Baby BRAVE's registry

Hello there! Due to insistent public demand for a registry, I have made my own list of preferences as no registry is perfect enough due to limited products that they offer. This is again just some ideas of what we will be needing. Just leave a comment below if you're getting it so as not to have double purchases.

AGAIN, NO PRESSURE IN GETTING THESE STUFF FOR US. This is plainly to give ideas to the people who were requesting for the registry so that they would not be confused of what to give so that it could be efficiently used in the long run.



Piyo Piyo Baby Food Processor

1. BABY FOOD PROCESSOR - This was advised by a lot of mothers online because of its neat packaging and versatile usage. The lids are changeable depending on what you feel like making for the baby. This is for the very near future when the baby starts to get introduced with solid foods. My favorite feature for this product is its suction ring at the base. It helps maintain the container stable eventhough babies could struggle during first time feedings while they are learning to use the feeding spoon. (Click on the caption as to where to find it online and for a more detailed description.)

Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

2. HUMIDIFIER -

So many moms had encouraged me that a good 24-hour humidifier is a must for the sensitive newborns. We are living in a hotel flat that may have little ventilation. Ventilation may be too limited that it relies greatly on the air conditioning system plus the vents of the kitchen and of the comfort room. That being said, it tends to give us chapped lips, dry throat and leaves our skin dry as well. Humidifiers may help out in preventing these and also in alleviating common colds and flu. I am into prevention as it is better than cure so it would really be helpful if we could get a good one as this. Of course, if you have greater suggestion that you may be using at the present with your own kiddos, let me know. By far, I'm satisfied in how the description of this product goes and that it had won an award for its effectivity and efficiency.

3. SWADDLE BLANKETS - This may be easy for the babies to grow from but this is a sure way to warm up Phoenix Brave since once she comes out, winter is just around the corner. As I've known from blogger moms, 3 would be advisable as the newborn babies may easily, soil, wet or salivate on one that's wrapped around them. If the other one is in the laundry, at least you got a spare as the other one is currently wrapped around your baby.

3-Pack Swaddle Me Blanket
Baby Swaddling Sleep Bag Infant Wrap Cotton
SwaddleMe

4. LAUNDRY/DETERGENT SOAP that's safe for the baby's gentle skin.

Caring for the baby's clothes is important as you want everything in contact with your baby to be soft, sanitary, clean and soothing. Babyganics Detergent keeps you on the safe side while these are checked on the list. Baby's Choice in Tin Shui Wai offers this one. This ensures baby's comfort even after leaving your arms as she gets laid on the bed to sleep. For more details, just click on the caption.

Babyganics 3x Laundry Detergent in Lavender flavor.

5. Breastmilk is best for babies and the only way we could feel comfortable in doing this in public would be with a help of a nursing cover. I am optimistic that I would be able to nurse Baby Brave sans the worries of disturbing other people. We aim to feed her according to her needs and we find that this would be beneficial as far as access to and availability of the milk is concerned.

NEW Aqua and Navy Stripes Hold Me Close Nursing Scarf,
Nursing Cover, Infinity Nursing Scarf

Cotton Candy Seamless Nursing Bra

6. NURSING BRA

With the same purpose in mind but without any experience since I am expecting my first baby, please do help me with the best nursing bra that I should invest on. I just saw this seamless one and thought that I'd be needing comfort from all of the nursing bras I'd be purchasing.

It is a very fulfilling task for a mom to be able to nurse her baby smoothly. Though I also am reading some of the discomforts that go with it and am aware that it may end up the way you didn't imagine it would. I choose to be optimistic though.

So If you have a comment regarding your experience with Breastfeeding and which intimates are best to buy, please don't hesitate to share. Leave it under this post because maybe there's a brand, style, cut that is most beneficial to this task, considering Asian size.

The Original Sophie the Teether also emits a sound
as the babies press on it making it stimulating on their
senses at the same time.

7. TEETHERS

At one point, my baby will grow her teeth and so many moms had warned me of the stress this could induce to a child. Besides the fact that they can't speak for themselves, they are just but helpless as they go thru this stage. Number 1 remedy would be the actual teethers that should be washable and non-toxic as the baby has direct access to it via non-other than the most common route of acquiring bacteria, the MOUTH.

They said, it's advisable to buy the one that contains different texture and shape to enhance teething and a teether that can be refrigerated (with liquid gel inside) could help soothe the gums too as they go restless when those incisors start to erupt.

8. SEDATIVE FOR BABIES

It may get to a point that teething is too unbearable for the kids to be able to get a good night's sleep and it may also cause diarrhoea to some. As I read and reviewed numerous of mother's expectations, standards and preferences, this one right here is the safest to use and is mostly made of organic ingredients. Here is a picture of both the front and back packaging for easy checking.

