Touched by An Angel

09May 2014

A Cherie Blair Foundation Mentee in the May 2014 group of the Mentoring Women in Business Programme

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi

One is never too old to learn. At 56 years old, I continually challenge myself to learn new things because I want to enjoy every minute of my life. I am honored to be one of the 17 Filipinas nominated for the May 2014 group of the Mentoring Women in Business Programme which is a one year mentoring program of the Cherie Blair Foundation.

The Cherie Blair Foundation matched me with a mentor who lives in the UK based on the goals and interests I outlined in the application forms. I met my mentor for the first time last night and we had a great time, chatting over Skype. I believe we are great match and look forward to working with him over the next year.

There are a suite of free, online tools for our meetings –Gchat, Skype, Google Hangouts, Viber, etc that will be quite useful. This mentoring program is really exciting for women around the world.

We match women in developing and emerging countries with male and female mentors around the world. Using our online platform, they spend 12 months working one-on-one to achieve key business goals. Participants build their business skills and digital literacy through our trainings, and become part of a global community of committed, ambitious entrepreneurs who are invested in each other’s success.

Many women in developing and emerging markets have the ideas and ambition to become successful entrepreneurs but are held back by barriers such as lack of access to business skills, technology, networks and finance. In response, the Foundation has developed an innovative solution that combines mentoring with technology to offer cross-border support to women entrepreneurs.

The programme boosts confidence, improves business performance and ultimately creates wealth for the entrepreneurs we support.

Mentoring is a great opportunity to help both the mentee and mentor grow. This is an exciting year and I am challenged to meet my goals.

“Encouraging women to become entrepreneurs has the positive effect of helping more women participate in the workforce”

08May 2014

Hey Mom! portal : an online sisterhood for moms

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I am quite honored to be selected as one of the mom contributors for Unilab’s Hey Mom! portal. Most mom-oriented brands prefer the younger moms to engage with their products or services. I believe I have a lot to share about parenting and am grateful for being given this opportunity to share these stories outside my blog. Aside from myself, former international model and VJ Amanda Griffin Jacob is one of the celebrity contributors. Her projects revolve around motherhood which has proven to be Amanda’s passion. Actress Mylene Dizon is another contributor as a single and playful mom.

Unilab prepared this very special gift for moms just in time for Mothers’ Day—an online community made by Filipino mothers for Filipino mothers. Hey Mom! is an online portal specifically designed to be a resource for moms to access and exchange relevant information that will help in their everyday parenting tasks.

Hey Mom! provides mothers with knowledge on a wide variety of topics: pregnancy, childbirth, nutrition, raising kids, taking care of themselves, and more. It contains stories from friends—Filipino moms who speak from experience who are sincerely there to help. It is a community so diverse that moms are bound to find a friend who they can share different parenting techniques with, parenting statuses, and many other parenting stories.

Here is what I shared during the May 8 website launch:

For Moms, By Moms

Moms are very blessed in this day of the information highway. During the eighties, I relied on books and some friends for tips. My mom died when I was a teen so she was not there to guide me. The Hey Mom! Portal will certainly be useful for first-time moms who may need some guidance.

Mothers are naturally hungry for information when it comes to parenting and their children but because information is readily available on the internet, it can get confusing for moms. The Hey Mom! portal also wants to acknowledge that there is no single rule when it comes to parenting. What worked for one mom may not necessarily work for another and this where Hey Mom! can help.

Simplifying Information

To further help moms simplify the information that they get, the Hey Mom! portal is customizable to the needs of the members. Upon sign-up, information about the moms and their children will be collected and will be used to tailor fit the topics that will appear on the homepage.

Hey Mom! does not offer one point of view but explores different opinions and parenting styles. The portal encourages conversations between our members in our portal as we know that moms usually listen to other moms. Articles for all types of moms—expecting, new and experienced—will be available in the portal. Moms are free to express their own opinions on the topics and share their experiences in the website through the comment boxes.

To register and find out more details about Hey Mom, users can visit heymom.com.ph or join us on www.facebook.com/heymomph.

