How to Have an Amazing 2016

Hello Yamisweeters!  Kumusta naman ang buhay-buhay? First month of the year is about to end.  Anong ginawa mo sa unang buwan ng 2016?  Ikaw ba ay nag-sipag, nagbago ng outlook sa buhay o just stay the same kasi sobrang saya mo sa comfort zone mo?

This time, I want to share to you how I spent my January and how it affects my life.  Alam na...... approaching to mid-life at ang dami ng mga realization na I think naman ay makakatulong sa bonggang life.  And because naumpisahan mo nang basahin itong aking kwento eh I am praying na ma-bless ka with my sharing.

Bukod sa pagpapatuloy ng buhay sa pamilya at sa trabaho, ang isa pa sa aming pinagkakaabalahan ay ang weekly prayer meeting at The Feast Bay Area.  Ito po ay isang Catholic gathering sa iba't-ibang malalaking events place sa Bay Area in Manila. Merong Holy Mass at one-hour powerful talk.  To start the year, the series is about How to be #blessed and have an amazing 2016.

At gusto kong i-share sa inyo ang aking reflection sa mga talks in four Sundays.

According to the good-looking preachers of The Feast Bay Area, there are four simple ways how to have an amazing 2016.  Gusto mo bang maging Amazing ang iyong taon?  Kahit patapos na ang January, pwedeng-pwede ka pang humabol at magsimula ng bagong habits para ma-achieve ang bonggang life na pinapangarap mo.  At eto na yung apat na paraan.

1. Be a Wow-derful Person

Sabi ni Bro. Bo, "Say wow more often." Always say "wow" to your spouse, children, workmates, friends and even strangers for the small efforts.  It is like wearing a "wow" glasses wherein you will become amazed at everything. You see the value of little things and you look at ordinary things extraordinarily.  You become grateful and appreciative of your blessings and possessions.  Unlike if you wear the "whatever" glasses, everything is dull.  You end up not caring at all because you loss your excitement and gratitude.  Parang sa commercial lang. "Nakita ko na yan...."  Your sense of wonder dies.  

And being a wow-derful person can gain Wealth, Wisdom and Welcome.  

It attracts richer life(spiritually, socially and even financially).  You will see simple things that can make you constantly happy.  And when you are happy you can strategize more of your goals.

It also encourages to listen to and get wisdom from other people's stories.  We became interested to other people's ideas that can help us to grow. According to Bro. Bo, be a sponge of wisdom.  The more wisdom the merrier, of course.  You can do a lot of things.

And wonder is a sign of humility because we look at ordinary people and see the 'extra' in them. Wonder leads to love.

When you look at things in life and at other people, don't just take them for something worth five dollars.  Look at them with eyes of 'wow' and wonder, as if they were a painting worth 50 million dollars.- Bro. Bo Sanchez

2. Remain Hungry; Keep Wishing

On this session, we attended The Feast with our dream board.  We must remain hungry for contentment and abundance.  We should not settle to our comfort zone because everyone of us has a mission to be abundant to serve others.  We have a mission to fulfill our own dreams to inspire and help other people.  And most of the time, we become impatient with setting our aspirations because it is left unfulfilled for a quite a long time.  We became hopeless and frustrated.  According to the preachers, we must rejoice with every step towards achieving our dreams.  It is the case of planting the seeds.  In God's time, the fulfillment of our heart's desire would be ready to harvest.  All we need to do is to believe because we deserve it and we can do it.  Continue to ask God for guidance because He gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given in His own time.

Believe! You deserve it. You can do it.-Bro. George Gabriel 

3. Uberize your Work

Uberize means working hard as if your working for the Lord.  We should ASK and ACT.  According to Bro. Bo, there are four types of people in this world:

• those who wait for things to happen
• those who complain why things don't happen
• those who wonder what happened; and
• those who make things happen

Sino ka dyan?  Are you the kind of person who wants to make things happen or you just wait things to happen.  Kung para sa akin, para sa akin yan while doing nothing.  When we have dreams we can ASK the Lord to help us with it but we have to ACT.  Gusto mo ng promotion sa office mo but you're always late.  You don't show enthusiasm on working very well.  Yet you are expecting for an increase in your salary.  Assess yourself, what are you doing that can make you AMAZING.