Homeolab USA Kids Relief Teething

9. HEALTHCARE KIT:

As a beginner to this so called "motherhood", it's important to be equipped of proper grooming and healthcare materials. One of the essentials that we may be needing: "the" KIT!!!! Complete with the bulb syringe, nail clipper for newborns, digital thermometer, aspirator and many more, this may also be called a survival kit. And from the term "survival", this may really come handy with its versatile compartments as additional pocket for wipes and diaper plus the milk bottle are included. For more of the detailed description and with the other colors that you could choose from, click on the caption.

Safety First Welcome Baby Nursery Kit

10. "Breastfeeding maybe tough on moms who have sensitive nipples and are first timers. In the long run, feeding the baby through your mammary glands may leave your nipples sore and cracked." - So I was warned. To prevent this from happening, I should be ready for a remedy once first signs start to get felt. They said this is a good product because it's safe to use for babies. But please, if you know of a better one, please leave your suggestions by commenting below.

Lanolin cream for cracked and sore nipples due to breastfeeding.

11. Not only mamas could have something cracked. Babies' bums that may always be exposed to a soaked diaper could also be cracked and may develop some rash too. So my mommy friends also suggested to have a diaper rash ointment at hand when redness is spotted upon removal of the diaper.

Ointment for Diaper Rash and Irritated Skin

12. It is truly difficult to bathe a newborn. The name of the game is SAFETY. Besides checking the temperature, the baby should be ensured that nothing would harm its delicate body, most especially the neck/head part. I find these bathing pillow tubs very reliable and easy to dry. Bath products and a squirming baby could equal a great dangerous threat. But this keeps the head elevated, padded from the tub and comfortable for baby. Bather tubs with a net are also better options than the plain ones. So, hope to be able to land the safest one.

Leachco Safer Bather Infant Bath Pad

Leachco Bath N' Bumper Cushioned Bath Tub - Blue Fish

13. BATHING MATERIALS/BATHING PRODUCTS:

To ensure natural wellness by maintaining good hygiene, we also find it necessary to have a good supply of bathing materials. Baby's skin ain't the same as ours to begin with so, these are products that are worldly used and Johnson's and Johnson's had always been a trusted brand. They have a gift set already. But I want to show the entire line of products included in the set so that you could pair up with somebody in getting it or you could set each product to each person in a group to come up with the set. It's cheaper and fun to put together. These are available in most supermarkets and health care product stores.

14. ELECTRIC DOUBLE BREAST PUMP

My maternity leave lasts for 2 months and will be going back to work as soon as that's over. In an attempt to continue breastfeeding sans an unsuccessful start, this will truly help Brave to be able to get hold of mommy's milk even though I keep a day job. As mothers suggest most of the time, it is better to invest on a good quality electric breast pump than a manual one. This is one of Amazon.com's best-selling ones but I'm pretty sure, there are some that are a lot cheaper, a lot lighter and as efficient so, let me hear out some suggestions.

Medela Pump in Style Advanced Back Pack

15. NEWBORN FOOTWEAR

It's not necessary to buy newborns shoes because they grow so fast past the size. So we figured, socks are much better to have a stock of. Brave will be born of a Filipino mom, and of a Samoan dad in August. That being said, as she grows 3 months come Winter time, she might have a foot similar of a 6 month old baby. Hahaha! So, probably a soft bootie could do her good to warm her feet without the risk of straining it because it's too small already.

Robeez Baby-Girls Newborn 6-pack Bear 

Ribbed Cuff Socks for Girls (4 pairs)

Zutano Newborn Unisex-Baby Fleece Bootie

That's mostly the things that we still lack of. I may have forgotten some or I may not know that there are other necessities and essentials out there that I don't have an idea about. Just do leave a comment below the blog post if you will get it for us so as not to have double purchases. Bless all your hearts that intend to give us presents though your presence is a gift itself in welcoming our baby.

Related posts:

1. YOU LIVE IN YOUR CHILDREN - A short video on how our children look up to us.

2. HOGAN AND KYTE NUPTIAL - Our union last year that gave way to Brave.

3. DAY 15 - A new camera to capture moments with Brave. #100happydaysproject

9 Months Pregnant and Still Dancing!!!!

They say, men are stronger than women in so many ways.

But as far as carrying a baby for 9 months is concerned

and then giving birth to a child, rearing and nurturing it as it grows,

physical strength in favor of the male species

may have found its greatest challenge. 

I am now on my last trimester of pregnancy and due to my growing belly, some of my activities had been limited. But to be able to be bestowed of a gift to rear a child into coming forth in this world leaves me grateful. To some, this may be a hindrance, an obstacle and a huge responsibility that they choose not to put themselves into such commitment. Since this natural phenomenon is beyond anybody's concept of pain threshold and this is the ultimate leap anybody could ever do, many opt not to have a child. But Mary Helen Bowers, a renowned ballet dancer, proves that having a baby doesn't mean you have to neglect yourself nor having a baby puts limits to your life as she gracefully continues to do what she does best....

DANCING

ALL THE WAY THRU 9 MONTHS OF PREGNANCY!