06May 2014

The joys of being a mother #YouTheMom

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“Raising a kid is part joy and part guerilla warfare.” – Ed Asner

My proudest mom moment was when my children taught me to be a better mom. Today I will take the task of listing down the joys of motherhood from the time my kids grew up from being a baby to their adult twenty-something years of age.

1. I loved being their primary caregiver.

I recall how I stared at all my three babies when they were born. I recall the same beautiful eyes that looked back at me with love. I look at them today and see the same beautiful mouth that made me cry when they first smiled at me. It was not long ago that I held them in my arms long after they fell asleep and I just kept rocking them all night long, kissing their soft hair and basking in their baby-sweet fragrance.

2. I loved being their first teacher.

When they were babies, I thought of their future lives. Perhaps, they would fly to the moon or if not at least land on a star. Whatever their future held, I made sure I nurtured their God-given talent during their first six years of life. Experts say children are like a sponge in those early years and I need to take advantage of that huge window of learning. I taught my children to read and write even before they reached pre-school. I taught them how to sing even if I was out of pitch. I taught basic piano lessons, which they needed if they wanted to pursue their singing talents. I taught them to pray that God lives in their hearts. I taught them that they needed to study on their own without my help once they reached third grade. I taught them that their grades were their responsibility and not mine. That their education belonged to them and my responsibility is to ensure they finish a college education. I taught them basic foundation of life and if they don’t believe or pursue my beliefs; that is their choice, not mine.

I believe mothers can only teach so much, and other factors like peer pressure, media exposure and school education come into play.

3. I loved being their ““almost best friend.”

So many times they ask me questions while their beautiful eyes look at me with trust, confusion and innocence. I have often prayed that my answers guide them. Even though I always want to protect them and step in for them when they make a difficult decision, it is very important that I do not interfere so that they will learn from their own experiences and develop confidence in their own judgment. As their ““almost best friend,” I listen patiently as they whine, roar, cheer and rant.

There is a fine line between telling our kids too much or too little. I hope I struck a proper balance somehow.

4. I love how they bring up their mom.

I recall the time when I first looked up at M. She suddenly grew taller. Instead of looking down to a little girl, I was staring and arguing with a much taller girl. “Look at you”. These words spilled out when she surprised me, standing there looking so grown-up and lovely. These same words spill out when they catch me off-guard. Gone are the days, when my rule was law. I learned to give and take. They awe me with their unexpected strength of heart and wisdom far beyond their years.

“Mom, look at me.” This often wakes me up from my controlled parenting as I learn to adjust to their moods and idiosyncracies.

“Look at you” are words that come out when I talk to myself telling the parent in me to wake up and see the amazing young women standing where I left my baby girls. I remind myself to look and know how special each child is, to see their value, their true worth that is reflected in their eyes.

5. I love being the new me because of them

I often ask myself if I have loved my children enough and done the best job that I possibly can. Then as human nature goes, I remember the mistakes that I made and how they might have hurt my children. I did pick up the pieces and tried to be better. Yet I never stopped loving my children even in the times when I seemed distant. My children have been a witness to my struggle and the new me. I am so proud that they taught me a lot. I am proud that they are my children. When I think of them, tears roll down because they make me happy.

I wish they will always be with me to love and to hold but I know at the same time, I should just step back and watch then fly high and free.

04May 2014

“Look Up” – A spoken word film for an online generation

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

‘Look Up’ is a lesson taught to us through a love story, in a world where we continue to find ways to make it easier for us to connect with one another, but always results in us spending more time alone

How true this is! When we asked the panelists on what their wishlist is for the Future of Media, some of the panelists gave some interesting points on real people outside our gadgets.

1.” Spend time with your loved ones, friends – with real people in the real world.” – Yves Gonzles

2. No one in his deathbed wished that he spent more time on social media.” – Yves Gonzales

3. “It’s not about the technology or the tools, it’s about the people. Have real human relationships. ” Ros Juan

4. “Make sure to live a full, offline life.” Tim Yap

5. “Go out there and get the information yourself. Make the conscious effort to educate yourself. ” Erwan Heussaff

6. “I sense digital loneliness in some people. ” Jim Paredes

I definitely agree that the connected consumers or connected citizens (Generation C) need to disconnect and go on a digital detox and connect in real life. That is what we, citizen advocates do with our social media tools.

