otherwise. You can never change people’s thoughts and beliefs. Nor can you control their behaviors and actions.</p><p> </p><p>But you can change your thoughts. No one has the power to control you unless you let them. True beauty is in the inside. Intelligence is sexy. Humor is attractive. A kind heart lasts for a while- a lifetime, so to speak.</p><p> </p><p><img alt="" class="wp-image-1624 aligncenter" height="350" src="http://www.simplywella.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/3-300x300.png" width="350" /></p><p> </p><p>So to all my Filipino sisters out there, don’t be discouraged if you don’t look like Anne Curtis, Marian Rivera or any other commercialized-type looking Filipina model. The media wants you to believe that they are the only standard but that’s not true.</p><p>You might think yeah, easy for me to say because I’m not in the Philippines, and in the US people are more accepting of the color of my skin.</p><p>Believe me, it’s a whole different story (I learned) for another day.</p><p>Stop wasting your money on these products that yes, might change the way you look, but for what cause?</p><p>So that you can look better? And for whose eyes?</p><p>For people who could care less about you since they don’t pay your bills?</p><p>And so what if your beautiful caramel mocha latte brown skin is a little too dark for your liking it makes the white of your eyes pop out?</p><p>So effing what?</p><p>Are you going to die of shame because of this?</p><p>Point is, life is too short to care about what people think about you- beauty and all. Life is too short for you to be wasting your energy on things and people that no longer serves you or your life purpose (is that deep or what?).</p><p>The truth is that you are beautiful in your own unique way my dear…quirks and all. Embrace it like there’s no tomorrow.</p><p>Own it like you mean it.</p><p> </p><p>Flaunt it cause you got it.</p><p> </p><p><img alt="" class="wp-image-1626 aligncenter" height="342" src="http://www.simplywella.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/12-300x300.png" width="342" /></p>Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-68544011166636811382020-04-30T01:00:00.001-07:002020-05-25T11:53:10.231-07:00Some late night thoughts...It's 12:34 am as I write this and yes, I'm well awake.<br />
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Idk why, I'm just not tired. So I decided to do what I most love to do when everybody's off to their dreamland...and that's writing.<br />
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I've been in love with this quiet activity for a long time now.<br />
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In my mind I must've romanticized writing so much and pictured myself many times sitting in the balcony, with a laptop, a cup of coffee and a cigarette on my table. I might have been half naked or not.<br />
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Remember Allie of The Notebook wrapped in a blanket and painting one morning after a night of some heavy, passionate smashing? Yep...that scene right there except it's the 2020's and no, there’s no heavy, out of this world smashing at the moment.<br />
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So, thought for the night.<br />
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20 years ago, somebody killed my dream when I was told that there's no money in writing. Back then I was thinking about majoring in Literature I think because it intrigued me and I thought I would do good. But then my dream died that early morning when a well-meaning person gave me a super painful reality check: "The only way you can make money off of writing is if you already know somebody. And we don't know anybody".<br />
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So I moved on with a sort of viable major in college but I never stopped writing on the side. I knew someday I would bring my writing back to life.<br />
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The truth is, it never died.<br />
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I wrote, entertained, confused and pissed the hell outta lot of people all these years.<br />
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Trust me, I've been in odds with a handful of them- from a high school English teacher who tries too damn hard to be cool and please the "elite clique" in my class to my now ex-husband. My writing never singled out anybody.<br />
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But why am I so at peace with all these?<br />
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It's simple. I'm not a popular person. I have 0 followers in this blog. Chances are the people that would be affected in one way or another with my heartfelt content would NEVER read my stuff.<br />
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I had my own personal blog for years with few visitors and I was content with that. From time to time, a fiend would come across it, give a couple of nice complements and move on. Other times, I’m being told I can’t write for shit.<br />
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And what I learned from all those years of personal blogging is that it’s not about them. I write to not please other people (struggled with that). I write for myself. So I can get what’s on my mind out either on paper, journal or blog. I call it free writing.<br />