They used the story of the wedding feast in Cana.  Jesus Christ perform his first miracle.  There is no enough wine for the party but Jesus Christ made a miracle using water. With this story, the preachers composed the pattern of miracle. Nothing-Something-Amazing

From nothing, they get something then they found it amazing.

And that is how we can apply to our own life miracles.  From nothing(ASK) we can put something(ACT) then we will find AMAZING miracle.  Let us uberize our work, let's go extra mile, let's do anything not ask us to do and work harder.  By doing that we are learning and we are turning ourselves into amazing person.

4. Avoid Worry, Weary and Wackos

These are the three attitudes that we have to avoid to attract blessings and live the Amazing life. 

a. Stop Worrying and focus on the kingdom of God.  Seek God first.   

Here are the antidotes of Worrying

• Work- "the more you work, the less you worry".  The foundation of our dream is WORK.  When we do our work we are financially worry less and we know our self-worth.
• WORSHIP-we need to worship when we are not in control.  

b. Fight weariness

How to go beyond weariness?

• when you're tired, remind yourself your emotional PURPOSE.  What is you reason why are doing such thing.
• do things passionately.  You enjoy what you are doing.
• maintain your personhood.  Practice your stability, that no matter circumstances you are in, your identity to give more, good habit and good character remains in you.

c. Avoiding wackos

Wackos are people's judgement and the voices you create and hear in you mind(I have a lot of these).  These are doubts, insecurities and intimidation.   

Keep believing.  Trust God.  Avoid negative vibes. Go on, dream on because with God nothing is impossible.  

Proclaim I'm possible.-Alvin Barcelona

 Oh yeah, isn't amazing?  We are reminded on how are we going to attain a wonderful life.  I hope and pray that all our wishes, dreams and goals will be achieved this year.  Let's all #push and go extra mile.


Have an amazing 2016!!

P.S.

And because you read my blog and I want you to live an amazing life, I will be giving away a book that can help you achieve your dreams and a #certifiedpositive planner as part of my Amazing 2016.  Just email me at iamysweet22@gmail.com together with your address within the Philippines.  The one who hit my inbox FIRST will be the lucky one who will receive the following. 

Here's the book and planner.

Hurry, email me na and wait for my reply.

Yamoments: Stability

In the Yamoment blog series, I'd like to invite you to take a moment for mindfulness and reflection. I add some picture qoutes, new ideas I am learning and bible verses I find along the way. 

Have fun!

Stay in the moment and enjoy the mindful living. 

Stability is an awesome attitude.  It makes us a peaceful, dependable and productive no matter what situation may be.  It keeps us being on an emotional roller coaster but firm and focused despite the circumstances around us.  We are becoming content whatever our condition is and we are being able to keep moving with ease and grace whenever life throws a curve ball.

The only thing we can gain stability is through meditation.  Realizing our inner strength, with the help of the Holy Spirit, make us find the stability of our mind and emotions.  Studying God’s Words and putting it into practice can lead us into our focus of attaining our stability.  

Be stable in God’s love and focus on building a relationship with Him.  Because if we follow God’s way we are like a tree planted by a stream-a tree that produces fruit when it should and has leave that never fall.(Psalms 1:3)

Be Stable!

Yamoments: Patience

In the Yamoment blog series, I'd like to invite you to take a moment for mindfulness and reflection. I add some picture qoutes, new ideas I am learning and bible verses I find along the way. 

Have fun!

Stay in the moment and enjoy the mindful living. 

Sometimes, we feel frustrated with the slow progress of making our life.  We are in a hurry with the the timetable we set for our life goals and dreams.  Did we not realize that God's time is always on perfect timing.  He uses our journey to prepare ourselves to success.  He develops our character for the life He planned for us.

Great persons grow through challenges and struggles; storms and seasons of suffering.

Just be patient with the process.

Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go.  You are not where you want to be but neither are you where you used to be.-Rick Warren

Keep moving forward, even the snail reached the ark by PERSEVERING.

Be Patient, the best is yet to come!

How to make a Dream Board

Dreaming is for every one.  Wherever you are in your life, dream.......let's dream and make it happen.

