Rejection isn't the nicest thing to get (especially on a Monday) nor the easiest one to accept and give. It's natural to question the act and the circumstances surrounding it. It's easy to feel pity for ourselves, and ask if the world is conspiring against us. Considering that we are generally good beings, and that we strive hard to better the current state that we are experiencing.

But any moment, relationship or opportunity has that side whether we like it or not. As cliche as it sounds, it is not always about us. We have to accept that it can be about external factors like time, other people, systems and structures. Sometimes, we just have to acknowledge the simple idea that it's just the way it is, for now.

2017 started right for me. I got a new marketing stint in a different field.

I’ve been in the hotel industry since 2011, and I know it’s not as long as it sounds, but I always wanted to widen my skill set or just plain curious to try something new. Thanks to my headhunter, I got the said opportunity.

Hi, everyone!
 
It’s been a curious week, and an interesting time to be alive. Recent events have affected our past, and yet to shape our future. These triggered a lot of opinions, struggles and silence. 
 
Although a lot of questions and messages arose from recent events, I am concerned that some are more inclined to disregard connections and promote indifference. To think that a certain event does not affect us in small or large ways is like looking at life through a keyhole. Now is not the time to be indifferent and isolated. Now is the time to know, to understand and be involved. As they say, fighting for what you know is right is worth it. To stand up for what you know is true, and best for you and the rest of the world is what makes democracy great and beautiful; to be able to think, voice out differences, and respect them. Someone else’s truth may not necessarily apply to us, but the freedom and responsibility to express, and accept or deny something uphold the values of equality, diversity and justice.  
 
We are all for healing the wounds of the past and moving forward. However, we must never forget the lessons that history have taught us. For it is through the past that we are able to reflect, stand and create clearer paths for our future.
 
Hurt as we may be for things and outcomes that did not go our way, let us continue to invest in each other. We are all on the same team: a team that drives for progress and realization of dreams.
 
Regardless of race, gender, religion or political views, what’s important is that we continue to hope together. That hope must relentlessly direct us towards a better tomorrow. To deny ourselves of hope is like wishing our boat to sink while we’re in it. A leader does not make a nation, its people does. Let’s break the cycle of negativity, and start acting as learned nations that create healthy and inclusive opportunities for everyone. Let us not feed on hate and fear, but hold on to, and educate the youth about love, hope, and unity.
 
We can do this. We can always be better versions of ourselves. Remain connected. Stay inspired, and may God bless us all!

Hi, everyone!

Happy Halloween! It's a beautiful Monday afternoon, and it's so good to be back.

I'm still at home, recovering, but I hope you're all enjoying the long weekend and Halloween parties. What's your costume this year? My niece went to two parties, and she dressed up as a princess and a cupcake. She enjoyed chasing after the mascots and dancing with the other kids.

This Monday, I just wanted to share something inspirational to kickstart the week.

Part of trying new things and growth is experiencing some setbacks. Although sometimes we only see the success of other people, we also need to recognize that their accomplishments were not achieved overnight. They, too, had to battle their way to the top. In fact, they continue to do so in order to surf the waves or change the tides. It is also because of their persistence that some challenges may seem like a walk in the park. Not being able to accept the challenge of failure draws us back from our purpose and mere existence. Recognizing defeat without pushing ourselves to stand and try again makes us complacent.

Idealistic as it may sound, I believe that we're all destined to do great things. May it be for ourselves, for our family and friends or for the community, the measure of our success is entirely up to us. The only question is, how bad do we want it?

Here's a short video from Drew Canole of Fitlife to power up your afternoon. Enjoy! #StayInspired

How’s your week so far? Well, since Wednesdays are meant for Wayback Wednesdays, let’s recall the gorgeous wedding of Rolph Mariano and Stephanie Santos-Mariano.
 
I was lucky enough to be part of this celebration as a friend and as a designer. With the encouragement of my "fairy godsister", Angel, the couple asked me to design them a simple yet classy invitation. They wanted a black and white, text heavy layout. We matched the set with an almond-colored envelope with a rose quartz inlay, then sealed it with their rose quartz emblem. I’m just glad that the families were happy in the end.
 
Congratulations again, Rolph and Tipin! May your days be filled with love and laughter!

After years and years of using free blogs, I finally decided to buy my own domain! I'm ecstatic about this change, and the possibilities that it may bring into my life. I even started changing links online and my esignature.

On a serious note, this will mean that I will be using this site more often than my handy notebooks just to actually express my thoughts. My Instagram account will now have a "partner in crime".

So why did I make the change?

1. Why did I even wait this long? Seriously. I've been producing online content since Multiply was a trend. If I intend to get my thoughts across, what better way to do it than to actually make myself more credible.
2. Enough with the excuses. I promised myself years back that I will buy my own domain. A promise is a promise. Moving from free accounts to premium ones will allow me to fully experience the applications that I use. I think Spotify Premium was the first thing that I bought online. It was a late decision, but at least I'm now enjoying the music without the ads (sorry).
3. Practice writing. I always loved writing, may it be a poem or just a random daily thought. Flashback college days, I wrote poems for a local newspaper. If I want to be a writer, I better start writing, again.
4. Having my own domain may mean that I can do more collaborations. It may also push me to learn more things about the business.
5. This line convinced me "A goal without a plan is just a wish." I don't intend to inspire people without actually inspiring myself. As they say, practice what you preach.

