Touched by An Angel

13Nov 2016

Good reads for mommies and moms-to-be

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Books open a whole new world of knowledge, stories, ideas, and advices that can enlighten you, make you laugh, give you a moral boost, inspire you, or introduce you to a different outlook. Here are some recommended books for moms and moms-to-be.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch – The Canadian picture book Love You Forever started as a song according to the author. It was published in 1986.

“I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
as long as I’m living
my baby you’ll be.”

Munsch made up the short song after he and his wife had stillborn babies. The song was meant as a tribute to their babies who died at birth. The song lingered in his head but it was too painful to sing. For a long time, it was just a song but one fateful day, while Munsch was sharing stories at a big theater at the University of Guelph, he was inspired to create a story around the song. The thought later materialized into the book Love You Forever. Kids were the initial target audience of the book but to the surprise of the author, it became a hit among adults as well.

The heartfelt story is a chronicle of the experiences of a mother and her young son. It describes the little boy’s annoying behavior in his youth. Despite her son’s troublesome behavior, the mother never fails to visit the boy in his bedroom to cradle him in her arms and sing him a short lullaby. The nightly display of affection is constant a reminder of how much the mom loves her son.

The boy eventually reaches adulthood and leaves home to start a life of his own. Sometimes, the mother would sneak into her son’s old room to sing the same lullaby as she longed for his presence.

As time passes, the mother grows old and weak. When the son visits his sick mother for the last time, he sings his own version of the lullaby as a tribute the unconditional love that his mom gave him all through his life. He promises to love her forever.

When the son goes home, he takes his newborn daughter in his arms and sings to her the same lullaby that his mother used to sing to him. The legacy of love goes on.

Parenting With Love and Logic by Foster W. Cline, Jim Fay, Eugene H. Peterson -This parenting book helps parents prepare their children for the real world by shaping them into self-confident and motivated individuals.

The authors enlighten parents about the importance of teaching their children a sense of responsibility to help them have a good chance of a bright future. The book stresses the significance of instilling good values through easy and positive steps. Parenting With Love and Logic explains that it is possible to bring up and nurture children without the need for “anger, threats, nagging, or power struggles.”

Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood: The Good, the Bad, and the Scary by Jill Smokler – This New York Times bestselling collection features original essays that reveal positive and negative thoughts and deeds of parenting. The book offers the readers a glimpse of the reality of parenting, both good and bad sides. It shares stories and confessions that most mothers would find very difficult to admit.

“If I can’t survive my daughter as a toddler, how the hell am I going to get through the teenage years?”

“I end up doing my son’s wrong, but so much easier.”

“I clock out of motherhood at 8 P.M. and hide in the basement with my laptop and a beer.”

“I pretend to be happy but I cry every night in the shower.”

The Girlfriends’ Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood by Vicki Iovine – New moms step into the world of motherhood with a mountain of questions, worries and fears. The author deals with the common mommy queries and doubts. Iovine gives a hilarious twist to parenting. She offers straight to the point advice and funny observations.

“Baby euphoria”: Is it a mind-altering drug?

“Husband? What Husband?”: Taking care of the big baby, as well as the little baby

“I Want My Old Body Back!”: What you can fix and what you can’t

“The Droning Phenomenon”: The inability to discuss anything but your baby for more than thirty seconds

“Do I Have to Become Carol Brady?”: Conquering your fear of being a less-than-perfect mother

“Competitive Mothering”: Coping with know-it-alls, finger-pointers, and others who try to “Out-Mom” you

Calm Mama, Happy Baby: The Simple, Intuitive Way to Tame Tears, Improve Sleep, and Help Your Family Thrive by Derek O’Neill, Jennifer Waldburger – It is normal for every parent of a newborn to feel overwhelmed by the reality of taking care and nurturing a baby. Parents especially moms may feel nervous about fulfilling the responsibilities of parenthood. It’s quite challenging to get into a schedule with your baby. The daily challenges of feedings, sleeping schedules and diaper changes can be exhausting. It’s not a surprise that many parents feel stressed with all these duties.

