MANIWAYA ISLAND Marinduque: PALAD SAND BAR so BEAUTIFUL

MANIWAYA ISLAND Marinduque: Sunset and Night

SHE JUMPED OFF BOAT AND CRASHED

Traveling by Ro-Ro going to Maniwaya Island, Marinduque

15 Days of No Social Media

I've finished my 1^st Personal Challenge in my life to start 2016 and that was forcing myself to take a much-needed break from social media for 10 days but I was extended it to 15. And not posting any updates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

I really love social media like FB, Insta, Twitter, Snapchat etc… There’s never a dull moment in it, it’s something like revolutionary. I love the connection that brings me closer to my family, friends and colleagues I would seldom personally interact with, also with businesses will need to respond. It’s fun and very useful tool for educational knowledge purposes too.

But there is more to life than those things, more than FB status and Instagram updates. There are moments and good foods and laughter around breakfast tables. There are runs through the brisk morning air and many others. There is love and life abundant.

And many of us need to remember those things.

It took me 15 days to finally learn the truth of this quote:

We think that life exists supporting our obsessions more often. But for me it’s not important that much. Those are all means to an end. Treat our work as life not a way to live. Sometimes we need to stop in what we are actually doing in a daily basis. I just step away for 15 days and found more perspective in life and learning that this world is so beautiful.

I realized other perspective in life in my short time away from the social media, laptop, and technology. I had a lot of time to think, pray, and reflect what’s in my inner self. I realized that a little break forced me ponder and dream. It’s allowed me to be creative again, no longer controlled by the urgency of the moment. I learned how to turn reactive to proactive again in different situations.

Just like running, rest is necessary to be a powerful runner, as in our work rest is necessary to be more creative and efficient worker. Rest takes care of our soul and make sure all is good with my inner life. So, if you struggle on something, you need a break.

My social media blackout wasn’t my intentional choice, it is given what I learned and I am determine to make breaks like this more of a regular discipline.

And if you will ask me where I had been on the last 15 days, I would not tell you. haha!

Here are my other personal challenges for 2016.

1.     10k running 3x a week. Run 1-2 full marathons for 2016.

2.     Everyday - 10 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups.

3.     Photograph and film short video clips of the best things I’ve seen and done.

4.     Avoid words with contractions for 29 days (February).

5.     No expectations rule for 30 days (March).

6.     1 hour white space daily in my calendar for 30 days (April).

7.     Less Sugar, Less Junk Foods.

8.     Read more books.

9.     Create Coffee Table Photo Book.

10.  Be a ninja. (Self-explanatory)

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Why Do You Celebrate Christmas?

I’ve asked 20 people “Why do you celebrate Christmas?”.  

13 out of 20 people didn’t know why. It’s true, few of us are aware why we celebrate Christmas and what’s the true meaning in it. It is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ who died on the cross to deliver us from our sins which is supposed to be why we celebrate Christmas. Jesus is God in a flesh (John 1:1, 14, Colossians 2:9) and He is the next person of the Trinity, born by the Virgin Mary.

Some positive responses.

In other words, it is a celebration where we celebrate the birth of Christ but SADLY, the true spirit of Christmas becomes more for-profit holiday than being a sacred and religious one. Unfortunately many people celebrate Christmas NOT for the holiness of Jesus Christ who entered in our life and gave His life. Most of them it is a time to give and receive gifts in form of materials things such as money, going to the parties, drink, eat foods. I’m not against the way we celebrate Christmas like attending parties, time for businesses making money, for people to give gifts, for people to be excited, for parties, etc etc. Of course it’s not wrong.

It just that the true reason about celebrating Christmas is supposed to be Jesus Christ for us to recognize and appreciate His birth being holy and died on the cross for our sins and be saved from the righteous judgment of our Lord. Now, if you celebrate Christmas without Jesus Christ, then you’re doing it wrong.

                         MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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This thoughts.... Milo Marathon

We understand cut-off’s of 2:30 requirements to be a proud Finisher for Milo Half-Marathon. We get it of course and it sends message to us to train and push harder for our goals. But if you finish the distance then you completed the distance. I would and will never take away from someone’s accomplishments due to how long it took them to finish. Different things happen along the way. If you go out and run 21k in a race last Sunday but miss the cut off, I do not things that means that you did not just run a half mary. I would consider that you are a Milo Marathon Finisher. You finish 21k and while you do not have an official time for your effort – you are still very much a part of the Milo Marathon history. While other people spend so much time cutting each other down while some runners miss the cut off times, please don't make them down rather motivate them. I just remind you that you did something that very few ever will do. Put your body through 21k and keep on going to beat that damn cut off time, and finish the JOURNEY.

Some Icloud Running Group family celebrating after Milo Marathon.

The reasons we do this sport are as personal as our goals for given races.  A sub 2 hour half marathon or sub 2:30 21k is a huge achievement for some and a -poor-WTF-happened race failure for others. If people are doing this for a title…. a new PR or to be a Qualifier….then they are doing it for a different reason that we are. We can certainly applaud each other's accomplishments in the sport and encourage each other, but let’s "thrive" on setting and achieving our own goals. Just keep running and think about why you started.