Self Control

There are eight fruits of the Holy Spirit, these are love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

One of the hardest fruit of the Holy spirit that sometimes I can't apply to my life is the Self Control.  What is self control? It is an act or behavior of a person to react on a certain situation and the ability to response or deal emotion and thoughts, the behavior to control temptation and negative feeling that will affect to a person. 

I have hard time controlling my feelings and thoughts sometimes. Wasting time on some bad habits that isn't helpful, consuming my time to something unproductive and unhealthy, its because I don't have self control or discipline. I thought it can give me pleasure just by doing it as a habit but it's not very healthy at all. The mobile phone, I know it happens to every person in general, if you're idle and not doing anything you just keep on holding and fiddling your phone. I bet everyone would understand because they do it themselves. Sometimes if we gather with friends, you can observe that most of them were always on the phone so they can't have a quality time together because each of them were on the phone. 

But now, I have self control, I challenge myself not be hooked up and dependent to something or someone that only gives me temporary happiness. It's been 2 weeks now I didn't depend on my phone if im not doing anything, I now leave my phone in my locker so I won't look at them all the time, sometimes your not waiting for messages or notification but it's a habit that you like to be updated of what's happening to the news feed even though all you do is just scroll and its all the same. So now I've realised that it's OK not to look at or check my phone all the time. I also put my phone on silent when I'm asleep so I won't get disturb with the notification or any group messages that are active. 

I can say that I can't live without holding my phone all the time and I'm glad I had that self control and discipline in myself that if I don't need to do, I really stand for my own principle. 

What makes me busy now if I'm not doing much is I spent intimate time with God, listening worship song, watching God's preaching online and reading Gods Word in the bible, it makes me feel good and happy just putting my time alone with Him

If I can do it, you can do it too... 

It's lifted

Adelaide was declared it's 3rd lockdown since the start of pandemic last year. It was effective last week 20th of July for only 7 days until further update. It's the start again when people are panic buying their basic foods and essentials for the household. Only one person each household can only shop, it's compulsory wearing the face mask when you are outside. Even us working in supermarket were told, theres no excuses even it's hard to communicate with the customers wearing the mask. It's means this delta virus is really very infectious compare to the previous ones.

My friends are already complaining how bored they are just staying at home and watching netlfix most of the time. But to me and my sister because we are an essential worker it's just normal for us because we can still go out, work and see people.

The only thing that change for me is I can't do my outdoor activities like going to church, table tennis, walking along the beach and yoga were restricted, so it's different. But I still managed to do the yoga by watching the video on youtube and just following them, it's actually good, it's like the same as in the yoga studio, but you're doing it alone. I was very motivated that I keep on doing it for an hour without resting. I'm quite happy with that and even thinking to do it online rather than on the studio so I dont need to pay.😁 

And today was the first day the lockdown was lifted. I start early shift at work for only 5hrs, I quickly visit a friend for lunch since it's allowed to visit already. I went home and suddenly just went to the yard to tidy and clean up the garden. My sister helped me with it so we finished quickly that I didn't think it will be done on that afternoon.

While sister and I were tidying the garden, we talk about going for a walk and tag a long a friend that is eagerly to go out because she was so bored. So we picked her up and drive to the nearest beach. After walking we agreed to have dinner in Chinatown to our favorite Vietnamese restaurant.

I'm so glad to have a productive day with work, catch up a friend, bonding with sister doing gardening, walking along the beach and first dine out for dinner. 

I hope you get to go out as well on the first day of freedom from lockdown.

New Role

It's a manic Monday, my long hours shift at work. It was a fine day, the sun was out today, I wish I'm off so I can do my laundry 😁. Our department is always busy even there's not much customer, it was relaxing and not stressful day to me, though it feels like a long day compare to some days but can't complain. I was happy and very friendly to customers, it's nice sometimes to make a difference to someone's day, a smile and just a friendly gestures to the customer already made their day.

Early evening, the store support pass by our department, not expecting he will approach me. But he did, he was asking if I have commitment tuesday nights, I thought he will ask me to cover a shift but no. He was doing something that moment and I was about to serve a customer, so our conversation was cut off. He said to get back to me, and later when I was at the back room, he came and discuss to me about tuesday nights.  He offer me a new role at work that's why he was asking if Im available tuesday night. So I told him, I usually play table tennis but this season we played every wednesday so I can be free on tuesday.  

