Discovered Inspirations: The Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto

Here's another wonderful manifesto I found online.  

{Download this manifesto for free}

This an inspiring reminder on how we can cultivate a home of love, compassion, gratitude and positivity.

I'm not a parent yet but reading this manifesto made me realize that there's a parent in all of us because we are all capable of taking care of one another and have compassion towards each other. In so many ways, I have felt parental love from friends and strangers whom I've met by fate. I'm aware too that sometimes when friends come to me, I take the role of a sister or a parent to them. 

Reading this was also an affirmation of how blessed I am to have special people who never ceased to let me feel important to them. A simple greeting via text, email or tweet, a phone call just to say hello and taking the time to have a cup of coffee or a meal are sweet little things that doesn't cost much but feels extravagantly special to my heart. Having family and friends around is God's way of taking care of us.

Happy Monday and may we all have a great week ahead!

Wednesday Flowers and Reflection

A fresh bouquet of flowers were waiting at my desk this morning when I arrived. They came from one of my trainees who wanted to remain anonymous but (according to my workmate) profusely sent her appreciation for all the work I've done in running the training program that she's attending. 

It's made my heart tender as I start my Wednesday on a sweet note. My trainee's thoughtful and sweet gesture made my day! I wish I could personally say thank you but nevertheless, I'm thinking good thoughts of her and will say a prayer that she'll hopefully feel how grateful I am.

Oftentimes it's not the grand things that make us truly happy and appreciated. I've always been contented and fulfilled just seeing all my trainees present in their workshops, learning new skills and improving their craft. They don't even have to thank me for it. The mere fact that they make an effort to learn is enough for me. Knowing that I'm a part of their successful careers makes it all worthwhile. 

The past few weeks have been quite stressful at the office. Some days, I've lost the equilibrium I have maintained and always enjoyed. But there are two words that helped me soldier on: determination and passion. Determination is what helps me bring order in every tangled a situation there may be. Passion is my fuel, the stamina of my heart, mind and spirit. 

Receiving flowers is the icing on my cake, a bonus that can never be measured. On days when things are getting rough at work, I will go back to moments like these to inspire me to serve more.

Musings Over A Cup of Toffee Nut Latte

It's very seldom that I go to Starbucks now. If you follow this blog, you'd know that I've been frequenting other cafes when I go out. But when I had my "Me" time yesterday, I decided to reunite with my favourite seasonal beverage "Toffee Nut Latte". Drinking this helps me feel the Christmas spirit and somehow brings me to happy memories from my other home, Manila.

The Starbucks I used to frequent had a new set of staff. I was kind of sad and missed my old barista but the new one was good as well. He made my Toffee Nut Latte perfectly sweet (no need to add sugar). 

A few musings while I was enjoying my cuppa:
Starbucks coffee is really expensive. My tall latte with whipped cream cost me about $5.30. Most cafes here charge less and taste better. I find more value buying their coffee beans and making coffee the way I like it.

Husband and I unconsciously choose to have coffee at home since we've had the Nespresso. And because of that we are saving money. How? We save on petrol, we save on time going out, we save on money because we are not tempted to buy things we don't need when we're out and most of all, the Nespresso coffee pods are cheap (a coffee pod costs between 68cents-70cents) and yet we get great quality coffee.

Drinking coffee in the Philippines is expensive. Yes while having coffee, I thought of how expensive it is to maintain a "coffee lifestyle" in the Phils. Wala lang, naisip ko lang. Let's not do the converting of dollars to peso because that's not the point. I just have this comparison. The money you pay to buy a tall latte in the Philippines is equivalent to a few  train rides in the MRT; while in Australia, a tall latte is equivalent to one train ride. Also, we can find a good cup of coffee in Australia from AUD$2.70 to $3.50. The Phils has cheaper alternatives but in general it still seems expensive to me. While drinking coffee (in cafes) in Australia is likened to a basic commodity, drinking coffee (in cafes) in the Phils seems like a luxury. 

So there, just a few idle thoughts of mine yesterday. Have a lovely day today!

Aussie Life Series: Darling Harbour on a Friday Afternoon

I've been tagging some of my photos #AussieLife in instagram which simply shows life in Australia. I'm celebrating my 7th year of living here next month and it still gives me goosebumps at the realization that I live in Sydney. I love this beautiful city. I love how laidback this country is. Life here is not without heartaches and struggles but I'm always be grateful for the blessing of being here.