The book opens the eyes of parents to the “cause and effect between parents’ mental and emotional states and their baby’s mood and behavior.” According to the authors, the parents’ emotional state may directly affect their baby. For instance, parents who are calm and centered are likely to have calm children.

Clutterfree with Kids by Joshua Becker – Having children is a big blessing in life. They bring love, joy, laughter, energy, and meaning to every home. Despite all these positive things, you can’t deny that children also add clutter. Don’t worry, this little parenting downside has simple solutions. Clutterfree with Kids focuses on how parents can set a balance in their lives and manage clutter by sharing fresh insights.

The book shares both inspirational stories and practical solutions. It encourages parents to reflect on their lives, try new habits and techniques, and eventually embrace positive changes to make their home clutter-free.

The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman, Ross Campbell – Communication between parents and children has a big impact on kids’ attitude and behavior development.

Children have different ways of expressing themselves.Sometimes children may desperately seek attention while other times they act as if you are not there. There are moments when kids display affection but there are times when they don’t seem to care.

A child’s behavior is greatly influenced by their relationship with their parents.
The authors believe that there are five different communication styles and children may use any of the style to express themselves. The book helps parents build fulfilling relationships with their children by “teaching them to speak each others’ love language.”

Photo collage by author.
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by Ma. Rachel Yapchiongco, as originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles

Rachel Yapchiongco, also known as Rach to her friends, is a Psychology and Marketing Management graduate of De La Salle University. She took up MBA at the same university. Rachel is a full-time mom to a charming young boy and married to an entrepreneur with a passion for cooking. She shares parenting experiences and slices of everyday life on her personal blog called Heart of Rachel.

02Nov 2016

UPSTART, a Filipino board game empowering entrepreneurs

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

UPSTART, a Filipino board game is changing the way people learn business. As early adopters and backers, those who pledge through Kickstarter will get to own the game before its commercial release and below retail price. Back UPSTART today. Click here to preorder.

“Entrepreneurship is neither a science nor an art. It is a practice.” – Peter Drucker, management consultant, educator, and author.

Did you know that 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months? A whopping 80% crash and burn. When it comes to business, most people will tell you fail fast, and then learn. But the truth is… FAILING HURTS.

There is a new Pinoy board game that launched on October 15 on Kickstarter, which is set to transform how people experience starting and sustaining a business without the risk. UPSTART, a table-top role playing game (RPG) by Richard Dacalos and Lorena Flores, was created to empower entrepreneurs and challenge the reality that 120,000 businesses fail every day. UPSTART is a board game that simulates the UPS and DOWNS of setting up and sustaining a business. It equips players with the tools & insights to have them take their business to the next level. Players learn lifelong lessons in an environment of fun, collaboration and play.

“You can’t grow a business in a silo so there’s bound to be failure, and it’s from failure that the best entrepreneurs learn to be successful.” adds Flores , a senior marketing strategist and head of creatives for UPSTART. “One reason we created UPSTART was to practice failure… without really failing. We wanted a safe and fun environment where we can uncover our blind spots, our decision-making biases, our strengths and
weaknesses.”

At an event with bloggers, Flores showed us how to play the board game. Jane, my partner in Prep2Prime Digital and I teamed up to simulate the game.

Our character background is full-time entrepreneur. One round depicts weekly decisions and goals in real life . Each team was given 50 hours and 3000 cc (the currency in UPSTART).

You then roll and navigate through the board and make choices or deal with chance. Chance is dictated by various cards like life, breakdowns and breaks (opportunities).

The actions simulate real life : (1) Life and general actions, (2) General business conditions, (3) Revenue generation and (4) followers and reputation. Since Jane and I have followers and some reputation, we thought it best to focus on revenue generation and taking care of ourselves and family.

This game is an eye opener to me even if I have masteral units in Business Administration and was once a consultant for small and medium enterprises. I realized that our consultancy has a long way to go in revenue generation and that our strategy should focus on it.

