2019 Personal Theme: Strength

I started writing a personal theme post back in 2016. Oh how time flies! Three years have passed and it’s 2019 now. New year, new beginning, as they say. I have written about health and wealth in 2016, gratitude in 2017, and mindfulness last year. Things have definitely gotten better and somehow, I think I have become a better person as well. I actually feel quite accomplished, especially after losing a lot of weight this year due to my new way of eating.

Things continue to be better for me and my loved ones, so far, but I feel that 2019 is going to be tough for me, financially speaking. Aside from helping finance the house that my family bought, I am going to deal with an even bigger financial obligation — a new property that the hubby and I have acquired. We actually started paying for its down payment last year. We are excited at the possibilities, of course. But I feel that we have to be more careful with our finances now more than ever. We have to manage it well lest we end up getting broke. You know, if there’s one thing I learned last year, it’s to be optimistic and have faith that everything will be okay. God will provide, so long as we work hard and set our eyes on our goals.

This 2019, I feel that I have to be strong physically, mentally, and spiritually so I could end the year on a good note.

Physical Strength. After losing a lot of weight last year, I knew I had to maintain my current weight if I were to keep myself physically strong. Aside from looking good and gaining back my confidence, one of my motivations in losing the excess weight was my health. As young as I am, I already have a few health issues that, though manageable, need to be reversed, if not removed totally from my system. I constantly pray to God for my health and those of the hubby and our two families, but the fact remains, we are what we eat. We have to help ourselves first so God can easily provide us with the healing and maintenance that we need.

I promise to do more workouts this year and continue eating as healthy as possible. I also plan to keep practicing this low carb + intermittent fasting (IF) lifestyle for as long as I can, even up to old age. The benefits are aplenty, I tell you. I continue to be amazed by the wonders of IF to our hormones, specifically insulin. If IF could really protect me against diabetes, then that’s a big deal for me already.

Mental Strength. While I’m good at regulating my emotions and managing my thoughts, I still worry a lot from time to time especially when dealing with situations that are beyond my control. I guess if I could be consistent in being optimistic by finding the silver lining within myself, then I’ll be fine. This applies to my work, my personal relationships, and even my new way of eating.

I can be OC at work but there are times when I can be quite lazy, too. I need to work on this and prove to myself that I deserve my current job and all the perks that come with it. I have to learn to double triple check my work every single time and give clearer instructions to my co-workers. I know it’s doable!

As for my personal relationships, I just need to be more patient with and more understanding to my loved ones. My marriage is okay and so are my relationships with my in-laws and my own family. I just wish to be able to spend more quality time with them, provide more to them, and continue to help give them a better life. I feel a deep sense of fulfillment every time I am able to help them, may it be through a simple gesture or by sharing something with them (food, money, or any other stuff I have). It’s a great feeling knowing that I get to be a blessing to my family, in the same way that they all are a blessing to me. In the friendship department naman, while I have very few friends (the real ones) and we seldom see each other, I know I can count on them and vice-versa. They are merely a chat or call away, thanks to technology!

My new way of eating is quite manageable; I actually enjoy following it. I just have to guard myself against the “glutton” in me that rears its ugly head whenever I’m not looking. I have to keep watch or my gains would easily get robbed and I don’t want that to happen.

Spiritual Strength. My relationship with God was quite weak last year. I was less grateful and more demanding. I was also thinking about a lot of things that people around me thought my mind was wandering all the time (read: wala sa huwisyo). What they didn’t know was that my mind was just not in the present because it was doing some advanced thinking about the future already. Oh well, people misunderstand me all the time and I’m used to that. In the end, I know myself better than anyone, so kebs na lang ako sa kanila!

I just feel that I need to be closer to God and more grateful of His outpouring blessings. He Has never forsaken me, yet I continue to doubt His powers. As a sinner, I can only make up for my misgivings and shortcomings. This 2019 gives me another opportunity to do better in strengthening my faith in the all-powerful and ever-living God. I can do this!

May 2019 be a good year to all of us. I wish you the best of everything, friends. In our efforts to improve our quality of life, may we not forget to look back and appreciate the small things. God bless us all! 🙂

May you choose happiness always,