Mary Helen Bowers stretching out with her bump
as documented in Instagram

Baby Center, the site that I get monthly newsletter from for what to expect every week with my own pregnancy emphasizes on the benefits of exercise during pregnancy as follows:

1. It boosts your energy.

It's not an easy task to nurture a growing baby. But exercising helps you in keeping up with the physical demand pregnancy induces from your usual self. Exercise helps you maximize your body's potential as it adjusts to hormonal changes, waddling gait and indifference to bodily posture.

2. It helps you to sleep better.

You have to listen to your body when it heeds for rest. But when you're pregnant, your thoughts run wild over silly things. What the baby will be needing when it comes, if you're going to be successful in breastfeeding or how the expenses will go about as a new member of the family is about to arrive. Those could be little distractions that can make you insomniac, true story! But there's a way to battle insomnia and that is thru exercise. Your body gets to utilize the food it takes in during the day and therefore gets to utilize the energy that you've gained from the food. Your body then automatically succumbs to a period of rest to attain balance and homeostasis.

3. It reduces discomforts of pregnancy.

This is most applicable to first-time moms like me because you are still gaging on what changes may occur and are occuring on your body. Take note that every pregnancy is different. What you may perceive as something new may be treated a little way different by another expecting mom. For me, everything seemed new. One of the discomforts that exercise have helped me get relieved from was edema. Yes, those raddish cankles (called as such because no indent separates the calf from the ankles, almost looking like raddishes - that's just how straight and fat they are as shared by my friend) could be major turn-offs! They attacked me on my 8th month but good thing, elevation and regular exercise facilitated bloodflow. Both helped in combatting the effect of blood pooling, most especially in the lower extremities when you engage in prolonged sitting and standing. Good bloodflow also helps in preventing water retention. And exercise helps a lot in making your heart pumping. As you exercise, your body excretes water and leaves your body asking for replenishment. When replenished well and satisfactorily, your body won't perceive the need to hold on to excess fluids. Extreme weight gain may also be prevented as food gets utilized effectively. Just watch out for signs that you maybe doing extreme exercise. Usually, when you have to catch your breath so much that you can't talk right after is a sign you are taking it too far.

4. It helps your body to prepare for childbirth.

As your body engages into childbirth, it will increase your blood pressure, heart rate and expect that you may totally rely on instinct. But a useful form of exercise that may benefit you thru childbirth would be your breathing exercises and the Kegel's exercise. Kegel's prepares your perineal muscles and birth canal ready for the expansion as the baby's head passes thru it. Stretches done in preparation for holding positions in dancing, most especially when doing ballet, are a very good help for the perineal muscles too. Hips are opened up and its external rotation allows the baby's head to easily engage towards the inlet as the right time comes. Breathing exercise is a fundamental catalyst as you are asked to push in rhythm with your contractions. As the pain progresses over time, you are constantly reminded to concentrate on your breathing to allow recovery in between these contractions.

5. It reduces the stress and lifts your spirits.

Due to pregnancy, changes that may occur are both temporary (weight gain) and permanent (stretch marks). Seeing this may somehow affect your self-esteem at one point. But keeping yourself active while expecting is a good way to prepare yourself in getting back to shape after giving birth. Your body is used to that energetic vibe that it will search the light feeling exercising gives you right after a good build up of sweat. This feel-good-mood is brought about by the endorphins which are also known as the happy hormones. Its energy boosting properties makes you feel good about yourself.

6. It improves your self-image.

In relation to number 5, once stress is out of the way, you see yourself in a special way and you see the beauty of carrying a bundle of joy in your tummy. Exercising somehow makes you realise that you are yourself... plus more. As the endorphins serve you right, you also gain a lot from the good blood flow induced by being active. Oxygen is duly transported all over your body facilitating skin replenishment that gives you an instant glow. Because you are going beyond your body's limits, choosing to be active while pregnant, you feel empowered and fulfilled. Pregnancy is a blessing denied to many. And as I look at my own growing belly, I can't help but feel grateful that I am about to accomplish the essence of being a woman, and that is to bring forth this child into this world, worthy of a purpose.

7. It may help you get your body back after childbirth.

An additional 40% to 50% to the normal blood volume runs thru a pregnant woman's body making the heart work more. With that much blood getting pumped at every heartbeat, the heart copes and increases its size by 12% making you breathless upon exertion. The heart is composed of cardiac muscles and like any muscle, it gets stronger and bigger when being worked up. I have emphasized that once your body gets accustomed to a routine, it will adapt to it effortlessly in the long run. As you engage in exercising during pregnancy, it prevents you from slacking and getting lazy helping out the cardiac muscles of the heart working efficiently. This goes the same with the group muscles that make up your extremities. Although your will plays a big role to how you move, doing exercise regularly makes it possible for your body to adapt to the dreaded task subconsciously. It may suck the first time but if you don't miss at all, "not exercising"  may feel like not brushing your teeth. You will look for it subconsciously.