The UPSTART was initially a private board game played among colleagues, but it began getting noticed when players had success applying lessons they learned in the game to real life.
After two years of testing and product development, seven major game iterations, and more than four hundred players from different backgrounds – from aspiring entrepreneurs to business mavens, from students to corporate professionals, from the Philippines to South Africa – the game is ready to be shared with the world.

“The Kickstarter campaign will give us the ability to scale-up our production and ship worldwide,” says Dacalos. They need to raise $35,000 though. Based on their calculations and conversations with the multiple suppliers, this is the bare minimum needed to mass produce the game and deliver worldwide.

Dacalos and Flores hope to empower entrepreneurs all over the world to beat the status quo, and shorten their business learning curve.

As early adopters and backers, those who pledge through Kickstarter will get to own the game before its commercial release and below retail price. Back UPSTART today. Click here to preorder.

01Nov 2016

Remembering Luijoe on All Saints Day

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 16 Comments

Remembering our departed loved ones on All Saints’ day and everyday of our lives.

Did you know…the universal symbol of remembering is a candle?

Did you know…letting go of our loved one, but honoring their memory with a symbol is a ritual that brings healing? Sometimes words are not there to express what we want to say, but a symbol that brings meaning to us can help in the grief process.

We can’t know why some things happen…

But we can know that love

and beautiful memories

outlast the pain of grief.

And we can know that there’s a place

inside the heart where love lives always…..

And where nothing beautiful can ever

be forgotten.

Remembering Luijoe, and my immediate family members like my mom, my dad, brothers Ruben and Oscar today and everyday of my life.

28Oct 2016

Astoria Palawan, your newest playground

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I am so excited. I will soon get a chance to visit Palawan again and this time around, I will stay at the Astoria Palawan.

My winning instagram photo with a 3 day two night stay at the Astoria Palawan

I will be back soon, Palawan. The last time I visited Palawan, I wrote “Six things I enjoyed during my visit ” so I was so excited when I got invited to the launch of Astoria Palawan. I was there to celebrate the completion of two facilities: the much awaited 1-hectare Palawan Waterpark and the world-class Mangrove Convention Center. Palawan will not only receive tourists because these developments usher Astoria Palawan’s bid to become Palawan’s top-of-mind venue for business travelers who seek a balance between work and play.

The Astoria Palawan is situated on a sprawling 5-hectare mango orchard in Brgy. San Rafael, Puerto Princesa, Astoria Palawan presents an eco-sanctuary experience that reflects the distinct charm of Palawan and the lifestyle of Palaweños.

The strategic location and leisure activities complements Palawan’s eco-sanctuary experience. Imagine work and leisure at the same time. I believe it is an ideal choice of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) travelers.

Let me give you a tour of the development:

Expect a musical welcome from the Batak Tribe, one of the last remaining aboriginal tribes in the Philippines.

Entrance

The Water park

The Mangrove Convention center

The Mangrove Convention Center accomodates the increasing need for off-site meetings, conferences, team building sessions, and exhibition venues in the country.

Mangrove main function hall

The Pool

What is a resort without fun activities on the beach. Working by the beach makes me happy. There is just something magical at the beach. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. It is as if I live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun.

I am glad there is wide array of in-resort activities for travelers, like swimming in Honda Bay, snorkeling in the house reef.

The Pool at night

There are soothing in-room massages, movie screenings underneath the stars, beach volleyball, golf cart rides, and mountain bike rides.

The Waterpark

Look at that majestic Waterpark! It has water geysers, bamboo water cannons, splash pads, wave pools and beautiful artwork of Palawan’s endemic flora and fauna and high corkscrew slides, which will surely provide so much fun for adults and kids of all ages. I can’t wait to try it!

The Pool

One Bedroom Suite

There are 72 spacious and well-appointed private accommodations housed in 13 leaf-shaped wooden cabin villas.

two bedroom suite

There you have it . How exciting for business and tourists.