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If I always have to worry about what other people would think about me or the kind of person I am through my writing, then I guess I’m not truly being real and freeing my soul.<br />
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So there. My late night thoughts. I’m curious to know, have you ever struggled with being true to your craft- whether it’s writing, singing, pole dancing, gardening or whatever it is you love to do? I’d love to know your thoughts.Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-23846151699484552019-01-28T12:53:00.001-08:002020-05-25T11:53:40.918-07:0036...I turned 36 two weeks ago...it was uneventful but otherwise memorable. It was quiet and peaceful, spent with only the people that truly cared about me and vice versa. Mr. S bought a huge chocolate cake from Costco, I was actually quite impressed (with him and the quality of the cake, knowing it's store-bought not customized). Well, I was impressed with him, kind of made me realize I'm on the right path as far as relationship goes. We've been together for more than a year now, known each other for longer than that. Fell for him at a time when I wasn't expecting to feel any type of way towards him. I'm still surprised how far we've come when I look back at our story.<br />
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As always, being 36 does not feel any less than being 18, which happens to be half the age. Except for the occasional fatigue and body pain, I think physically I'm doing good. Mind you, I pushed a five pound baby out of my maternally advanced body two weeks before my birthday. I'm actually proud of myself for that.<br />
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the best gift of being 36? Two years ago I was in a very dark place as I was trying to roll with the changes in my life and figure out my next move. I once read in O magazine, that the moment you decided to make a change in your life that's when it all starts to become messy. Oh, it was more than messy. But here I am, two years later holding the one good thing that came out of all the mess. Makes me realize all the things good and bad that I went through somehow led me to her. That somehow she was just waiting on me to take the steps, one day at a time. I call her my silver lining. We all have them. It's a daily reminder that it's worth forgiving ourselves and we should do it more often.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAqaQh4t53BlK429gN9j9JhPUA-Xr9qiXiTzLhez5kCkF9_TkLRLE3GAsvxNMLenY52qbt07c-I_X5Md61ZG44id1UvkJ-WzE5eYZ7Vm3g-8UKiX17g2wiAanhEcvz3e25x_aeXdJbzuV/s1600/Bella+nightime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAqaQh4t53BlK429gN9j9JhPUA-Xr9qiXiTzLhez5kCkF9_TkLRLE3GAsvxNMLenY52qbt07c-I_X5Md61ZG44id1UvkJ-WzE5eYZ7Vm3g-8UKiX17g2wiAanhEcvz3e25x_aeXdJbzuV/s320/Bella+nightime.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella :-)</td></tr>
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<br />Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1698510909116365753.post-47960577137375996262019-01-06T21:04:00.000-08:002020-05-25T11:53:26.687-07:00Hi there, me. There’s so much that happened, so many truths that unfolded, so many lessons learned, so many hurt that needed overcoming and you’re here. Simply. Who would’ve thought?<br />
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It’s not over yet, though. There’s still endeavors to face as you indulge yourself in this so called second chance in life and love to make things right for yourself and your little ones.<br />
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Life is crazy. It’s one hell of a 35 almost 36 yr journey. I thought I had it all figured out. A great career. A picture perfect family- that serves both as inspiration and envy to the onlookers. Ugh the pressure of keeping up with perfection. But then life has other plans. And you my dear, had to make choices. Difficult, nerve racking, not so great choices that led to a whole lot of mess including lost of self respect, guilt, shame, family members chastising you, friends who don’t understand you, and so on so forth. But you made the choice, and here you are texting on your phone while listening to Overstreet’s Hold On from Pandora, all while breastfeeding your one week old beauty.<br />
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And here you are, two years later after you stopped writing profoundly about your thoughts, because you were scared of your own pieces getting used against you. In other words, you didn’t want any drama and with that came hiding the truth from the world- your world.<br />
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It’s not gonna be easy, but really you’re just trying to get back to you again for whatever that means and whatever it will cost you because sometime ago you promised to be true to yourself and not have it any other way.<br />
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So I commend you. No more writing about superficial things like gut health, or the latest green recipe. You’re here being yourself and being human for the first time in a long time. Isn’t that something?<br />
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<br />Wellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15036019521176209956noreply@blogger.com1