I am lucky because I'm happy!

I feel so uneasy lately, feeling like I haven’t accomplished something good and worthy for the past months, I was feeling so anxious and bothered so I have been trying to work on all the unfinished tasks at work very quickly for me to be able to figure out if those things were the cause.

But then they’re done and they weren’t.

Then I had some time with myself and my notebook and I’ve figured out that it was because I worry a lot for the past months and due to some unexpected sad and tough events in my life, I forgot to live a balanced and happy life with all my dreams and hope backing and cheering me up. I was looking for my balance everywhere, trying to tighten my grip to some happy parts of my life like Taku and wonderful friendships, but it should be “me” inside that I must hold on tightly or else, even the last happy parts of my life will be lost as a result of the behaviour and attitude that mirrors the worries and pessimism inside me.

Then I read the “Happiness at work and in life” by Chiqui Escareal-Go, President of Mansmith and Fielders, Inc. and also an advocate of positivity and kindness. Here are some of the parts that raided me. haha:

There was a study that said “Happier people are able to choose better partners because they perceive themselves as better looking ” and  “(they) also earned more money at work!” I imagined then that happier people are better able to choose a job that fits them well because they know what they want more clearly, and this translates to better productivity.  Just like choosing a partner in a relationship. If you know you deserve better, you wouldn’t settle, right?  And in the end, you will probably get what you want and you also wouldn’t mind waiting.

What is the boss’ role in corporate happiness?  There was a 2009 Swedish study that tracked more than 3,000 men over a period of 10 years which revealed that those with “bad bosses” suffered anywhere from 20 to 40 percent more heart attacks than those with “good bosses”.  Clearly, a leader’s attitude, behavior or mindset impacts the entire organization so much, thereby affecting and dictating the culture and performance levels of his team, and even more seriously, as this study shows, even his people’s mortality.

This leadership effect can be applied in all aspects of society –  from the smallest unit of family to the immediate neighborhood, high school gangs to college fraternities, the smallest barangay to the highest levels of government.   And to further emphasize the dichotomy, we could describe the opposite of good and happy when we look into the effects of divorce, child abuse, murder, hazing, graft and corruption.

Happiness is not a common thing to be read in the same sentence as strategy or innovation, peace and order or rule of law, neither do we often have a leader talking about happiness as a goal or as in incentive. They might say that achieving sales quotas will make everyone happy, but it is said as a consequence rather than as the cause or source.

How do we define happiness?

Tal Ben-Shahar, a Harvard professor, defined happiness as the overall experience of pleasure (which gives a present benefit) and meaning (which leads to a future benefit) .

Many successful entrepreneurs are naturally positive people who do not mind working 14 hours a day (or more) because their work gives them both meaning and pleasure.  Their love for their work and the promise of success are enough to fire their passions.   We could compare these hardworking entrepreneurs with social workers and medical volunteers who are able to transform lives through selfless acts of kindness, giving up their own personal time or even risking life to help those in need.

Why do people do good?  Because it makes them happy.  Can you imagine if we ask why people work well and the answer is – because it makes them happy?  Imagine what our workplaces will be like, and more importantly, what our country will be like?

To view the whole article, please click here.

                I looked back and realized that I get all the good things (travel and discoveries, good job, more opportunities, happy dinner with friends, daydreaming with my family, good health and Taku) that I wish for when I’m the happiest. I write a lot and hear people say “Cyra, you’re such a lucky person” when I am worry-free and happy…that can only be achieved when you have faith and HAPPY. ♥

                Spend your weekend daydreaming with your Lovies! Happy Friday!

Hunger Games, the next big sequel!

“How I wish the TV Production is that high-tech and systematic,” that was my detached expression while watching the Hunter Games. Haha.

I don’t know anything about the trilogy not until Taku asked me last Friday if I wanted to watch a movie on Saturday. I asked him what movie because I haven’t looked at movie guide since The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo was shown. “Hunger Games,” that’s what he said. It’s actually a story like Battle Royal, a 2000 Japanese thriller film based on the novel by Koushun Takami. Then I looked at the trailer and dreamed about complicated scene and Taku was punched in Africa on a Friday night. Haha.