Astoria Palawan is the latest addition to Astoria Hotels and Resort’s portfolio, with a presence in well-loved Philippine destinations: Boracay, Bohol and Palawan. It is located in Kilometer 62 North National Highway, Bgy. San Rafael, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines. For more information, please visit Astoria Palawan website at www.astoriahotelsandresorts.com, follow them on Facebook.

27Oct 2016

Blog Giveaway: Breast screening with Health Cube Tomosynthesis Mammogram

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 4 Comments

Health Cube Tomosynthesis Mammogram produces a 3-dimensional view of the breast that helps identify and characterize individual structures without confusion of overlapping tissue.

I can’t leave you yet. God, don’t let me die.

I cried in bed and my thoughts went to my mom during the days she suffered from the ravages of breast cancer. My first mammogram 20 years ago showed suspicious findings. After the surgery, I was overjoyed to know that the breast mass was benign.

It’s been 40 years since my mom died of breast cancer. Technology for early breast cancer detection is in place. Even the medications increase chances of survival. October is breast cancer awareness month and it is important that women educate and empower themselves with the right tools and knowledge to fight this disease.

A mammogram is used to check for signs of the disease in women who may or may not have any symptoms. Mammograms do not prevent breast cancer, but it can detect early signs and thus save lives.

I am grateful that I got to attend “Fight Like A Girl – Check & Protect with Health Cube ‘s Breast Cancer Awareness Event.

Through this event, I hope to share with you to be aware of regularly monitoring themselves of potential risks such as Breast Cancer and Osteoporosis. It will be my first time to check out the 3D Tomosynthesis Mammogram (the first of its kind here in Manila) and the Whole Body Densitometry test.

Early detection is important.

The only way you can fight this sickness is early detection by self-checking, monitoring, and having a regular check-up which includes a mammogram especially for those who are at risk (40 years old and up, with family history, had early menstruation, late menopause, smoking, alcohol, no children or no children before 35 etc).

The Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO) recommends that “women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of regular health exams by a health-care professional about every three years for women in their 20s and 30s, and every year for women 40 years of age and over.”

PSMO further adds that “women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year and should continue to do so as long as they are in good health.”

The Health Cube 3d Tomosynthesis Mammogram

Health Cube, offers the latest in breast screening with its 3D Tomosynthesis Mammogram. This test produces a 3-dimensional view of the breast that helps identify and characterize individual structures without confusion of overlapping tissue.

Also called breast tomosynthesis, this new technology allows the physician to see thin mammography sections of the entire breast and gives a clearer image thus, decreasing the need for further examinations. 3D mammography is better at detecting changes earlier that regular 2D scans. It can help distinguish superimposed tissue from real abnormalities, leading to less anxiety for women whenever they are due for a breast examination.

I was able to try the breast tomosynthesis and it takes only 10 minutes or so. There is a bit of pain but nothing like the pain of giving birth.

A Health Cube 3d Tomosynthesis Mammogram is Php3,200

Bone Densitometry to measure the strength of your bones

The rate of bone loss speeds up after menopause when estrogen levels fall. Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone, a medical condition in which bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue or calcium and or Vitamin D deficiency. Since I am over 50 years old, it is important to check my bone density so I can can take steps early to slow its progress and prevent complications.

Bone Densitometry, also called dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), is an enhanced x-ray technology that measures the strength of your bones. It can detect serious bone loss, otherwise known as osteoporosis, thus leading to prevention of fracture and disability. The procedure is completely painless and is easily performed with minimal radiation exposure. This procedure can identify problems early, enabling you to start treatment and prevent further bone loss.

The Health Cube Whole Body Densitometry procedure takes 10minutes and costs Php5,000

Blog giveaway : One free 3D Tomosynthesis Mammogram from Health Cube

Remember breast cancer maybe cured if detected early. Surgeon and breast cancer advocate, Dr. Sherry Lee shared some things to remember:

Not all lumps are breast cancer
Early detection is the best prevention
Breast cancer spares no one.