Using social media to effect social good is my dream for the future and it needs connecting to real people outside. In the Philippines, internet penetration is only 30%. The rest of the population do not have the opportunity to listen to the information that the online generation have. It is one reason I reach out to the masses through the Bubbly audio app because my content is heard on ordinary phones.

While the “Look up” video does have value, it forgets the many good things about using social media for social good. Here are the thoughts of the advocates:

1. “Social media is at its most meaningful if we use it to help those without access” – Inday Varona

2. “It’s easy to be popular. But it’s different to be able to influence agenda & change. Choose the ‘underadvocated’ issues – Amor Maclang

3. “The internet is also platform for fostering accountability and good governance -Malou Mangahas

4. The next big advocacy for us is the 2016 PH elections. We must make a river of change – Malou Mangahas

5. “If we are comfortable with a revolution, change will be easier” – Mae Paner

Jim Paredes predicts the future of media as devices becoming extensions of ourselves ; extended neuro system . That can be good or bad. Good -if it does bridge the digital divide…bad if it disconnects people from communicating with each other.

The message of the “Look up” video is significant to the online generation, the digital natives who started with playing the iPad as babies. Some children “are growing up in a world where they don’t play outside or communicate with their friends. It seems today everything is done via text message or over the internet. It’s heartbreaking”.

When the internet was still so new to me in 1996, many relatives frowned on exposing my children online. I was also just as anxious but I made sure the kids had balance in their play time, extra-curricular activities and studies. Pia Hontiveros brings up the digital divide in this question: “If the World Wide Web made the world a smaller place, why can’t we dream the same thing for our 7,100-plus islands?”

“Technology is not bad if used the right way, do not abuse it and do not get too attached to it. doing something is good, doing something too much is not good. this relates to everything” . This comment in the video sums up the message of “Look up”.

Allow me to make the “Look up” video statement more positive. Let’s not overuse social media that it defeats the goal of being social… We live in “a world where we continue to find ways to make it easier for us to connect with one another” and we know how to balance our digital and offline life for social good.

That means being really social and doing good to others.

03May 2014

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

by webs ⋅ Leave a Comment

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, we tend to be very distracted and forget to appreciate the things that matter in our lives.

Let’s start with gratitude.

Gratitude came from Latin word gratia that means graciousness, grace or gratefulness. It’s meaning is deeper than just happiness. It is having a thankful appreciation for the things that one receives, may it be material or not. Gratitude comes from the acknowledgment that there is an external factor contributing to a person’s happiness. Maintaining an attitude of gratitude gives us reasons to connect to other people and acknowledge the existence of those around us.

Why say Thank you?

Several researches show that expressing gratitude has indeed positively impacted one’s well-being. A study made by two psychologists from the University of Miami and California proved that a group of people who wrote about the things they were thankful for for 10 weeks were more optimistic, exercised more and had fewer visits to the doctor than the other groups who were instructed to write about the things that displeased them.

Another study showed that couples who said ‘thank you’ and acknowledged each other often were more positive towards each other and were more comfortable in expressing issues in their relationship. Managers who also recognized their workers and thanked them for their efforts have also become more motivated employees.

In another summary of different studies, people who keep a gratitude journal were reported to have fewer physical symptoms, more exercise, less physical pain and slept better. People also tend to relax when they are grateful. In a gratitude visit, 35 percent of participants reduced their depressive symptoms and 30 percent of those who had a journal had lowered depressive symptoms. People who also count their blessings had a significant decrease in their systolic blood pressure level. And those who expressed gratitude required less time to fall asleep and had more vitality and energy when they wake up.

In addition to these researches, these are some more of the reasons why gratitude can help boost a person’s happiness:

It encourages reflection of positive life experiences
It boosts self-esteem and self-worth
It promotes building of social networks and strengthening existing relationships.
It encourages selfless acts and behavior.
It lessens negative feelings like anger, bitterness and greed.
It releases stress and helps in achieving a deeper sleep.

Cultivating Gratitude

Naturally-positive people are indeed lucky to have a healthy outlook in life. But for many, the attitude of having gratitude can be cultivated through adapting some of these habits.

