It was written simply because it had to be. — Last year, I published my first book of poetry. I worked on it during the most trying time of my life, but it was worth stressing over. That was right after I had a major surgery which I candidly wrote about here. It wasn’t the stress that a boss placed…

Not writing is an important part of writing. -Ann Patchett — The last two years have been extremely challenging for our family. We waded through serious health problems, COVID-19, the death of family members, and our messy relationships with each other. In this period, I saw writing as an activity that I did or have to do, instead of a state…

I was a teenager when I first heard that true love waits. — I was a teenager when I first heard that true love waits. Coming from a religious background, growing up in a Filipino home, it meant no sex before marriage and staying patient before The One comes along. “True love waits no matter how long it takes, as long as it’s…

One is not better than the other. — Yoga and biking are the best tools I use to feel alive and healthy and more appreciative of life. Here’s what I have to say if you ever wonder if one is better than the other. With consistent yoga practice, your body gets stronger, strong enough to lift its own…

Never depend on the admiration of others — Anyone with a blog and a book’s goal is to share her work and get as many eyes as possible reading it. As I read Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness by Epictetus and Sharon Lebell, I kept coming back to my use of Instagram…

Health should be on everyone’s list — In this post from January 2021, I listed 9 things I will keep paying for that year. This is how things went: 1. Courses — No. I didn’t take any courses in 2021. 2. Writing and designing tools — Yes. Publishing a book is not free. It can be, but…

A brand-new story is waiting — At the beginning of 2021, I wrote An Open Letter To The Year Ahead with a sense of foreboding and an ounce of optimism. I was looking forward to leaving 2020 behind, thinking I was entering a better one. I was not entirely wrong, but not entirely right, either. My…