Life is an Incredible Show

Disclaimer: This is NOT my piece but I like the wisdom of this passage.

Click here for the original. 

You may have flaws, live anxious, and sometimes get angry, but never forget that your life is the biggest company in the world. And you can keep it from going bankrupt.

There are many people who need, admire and cheer for you. I wish that you always remember that being happy is not having a sky without storms, paths without accidents, work without fatigue, relationships without disappointments.

 

Being happy is finding strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, security in fear, love in disagreements.

Being happy is not only appreciating the smiles, but reflecting on the sadness. It is not just celebrating the success, but also learning lessons in failures. Not only having joy in applause, but finding joy in anonymity.

Being happy is recognizing that life is worth living, despite all the challenges, misunderstandings and periods of crisis.

Being happy is no longer being a victim of the problems and becoming an author of history itself. It is crossing deserts outside of yourself, but being able to find an oasis in the secret of your soul. It is thanking God every morning for the miracle of life.

 

Being happy is not being afraid of your own feelings. It’s knowing how to talk to yourself.

It’s the courage to hear a “No” and be confident enough to receive criticism, although sometimes untrue.

Being happy is to let the child living within us to live free, happy and simple.

It is having the needed maturity to say “I was wrong”.

It is having the essential courage to say “forgive me”.

It is having the indispensable sensibility to say “I need you”.

It is being able to say “I love you”.

It is having the humility of receptivity.

I want life to be a hotbed of opportunities and that you be happy. And when you go astray, start again. This way, you will find that being happy is not having a perfect life, but using tears to irrigate tolerance. 

Using losses to refine patience.
Using failures to reach prayer.
Using obstacles to open the windows of intelligence.

Never give up hope.

Never give up the people you love.

Never give up on being happy, because life is a no-miss obstacle, even if it gives you dozens of reasons to demonstrate the contrary.

Hasta La Vista, New York!

My favorite view of NYC (Gantry Plaza Long Island City). And as the song goes, "if you can make it here you can make it anywhere."

It's been a month since I left the city of dreams. At first, I would never have imagined that I will be given a chance to live there. I've only heard about New York City from songs, I've only seen it through movies, read it from novels and fast forward 8 years I considered it my second home.

Summer time at Jacob Riis

I have a love/hate relationship with New York. You need to keep up with it-- the hustling and the bustling. It is as lively as it can be and there's tons of things to explore from Coney Island to the tip of Montauk and to the beautiful Niagara falls. There's always something to be excited about. My youthful years were full of first time experiences and I will not trade it for the world. But even with the hyped, there were moments where I just want to disappear from it because it was not always easy. 

TOUGHEN UP, You're up for a ride! Yes, you heard it right. In order for you to survive, you need to learn how to stand up for yourself. This is one of the things New York has taught me: "speak up lady because if not, they'll eat you alive" and I'm not kidding when I say that. From my past work experience, I was always the 'Yes' person, everything is okay, I can do it, etc... but they got me so good that for the last 3 years I gave them my all and accommodated to my boss' needs and what's left for me, exhaustion. So here's to saying, enough is enough, I did love my job but I also love myself.

Flowers bloom at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The day to day hustle in New York is a struggle. You get to meet angry people on the street and they screamed for no reasons at all. You're stuck on the F train for as long as you can remember and what's worse, you're stuck and it's stinky. Instead of counting sheep you start counting rats until your train comes. You need to be physically prepared especially on a rush hour because everyone is pushing. There's always something happening and I must admit it, I'm missing the action. I missed the sound of the sirens, the honks, the chit-chatters, the lame and great performances in the subway, the food stands in every corner, the bodegas, the city itself and it's nooks. In contrary, what I don't miss is how expensive the cost of living there. You really need to work your butt off to be at least comfortable.

Family Portrait at Dumbo, Brooklyn

 But being in New York with millions of people and with a list of things to do, it can also be quite lonely and isolating. It was difficult to get access to friendships because there was always a need of advance planning to get together. That's why, you would have to find your own person in this big city. A very important tip my friend, start making connections with others. Make use of the free activities around the city. Go out and meet like minded individuals where you can share your interests with. Find a solid community where you can practice your faith. Discover new places and you'll learn to enjoy the beauty of solitude. 