I want one of you, my dear women readers , at least 35 years old , a chance to get a free 3D Tomosynthesis Mammogram .

To join my blog giveaway is simple

Contest is open to those living in the Philippines but if you are outside Metro Manila, transportation expense is not included to get the test at Health Cube.
Follow me on instagram at @momblogger
On your instagram post something on “I believe in Pink”. Only one post per user is needed to join the raffle. Don’t forget to tag me on instagram. Use hashtags #FightLikeAGirl #CheckandProtectWithHealthCube #FightBreastCance
Comment below this post and add the link to your instagram post.
Contest starts October 27 till November 2 at 11:59 PM. I will close the comment section when the deadline is met.
I will select one winner only, and I will base this on the most creative instagram entry. Winners will be announced on November 3 at 12 noon (Philippine time).

Health Cube Check and Protect

Health Cube helps in the fight against women’s diseases by offering medical tests using state-of-the-art equipment and premium services for women at the new Health Cube Women Center located at the Health Cube Advanced Medical Imaging Unit.

HEALTH CUBE CONTACT

Health Cube Greenhills Inc

Basement 1 Promenade, Greenhills, San Juan City
Tel: 650-1111
E-mail: clinics@healthcube.com.ph

Health Cube Advanced Medical Imaging Unit
Ground level, BTTC Centre, 288 Ortigas Avenue cor. Roosevelt Street,
Greenhills San Juan City
Tel: 650-2222
E-mail: imaging@healthcube.com.ph

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/healthcubephilippines/
Website: www.healthcube.com.ph

22Oct 2016

How “Acting As if” helped me in my recovery

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 5 Comments

A year ago, my daughter shared me an article “Self help: try positive action, not positive thinking”

The self-help industry is mired in ideas about positive thinking that are at best ineffective and at worst destructive. If you want to be more confident or successful, says Richard Wiseman, the best thing to do is act the part

I have always believed positive thoughts should not end there but placed into action.

“Acting as if” is one of my favorite recovery tool that worked for me. By acting as if you are a certain type of person, you become that person, what I call the “As If” principle. To practice the positive, I act as if. It’s a positive form of pretending. It’s a useful tool to use to get ourselves unstuck. For many years after my son died, I isolated from friends . During the rare social gatherings I attended, I forgot how to initiate small talk. I was catatonic who preferred to be invisible amidst the light banter. I bet my friends or relatives felt their were talking to a blank wall. The only persons I socialzed were close family members. I realized the gravity of my people skills when I joined a parent’s group of my daughter’s colllege and I couldn’t say a word. I knew I needed to wake up from my zombie state.

I forced myself into positive recovery behaviors, disregarding my doubts and fears, until my feelings caught up with reality. Acting as if is a positive way to overcome fears, doubts, and low self-esteem. I did not have to lie or be dishonest with myself. It has been seven years since I used the “Acting as if” principle. I believed it worked because it was the only way to get out of the pit.

1. Becoming a media resource person

I acted as if I could speak up in public until I actually gained self- confidence and started to open up. When I started the grief support group, The Compassionate Friends, I was suddenly thrown into the media. The first interview and TV guest appearance terrified me. But how else will my mission get promoted? Acting as if I was confident enabled me to get through with these media exposure.

When I was invited to co-host Ratsada Inquirer shortly after my 55th birthday, I felt unsure if I could make it. I wanted to expand my horizons in order to share my advocacy or my opinions to a larger scale. So I “acted as if” I was confident even if I fumbled in my Tagalog. Acting as if I could be a great co-host, I started with being my usual self and adding a few Tagalog words here and there. I was relieved to get good feedback after the show which inspires me to continue. I constantly practice my speaking voice and Tagalog words.