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably see my photo with my dream board.  It was our assignment from The Feast Bay Area.  Mas effective daw kasi na isinusulat mo ang mga dreams mo.  Nakikita mo sya araw-araw to keep you motivated and well-driven.  And because I have a lot of dreams, I made my own dream board. I am feeling optimistic and excited every day to see and accomplish my dreams one by one.  It keeps me driven to do my way on how to achieve those written goals.  In short, I am becoming more responsible for my own goals.  That, I should do what I have to do to meet those in the board.  

I have a confession, it's my first time actually.  Before, I told myself, I'm happy and contented.  There is nothing I want more.  I have a happy family, good health, good job and many friends, what else can I ask for.  But when you are approaching to mid-life (ehem...), changes arrive.  Reality bites eh!  What am I here for?  What is my purpose on earth?  There will be whispers, "you can do more!", "someone needs you", "your value is valuable not only to your family" and a lot of mind-awakening statements.  Those are the reasons why I came up with a Dream Board.  

Here's three simple steps:

1. Answer the following questions:

1. Reflecting back on the year that has been, what are five things you are deeply grateful for? Maybe it’s an experience, a particular person, or an opportunity you've had?
2. What are you most proud of this year? Maybe you mastered your Mean Girl in a particular situation? Maybe you launched a book, got married, got a raise, got a promotion, choose love instead of fear or had a baby?
3. What was your biggest learning/s?
4. What are three things you can improve on? Maybe you’ve been reacting out of fear in certain situations where you could have been choosing love. Maybe you ignored your intuition about something and in return, got a slap in the face from the Universe.
5. What do you need to let go of from the past year that is no longer serving you? Maybe it's a relationship, a Mean Girl belief or some sticking habits.
6. What do you need to stop doing from last year?
7. Now I want you to list everything you want to celebrate — from the big to the small, and even the things that seem microscopic.

 2. Get a journal and write your goals using the following guidelines.

1. What are three to five words you would like this next year to emulate? These could be ease, grace, love, soar, presence, adventure, strong, vibrant, balanced, fearless etc.
2. What are three of your wildest health goals that you would like to achieve in this next year?
3. What are three of your wildest wealth goals that you would like to achieve in this next year?
4. What are three of your wildest love goals that you would like to achieve in this next year?
5. What are three of your wildest travel/adventure goals that you would like to achieve in this next year?
6. What is your ideal morning routine that you would like to try out next year?
7. What is your ideal night time routine that you would like to try out next year?
8. What are five ways you will flex your self-love muscle each day so that you are bursting with love?
9. What are three passions you would like to make more time for next year? For me it’s writing and photography. What about you?
10. What will you say NO to?
11. What will you say YES to?
12. How can you bring MORE love into the world?
13. How can you be of service even more?

3. Create a Dream Board

         With your clear vision in you mind, you can do your physical or digital dream board.  

Physical Dream Board:

In an illustration or a cork board, attach pictures that can relate to your goals.  Write anything that can motivate you.  And be as creative as you wish.  Place it in your room and imagine your dream when you wake up and before you go to bed.

Digital Dream Board:

Using photoshop, Word or Keynote, gather images from the Google that relate to your dreams. Save it and make it as your desktop/phone wall paper or screen saver and when you're resting from work you can stare and dream the dreams.

You can do both.

"Don't ever get too busy to stop and take stock of how far you come. And remember, everything is progress.  Everything.  We are always moving forward.  When you fall down, it doesn't mean you're back to square one---from square one you have learnt so much, and you are a better version of yourself than were yesterday.  it's all progress, and you are always moving forward.... so choose to see that way."-Melissa Ambrosini

 So, what are you waiting for? Start writing your dream and achieve it.

                                                                                    Let's make our dreams come true!

Source:www.melissaambrosini.com

Yamoments: An Attitude of Gratitude

In the Yamoment blog series, I'd like to invite you to take a moment for mindfulness and reflection. I add some picture qoutes, new ideas I am learning and bible verses I find along the way. 

Have fun!

Stay in the moment and enjoy the mindful living. 

A major turning point in our happiness came the day we decided to quit lamenting all the things we thought should have in our life.  Happiness is an attitude we choose regardless of our circumstances.  We should stop saying, I'll be happy if...... Getting what we want is to stop insisting  if I am like this, if I have that or if you're like this.  Stop noticing what is wrong but instead appreciate what it has.  Quit complaining because your boss is shouting at you but start appreciating that he/she wants you to do better.  Refuse to mope about not being in a relationship, and start having fun and creating and adventures that make your life exciting-with or without partner.  