Mary Helen Bowers still executing an arabesque maintaining balance
effortlessly even with a pregnant belly.

In connection to Helen Bowers intention to stay fit, she also serves as an inspiration to expecting moms like me. I am a dancer too and I admit it isn't easy. I am no ballerina but I do jazz and hip hop and I dance in the parade for 6 years (in the happiest place in Hong Kong) and all of those require a lot of jumps and well, it is pretty much physically demanding. The moves are not for pregnant women I assure you. So, there was a huge change in my routine from dancing full out outdoors everyday to a sedentary lifestyle. But settling for stretching, yoga and swimming were very helpful. When I came across this beautiful mama, it dawned on me that plies, a la seconde stretches and tendu's are not that bad to do. It actually prevents cramps of the calves for ruining a good night's sleep most especially when you do it right before you go to bed.

A la seconde stretch (on the floor)

Mary Helen Bowers embraces her body as she gets accustomed to the changes pregnancy had brought forth. She was the trainer behind Natalie Portman's success winning the best actress portraying "The Black Swan". Countless Victoria's Secret models also run to Mary Helen Bowers for fitness training right after giving birth for well-toned body in a way of dance. She is the founder and creator of Ballet Beautiful. She is now a mom and from the experience of carrying her baby to giving birth, she encourages mothers, most especially the soon-to-be's, to celebrate their bodies by choosing to be aware and involved in all the changes as it progresses during the entire pregnancy.

There's no other person who knows your body more than you do. Listen to it and enhance its capacity by strengthening it and keeping it healthy. Now who says mama can't swag?

Related posts:
1. WHO'S GOT SWAG - Check out how these dancers express themselves doing what they do best.
2. HIP-POP OR HIP-HOP - The new kind of swag.
3. SUMMER IS HERE - Not sure about how to kick off your Summer?

SAMANTHA ROSE SCOTT FEAUSI

"My father is my biggest influence for me to pursue rugby.

He always believed that women should have a place in the game,

and helped the women's rugby profile in Hong Kong."

SAMANTHA ROSE SCOTT FEAUSI 

is no ordinary woman.

She tackles, dives on the field to score a try

and shows the world that RUGBY ain't just for men!






Sam lives by these words:
"Always do the best that you can,
in all the ways you can, to all the people you can."

I have supported my husband as he joined several rugby clubs here in Hong Kong and that means, I have witnessed him get down and get dirty. My knowledge of the sport is not that much but one thing's clear to me, the excitement that it brings to the audience is magnified with the intensity of how a player would die to score a try. It is a scary sport and I am in awe with those women who can actually meet the standards to be called a "rugger".




That's basically what it's all about.

So this time, in the name of woman empowerment combined with proving that dreams do come true, let me introduce a good friend of mine who had made it happen in a land where culture says pink and dolls are for girls and blue and trucks are for boys.

SAMANTHA AS SHE GREW UP




Sam with her dad

Sam, as she is commonly called, was born in Hong Kong of a father who's half Tongan and the other half of New Zealand roots. On the other hand, her mom is half Filipino and half Turkish. With all of these strong blood lines, the calling for Sam in becoming a promising Rugby Player started as early as when she was 14 years old.



Seeing her father, brother and cousin get fond of the sport, she developed a special connection to it as she literally grew up in a Rugby environment where the boys were involved in mini-Rugby leagues. They also ended up playing for a club called Valley RFC here in Hong Kong. She gets to tag along but she would just sit back and watch, supporting her family from the benches. When the Valley opened the path in 1994 to interested women, Sam stood up, went to training and started her career in Rugby.

She went to South Island, Hong Kong for secondary schooling and had studied

in University of Waikato, New Zealand and University of Hong Kong to finish school. Because of such time spent in New Zealand, the New Zealand Blacks had become her favourite Rugby team. She considers that Rugby had helped her make it thru college by being able to exercise the importance of team work, camaraderie, perseverance, flexibility and patience. Up until now, she imparts these values to her students as she teaches primary school at the present.  

 

HOW SHE SEES RUGBY AS PART OF HER LIFE

For Sam, the sport had taught her a lot in life. She finds any team sports, in fact, a ground where you could learn how to work together. Respect for each of the team player's capacity, knowledge of the role that they have to stand up for and the passion in making it happen are the key factors to win. But she knew that all of these would be meaningless if they don't choose to work along and if they don't trust each other. 

Hong Kong 7's Women's Team of 2012
They may have cute smiles but they are scrum queens.

Her family is Sam's best team where they allow Sam to be her true self as she embraces Rugby and excels in it. They respect her decision in choosing to be extraordinary with where her passion leads her to. That way, she is able to achieve a lot. 