It's been awhile since I've had a quiet afternoon at Darling Harbour. It is one of my favourite places in the city. It has immensely changed with the development of the Tumbalong Park and the new dining district Darling Quarter that boosts of several restaurants.

Here are few photos of that lovely afternoon. While things may have progressed in Darling Harbour, the laidback lifestyle still remains.

At Darling Quarter.  This place is a mixture of business and leisure establishments. They made this park for kids and kids-at-heart. They have two tables for those who would like to play table tennis which proves to be a good diversion for professionals during break from work.

At another park of the park in Darling Quarter. People sitting on chairs, relaxing. Some are with friends chatting, some are listening to music or reading quietly.

The Beer O'Clock Crowd. Being a Friday, some people get off work as early as 3:30pm and have a drink with friends. 

Relaxing by the Harbour. This is one of my favourite spots in Sydney. It's just beautiful to sit here and enjoy the lovely little harbour and blue skies.

Blue Harbour. Australia's got the bluest skies you'll ever see. I never get tired of saying that as much as I never get tired of looking at the blue skies here.

The Seagull. He willingly paused so I can take a photo of him. You know the movie "Finding Nemo"? Those birds that kept saying "Mine, mine, mine!" were inspired by the seagulls in Australia. There are tons of them in Sydney and they like eating chips. And sometimes I do imagine them saying "Mine, mine, mine!" when we throw out food to them.

It is normal to see a stroller parked in front of a restaurant. Parents sometimes leave baby strollers in front of restaurants due to space concerns and that's okay.

The Happy Hour Crowd. Happy clicking of beer bottles, wine and cocktail glasses are in full swing as soon the sun sets. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing Sydney in my photographs. Till next time!

Being True & Tactful and Having Filters

Sharing with you my favourite quote from Dr. Seuss as illustrated by http://chrispiascik.com

I have this quote saved on my phone to constantly remind me to stay true to myself at all times. When I'm wanting to say how I feel or think, I look back to this quote when I need to decipher a way to express my truth without being offensive. This quote also gives me comfort knowing that I have family and friends who are always ready to understand the feeling behind every word I say.

Over time, I have learned to be careful on what I put out there. Whether it may be personal or digital, I make sure that what I say is based on my truth. And if my opinions may or could have hurt anyone, it wasn't intentional and I bear no malice.

I have learned to filter what I say and write. Until I'm sure of what I'm about to express, I will not let it go. I will let a story show its end before I tell you what happened. Sometimes, I only share my thoughts when asked. While I share my random thoughts online, I have learned not to abuse the freedom of having access to social media. Once in a while I may fail to be mindful, especially when exchanging opinions with online friends, but most of the time, I try to be tactful. 

I have also learned to filter the things that make up my world. I stay away from people who are negative and those who bring out the worst in other people. Instead, I spend time with people who offer genuine friendship. I choose what I read, ones that cultivate productive thoughts and learning. I choose how I spend my time well by being aware of my priorities and values all the time. By way of filtering, I'm able to spend more of my time on people and things that truly matter.

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Wishing you a week filled with things that make you happy!

It's Nice To Be Someone Else' +1

Isn't it nice to be someone else's +1?  And even more wonderful if that someone is a person other than your partner or spouse.  

I'm not saying I don't jump for joy at the thought that I'm my Husband's +1. But you gotta admit that when you're taken or married, there's really not much surprise there. I will always be grateful that being married entails I'm secured for life that I'm my Husband's +1 and he mine but what I'm talking about here is that it's nice to have friends who consider you as their +1 (other than their partner) too.

At this time and age, it's not easy to maintain friendships. Time spent with people is an investment and it is something that you can never take back. Time spent with loved ones will forever be in the bank of our memories.

I've been fortunate enough that I have girlfriends who will go out of their way just to spend time with me. It is always a blessing to know that a friend of mine will invite me for coffee or tea because she has a +1 invite. It may be a small gesture but it is one of the sweetest things that make my heart tender.

So I Went on a Health Holiday

One month into the winter season and I went down with a nasty flu and throat infection.  I said hello to July miserable in bed surrounded by tissues, water bottles (that was tirelessly filled by the Husband), antibiotics and Chicken Arroz Caldo.  