2. Second wind in marriage

Acting as if also worked for my marriage. At the height of my grief in 2005, my marriage turned rocky to the point I considered separation but an accident forced me to work it out. Long story. Never in my wildest dream did I imagine myself with a broken ankle as I stepped inside my new pad. I had no choice but to live with my husband and work things out. Truly God works in mysterious ways. It was as if God said ” you can’t run away from your marriage. Try to fix it. Give it a second chance”. I acted as if I was back when we were first romantic couples dating in UP Diliman. That involved acting as if I was so romantic and it caught on. My husband probably did his part in acting as if were were steadies again.

“Fake it till you make it” is also called “act as if”. You probably heard this common catchphrase that means to imitate confidence so that as the confidence produces success, it will generate real confidence. It works.

Now, when a problem haunts me, acting as if can helps me get unstuck. I act as if the problem will be or already is solved so I can go on with my daily routine. Today, I have opened up to the positive possibilities of the future instead of limiting the future by today’s feelings and circumstances.

Here are 10 quick and effective exercises that use the As If principle to transform how you think and behave. Try to make a conscious decision to act as if you feel fine and are going to be fine.

17Oct 2016

Woman Will Multiply What She is Given

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 7 Comments

Quote for the day:

‘Whatever you give a woman, she’s going to multiply. If you give her sperm, she’ll give you a baby.

If you give her a house, she’ll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she’ll give you a meal.

If you give her a smile, she’ll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.

So – if you give her any crap, you will receive a ton of shit.’

My good friend, Cathy emailed me that wonderful quote today. In turn, I shared it to my women friends and they all had a laugh.

When I showed this to my hubby, he laughed along with me.

It’s true we should not struggle with our feelings. When we are mad, no need to deny it. Why do we work so hard to deny our emotions especially concerning other people? They are only feelings.

But we don’t have to let our feelings control our behavior. We don’t have to act on each feeling that passes through us. We do not need to indulge in inappropriate behavior.

So when your someone gives you a load of crap, it helps to talk about your feelings with someone you trust. Sometimes you need to bring your feelings to the person who is triggering it. But the most important person we need to tell is ourselves. If we allow our feelings to pass through us, accept them, and release them, we shall know what to do next.

Maybe you won’t need to throw a ton of shit after all.

12Oct 2016

Honoring the everyday heroes in 6th Jollibee Family Values Awards

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

When I think of family, I remember my dad. I think of the family values he passed on to me which have been treasured and passed on for many generations already. One such value is Pagpapahalaga sa Pamilya, putting importance on family. I remember how he took on two jobs just to provide for us. I recall how he volunteered his services for elections’ quick count, for the church, charity and other civic organizations. I wished dad involved the whole family for his advocacy. Usually, I just tag along and watch him organize his activities. The thought entered my mind when I saw the winners of the 6th Jollibee Family Values Awards (JFVA) . Jollibee recognized families who can be considered as everyday heroes, families who truly exemplify how the power of Filipino family values can nurture and continue building a nation that can sail through the various challenges, calamities and adversities.

Exemplary Filipino honored at the 6th JFVA winning families include: Mr. Rommel and Mrs. Analy Basa and family of Capiz, champions of the environment and sustainable livelihood for their community; Mr. Donato and Mrs. Merlita Bumacas and family of Nueva Ecija, dedicated to protecting and upholding the rights of indigenous people; Mr. Ian and Mrs. Cecilia Cabalza and family of Cagayan Valley, whose work centers on uplifting lives through health and education; Mr. Victor and Mrs. Elizabeth Castañeda and family of Quezon City, for leading the fight against cancer; Mr. Joe Dean and Mrs. Ardis Sola and family of Quezon City, for helping improve the lives of street children; and Mr. Marciano and Mrs. Josephine Par and family of Saudi Arabia, named as the Jollibee-Coca-Cola OFW Family of the Year for their mission in empowering underprivileged fellowmen both in the Philippines and the Middle East.