You are missed! xoxo, Cham

Personally, I'm beyond blessed to have my family and few close friends with me on my New York journey. It somehow made this entire ordeal easy. But I also commend those who were brave enough to hustle on their own-- you guys are the real troopers!

I can honestly say that living in New York is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It allowed me to come out from my conservative shell and see life evolved with my own two eyes. Things were not always easy, but I managed to juggle. I valued relationships more than ever, the blood and sweat of hard-earned income and a stronger belief of God's purpose for me. And with a happy and contented heart, I'm officially taking a break from my New York chapter.  Off to a new adventure!

Cut the Chase.... Live your dream!

East Hampton 2018 with Baby Girl.

Have you ever felt like you just drag yourself to work? That your heart is not in it anymore? I guess, it’s a sign to start assessing if whether or not you’re still happy with what your doing.

Let me share with you a brief background about me: I used to teach in preschool before I became a full-time childcare provider for a private family. My main responsibility is taking care of their daughter who is now 3years old. From being a tiny baby to a school girl, from changing diapers to hair braiding, from pushing stroller to taking public transportation, from puree food to gourmet servings, from sweet talks to bribing and a heap of things. You might possibly think I birthed this little angel. The only consolation I get at the end of day is the thought that I have planted a seed of goodness in this child’s heart and I hope that it will stay there forever.

But despite all of that, this job is not easy and it’s not for everyone. And hence, here I am trying to weigh what my options are in life. So I made these self-reflection questions:

1. Is work becoming a mere cycle of repetition? If we keep doing the same things over and over again there will come a time that we end up being sick of it. We start asking ourselves the purpose of our job. I for one is on the same boat as this. Mind you, 10+ hrs round the clock for almost 3 years, it gets super exhausting. We have a routine every single day although it varies but dealing with a child takes a lot of patience. It becomes very unpredictable— some mornings they’re the sweetest and most other mornings they turn into mini hulks. (Please read Boss Baby if you get a chance). What I do can’t be compared to any desk job because in a regular office, you at least know what you’re dealing with but for many of us, it’s like coming in a circus show, simultaneous stuff happens both at the same time. Tip: You need to find a different outlet for distraction. Balance your social life as much as possible. 
2. Are your efforts under appreciated? This one is very personal for me. I’m the kind of person that puts my heart in the things I do because I know for one I can always do more. I don’t feel good when I know that I’ve done something lousy. For bosses, your simple thank you goes a looooong way. We are not expecting anything extravagant but at least be sensitive with those magic words because at the end of the day, we are trying our best in making your work less stressful.
3. Do you still have what it takes to hustle? Remember the first time you started your job, there was that ecstatic feeling of excitement? You were always enthusiastic about so many things and yet over the years, you are spiraling down because you are underappreciated, work load is getting heavier and things just don’t seem to work anymore. You’re only doing what you’re supposed to do because you have to augment your needs. I’m currently feeling this, you’re physically present but you can no longer find your heart in it. I guess, this would be the best time to start moving on. It’s not healthy for you and you’re not helping the people you’re working for. Tip: Be honest.
4. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years? It’s very important that we re-visit this question from time to time. We need to start thinking about the future: marriage, finances, security and the likes. Where I am right now is just a stepping stone of something bigger. Of course, it’s easier said than done. I have a good paying job but life is not just about that. I have to look beyond. I want to settle down one day and have my own family. I want to go back to school and earn a master’s degree. I want to pursue my hobby. I want to travel and see the world. So there’s a need for change and for that to happen, you need to take some risks. A friend once told me, if you don’t know where to start, just begin.

“That ache you feel might indeed be a kind of warning signal to yourself. Take it as motivation to push a little, before your groove becomes a rut.” I got that quote from NY times and it got me thinking really hard. So my friend, I guess it’s time to cut the chase and live your dream!