My body's used to having bouts of head colds and cough on icy mornings. But just when I thought and felt that my body's more resilient with winter, a persistent bug caught me and knocked me down. What I thought was going to be just a 2-day sick leave from work, turned out to be seven days.  The plan was to go back to work middle of last week but I decided (yes, I decided) to take the whole week off to avoid a relapse and make it my Health Holiday.

There's always that connotation that sick leaves are not good (oh well, we know it's not good because it's about being sick) so instead of thinking that I'm on leave because I'm down with something, I renamed my break from work to a Health Holiday.  (Yes, I do make up names for my holidays sometimes.)


Health Holiday---doesn't that sound more positive?  


Whenever I get sick, I sometimes have feelings of vulnerability.  I don't think that's a bad thing. I actually think that it's normal for one to be emotional when physically unwell.  Staying home and not being able to do things we're used to doing makes one feel vulnerable.  At the start of my being sick two weeks ago, I started having "wawa" thoughts (kawawa thoughts/self-pity thought) but experience has taught me that negative thoughts and feelings do nothing.  I knew I was physically beaten so I instead of wallowing and be cranky (because I hated being sick), I made a mental turnaround and let go.  


I let go and accepted healing positively.


I let go and accepted that it's okay to be sick once in a while.  


I let go and laughed it off.


I let go and let my Husband take care of me.


I tried to be patient with getting well.  Being the conscientious person that I am, I sometimes give deadlines on when I should be well (probably because of the thought that I need to go back to work).  But instead of being too conscious of time, I focused on getting well and let my body recover on its own sweet time. I disregarded the thought that work may be piling up or that the office needs me.  I shrugged at boredom and instead became thankful that I have all the time in the world to get well.


I listened to what my body needed.  I slept for hours.  It amazed me that even if I didn't have much appetite, my body craved to eat good food.  I stayed away from the computer. I went out our balcony and let the sun comfort me with it's warmth and Vitamin D.

I'm a believer that every situation has its blessing(s).  In my case of being sick, it inspired me to be more healthy. Also, I've learned to let go and focus on being positive even when I'm down with something. 

I'm grateful to be back to attending to my usual routines this week.  Although I still have a bit of cough, I feel so much better and nearly a hundred percent recovered.

Wanderlust Wednesdays: Life in Sydney

I have always shared life in Sydney thru my photographs, thru this blog and my column in Ang Kalatas. Although I haven't made an exclusive account of what I think of living here, I do love living here. Maybe one day I will write about it some more, when I have the discipline to sit down and write; and when I have no more hesitations in doing so.  In the meantime, I hope you get to appreciate my photos, blogging and tweets about Sydney, my beloved city.


I found this video online yesterday and I just had to share it.  It shows a few things that Sydneysiders do: start the day at the beach, have coffee (we're passionate about our coffee), enjoying nature even if we're in the city, find beauty in unexpected spaces, the Vivid Sydney during winter time.  It shows the simple ways we live life here and how laidback we are.  

P.S.  I've been told by some friends overseas that they cannot access this video.  I'm not sure why but I'm sorry if you're having trouble accessing it.  

This City and You from Johnny Abegg Films on Vimeo.

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Discovered Inspirations: Being Truthful

No matter how old I get, how things change around me or how confusing things may be, I always find my centre by anchoring myself in the things I believe in and hold dear.  I find peace and happiness by being truthful to myself and to the people I love.

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Discovered Inspirations: Abundance

When I think of "abundance" I always think of the time when I discovered that it is not just about material possessions but it is a state of being.  In 2005, I attended a short seminar where I met life coach Pido Aguilar Jr. who talked about the real meaning of abundance and how to live a life of abundance.  The lessons he imparted showed me that it all starts with how we live and how we view things.  It all starts with thinking positive thoughts, doing things you love and counting our blessings.

Related Post: Affirmation: Abundance Thru Positive Thoughts

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Grateful in Autumn

Dear Autumn, 
This year you made my heart oh so happy.
With every leaf that fell, my grateful heart glowed with the blessing of a good life filled with laughter and love.  Thank you Dear God and thank you Universe.
Love,
Me 

That's just my little note to Autumn for being kind this year.  As we end another season and move on to much colder days (Hello, Winter!--tomorrow na!) let me just acknowledge a few things that made the past three months extra special. 