I was amazed at all the work they did in their respective community. My favorite family is the Sola family who have dedicated their lives to helping street children by providing their basic needs such as food and education. Their foundation, He Cares Mission Street Children Caring Center, was founded in 1997 and has already produced 19 college graduates, one of whom is already a successful architect working in Abu Dhabi. What initially began as an intervention for street children through values formation has transformed into an organization that develops children using a holistic approach. Their program has several components including: Balik Aral, Balik Kalusugan, Balik Loob sa Diyos, Balik Bahay, and Balik Hanapbuhay. Each family member has grown to love and accept their roles in the advocacy that their parents have instilled in them.

This is truly astounding. I wish this can be replicated by educational institutions.

The 6^th Gabi ng Parangal para sa Pamilyang Pilipino centered on the theme of the balangay, whose historical journey captures the solidarity, harmony, determination, courage, bravery and resilience of the Filipino community. It is admirable that there is recognition for such family-led advocacies. Such work may inspire other families to take up their own advocacy that will not only make lives better for others but also strengthen the core of the family.

Let us nurture the practice of family values, by embracing policies that value families. – Benjamin Todd Jealous

06Oct 2016

“Companion” animated video gives hope in 40 seconds

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“No, you aren’t alone. Yes, we all feel this way sometimes. No, you won’t always feel like this. Yes, the world is a better place with you in it.”

It too shall pass. Nearly everyone goes through sadness but there is a kind of sadness that is difficult to just get over it . People can usually deal with isolated stressful or traumatic events and experiences reasonably well, but when there is an accumulation of such events over an extended period, our normal coping strategies can be pushed to the limit. The inability to cope with severe depression is what leads most people to become suicidal – they believe there is no hope for their current situation.

Did you know that a life is lost to suicide every 40 seconds? Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year-olds globally according the the World Health Organization . Depression is the predominant cause of illness and disability for both boys and girls aged 10 to 19. It is timely that Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF) , a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing depression to light , initiated the “Hope in 40 seconds” video competition.

The competition encouraged those suffering from depression as well as their loved ones to seek guidance from HOPELINE, NGF’s free 24/7 suicide hotline which can be reached via the following numbers: 804-HOPE(4673) , 0917-558HOPE (4673) 0917686HOPE (4673) (Cebu) and 2919 (toll free for TM and Globe)

The campaign is supported by Globe Telecom, the Department of Health and the UP JMA, a university-wide student organization which adopted the campaign as an organization called SPARK: The Movement to promote healthy lifestyle and to spread hope among the country’s youth.

In just 40 seconds, 21 year old digital artist Vince Serrano provided encouragement of emotionally-burdened people through the help of his animated digital video “Companion”, a story of a lonely boy who almost succumbed to the lure of death but received a second chance at life from a beacon of hope.

Vince Serrano , the Grand Winner and People’s Choice Award bested 20 other entries video competition. You can view Companion below:

Here are the runner-ups:
1st Runner-up
Title: Heartless
Description: Everyone has a chance to recover from a dark corner. Everyone has the potential to be emotionally whole again. This video aims to encourage the path to self-discovery and recovery, from point A to B, together with the help of Hopeline.
Animator: Noel Manao

2nd Runner-up
Title: Catch of Hope
Description: The loss of what a young man believed to be everything to him, brought him to jump from a bridge. Seconds till his death, he gets caught by the unexpected.
Animator: Wei, Chih-Chiang “Jason”

Globe is a long-time partner of NGF in providing the information and communications technology infrastructure for HOPELINE.

27Sep 2016

Mom’s “Me” time: A must for fit moms and happy homes

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 1 Comment

Women seem to have it all these days: children, careers, families and relationships, social and civic networks, among other things. They seem to have everything, yes, except time for themselves.

As a mom of three I wrote this not too long ago in my blog : Moms should find time for a “ME” time. Emphasis on “ME” time and not “MOM” time.

Is this being selfish? — this wanting to spend time with one’s self, without the children, without thoughts of house work and just focusing on oneself and not one’s role as mother or wife.

Too often we moms spend our time doing a lot of things. We even boast that “Multitasking is my middle name.” The result: stress and fatigue and sometimes a feeling of angst. “Is drudgery our lot?” we sometimes ask silently.