Asian Games 2010
Sam rummaging against 3 Thai women

Some of Sam's awards besides the prestigious Player of the Year 2013 are the following:

WOMEN'S MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - RFC Valley

WOMEN'S MOST VALUABLE PERSON - RFC Valley

WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR - HK LEAGUE - Hong Kong Rugby Footbal Union

INTERNATIONAL 15'S WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Hong Kong Rugby Football Union

In addition, her team (RFC Valley) holds 4 consecutive 15' Grand Championship wins and are 15's Women's League Winners for 4 consecutive times as well.

Sam undoubtedly gives her all once she's set to a goal. She makes a motivation out of the fear that she feels in dealing with failure. She hates disappointing others and this serves as her trampoline in achieving grand results. Rugby influenced her life so much in a way that as she gets thru play by play alongside her teammates, she finds life's lessons similar to the lessons that she needs to survive in every game. Dedication, hard work, and respect. According to this powerful athlete, she owes her success and achievements to the people around her who believed and supported all the way on and off field. Her coaches who had taught her of what she knows, the team mates that had assisted her in scoring tries and her family and friends who had never judged her of considering Rugby as the sport dearest to her.

But there's no greater achievement than finding your better half who's as passionate as you are, doing the same thing and being the one who pushes you to the top when you are on the verge of giving up. Her husband, Wesley Feausi keeps up with the bruises, black eyes and complaints of feeling sore and had never ever made her feel inferior or that she should give Rugby up. She acknowledges him in a sense that without him, no success and achievements are worth remembering without his support.

There are challenges in between where they had to meet up in an important Championship final match as Wesley coaches the team that (South China Causeway Bay Phoenix) had to play against Sam's team (Tradition Valley Black Ladies) at one point. But the Valley Ladies were unstoppable in tackling their way to winning the cup.



There's no stopping the Valley ladies.
Sam not letting anybody get in her way.

At the end of the day, a congratulatory massage awaits by Wesley and they continue being courageous in doing what they do best - remaining as beasts on the field.

In all its glory, there is also a price to pay. I asked Sam of the greatest blow she had encountered playing Rugby and she named "injuries" as the greatest threat there ever was to her career. She had a knee injury that required surgery. She was devastated when she heard that the healing process needed 2 years and that she wouldn't be able to play after reaching the height of her career. Little did she know that it was a blessing in disguise. Eventually, it became an opportunity for her to coach and learn a new set of skills. Now, she can coach and play at the same time. She remained focused in upgrading herself positively, getting reinforced from the negative experience coming back vibrant and refreshed.

Her plan towards the future is to go back to her playing days well recuperated to serve the RFC Valley still and to contribute to as much goals the team had set, not only in winning but also in developing other talented ladies. She believes that whatever achievement you gain, you should always stay humble enought to look back from where and how you began. On that note, she would make an effort to gain the necessary skills on a coaching level to be able to support the RFC Valley Team into its advancement. Guiding girls in pursuing their dream of being a scrum queen makes an appeal to her and she is more than glad to share what the sport had taught her.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE:

I have met Sam during an annual celebration of the Samoan Independence Day here in Hong Kong and it was an honor to get to know the sweet gal in her. She and her husband had become good friends and sometimes it makes me hard to distinguish that this actual lady is as fierce as any other men when playing Rugby because of her natural grace and charm. Both our husbands are Samoans and we both own a Filipino heritage. Here are some of Sam's favorites that you may find the same as yours. She may be an extraordinary gal but that doesn't mean there's no tinge of the fun, spontaneous woman inside.

1. FAVORITE HOBBY: Travelling

2. FAVORITE COLOR: Navy Blue

3. FAVORITE SPORT (besides RUGBY): Volleyball

4. FAVORITE FOOD: Roast Lamb

5. FAVORITE SPORTS GOOD/GEAR: anything Adidas

6. FAVORITE RUGBY TEAM OF ALL TIME: All Blacks

7. FAVORITE QUOTE:

"If we all take an eye for an eye, the whole world will be blind" - Ghandi

8. FAVORITE PLACE: Tekapo, New Zealand

9. FAVORITE BOOK: Lost Symbol – Dan Brown

10. FAVORITE MOVIE: Fifth Element

For all of the Rugby fans/students/aspiring women rugby athletes/girls and women alike, Sam shares this advice:  

"Set yourself goals, and do all you can to achieve those goals.

Never think you are the best at what you do.

Stay humble and always be willing to learn and take advice.

When you have achieved what you wanted,

don’t forget where you started and give back."

Related posts:

1. ARIEL REONAL - A Filipino making it to Ms. Saigon

2. ELA LISONDRA - A Filipino making her debut as a theatre performer in the West End.

3. HOMEBAKERS TURNED ENTREPRENEURS - Check these ladies and their cakes.

15 THINGS TO GIVE UP

Today marks the day that I gave up my maiden name

to embrace a good change.

I am now officially carrying my husband's surname.

With all honesty, saying yes in marriage was easier to do

than giving up my name. Hahaha!
And I was asked if it was a Filipino thing.