Watching it, I felt so immersed in the film. I actually didn't want to watch it since I don’t like the feeling that they were unlucky and living in a place, a “district” in particular (as used in the movie), that they were forced to do something that was against their will, but I was very curious on how the story will go. When the movie started, I was feeling the pain of leaving home and the hopeless situation of dying without a choice and I got so hooked with every detail.

Timing is a big part of Success; we should know how to do things at the right time. Practically, good timing was shown all throughout the film but looking at how the film captured a big part of the market I can say is because of timing. They just released the movie when everyone’s almost done with the phenomena of Harry Potter and Twilight and everyone’s still thinking about what could be the next big sequels. Well, it can be “The Girl with a dragon tattoo also though Hunger Games is easier to grasp for most of us I think.

It’s also a very good timing for the Filipinos to watch, or maybe the rest of the world too, since we have more and more reality shows nowadays. Oftentimes, we get so hook to them and think that everything that they show and say were true and we try to imitate them because they couldn’t afford to lie from several little camera planted in the whole place where they’re contained. That’s why this movie is a reminder on the things that should be important to our lives, that the only thing stronger than fear…is hope and maybe, Love.

I know that this is  just a start of the Hunger Games journey and as it led me glued to its world, I’m going to make myself available to get glued to the next few episodes, may it be from books or film. Happy Hunter Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!

I got my sanity back!

We just celebrated our first anniversary last month and we decided to push through with our long-term plan to visit the majestic Palawan. Taku was sweet when he convinced me to push through with this trip to refresh my "system" since I've been through a lot weeks before that trip. Thanks to him, I got my sanity back. :)

Palawan is very beautiful and this amazing experience made me say what everybody's saying, "It's more fun in the Philippines!" (The Dept. of Tourism's tagline is really working, huh?) When I first visited Coron, I stayed in El Rio y Mar and that was a very amazing and serene escape for me but this time, we stayed in their sister resort, Club Paradise, which exceeded our expectations. You may opt to have a tranquil escape from the city (since they just have TV and wifi in their clubhouse) in this island or try out the unlimited things and trips that they offer. But the part that I enjoyed the most was the intimate moment with the sun, waves, a pen and my notebook, a good book and Amoretto Sour. Plus we met a wonderful couple who were in their honeymoon (It was really nice meeting you Irene & Raine!).

Since we were so hooked with video editing that time, we tried to do the storytelling through video and here's the teaser (haha):

And here's the whole Palawan experience:

Enjoy the sun and the sand this summer!

Please visit http://hoywherewewere.tumblr.com/ for more. :)

(We flew to Busuanga via Air Philippines and flew back to Manila via Cebu Pacific Air)

Cipika Cipiki

It was my first time to travel abroad. It wasn’t the first time to sleep in bus station and airport but it was my first time to meet such a wonderful man with a wonderful song (which I don’t understand. Haha).

I’ve been asking my Indonesian friends about this but they couldn’t figure out what was I singing so here is the lyrics and the video (which I finally found in my old files) and please, please let me know the whole version:

“Sayang sayang, chowoku sayang.

Aku salalu sayang

Satu hari lima kali

Kachup, kaningmu laki…

Satu hari lima kali

Kachup, kaningmu laki..”

As far as I can remember “aku” is “ako” in Filipino and “me” in English, Satu is “isa” and “one” in English and “kaningmu” is “alalahanin” or “remember.” Is it right?

I wonder if this good man who taught me how to ride Bajaj, how to go to Gambir station and how to say “Aku mamili pirdana SL. Terima Kasih” (Filipino translation: “Pabili ako ng SL na sim card. Maraming salamat po.” English Translation: “I want to buy SL Sim Card. Thank you”) just made up this whole song.

(I flew to Jakarta via Cebu Pacific Air.)