13 Lessons I Learned From 2013

Today is the last day of 2013. As cliché as it sounds, time really does pass by when you’re having fun no? Allow me to thank each and everyone of you for being part of my 2013! For sticking around and being the reason why I love blogging so much and why I never ran out of stories and experiences to share. So excuse me as I go all sentimental recalling and looking back at moments and lessons I’ve learned for the past 365 days of 2013.

Opportunities will come when you are open to it.

SoMoms cover for Soul BGC October issue. So grateful to part of this! 🙂

2013 has been very nice to me. I was blessed with more than a handful of opportunities to further improve myself as a woman, a blogger, a mom and a homemaker. Looking back, I wonder what attracts these opportunities to lead towards me. Apart from whatever skill or trait that I posses, I figured it was my willingness to be open to them. The fact that I can translate my being open into positive, good vibes is something I know I’m good at which always results to doors, windows, tunnels and whatever form of passages to open towards bigger, if not better opportunities waiting for me to grab.

I make my schedule around my kids not my kids around my schedule.

I’m always asked how I manage to be a full-time hands-on mom, and I always modestly say that it’s all about balance. My topmost priority is my kids and everything else works around them. Sure I want to be more than just a mom, that’s why I created this blog. To showcase who I am apart from being a mother. But I cannot simply detach myself as mother so I can do other things that also make me happy. I always have to work my schedule around my kids as they always come first. No matter how big or great an opportunity is, if it doesn’t coincide with my kids and how I can take care of them, then it’s not worth it.

I learned that I can survive without help.

Being maidless or yayaless isn’t new to me. Ever since I married, looking for a good help has been a constant struggle. This year, I have learned that I can manage two kids, a household and blogging without any help. Sure it’s harder and it can sometimes get the best of me, with the gajillion chores and never ending work to do. But it is really doable! It maybe harder since living in Manila and getting used to having help makes everything easier. But when you’ve got no one else to rely on but yourself, you realize you can actually do it. Pushing yourself to the limit can indeed make you tougher, stronger and more capable. I am honestly happier living without a maid nor yaya. I may be constantly tired all the time but I gotta say our home is cleaner, more peaceful. Plus, I can totally walk around our house in my underwear. Yan talaga yun reason eh why I like it more that we don’t have stay-in help. Heehee. 😉

I am blessed to be a blogger. I am blessed to be a mother.

As a blogger, 2013 was more than awesome! It has given me opportunities to work with brands that I love and truly patronize. It has lead me to know different inspiring people along the way. It has given me more reason to write from my heart and share what I know to you my readers. It definitely feels so good to be recognized in your own little way. To know that you make a difference and to know that your opinion, advice or even story matters to someone. Knowing I made a difference and somehow have inspired other women, particularly moms is enough reason to feel that I am a blessed blogger. And I plan on continuing being one in the coming years.

I’m currently watching Masters of Sex. It’s a very nice TV show series based on the biography of William Masters and Virginia Johnson. The once taboo topic of sex is explored, meaning everything about sex is shown, so there’s explicit scenes not suitable for kids. Ironically, the series is mostly about couples wanting to have kids. How hard it was back in the 50s to conceive without the technology that we have today. Watching this made me realize how lucky I am to have no problems conceiving. That I have two beautiful and adorable kids that are forever the loves of my life. That despite being not a perfect mom for them, I still try to be the best that I can be for them. I am beyond blessed and I am forever thankful to God for giving me a chance to become a mom of two, which is by far the best thing that ever happened to me.

Happiness is attainable. It’s simple really.

2013, I focused on being happy by having my own Happiness Project. Although I still have November and December to post, sorry naman. I promise, I’ll share the last two months with you all. If there’s one thing I learned about happiness, it is that it certainly is attainable. Being happy is a choice. I learned that I am the anchor of our ship. Whatever mood I am in the moment I wake up, everyone follows in our home- the environment in which I bring up my kids. So it is very important for the homemaker to set the mood. If you’re a happy homemaker, a happy wife and a happy mom, everything else will follow.

The past has no power over your present nor future.

Why are most of us afraid of our past? The revelation or even the thought of it being brought up in our present always tends to make an impact in our lives. It’s mainly because of what makes our past that we’re afraid of. This year, I learned that whatever our past is cannot rule over our present nor future. The past is there simply to remember the hardships and the moments we’ve made that have helped us become who we are today and who we choose to be. It definitely has no power over nor would it be a threat to one’s present nor future if one has accepted it as it is and leave it at that.

