Living One’s Best Life
Up above is my Elev8 Lagree fam bam!
Please don’t forget to follow @elev8studioph on Instagram to see what kind of megaburn workouts and nutrition programs they have to offer!
Another year has flown by since I last posted a blog entry… Tbh, I refrained from blogging about my personal life for some time because I feared the critical judgement I could potentially receive from those who come across my reflections. However, time after time, I find myself constantly exchanging life stories and philosophies with others until the sun would set — whether it’s with a friend, mentor, or family member. These moments of self-examination and human connection come so naturally that I realize how essential they are for me, ingrained they are in my character, and contribute greatly to my sense of purpose. Every time I enter these conversations, I’m put into this trance-like state by the person I’m listening to and speaking with. It feels as if I’m in a real-world type of classroom but one without structure. I forget where I am because I grow so invested emotionally that I vicariously live through each person’s shoes only to come out with a newfound appreciation and valuable lessons to equip me for the real world. What makes this summer special is that firstly, it is my last before I graduate and secondly, instead of interning intensively in the U.S., I took a big risk and decided to fly back to Manila with no internship locked down, which most would surely raise an eyebrow to. I understand that there is this universal expectation to spend most of summer approaching senior year interning abroad and adding some glitz and glamour to my resume and Linkedin profile, but that’s not gucci for me nor productive if I don’t even know myself to begin with, and what works for me versus what does not. Otherwise, I am just wasting my time. It all boils down to this question: what matters more to you in this stage of your life? Having an interesting curriculum vitae or interesting life? Or better yet, Kam of BeautyMNL asked me a simple yet daring question: What will make you happy every single day or at the end of the day? There’s no right or wrong answer. We are all different and therefore, only YOU know the answer. Yet. What gives you life might not be life-giving to another.
Last semester, while stressing over what summer job to take on, my Philosophy of Education Professor, Rene Arcilla, shot me down with some questions that woke me up: What ever happened to spending summers to relax, read, and reflect in order to foster personal growth (of the mind, body, and spirit)? What is the point of summer breaks after all? That struck a new chord in me. I thought to myself: why not focus on building on my life mission and vision by further exploring subjects I’m interested in most (Philosophy and Positive Psychology) and integrating them with my Catholic faith through conducting interviews with and research on those involved in these fields in preparation for my thesis. I think the earlier we get to know and establish ourselves, the better. Being mindful or observant will help you learn more about yourself and from there, you will find what your character strengths are and teach yourself to play to them. What you must not forget is to identify your weaknesses and try to work on them. I think the reason why a lot of us feel lost, unstable or unsatisfied is because we lack self-awareness and a sense of grounding. This summer is probably my favorite one so far because I let go, went home to follow my heart, and chose to have faith in God’s plan for me by surrendering to Him while, of course, still working towards an end-goal in mind proactively. On the exterior, I know I do not appear traditionally religious because of how kikay, informal or casual I am when I speak with others, and bold I can be, but that’s what makes me Kate. Internally, I have my own way of practicing my faith and it’s definitely a core part of me and my philosophy. If there’s one thing I learned from Ms. Vertido, a spiritual mentor I met through my dearest friend, Cathy Cano, it would be to “not wait until all the plants are fully grown and aligned in the garden” as there is no such thing as “the perfect time” to do something new, novel and innovative. Make the change for yourself now. Be the change.
If there’s one thing I took away this year, it would be: with gratitude comes forgiveness. Over the past year, I met some of the most generous, authentic, and happiest individuals who have imparted so much unto me about myself and #howtoliveyourbestlife. What I noticed about these people is that they are unapologetically themselves and they in turn encourage everyone else around them to embrace who they truly are (i.e. wear whatever the heck they want to, speak their mind freely, and simply be themselves). Being true to yourself and doing what you love will do wonders. It’s infectious. That is why I love my Elev8 Lagree family so much because I found a strong sense of community, warmth, and acceptance. Most of the people I made friends with there are just so passionate, devoted to their work, self-confident, do not take themselves and life too seriously, and are open to guiding those like me who are still in the pursuit of finding their niche. Prem, Kam, Carla, Mel S., Mel T., and Janie are some of the Elev8 members who inspire me the most because despite their hectic work schedules, they remain positive, are so entertaining, and kind to everyone around them.
They radiate and attract all kinds of people, especially clients, for that very reason. They greet and talk to everyone. Again, they are successful because they are happy with themselves and what they achieved. They not only love what they do, but are good at what they do too. By the way, I have a confession to make … so I began working out like crazy in Elev8 around a year ago because my initial goal was to get that “pilates on crack” revenge body. Over time, it became a lifestyle and eventually, I forgot my initial reason because I grew in love with the community and saw how much I’ve changed mentally and physically. I learned to love myself in the process and I saw results. Elev8 is more than just a workout to me because of that. It’s symbolic of the mental, emotional and physical strength I gained as well as the dearest and some of the most mature friends I’ve ever made. My fitness journey boosted my self-confidence, resilience, and faith, which I almost lost because of a boy! Now, real talk: thanks to this guy though because if it weren’t for him, I don’t think I would have met all these beautiful old souls and discovered that I have an unbreakable spirit. I wouldn’t have learned to treasure certain people in my life right now, how to be kind, and admit when I’m wrong by apologizing sincerely. If it weren’t for knowing what it’s like to be wronged and receive no apology and explanation from him, I wouldn’t have gone through this humbling experience of teaching myself to come to terms with life happenings that are beyond my control and learning from them in preparation for the future. I can finally say “Thank you, Next” and “God bless you, man” from the bottom of my heart!
This brings me to a vital tip I’d really love for y’all to take away: please surround yourself with positivity. As open-minded and forgiving as you should be, learn to value and respect yourself by being selective in whom to associate yourself with. Foster a sense of community wherein those you build strong bonds with will respect, support, and love you for all that you are. Catriona Gray is right: the only way to conquer fear, doubt, betrayal, and other forms of negativity (sparked by negatrons, bashers, and gossipers) is to surround yourself with love, particularly those who truly matter to you. If you have a strong enough sense of perception and intuition, you will be able to decipher who is authentic, worth trusting, keeping in your life, and giving second chances to. You do not always have to explain and make everyone understand your decisions and actions in life because they do not know your story. If you know your heart and your truth, so does God and those who know and love you unconditionally. Sometimes, it’s ok to put yourself first, and is not necessarily selfish if you spend most of your life attending to others that you feel depleted. Cheers to self-love and living your best life unapologetically with courage and conviction! Nothing beats feeling whole and firm on your own two feet first. From there, everything will magically fall into place.
To see more of my fitness stories, follow me on Instagram at @iamkatethegr8 .