Take what you have and make the most of it, happiness follows.

Happiness causes success, so be grateful, enjoy life and let good things delightfully surprise you.

As you let go of the things that is out of your control, embrace the good things around you, you'll be surprise that those unfulfilled desires start to unfold.

                                                                                              Enjoy every moment.

Heart Detox

We are on vacation(stay-at-home, I mean). Hooray!!!!

As I prepare myself to 2016 I finished the book I got from Kerygma Conference.  Hindi ko matapos tapos ang pagbabasa because of the holiday season. And I got a chance today.  Yippee, I'm done and I'd love to share it to you.

But first, I want to share a moment and how I learned from kids.

We had this traditional family lunch.  Me, my hubby, my two sons and their cousin.  To open a conversation, I asked everyone one question about welcoming 2016.

"What will you do to make your 2016 better than 2015?"

My eldest son said, "I will practice guitar more to make me good in playing guitar."

My second son said, "I will study harder to have a better grades."

How about you(cousin), what will you do to make you better next year?

She started crying..... she said, she want her Mom to stay with her.  She don't know what she can do to make it happen.

OMG, my heart crashed and we all caught in silence seeing her with her #hugot.

We comforted her and shared some wisdom that an 11-year old girl can understand.

I know that she wanted to avoid that kind of situation but there's nothing she can do but to answer a Ninang like me.  She wanted help.  Whoops!!! I am in heavy heart.  In what way can we help her, all she want is a complete and a happy family.

Haaayyy!!!! Life isn't easy.  Full of worries, anxieties, fears, hopelessness, bitterness, insecurities, despair and all other emotional issues.

With all that, we want change.  We want to have a life that is sweet, happy, successful and hopeful.

But there is one question, are you ready to get rid of the garbage that you've carried in your heart for many years???

Yes, we need a heart detox for us to be healthy physically, emotional, mentally and spiritually.  This book is perfect on how are you going to welcome 2016.  Knowing how to handle toxic feelings, how to manage most difficult emotions and how to overcome bitterness, pettiness, despair, insecurity, worry and fear.

Here are the snippets from the book to have some overview on what you can read inside.

"Pause. Ponder. Pray.  because wisdom doesn't shout.  Wisdom speaks in whispers.  It's only when you're quiet inside that you'll hear the faint voice of wisdom speak to you."

"Be still, peace.  Let God give you great calm.  Emotional detachment.  Inner peace.  And when you have inner peace, you can hear God's voice and obey Him."

"And if you do what you have to do, something changes in you. If you change your acting, change your feeling.  If you change your motion, you change your emotion.  If you change your physiology, you change your psychology."

"When people hurt you, offend you, stress you----remember that you're a giant.  You're too big to be bothered by small things."

Modern psychologists are wrong when they say, "to deal with anger, you need to express it.  You need to let it out.  Shout, stomp, punch the wall.  Because when your bucket of anger is empty, it's gone." Problem: You don't have a bucket of anger, you have a faucet of anger.  As long as it's open, anger will flow out.  You won't run out of danger.  The more you express your anger, the more anger you create.  Again, it's the Law of Reciprocity.

What should you do?  

Switch faucets!  Here's the only solution:  Close the faucet of anger and open the faucet of love!  Admit you're angry but give love instead.  Because aggression creates more aggression, but love creates more love.

How to love your enemy?
1. Do good to those who hate you.  Serve them. Give them gift.
2. Bless those who curse you.  That means don't gossip against your enemy.  Instead, speak well of him.  Speak the good things in his life.
3. Pray for him.  Pray for his well-being and prosperity.

Believe me, all that goodness you give him will bounce back to you---pressed down, shaken together and running over!

All of us dream to have inner peace, happiness, healthy body, more love and hope.  But there are situations that is out of our control and so it's important that we detoxify our heart for us to be ready for bad emotions that our environment bring us.  It's just a matter of how we handle our complicated life.

Stop worrying and start wishing.

Live with expectations.

Expect to be blessed!

To be guided, grab a copy now!

                                                                                Be Blessed!