So what change did you make recently? Let me know in the comment section.

#StayInspired

Before we go to our holiday celebrations, I look back at 2014, when I made some big decisions in my life, and be thankful. The ride wasn’t the easiest, but it was surely fun. I guess I can now agree with two sayings: one is “we only live once” and the other is “the thing that we fear the most, brings us the greatest experience.” I am grateful to everyone who became part of my life not only during my wins, but more importantly during my battles. Thank you for staying and believing. I am more than blessed to have you. I thank the Lord for all the people I was able to meet, for places I was able to see, for family ties and friendship, for opportunities and challenges that we were able to withstand, and for providing us strength and guidance. The love I received instilled lessons, much needed hope and inspiration in me.

As this new chapter unfolds, I wish that we always find time for ourselves and for one another. A time to listen, to explore, to learn, to appreciate, to be grateful, to understand, to love, to hug, to kiss, to be passionate, to smile, to laugh, to heal, to breathe, and to give back. I wish that we have more genuine connections and experiences beyond the convenience of technology.

I can’t wait to create a meaningful journey with you this 2015. May we find success and happiness in each other, as we continue to grow in love.

Happy New Year!

Before this day ends, I want to share some insights from Jobs. The movie showed the life of the late Steve Jobs while narrating the early years of the tech giant, Apple. Steve Jobs was someone who inspired the world, dreamt big and tried to change life, as we know it. I think he lived a sad life, though. Lost his friends and a lot of colleagues along the process. A result of his obsession with his visions, while sacrificing the windows (no pun intended) to deeply connect with people surrounding him. 

Sometimes I think that solitude comes with being extraordinary. You have to defy the tides in order to redirect it. It is an opportunity open for everyone, but not everyone is willing to face the risks in fear of failure. Therefore, making it a path less travelled. Nonetheless, you must be able to draw the fine line between prodigiousness and madness.

http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/JOBSposter.jpg

Although the movie did not establish a clear path to take, as it jumped from one detail to another, Ashton Kutcher did a stupendous job playing the title role. This is the first time I saw him take on a serious character and I must commend him for doing his homework, as he really resembles the man. His portrayal was able to deliver the emotional intensity of the visionary, as presented by the material he was given. But after watching the biopic, I personally found it hard to identify or connect with Jobs. Maybe it was his overdriven approach to his dreams and the lack of details that could’ve reasoned why he became an inspiration to many. In the end, I just chose to focus on the milestones that his company was able to accomplish.

When you have the gut feeling and the facts that says you’re on the right track, don’t allow anyone or anything convince you to believe otherwise. This is something I have been experiencing since I was a kid. I remember being told that writing isn’t for me because I was an art guy. However, I knew I wanted to write, and so I did. I became the Editor-in-Chief of our school paper, a year after I joined the organization. The opportunity to make a difference only comes once. The challenges should never come above your passion. It doesn’t matter if there are people who misunderstand you, feel short about your vision or refuse to support your goal. It is important that you stay firm on the things that make you who you are. The right people and the resources will come along the way. We all have to start somewhere, even if it means setting up an office in your garage or even if your initial computer looks like a scratch paper. Great things take time. Neither the present nor the past should cloud the future you want to build. Do not feel impatient and make haste. Someone once said that you make time and give power to who and what you love. The choices we make define us, create our uniqueness and build our greatness.

Our generation invented the quarter-life crisis, a point when people in their twenties wonder about their purpose, dream big and take chances. It's not exactly a bad thing. I, too, am guilty of leaving a well-planned week for a life of adventure. I wanted to pursue my dreams knowing that life is too short to settle down. The opportunity to grow your skills, understand more and learn about the world is a temptation difficult to resist. I quote the late Steve Jobs in saying never settle. Stay hungry. 

Research tells us that we are also prone to believing that because of the vast talents we know we possess, we can conquer the world by claiming the wins our uniqueness was able to bag. 

Credit to the artist via Pinterest

Everyone dreams of becoming someone or doing something big in their lives. I guess it comes with being an artist that I've been known for having a lot of aspirations. Sometimes, so varied that some people will question my perspective on reality.

However, I think that there is no problem in how I dream. We all see things differently. Trying all kinds of stuff, sometimes different from my end goals, doesn't mean I am giving up on what I truly desire. Nor does it mean that I'm settling. For me, these experieces will make sense in the end. That all my endeavors will aid me in reaching what I truly aim for. This doesn't even say that I'm being selfish. Besides, in this process, I was able to live parts of those dreams. Again, just a matter of how we interpret things.

What I understand is that we should hold on to our wildest dream. We don't have to know everything to get it. We just have to believe and give it a try. After all, life is too short to be looking at walls when we can appreciate paths.

Stay inspired. Later days!