Always have positive reminders – be conscious when you are grumpy, in a bad mood and about to complain about something. Think of three or four things you are thankful for. Think of the reasons why you love your job and why you are working hard. Remind yourself that you are lucky to have a job that could sustain your family, etc. By having positive reminders, it would become easier to shift to a healthier attitude.

Learn to compare right – we tend to become insecure or feel jealous of other people who have more than what we have or can do more than what we are capable of doing. This kind of comparison makes one feel inferior. But in cultivating the attitude of gratitude, you should compare yourself to those who have less than what you have and be thankful that you have more. And for people that have more than what you have, think of them as a guide and inspiration.

Keep a gratitude journal – develop the habit of writing events and experiences that make you smile and the things that you are grateful for. By doing this daily, you are able to catalog your happy memories, which you can look back to and prevent you from feeling down.

Meditate – having time to ‘be in the moment’ without judgment gives you time to focus and be grateful for the simple things such as the warmth of the sun and the sound of your inner peace while meditating.

It is not easy to form a habit, but by practicing these tips in just two to three weeks, you will not only become happier but you will also be a healthier person.

Image from Flickr.com. Used under CC license. Some rights reserved.

by Tanya Jamon-Navarro as originally posted at Cultivating an attitude of gratitude , Philippine Online Chronicles.

02May 2014

Love and Affirmation

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

A flurry of meetings and lack of sleep hit me the past week . Jane and I were busy organizing this pioneering forum on the Future of Media. It was quite exciting actually and I dedicated a lot of time and effort to ensure its success. But….I thought to myself “The husband is not pleased with my busy schedule”.

As I headed off to the 1st Future of Media last Tuesday , my husband planted a kiss on my forehead “I am proud of what you are doing. I am sure the forum will be a success”. I felt my heart “melt” with joy. Indeed , I told my husband that I claimed it…”the forum will be a success.”

Now that’s affirmation. I didn’t really feel the need for affirmation but it felt reassuring to know he wasn’t feeling neglected. I feel even empowered to be better. It is quite endearing. I face a new task everyday and they can be challenging.

What’s most important is our own self-affirmation.

– My body is healthy and functioning in a very good way.

– I have a lot of energy.

– I study and comprehend fast.

– I am successful in whatever I do.

– I am calm and relaxed in every situation.

– My thoughts are under my control.

– I radiate love and happiness.

– I am surrounded by love

– Everything is getting better every day.

– My husband’s affirmation is the icing on the cake.

And yes, the 1st Future of Media was a success , based on feedback from the participants.

I loved this week.

26Apr 2014

The only family member to have been blessed by Pope John Paul II is my daughter.

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

““To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others.” Pope John Paul II

Popes John XXIII and John Paul II will be canonized tomorrow, April 27. Whenever I look at the photo of Pope John Paul II, I really feel he is a saint. He just has this serene and holy look on his face that makes him one of the most beloved pontiffs in history. John Paul II’s holiness is obvious.

The only family member to have been blessed by the Pope is my second daughter.

She is blessed to have met Pope John Paul II at the the Raigiubeleo celebration of the Jubilee for Children at the Vatican on January 5, 2001. At that time, the pope was already frail and didn’t have the energy to bless all the kids in the Manila Children’s choir so only two were chosen.

The Vatican surfed for children’s choir right after Christmas Day of 2000 and landed on the website I created for the Manila Children’s Choir. There were not that many websites then for children’s choir. I guess I was lucky that the Vatican found us. The event was a gathering of children’s choir around the world to sing for the Pope on closing day.

The Pope loved music. He once said “I have a sweet tooth for song and music. This is my Polish sin.”

During the beatification of Pope John Paul II in 2011, a Filipino Choir got the distinction of being one of only two groups singing during that day. What an honor!

Juan Carlos Ulate/Reuters

I am not too familiar with the process of being a saint. A woman whose “miraculous” recovery “from an inoperable brain aneurysm paved the way for the late Pope John Paul II to be declared a saint at a ceremony at the Vatican this weekend has described how the Polish pontiff appeared to her in a vision.” Her cure, which the Vatican insists cannot be explained by science, was declared a miracle last July by Pope Francis, in a move which gave the final approval for John Paul II to be canonised.