Kidding aside, I grew up with the knowledge passed to me

by my mother that it signifies nothing but total submission

to your spouse along with the vow you had given to him.

To honor your better half, even the last thing that you own

since you were born will be given up,

YOUR NAME.

So many married women retain their names due to personal reasons.

I thought of it very well and I told myself,

"If I would decide on doing it, I should do it now

because I have all the time to prepare everything since I'm on light duty."

And so I decided to amend it today and it inspired me to write this.

For my DIY Monday, there's a slight twist to what I'm going to present. No handicrafts, no scrapbooking and no art today. Instead, it's a mental makeover to lessen excess baggage on our shoulders. We always say to ourselves "NEVER GIVE UP" but maybe there are some things that we should start letting go of. These are the ones that don't work for us anymore or is not doing our life any better. The month of June marks halfway to the rest of 2014 and it is the best time to reassess yourself and the resolutions you have set last January too.

As "ACHIEVE GOALS" presented,

here are the

15 THINGS TO GIVE UP

1. DOUBTING YOURSELF 

You are given one life only to enjoy here on earth. One life to make your dreams come true, to make that change happen, to experience whatever there is to experience. Don't waste your time doubting if you are capable or not. Don't waste your time thinking if you are worthy of it or how much of something do you deserve. How would others believe in you if you yourself are giving up right before you make things happen? Don't be afraid to take a leap. This is the only way to know your limit and if it's workable or not. Remember, it is innate amongst us humans to find ways on how to cope and adapt. Know yourself very well and accept it. That's the very key NOT to fall into doubting.

2. NEGATIVE THINKING

I remember this afternoon when I was exchanging thoughts with a good friend before we were about to do the parade on a very sunny day. Very sunny that a "HOT WEATHER" warning was hoisted by the local weather observatory. This is the ultimate culprit when your day job deals with the outdoors. We were on the verge of complaining when both of us ended up convincing each other that it WILL NOT make us quit our day job. And that from then on, we will have this mantra to battle negative thinking:

"Be careful with your thoughts, for they may become your words.

Be careful with your words for they may become your actions.

Be careful with your actions for they may become your habits.

Be careful with your habits, for they may become your character.

Be careful with your character for it may become your destiny."

3. FEAR OF FAILURE

FEAR is nothing but a product of our own thinking. We are not perfect and that thought itself gives us a license to learn from our own failures. There's no place for improvement if we don't fail. Imagine if life is too perfect to handle... then there would be no challenges, nothing to bring about excitement and no drive which would make your life worth living. 

4. DESTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS

If you want to live a harmonious life, let go of the negative people that do nothing but make you feel bad about yourself. The last thing that you need in your life is somebody who'd bring you down every time you strive to be better. Learn to say "no" to abusive friends and loved ones. Know your worth. Be real and respect others' differences. Don't wear a mask just to blend in. Don't pretend to be who you're not just to be accepted.

5. GOSSIPING

 This would never do anybody good. Doing this won't make you the "trustworthy" amongst everybody else. It doesn't exempt you from being doubted on because whatever you share to one person leaves him/her doubtful of how come the others share this information to you? It's like working them in two ways, right? And who earns that two-faced label? YOU!

6. CRITICISING YOURSELF AND OTHERS

No judgements should be passed on to others just because they sin differently than you. And the worst part is when you give criticisms as to how they act and how they are living their lives.  There are more other productive things you can do with your time than find faults from your neighbor. Every one of us is entitled to a true friend's criticism, yes. But that is if you need to get awakened of something that may be destructive to yourself and to others. If it doesn't make that criteria at all, be kind to yourself and give away your best asset to others, YOUR GENUINE SMILE.

7. ANGER

There's nothing more liberating than a good night's sleep to start your day. Anger usually hinders you from sleeping well at night because of the rage that takes you far away from being relaxed, at peace and satisfied at the end of the day. Anger could be a root cause of many things that you may regret in the future. Strive to see the goodness of a person, the bigger picture when things don't happen according to how you planned it and in counting your blessings instead of complaining about not getting what you wanted.

8.  COMFORT EATING

The physical body, if nurtured properly, brings our mind to its ultimate efficiency. If we continue to indulge on junk foods, binge eating and unhealthy diet regimes, our brains will continually get confused, thus putting the entire body into an unstable state. It will also be deprived of the nutrients it needs to sustain energy provision for the entire body to act upon, making you sluggish the whole day and dependent of unnecessary treats. Or, it may go thru a hoarding process wherein it stocks up food and chooses to adapt a slower metabolism which may lead to unnecessary weight gain and slower pick up.

9. LAZINESS

Poor diet, lack of sleep and rest and lack of motivation may all be reasons behind a lazy attitude. If you'd allow 10 minutes of laziness per day, you'd be spending 3,650 minutes for the entire year. That is spending more than 60 hours of just plainly being lazy.

Accumulatively, more than 2 days without sleeping, eating and without any breaks.

