“Pieces of Me” by Ashlee Simpson has always been one of those songs I super duper love. I know it’s also the infamous song that made her infamous (that SNL moment, yiup), but honestly, I’ve never cared about that part.
RUNNING..
Hello to my running girlies! I just wanna know, do you wear makeup before running? On Sundays, I do wear makeup before I run, just a little blush and lip balm. And here’s the funny part, when I start running, my cheeks turn all flushed and pink. By the end, after sweating it all out, the makeup’s gone, leaving just a pale pink “natural” glow. I know it’s not really natural, but I still keep doing it. It’s funny to me, and I don’t think it’s bad, just one of those little quirks.
I recently signed up for RUNNA, a running app that I like because it also includes the strength exercises I need to improve my runs. And it’s cheap, less than 200 pesos a month (Netflix costs more!). Thanks to RUNNA’s plan, my longest run so far is 9K, and surprisingly, it felt easy. Maybe it was also my shoes that day, my Puma Deviate Nitro 3, which has great cushioning and energy return. Whatever the reason, that run felt really good.
Link: 5k Training Using NRC Plan (8 weeks)
LEARNING, LEADERSHIP, AND SIBLINGS (?!)..
Work has been a lot of fun lately, and by fun, I mean busy. If you know me, you know how much I love my job and my team. This week was full of collaboration with both my team and leadership, and I couldn’t be prouder of everything we’ve accomplished.
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| This was during my birthday celeb. Thanks, Iresh, for the photo! |
Today marks the end of the week, almost like the culmination of everything we’ve worked on. I can’t wait for it to be over, but I’m also very proud of how it went and what I learned. I feel a little sad the week is ending, but as always, I’m happy for the weekend. Not just to rest, but to spend a full weekend with my husband! ♥
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| I've always looooooved our wedding invite! |
The reason I love training is because I love learning. Whenever I’m with someone I look up to or a leader I want to emulate, I’m always in observation mode. I watch how they talk, lead, act in meetings, and stay authentic. That’s how I’ve learned from the mentors I’ve had.
A lot of who I am as a leader now comes from them, plus from my current boss. But lately, I’ve been seeing my leadership in a new light. Learning from my team has become just as fun. I’m mesmerized by how brilliant they are, not afraid to voice opinions, collaborative, and helpful. Being able to hear their ideas, develop them, and turn them into something beautiful feels like magic.
I’ve always been surrounded by brilliant people. My siblings are some of the smartest people I know, and so are my parents. Growing up, it was always fun outsmarting each other for the easier chores, to control the TV remote, or to get favors from our parents. We even created our own rules, like who cleans what, or what the “remote control” rules were. We figured it all out ourselves, with a lot of shady moves and mind tricks, and without needing our parents to intervene. There’s always been some sort of “order” in our home, one we figured out ourselves.
Now, as adults, that teamwork hasn’t gone away. These days, my siblings and I are focused on protecting our mother at all costs. Whenever something heavy or not-so-good is happening in our lives, we always talk first: does Mama need to know now? What’s the perfect timing? Who should be there when we tell her? She knows everything, but we do our best to protect her heart. It’s the same teamwork from when we were kids, just with higher stakes and deeper love.
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| we miss you everyday, papa! |
GOODBYES..
As a leader, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to saying goodbye to a team member, whether they move to another team, leave, or take a higher post. I care deeply about my team, so it’s always hard. At the same time, I know it’s part of the job. People come and go. It’s never going to be easy, but I try to be genuinely happy for them.
Goodbyes with people I’m close to can be emotional. I might even cry if I say goodbye face-to-face. Being their leader has always been real. and the joy I feel far outweighs the few sad moments ("c'mon!" - they know this! 😁).
Even though these moments are hard, I’ve accepted that it’s part of the journey. It’s part of what I signed up for, and I’m here for it. But, it's sad..
MY BRAIN, AND FOOD..
My brain almost killed me, as you all know from my previous posts. I notice my brain doesn’t lag anymore. Sure, I feel tired by the end of a long, focused day, especially if I’ve been using it nonstop during my shift. But I take my lunches and breaks seriously, and the fatigue always fades after a run, pilates, strength training, or yoga. I’m really impressed by the changes in how I think now. It’s crazy, in the best way! Although I'm a little bit forgetful but it could just be the age. I hope!
One thing that surprises me is that I honestly don’t crave fatty food anymore. I look forward to going home for my cup of monggos, roasted fish, and kimchi. That’s really crazy for me! The only thing I still crave, and I’ve mentioned this since 3-4 blogs ago, is pancit from Bentang. Sundays just aren’t complete without it.
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| Typical everyday balon when I have a run. Isn't my yellow notebook the cutest? Thanks, Ez! |
BKFC..
Lately I’ve been watching a lot of fights from the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships. I’ve been a fight fan ever since I can remember, thanks to my father and my brothers who influenced me. I’ve watched a ton of boxing and MMA fights, both live and on TV. But bare knuckle fighting is a whole different world. The fights are short, obviously, since they don’t have gloves, and while I love the slugfest, the knockouts, and the sheer rawness of it, I can’t say I love the blood part. What really pulls me in is seeing just how much strength one person can have, to the point where it feels like it could literally kill someone with one clean shot.
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| Hubby and I with my idol, Edward Folayang, about 10 years ago at the Team Lakay gym. It was so awesome watching him actually teach MMA classes in person! He's so nice! |
At the same time, I miss the technical aspect that’s more visible in boxing and MMA. If you’re a technical fighter, I honestly feel like you don’t stand much of a chance in bare-knuckle, it’s just too straightforward. Still, I give all the kudos to those fighters because what they’re doing is incredibly brave. The women fighters especially, I can’t even imagine stepping into a ring without gloves on. Personally, I’d never do it, no matter how much I love combat sports. My worry is always about the long term effects when they grow old. Still, as a fan, I have to admit I’ve had a lot of fun watching. It’s raw, it’s intense, it’s something else entirely.
And that's it! 'Til next blog! 💛