Many moms seem to be able to work on autopilot mode. They operate on little sleep because the toddler is too fretful at night or the teenager needs to be fetched from a classmate’s home where she joined group study. Some moms are in the “sandwich stage” — taking care of young children on one end and of aging parents on the other, while trying to make it professionally. This role strain will make even a young, healthy woman so needful of occasional breaks, lest she burn out or get sick, or worst, break down.

Becoming a mother doesn’t change who you are.

Moms usually spread themselves thinly over many tasks and responsibilities, leaving no room for them to be the person they were before becoming a mother. The creative side, the free-spirit, the essential self is neglected and set aside. Some moms feel unhappy because they feel confined and constricted.

Young women get married to their men wanting to be more together. But before long, too many things separate them — the early morning rush to work, the dishes piling up in the sink, the bills running due, the washing machine breaking down, the often problematic children. So many a woman would listen to their husband’s snoring at night wondering what happened to her romantic dreams.

Moms do not have to wait for their nest to empty to enjoy their time away from drudgery. They can in fact have this on a daily basis, with determination and time management.

Yes, it IS possible.

Importance of “Me” time

The time to be “You” and not “a mom” should be a real “ME” time and not hours spent planning what to do for the long weekend, writing down recipes and ideas for the youngest child’s party next month or putting the toys away in the baby’s room. Mom’s “Me” time is a time to be selfish, a time to just do what you love and a time to relax and be yourself and find your own self-worth amidst the daily grind.

Mom’s “Me” time ideas

How can moms find their own “Mom’s Me Time”? How can they make it happen?

1. Schedule the “Me’ time. Perhaps waking an hour or half an hour earlier than everyone to be able to enjoy a quiet time with a cup of coffee and a good book or a walk around the neighborhood.

2. Make time. For those with young children, make “Me” time the time when the children are taking naps. For those with school children, it is best to do the house chores early in the day to have extra time before the children get home from school. For those who work outside the home, half an hour before going to work or before bed or lunch break at work would be best.

3. Connect with friends outside the family circle. Have lunch or coffee with friends or even a spa date to connect with them. Make sure that talking about kids are kept at a minimum level because after all, this is all about you.

4. Focus on yourself. Just sit back, relax, and do what you think would qualify as your “Me” time and savor the moment.

5. Follow your passion. The passion for things unrelated to being mothers or wives should not take a back seat but rather nurtured and encouraged.

More ideas

Not sure how to go about having a “Me” time and needing ideas? Here are a few more for that perfect time all to yourself:

• Once-or-twice-a-month salon pampering like having a haircut or manicure and pedicure
• Spa date for a full body or just foot massage
• Sit-down dinner out with friends
• Movie time with your BFF
• Coffee time with college friends you haven’t seen in years
• Once a week lessons on cooking, crafting, sewing, dancing, yoga, floral arrangement, quilting, scrap-booking, guitar or piano playing
• Going to church
• Early morning/evening walk at the park or around the neighborhood
• Reading
• Gym time or exercising on your own at home
• Enjoying a slice of your favorite cake or a bar of chocolate, alone.
• Enjoying a movie or a television series that has no animated character in it
• Dancing
• Honing skills like crafting and needlework. (There are a lot of online video tutorials if there is no time for formal lessons outside the home.)
• Afternoon with friends: Gather your friends with the same interests and learn together or learn from each other.
• Pampering your skin with your DIY skin care products or store-bought ones
• Taking online courses to feed that inner nerd in you (because learning doesn’t stop even for mothers)
• Tackling a challenge: Train to run a half or full marathon, learn to ride a bike or sing solo at Sunday Mass.

The possibilities are endless if only moms look hard enough for that special time and activity to indulge themselves.

Remember: Healthy, fit, stress-free and happy moms make happy homes.

Photos: By the author, some rights reserved

Written by Julie Fuertes-Custodio as originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles

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