What a huge waste of time!

Mind you, it's not just 10 minutes that you choose to be lazy in a day, right? In reminding you of the saying, "An idle mind is the workshop of the devil.", awaken your spirit by embracing the idea of learning something new whenever you get a chance. For sure you have wanted to do something else besides what you have achieved by now. Who knows, maybe a hobby, a new learned skill or a craft you have just learned how to do or make, may earn you a buck! So give up being a couch potato and continuously challenge yourself.

10. NEGATIVE SELF TALK

How much "Thank you's!" did you give back to the people who did an effort to compliment on you today? How many of them did you correct that you don't look cute, or you are not doing good, that you were just doing your job? Or how many of them did you actually convince that you are not to be complimented on? All of us have our own special way of leaving an impression to others with the way we carry ourselves and the way we speak of ourselves. With the fast paced lifestyle each of us own in this modern times, when somebody asks you, "How are you?", all that they have time for is hearing you answer, "I'm fine." If you answer with a "So-so", don't expect that they would bother following it up with "Let's talk about it over coffee". Why? They are also carrying their own burdens. Brutal as it may seem, they just actually wanted to avoid a dull moment. So, may I suggest, choose to feel confident. Keep your head up and face the day with a positive outlook. This will radiate to the people and they will perceive it more inviting and invigorating. For some reason, most of us don't take in the praises welcomingly and this somehow retracts that confidence back. It denotes insecurities and this often leads you to become a boring person. Never allow this to happen. Negative self talk makes listeners bored, uninterested and turned off. If you have this habit, start eliminating it from your core. Change it with a habit of starting your day by telling yourself in the mirror, "Today will be a good day because I was born fabulous!"

11. PROCRASTINATION

You are always waiting for the right timing, and when it's there, you always end up becoming a reason machine just to avoid getting something done. You have probably heard this a million times but there's nothing much better to exchange this cliche with so I'm going to say it again with conviction, Nobody is ever ready! Whoever says that he or she is, is delusional. Planning may be perceived as getting ready for something but it's no guarantee that it will end up flawlessly. There's always something unexpected that may happen. No matter how good you have planned something, there'll always be something that may arise. The benefit that you could get from it though is that it would give birth to a new way of learning. It could also give way to a certain strength that you didn't know you had all along. Remember, there is no perfect time but NOW.

12. FEAR OF SUCCESS

The common fears people struggle most of the time with, come from anticipated failures not knowing that we fear success as much. This may be due to how self worth is perceived, or how it was instilled in you since you were young. You have to believe in yourself and you have to let go of the thought that you're not good enough. Life is tough in a way that every way you turn, it's a competition. But the greatest competition you'd ever deal with is the one against yourself. Aim to be a better person than yesterday and everything will follow. Embrace challenges for they will facilitate growth. And love those who had said "No." to you because they are the people that made you find your way into making the impossible, possible.

13. ANYTHING EXCESSIVE

Respect balance. Work hard, play hard. Feed all the aspects of your life and you'll attain balance. You cannot just put yourself to work non stop. You need ample rest too. Take note! "Ample", meaning, "just right". Let me say it again, you cannot indulge in it too much too. You have to build up a sweat to stay healthy and pumped up. Noticed something there? Emphasis on the use of "too much" = EXCESSIVE. Mentally, we sometimes wish so hard of something that may lead to our own despair and frustration. Actually, there's nothing wrong in maximizing your own potential. Just know that everything in excess is expectedly harmful. You may have an argument with yourself that, at a particular time, it was tolerable. But regret is always felt at the end. The worst scenario is when you are at the moment of dealing with irrepairable consequences.

14. PLEASING OTHER PEOPLE

You were not born to meet the expectations of others. Each of us is unique and is bound to serve our own ultimate purpose. I have met a lot of people who wear masks in order to belong. And I, for one, am not a fan. I aim to live in the virtue of honesty. And I apply this in dealing with my own self, with my own preferences, in my own decisions and in my own solidarity. That way, people would perceive me as somebody who has respect for self. And that way, they would know how valuable RESPECT is for me to be given out to people I have met and encountered. With how complex people could be, respect is a must in dealing with cultural differences.

15. PUTTING OTHERS' NEEDS BEFORE YOUR OWN

It is innate amongst humans to be compassionate to all the world's creations. For this last one, nobody is asking you to give up the good samaritan in you. It just simply reminds you to learn the proper prioritization. Sometimes, we are more of service to others than our own self. I'll take the life of an overseas worker for example. 90% of these overseas workers have families depending on them in their own country. And, more than half of the hard earned salary are sent to them. Most often than not, they keep their expenses at a minimum for the families at home. Not knowing that the families at home are living extravagantly compared to the one resisting not eating good food just to be able to send enough. Because they don't eat well and they don't get enough rest, plus the fact that they are away from their loved ones, they easily get sick or depressed. I find this real-life example unfair. I guess applying the principle of keeping it balanced could help. Treat yourself when you can and pamper it to stay rejuvenated.