I feel honored to be offered a new role, I suddenly said Yes, not knowing what's the role actually is, new challenge for me, and I like it. It's for my progress and development, a new learning again, another change that can add to my work experience. Slowly things are getting better and life's direction is moving forward to a positive result.

I just hope that I can adjust to new changes and I can quickly learn the new task that was given to me. I thank the store support manager for trusting me to be a part of that role. I will do my best and contribute a big part for the success of the company.

Self Love

 If your heart hurts a little after letting go of someone or something, that's ok, that's normal to feel that way. You may feel sad because things are not the same anymore and you need to adjust for a new change, new routine or new life to live on.

If letting go is your choice to regain respect and your dignity, then do it. It just means that you are genuine. No one likes end, but sometimes we have to put things that we were once go to an end after they will become toxic to our well being. 

You have to understand that you have love in holding on to someone, but there is also love in letting them go. Sometimes you need to choose yourself and take the first big step for yourself, move on and learn to live without them. Solely for yourself only.

Not every new beginning will last forever and not every person who walks into your life is meant to stay. Sometimes they're just borrowed moments that we don't need to be permanently stuck on them emotionally, so when they walk away we remain the same person as a whole.

Sometimes you will spend minutes, hours, day, weeks or months analysing the situation, trying to put the pieces back together, or justifying what could've, would have happened. But because you love yourself, you just leave the pieces on the floor, make peace with it and just move on.

Tell yourself, your doing this for your own good, for self respect, for self worth especially for self love. It's time to stop say yes, to protect yourself. Choose to focus on your goals and put yourself on top of your priorities. Start to trust yourself that you can do things you never expect to do, and survive every battles of life. Don't allow others to control your emotion and actions even it may means to end the relationship.

Stay true to yourself, don't worry what people may think about you or the way you feel. Keep your head up high and be confident in what you do, be confident in your intention and keep your eyes ahead instead of wasting time on those who wants to drag you back. You can't change people views, you have to believe that true change comes within you and not from anyone else.

The only best gift you can give to yourself is your Dignity, so love yourself and you can fully love others.

Click and Collect

It's Sunday, my day off but since it's lockdown and there's no gathering in the church. I'm available to work if needed. 

So today, I accept an extra shift from other department in the store, the Click and Collect online order because they are short of staff due to lockdown, the increase of online order was really huge. On normal days only two teams where working but this lockdown more than ten teams are processing the orders.

I'm excited to start my shift with the thought that I can learn new things. I was trained when I started and I'm glad I pick it quickly and then I just started to work alone without any supervision. It's different, as I do the shopping for customer order online, I have encounter some things that I wasn't taught about, but it's good the team were very helpful to me.  

I work 5 hours and it seems like very quick as the job is continuous and I'm enjoying it.  What I also learn is to know the different product that I've collected and the health benefit of the product that I didn't know and haven't tried to use or eat.

I don't mind working in that department again and hope I can get some shift again next time.

Done It

It's been a long time since I was planning to sort out and tidy the garage mess. Most of them were stuff from my MIL and some of my stuff collected to put in Balikbayan Box to send to my family in the Philippines.

It's been a few months since I don't spare time to do them, sometimes I'm distracted that other things that I can't be bothered to clean and tidy. But maybe because it will take or takes a day sort them all out. But this time since I have my focus, I had the chance to really tidy them and sort out all the box and send to the Philippines. It's been a few days that I finally accomplished and done all the clean up.

I felt good, it's like achievement or mission accomplished to have it tidy. So happy to share some present or blessing to my family and relatives by sending the Balikbayan box.

All the boxes that needs to be tidy and sort out

All clean and tidy now

Ready for pick up and send to Philippines

Self Worth

is everything. Don't let anyone ruin your life by putting yourself on a situation that will lower your value. Build your confidence and don't settle for less. There is someone out there that will see your worth, value  and treat you with respect. The one that make you smile, will lift you up, support you and see the best in you. So don't make yourself feel like you are less the priority and just the second option.  Always know your worth, that you are capable of doing things and treating people the way they want to be treated. 

We have all the control over our lives and see ourselves better than anyone else. Love yourself more so no one can underestimate and put you down. Tell yourself that you are more than enough and deserve the best in life. If someone hurt you, let them do that but don't balance or treat them the same.

Be the real and genuine as you are, being yourself is the best gift ever you can offer to yourself and others. You don't need to compare yourself because you are created unique and be brave enough to show the world who you are without an apology.

Trust yourself more than anything, the world will show up how strong and courageous are you to led things into something new.

Love yourself, so you can get the same love from others.