Figaro Coffee, You Remind Me of the Good Things

Don't you just love waking up to great coffee?

Thank God for friends who are generous enough to send care packages to me.  When my friends in Manila found out that my Mum's coming to Sydney, some of them thoughtfully sent me some stuff I love.  Thanks Hazel for sending one of my favourite coffees from the Philippines.  

I love how the aroma of Barako Gold filled the air in our home the moment I took it out of the box, it was just wonderful.  Every cup I'm savouring gives me a clean, rich and flavourful taste.  

When I drink Figaro, I'm reminded of one of the best times of my life.

It reminds me of one of my dearest bestfriends, Teng.    We both share a passion for drinking coffee since we were young.  When we graduated from college and went our separate ways to follow our respective career paths, we thought we would see less of each other.  But coffee brought us together almost every week (sometimes even twice a week).  I worked in Makati and she worked in Mandaluyong so our meeting place was always in Ortigas area.  We had the best times of our lives meeting up after work usually for coffee at Figaro in Shangri-la Mall.  When we've had a bad day, we'd have a drink or two at a bar.  But always, it was at a Figaro where we'd meet and start our rendezvous and misadventures.  We loved Figaro not only for its coffee but because they offered delicious pastries and fairly decent dishes like pasta and sandwiches.  Other than have coffee, that's where we have dinner too.  

I miss those times and I miss Teng more.  I'm hoping one day we get to have our much-awaited coffee klatch  and make new memories again over a cup of our good 'ol Figaro.

Why I Love Our Foldable Treadmill

If someone asks me what I bought with my first salary from my first Aussie paycheck, the answer would have to be my Resistance Elliptical Strider.  

I grew up being physically active.  When I was young, I always get involved in activities where I'm able to move and sweat.  It's not difficult to engage in physical activities in school thanks to the various clubs one can join but when one goes out into the corporate world of working 8-10 hours a day, it can become a challenge to some of us.  When I worked in Manila, I had the chance of joining sports competitions until such time I had to retire because of an injury. And just when that happened, I migrated to Australia where I felt I needed to continue having an active lifestyle.  

So when I received my first paycheck in 2005, I looked for a cheap exercise equipment and found a Resistance Elliptical Strider.  The machine may seem harmless but it is quite the opposite.  This one weighed a ton (I don't have the exact number but it is heavy) and takes a lot of effort (and muscle) to exercise in.  But given my age and physical capabilities then, it was good enough for me.  A few minutes on this machine 3 to 4 times a week gave me a fast heartbeat rate, strong legs and arms.  Other than the help of this machine, I averaged 30 minutes of walking on a daily basis. For three years, I lived near a park and every weekend, I'd briskwalk and run during the afternoons for additional exercise. 

When I moved to an apartment with my Husband, we brought the Elliptical Strider with us.  But as time goes by,  my body has changed and I needed an exercise equipment that will be more friendly to my body, my bones and joints in particular. 

As one age, we have to treat our body with appropriate care.  I'm petite and cannot carry very heavy things. I thought that I should treat my bones and joints well.  At one time, exercising on my elliptical strider gave me a backache so instead of being encouraged to use it, I became wary, fearing that I might injure so I stopped exercising on it last year.  It took me months to decide to let it go and opt for another exercise machine.   

Last month, I finally bought a Foldable Treadmill online via oo.com.au.

It came with simple instructions on how to unfold it.  No need to assemble any big parts.

In less than 5 minutes, our treadmill was ready for use.

I love our treadmill because:
It is handy, small, compact but serves its purpose.  With its 1530mm x 650mm x 720mm size, it is perfect for our 2-bedroom apartment.  Since it is foldable, it doesn't eat up too much space at home.  It only weighs 19 kilos so lugging it around is not a hassle.  It has a stable incline which is manageable for everyone in the family.


I don't have to get out of the house in order to walk or jog.  One of my biggest hurdle in exercising is going/driving to the park and the weather.  Going out requires extra time and effort while driving to a place involves petrol costs.  The weather can be a nuisance.  It's too cold during winter, too hot during summer and rains last for days.  Since I've got a treadmill at home, I've got no excuse.  