My only prayer in 2011 was that the Reproductive Health Bill be passed. I thought “Fat chance to get a miracle but I could try, right?” Well, the RH Bill did not pass that year but the following year on December 19, 2012 . Now with the Supreme Court upholding the RH law, I believe it is a miracle. I don’t think this is the kind of miracle the Pope wants. After all, he coined the word “contraceptive mentality” and “culture of death” .

I pray there are more Pope John Paul II ‘miracles’ now that he will finally be canonized as a saint.

Pope John Paul ll at the beginning of the Papal mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in October 1979. (Daily News )

22Apr 2014

Sending money to my daughter abroad, the fast, easy, reliable & hassle-free way

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I am now in a new stage of my life where my children are now living independently away from our home. One is in Germany and the other lives in her own condominium unit. On special occasions, aside from giving gifts, I have this tradition where I give cash to my girls for them to buy a new dress and footwear.

The question is how do I send money abroad that is fast, easy, reliable and hassle-free? There are many ways to send money abroad but I wanted one that my daughter will receive in minutes and more importantly, she will not get charged for receiving money.

Western Union came to my mind because I once sent money to a friend in Batangas and it was a pleasant experience. My friend received the money in minutes. I have never used Western Union to send money abroad. I usually make use of bank transfer to remit money to my daughter when she was still studying in Australia but it took 3 banking days for her to receive the money.

I wanted my daughter to receive the money before Christmas day so she could buy her dress. Western Union was the answer. It is easy to spot a Western Union branch in most malls. I like the fact that it is open seven days a week unlike a bank where one can only transact during regular banking days/ hours. Bank transfer is also dependent on network of banks or partners in host country. I went to the Western Union website to check the possible location where my daughter can receive the money. Because of Western Union’s extensive network, I know she will receive the money in the location nearest to her home or office.

On December 23 at around 10:00 AM, I went to my neighborhood Western Union agent. I filled out a form detailing the amount sent (in Euros), name, and address of both receiver and sender. Along with these information, the agent asked for my identification card after I paid the required amount and money transfer fee. It is that easy. After a few minutes, the agent provided me with the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) that my daughter needed to know so she could receive the money.

I emailed my daughter, a scanned version of the Western Union receipt along with the MTCN. I was pleased to know that this transaction is found at the website when I logged in with my Western Union number. By the time she woke up at 2:30 PM (Philippine time), she was ready with the information. A few hours later, she contacted me on Viber that she received the money.

It is that fast and easy! I even received an SMS that my daughter received the money. Now that is what I call reliable.

Western Union does not require a US Bank Account to do a money transfer. Sometimes it is just not feasible to open a bank account as it needs several documents. When I need to send gift money, I now know a reliable way to send money in minutes that is easy, fast, and accessible .

15Apr 2014

The most important job is also the #worldstoughestjob

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Unlimited hours. No breaks.

This video contains a powerful message which you need to watch till the end.

This is about a fake job where it was posted online and in newspapers at a company called Rehtom Inc. with the job posting: director of operations with these requirements

The requirements sounded nothing short of brutal:

Even if I knew it was a fake job interview I was still caught unaware at the end.

Watch this:

13Apr 2014

Oh these funny memes featuring Kim Henares, Mommy D #PacBradley

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

The memes are really funny. Mommy D and Kim Henares are the top winners after Manny Pacquiao won over Tim Bradley via unanimous decision. In a report from USA today, “Manny Pacquiao’s mother, Dionesia Dapidran-Pacquiao, was just as entertaining as the action in the ring. As her son fought Timothy Bradley, Dapridran-Pacquaio was dealing with the stress of a prize fight as best she could. The commentators speculated that she may have been trying to put a hex on Bradley. She instantly became a Twitter sensation.” Mommy D is clutching on to a rosary in her left hand while her right hand displays a dirty finger or pointing two fingers towards the ring . I think Mommy D is playing “segurista” to make sure both prayers and “kulam” will ensure a win for her son. Many comments in social media show she is the star of the night.

Meanwhile, there are a lot of social media jokes that BIR Commissioner Kim Henares is happy that more revenue will be collected from the Manny Pacquiao fight.

Here is my compilation of memes via Storify.

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