Being nice, grateful and thankful are always rewarding.

I am a very nice person. So nice that sometimes I am taken advantage and for granted. But despite these, I like being nice. I am thankful that it is an innate trait of mine, making being grateful and thankful easy. A bad day, a bad week, a bad month, even a bad year can make it hard for a person to be grateful nor thankful. But bad days make good days even better and I have my fair share of these days. I get through because I know that good days are coming. And I am thankful for bad days despite the stress and bad vibes it brings because then do I get to test my being grateful and thankful. It’s harder to be nice, grateful and kind through trying times rather than through good times.

Eat whatever you want, never scrimp on food.

I like eating a lot and I’ve said this many times over that I don’t mind paying for food as long as it satisfies my hunger and stimulates my palette. For us women, looking good is really a big deal, admit it or not. We feel pressured mostly after giving birth and we plan on looking our best even when we’re above our 40s. So eating for us can be quite a challenge. We always worry that a moment on the lips will forever be on the hips. I don’t know if I’m just lucky that I don’t gain weight that easily, but the truth is I do gain weight. In fact, I’ve gained 4 lbs. in December alone! But I’ll worry about that later, for the holidays, I’m just gonna enjoy the delicious food on my plate and the good company that comes along with it. My rule when it comes to food: NEVER SCRIMP! I’d rather spend on food than shopping for anything else really.

Reward yourself from time to time.

Whether you’re a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, you deserve a treat. Really. Especially for the latter, don’t ever feel guilty to have some “me time” or to buy that bag or pair of shoes you’ve been lusting over. Being a mom is a hard job that takes your time, energy, and emotions. I always feel guilty whenever I shop for myself. I feel like I don’t deserve it because it is my job to take care of my kids but then I realize shopping makes me happy and I know I deserve a reward- a sweet treat, a manicure, a quite time alone, a good book- anything that can uplift my spirit after a hard day’s work.

There’s always a take away.

We all make moments in our lives whether we want to or not, these moments come taking us by surprise or we realize it after the it has passed by. For me, the after effect of each moment always gives me a take away. Something I know I will remember along with the moment I have created. A feeling or a lesson mostly, these take aways are part of the moments I like creating. These are constant reminders that in everything I do, there is something to learn. Whether a virtue, a value or a feeling. I know I get to learn something about myself or the person I shared the moment with.

The quality of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

Our thoughts are so powerful, sometimes it can consume us. I have always been a worrier. Now that I became a mom of two, my worrying doubled. I always think about the what ifs and the evil that surrounds my family. But what help will it do if I worry? It will only cause me stress and anxiety, obviously it would do me no good. So I’ve learned to think happy thoughts in order for me to have a happy life.

Letting go feels so liberating.

We all want to have things that of value and it’s definitely exciting and fun to be able to have them. So much so that sometimes it consumes us. What I learned most about this year, is that I no longer want material things to have power over me and my life. 2013 was the year I was confident of this. That I was able to let go of the things I kept even though I no longer use nor even remember I have. This is also applicable with people. Being older made me learn more about the value of time and people that truly matter. Letting go of people, relationships, and things that no longer bring me happiness nor satisfaction made feel free and definitely uncomplicated. Basta, let go! Of irrelevant things and irrelevant people in your life.

Love is in many forms. 

Love is life and life is living. I know malakas maka-J.Lo ng line na to but it holds true. I’m no love expert but one thing I do know is whatever relationship we have, we need and that love comes in many forms and many degrees. It isn’t all about the superficial, only-in-the-movie kind of love where someone will sweep you off your feet. It’s more than that. Love for me is being happy even in the simplest things. Finding it in the most ordinary of ordinaries. Everyday routinely kind of love we often don’t appreciate nor see. It is in most fleeting moments that we realize there is love and we are loved. Life is all about having love and finding love. It is about living everyday even if you’re doing the same things over and over, there is love. It is about being happy despite not having what you want and despite having less than what others have. Love is in many forms- relationships, friendships, moments, simple things, the natural yet amazing things God has created.

I am very grateful for the amazing year that has passed. For the friendships made and moments created. For the things I once dreamed and now I have, for the inspiration I get from others and hopefully the inspiration I create for others. Thank you everyone for being part of my 2013, expect more amazing things on the blog this 2014.

May our 2014 be as fruitful, if not better. Thank you 2013 for being awesome, now let’s go welcome 2014! Have a happy New Year everyone!

Don’t forget to join my GIVEAWAYS! 

Photos are borrowed from the Internet via Google.