Fortunate Life

 This morning, I was drinking my usual black coffee — no sugar, no cream, just plain and bitter. As I took a sip, I thought about how not everyone likes black coffee. Some people say it’s too strong, too harsh, or too bitter. But that’s what I like about it. It doesn’t try to change itself for anyone. It doesn’t pretend to be sweet just to be liked. It’s just… itself. And I realized maybe I should be like that too. I don’t have to make myself “sweeter” just so everyone will like me. I don’t have to hide parts of who I am or try too hard to please people. The right ones will see my worth, even if I’m not everyone’s “taste.” Sometimes, it’s okay to just be real — even if that means not everyone will stay. Because like black coffee, being true to yourself is what makes you strong.

The world often feels like it's spinning faster than we can keep up. Deadlines, responsibilities, and constant noise can make inner peace seem out of reach. But what if peace isn't something we find outside ourselves? What if it's something we can cultivate within, even amidst the chaos? In a recent episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast , Mel and New York Times bestselling author and poet Yung Pueblo delved into this very topic. They discussed how facing our emotions, rather than avoiding them, is the first step toward true peace. As Yung Pueblo shared, "The biggest factor in your healing is not time. It is your ability to face emotions that you used to run away from" Mel Robbins . This resonated deeply with me. I've realized that building inner peace doesn't mean escaping life's challenges but learning to navigate them with calm and clarity. Simple Practices to Cultivate Inner Peace Pause and Breathe : Before reacting to stress, take a moment to br...

Hard times magnify everything. Disappointment feels bigger, silence feels louder, and setbacks feel heavier. I remember a season in my freelancing journey when rejections piled up. Proposals went unanswered, projects slipped away, and I started questioning if I should even keep going. Every “no” felt like proof that I wasn’t enough. But then I had a conversation with a fellow freelancer. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” she asked, “What is this teaching me?” That single shift in perspective changed how I looked at my own situation. Instead of seeing unanswered proposals as a failure, I began to see them as practice—each one sharpening my clarity, my confidence, and my voice. Instead of thinking, “Nobody wants to hire me,” I reframed it into, “The right client hasn’t found me yet.” The situation didn’t magically improve overnight. But how I carried it did. And sometimes, that shift is what keeps you steady until the better days arrive. Practical Ways to Shift Per...

We love the idea of growth. We talk about becoming better versions of ourselves, chasing success, and reaching new milestones. But what we don’t always talk about is this: growth doesn’t feel good while it’s happening. In fact, it often feels uncomfortable. Think about the first time you tried something new—your first client call, your first training session, your first big pitch. Chances are, you felt nervous, unprepared, maybe even like you didn’t belong. That discomfort wasn’t a sign that you were failing—it was a sign that you were growing. As a freelancer, I’ve sent proposals that stretched me out of my comfort zone. I’ve said “yes” to projects that scared me because they demanded skills I wasn’t sure I had. In those moments, I questioned myself: What if I mess this up? What if I’m not ready? But looking back, those were the very experiences that expanded my skills and confidence. Growth feels uncomfortable because it asks us to step into the unknown. It demands we let go of...

  If there’s one thing life is good at, it’s surprising us. No matter how carefully we plan, things don’t always unfold the way we expect. Sometimes it’s a small disruption, like a client canceling at the last minute. Other times, it’s bigger—like a career path that suddenly shifts, or personal plans that fall apart despite your best intentions. I used to believe that if I worked hard enough, I could control the outcomes. That if I put in the hours, followed the steps, and stayed disciplined, life would reward me with predictable results. But reality taught me something different: effort matters, but control is limited. And that’s where resilience comes in. Bouncing back doesn’t mean ignoring the disappointment. It doesn’t mean pretending you’re fine when you’re not. It’s about acknowledging the setback, learning what you can, and then choosing to keep moving. As a freelancer, I know how discouraging it feels when you send out proposals—and get nothing back. That silence can ...

Failure is such a heavy word, isn’t it? When we hear it, we often think of big, life-changing setbacks. But in reality, most of the failures we face are small, quiet ones—the ones that sting just enough to make us doubt ourselves. Like losing a project bid you worked hard for. Or preparing a pitch that never got a reply. Or planning your week in detail, only to watch everything fall apart by Tuesday. Or making a decision you thought was right, only to realize later it led to an outcome you never wanted. I’ve had my fair share of those. And every time, there’s this sinking feeling in my chest—almost like I’ve wasted time, effort, or hope. The voice of self-doubt quickly follows: “Maybe you’re not good enough. Maybe you should stop trying.” But here’s what I’ve realized: small failures are not wasted moments. They are training grounds for resilience. When I didn’t win a project, I learned to refine my proposals. When plans collapsed, I discovered the value of flexibility. When ...

When people hear the word resilience , it often sounds like something big and heroic. We picture people who survive disasters, rebuild their lives from scratch, or overcome unimaginable challenges. And while those are true examples, I’ve learned that resilience doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes, resilience is quieter. It’s waking up after a night of self-doubt and still showing up for work. It’s hitting “send” on a project you’re unsure about, but finishing it anyway. It’s sitting in a meeting where your inner voice whispers, “You don’t belong here,” but you choose to speak up anyway. That voice—imposter syndrome—has followed me many times. It shows up when I start something new, when I put myself out there, or when I compare myself to others. It tells me I’m not good enough, not ready enough, not smart enough. And yet, resilience is choosing not to let that voice decide for me. For a long time, I thought resilience meant never breaking down, never feeling weak, and never admi...

I’ve noticed something about myself: whenever I’m hurt or going through something heavy, my first instinct is to think my way through it. I replay moments in my head, ask endless questions, and try to come up with answers. It’s almost like my mind is a safe house. Maybe it started way back when I was younger, when I didn’t know how to handle certain experiences. Back then, I had no tools, no support, so I did the only thing I could—I escaped into my head. Instead of letting myself feel the pain, I shut it down and started overthinking: “Why did this happen? What’s wrong with me? How do I fix it?” But here’s what I’m slowly learning: Healing doesn’t come from logic. It doesn’t happen because I figured out the “why.” It happens when I allow myself to feel again . Safely. Gently. Without judgment. That’s why no matter how many books I’ve read, or how much advice I’ve consumed, some patterns kept repeating in my life. Because knowledge alone isn’t the same as healing. The real shift beg...

  My Healing Journey in Sagada  Last January 3-5, I embarked on a Sagada tour that had been on my bucket list for quite some time. Originally, I planned to go last year, but life got in the way. My friends were unavailable, and when I finally decided to join a group, my schedule became too hectic. This year, I resolved to make it happen and booked a trip through a travel agent organizing tours in Sagada. It turned out to be more than just a vacation—it became a journey of healing. A Time for Reflection As my 50th birthday approaches, I’ve been overwhelmed with emotions. Menopause, hormonal imbalance, and the weight of expectations from others have taken a toll on me. I’ve invited close friends to celebrate my milestone birthday, only to face a string of declines due to prior commitments. While I understand their reasons, it hurt deeply. It felt as though no one cared enough to adjust their plans for me. Coupled with other lingering personal challenges, this left me feeling sad...