I'll be honest, in order to embrace change, you should be willing to give up a piece of what used to belong to you. It's that security blanket that you can't bear loosing that keeps your soul from gaining something. Don't be scared to feel this loss because it's the only way you could vacate space for something new. At every stage of growth and development, change happens. And at one point, we will lose the things that we hold on so dear. It is inevitable. But the moment that you accept this fact, it will be easier for you to adapt and conquer the fear it nurtures.

I would like to hear your opinion. What else do you think should be added to this list that should be given up in order to live your life freely? Leave your comment below and feel free to discuss your opinion.

Related posts:

1. WHICH DO YOU EAT MORE? - Some common eating disorders that you yourself maybe having.

2. 100 HAPPY DAYS - What is it about and why I started.

3. BUCKET LIST - What's in yours?

SUMMER 2014 PLAYLIST

The first month of Summer in Hong Kong is here and it's time to have a makeover of that video playlist to get you up on time everyday.

1. LA LA LA (BRAZIL 2014) FT. CARLINHOS BROWN BY SHAKIRA

This first video is a mix of house music and Spanish Mardigras beats as I listen to it starring none other than Shakira. Once again, she embraces her unique gift as she dances freely featuring a football crazed MTV that even animals are into it. The World Cup is expected to open in Brazil in less than a month as it is the host for this season.

2. FIRST LOVE BY JENNIFER LOPEZ

To those who had told Jennifer Lopez, "Bitch be gone!", sorry to disappoint you. She is still a competition despite the age and a line of controversies. I particularly admire how she had sustained her taste for innovation and how she is proving that success is sweet the second time around. 

The lyrics are right for her though in finding the first love so that she doesn't have to bounce from one relationship to another. Good thing for other people (Ben Affleck), they know how to channel their frustrations to something productive (the movie, "ARGO").

3. PRETTY HURTS BY BEYONCE

Miss USA competition is about to commence this June and I can't help but think about the contestants involved. Or maybe, to all the girls that aspire to be on stage in general. I am wondering how much of the truth is laid out and I agree with this video that says it all of what price you pay to just be given the label "pretty". So many that are in the limelight (beauty queens, ballerinas, actors, performers) are expected to be skinny in order to belong to the "beautiful" group.  Reality bites alright.

4. "IT'S ON AGAIN" BY ALICIA KEYS FT. KENDRICK LAMAR

I'm not a fan of the movie, "The Amazing Superman" but of Alicia Keys? No doubt. A feel good beat though there are some segments of the song (chorus) I find awkwardly tuned or put together. I love how her hair is pimped in this video. It actually reminds me of the old hairstyle that was fashioned by old school rock bands like Roxette and New Kids on the Block. But it gives her face a fresh look. This new vibe she's giving out is fab, chick and daring. I love it!

5. "SUMMER" BY CALVIN HARRIS

A perfect beat to put on this Summer is this house music bound by love, good experiences and memorable time (in lyrics) which everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY expects during this time of the year. Gather your friends, share a good time and play this music to set it all right.

6. "WE ARE ONE (OLE OLA)" BY PITBULL, CLAUDIA LEITTE AND JENNIFER LOPEZ

It's not just me who commented that Shakira had done a better World Cup anthem as this one that you are about to see is the official 2014 World Cup Song. My personal comments go:

- The beats are dull.

- Pitbull is just too fancy to sing about "being one" with the people or the sport. I don't even know if he can do any sports for that matter.

- It's not different from the songs he and Jennifer Lopez had worked on. People won't remember it as much as "Waka Waka" of Shakira previously.

Here's an overview from www.billboard.com. See for yourself. Meanwhile, here's the video and you can be its own judge. Let me know of what you think about it compared to Shakira's by commenting below.

7.  "LOVE NEVER FELT SO GOOD" BY MICHAEL JACKSON AND ADD ONS BY JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

For the lovers of life and to celebrate it as much as how Michael Jackson's fans, friends and colleagues, do in coming up with this song, listen up and get inspired on how to get immortalised. We all know that Michael Jackson had been one of the starters of MTV, left a huge influence on all musicians in the world, and most importantly, emphasised LOVE in all his works, music and dance. I admire the unity of all races that this video shows. Still, he's able to make people come together in the name of music even when he's gone. Long live MJ!

To the readers, thanks for dropping by and advanced one
to people who'll share it too because the more people who'll
watch the La La La Song by Shakira,
the more hungry children will be fed in schools
that offer free enrolment to the less unfortunate ones.
GOD BLESS US ALL.

Related posts:

1. SUMMER IS HERE - how to go up and about and what to do this Summer season.

2. 10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HONG KONG - let me know if you agree and love these too.

3. ANGSANA LAGUNA, PHUKET - needing a place to stay in Phuket this holiday season?
4. WHICH DO YOU EAT MORE - a post about common eating disorders