I'm back to my regular habit of exercising!  After three weeks of having a treadmill at home, I'm now back to exercising 3 to 4 times a week.  Nowadays, I look forward to going home and spending time on the treadmill.  It easily became a part of my lifestyle because I can get on the treadmill while I watch TFConline before dinner.  


The Treadmill was a great replacement to the Elliptical Strider.The treadmill is perfect for me because I love walking.  I can just walk for a long period of time while I watch TV or read stuff on the iPad.  If I'm not doing anything while on the treadmill, I don't get bored.  Walking in silence is therapeutic for me.  It helps me think and de-stress.


It's a fun exercise machine! I'm able to walk, briskwalk, jog, run on the treadmill.  In a 25-minute session, I'm able to do all four activities.  Sometimes, I do a bit of arm exercises while walking--a combined exercise.  I also sometimes sing while I walk on the treadmill and I love it!


Although I miss having the Elliptical Strider around, I'm glad I made this change in our lifestyle.  I realized now how important it is to finding the right equipment for me, one that will is more friendly to me body and one that makes me want to exercise. 


For those who would like to buy the same treadmill I have, you can check it out here.

The IKEA Family Card and Dreams of a Kitchen & Textiles

We received our IKEA Family Card yesterday and it's one of the most gorgeous looking cards the Husband and I have encountered.  

Be part of the IKEA Family to avail perks and discounts:

• Free hot drinks every visit
• Discounts on selected meals in the IKEA Restaurant
• Exclusive discounts on lots of products
• Extended 12-month return policy
• 10c donated to charity for every swipe
• Weekly $250 IKEA gift card draw

For more details, please visit IKEA FAMILY and join for free.

We registered for an IKEA Family Card last month when we took my Mum for a visit.  Everytime she's here, we make sure to drop by IKEA in case she needs something for our home in Manila.  Plus, she also loves food at IKEA.

Zushi Sushi & Baskin Robbins at Pacific Fair Shopping Centre (Broadbeach, Queensland)

If I had one free week, I'd go on a blogging holiday and I'd do nothing but blog.  While I'm not pressured to update this blog on a daily basis, I do like writing about my food and travel adventures because more than anything else, I blog for myself.  Keeping a blog has become a useful tool for me as sometimes I go back to my previous posts on places, restaurants and recipes when the need arises.  I still haven't figured out how to I will share our Philippines, Gold Coast and Melbourne trips (they all happened last year!!!) as efficiently and concisely as possible but I have an inkling of a plan.  In the meantime, let me share with you a restaurant that fascinated us when we visited Gold Coast in December 2011.  


On the morning that we arrived at Gold Coast our room wasn't ready yet (we were early for check-in time) so our first agenda was to attend mass (it was a Sunday) and then find a place to have a meal and hang out for a few hours.  Our relatives recommended to visit the biggest mall at Gold Coast, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, located at Broadbeach.  


We found St. Monica's Church not too far away from our hotel so after mass, we took the bus to Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.


Arrived a little after 12noon, we felt famished and a bit tired.  We assumed all the getting up early and travelling to Gold Coast had taken a toll on us.  For lunch, we wanted something fast but fresh.  At one corner of the mall, we found a Japanese Restaurant called Zushi Sushi and immediately cheered when we saw the sushi train.


Sat ourselves on the sushi train and wondered, "Where are all the sushi?"


Then suddenly, we saw a miniature train on the sushi train tracks!  Oh how cute!!!

Behind the miniature train were the plates containing yummy sushi.

We only got two plates of sushi, both freshly-made and delicious.

We ordered a plate of stir-fried spicy beef with rice, soup and salad.  It was good enough to share.  The beef tender and juicy.

For our first meal in Gold Coast, we enjoyed the food and were greatly amused by the creativity that is the miniature train.  This is one sushi train experience we will never forget.

We had a good walk around Pacific Fair Shopping Centre and we instantly felt how laidback it was at the Gold Coast.  If Sydney feels laidback, Gold Coast is more of that.

It was during dessert at Baskin Robbins when I told the Husband, "I want a life like this--simple, more laidback."  The Husband agreed.

Zushi Sushi & Teppanyaki - Pacific Fair
http://www.zushisushi.com.au/
Shop 148 Western Food Court
Pacific Fair Shopping Centre
Broadbeach, QLD 4218
07 5572 7877