Finding Happiness :)

Source: 365q

Are you feeling some sort of pain right now? That's right. That's what I felt too when I first saw this picture.

It's by Julian Bialowas, a photographer and graphic design student from Canada. It's part of his 365q project where he posts one of his photos for each day of the year. It's just perfect. The photos are breathtaking and the script inspires you to travel and enjoy life.

What's STOPPING you? That's RIGHT. NOTHING.

What used to stop me from doing the one thing I've always wanted to do? Me, just me.

Sure, I didn't have that much savings to do it. Of course I can't quit my job. What would my parents say? What would people say? Of course it's stupid, crazy, and irresponsible.

These things discouraged me. And I settled for the long-weekends travels.

Eventually I found the courage to finally decide to do it.

I did the first actual step - I bought a one-way ticket to India.

I started SERIOUSLY saving up - I said no to travel invites. I went out and watched movies less. I tried to stay away from Starbucks and Coffeebean. I finally had the will to not go to our flagfootball games every weekend (which was pretty hard!).

I finally told my parents that I was going to quit my job. They eventually stopped telling me to find another job first. I haven't told them that I'm travelling for a few months. I'm still preparing myself and them for that. Soon.

I eventually learned to not be affected by the opinions of the people around me. I also learned to not tell them about it anymore. Instead I found comfort from my friends, and the travel blogging community. Reading their blogs continue to remind me that I'm not that crazy. Thanks so much. :)

One more month until I finally tell my parents about it. Two more months until I file that letter. 3 and a half months more until THE DATE.

Despite my few 25-years of existence in this world, I realized that we can always choose to be happy. It's different for each and everyone of us. But we all have the capability to improve our state and our lives. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's hard. And sometimes it takes a long time. But that's what makes life great. Even the journey towards happiness can be happiness in itself. Happiness doesn't have to be the whole world agreeing with you. It's about you and how you define your own happiness.

I choose happiness over security. I choose now over worrying about the future. I've finally chosen to be happy. I finally know now how to listen to my heart. And it's been wonderful. Really wonderful. :)

What's stopping you? That's right. NOTHING. ;)

lovely coincidence

Lately I’ve been contemplating whether I should give up my place, which I share with my cousin, here in Makati. Or to negotiate a lower rent with our landlady and keep the place while I’m gone. Last night I was gearing towards giving it up already and thought of helping my cousin find a new place. Then this morning, my cousin told me that she’s going to Singapore next month to apply in the company where our friend works because they’re looking for more people. If everything works out, she’s moving there August or September.

There you go. I can’t keep the place and pay for us both until next year.

Amazing. I know some people don’t believe in signs. But I just love the coincidence. And I pray and hope that things work out for us both. :)

And last night I sorted out my old shoes, bags, and clothes. And I’m selling some of them today to my officemates. Hope they buy it!

And HOPEFULLY, if everything works out, looks like I’m backpacking Southeast Asia next year after the holidays. Excited!

happy : )

“It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It's not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound re-invention.”
- Conan O’Brien, Dartmouth Class of 2011 Commencement Speech

I couldn’t agree more. Back in college, I had an idea of who and what I was going to be in the real world. I worked and pushed myself into becoming that perceived ideal. But it just didn’t work out. I failed a lot of times, and I was so disappointed with myself and the universe. Looking back, I know now that life just had a better idea. When we try so hard to achieve something or to become someone and we fail, we just really have to accept the fact that it’s not meant to happen. It’s a cliché, but it does happen in real life. It happened to me.

When we know deep inside that there’s nothing anymore that we can do about achieving our perceived ideal, we try to reinvent ourselves. We look deep inside and talk to our hearts (sorry for the melodramatic lines :P) and find out what makes us truly happy. We make that thing a priority and we try to achieve it. There is no assurance that it will materialize or that we will succeed. But we wouldn’t know unless we try. Even the journey or the process of reinvention is a remarkable life experience in itself. We learn things about ourselves and our capabilities. And in this sense, we never really lose. We just gain more. We become better.

This trip is my first try at reinvention. I have absolutely no idea if it’s going to work out or not. All I know is that it is making me happy right now – the goal and the journey towards that goal. I have never felt so excited and passionate about something in a very long time. For the past five years my life has been mostly about failures and frustrations. The past two years has been about fears and settling for what is here right now. This trip saved me. This trip awakened my spirit again. I feel like I am capable again.

I know it’s such a bizarre idea. I know that for some it is perceived as irresponsible or I’m being ungrateful of the blessings that I have. I know that it does look like a stupid and scary thing to do. But this bizarre, stupid, and scary thing is making me happy right now. And I want to be happy, genuinely happy for a change.

Wow. The words above just found themselves pouring out of my heart. This entry was supposed to just say that I find Conan O’Brien’s speech funny and inspiring. Instead, I just realized that I haven’t been this happy and passionate in quite a long time. Which is really really great. :)

i have tumblr!

so..i haven't been posting that much here because i'm really enjoying tumblr! :)

i haven't figured out how to create a tumblr widget. so here's the link for now. hope you enjoy my posts!