Home Again

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It’s been a year since the last time I was here. I miss the feeling. I miss showing that other side of me.

I’ve been away following a dream, trying to make things as best as I could. That’s why I miss this place, this place where I’m not afraid to fail or fall.

I may not have gone to a faraway place, but I feel I’ve been to the deepest core of every human existence. This may sound weird, but yes, for more than a year, I’ve exposed myself to the ideas of what makes us who we are, why we do what we do.

Of course, I don’t have all the answers to all my questions because I feel I have only touched the tip of my beingness. But it’s enough to make me understand more of myself and more of others.

How liberating it is to allow others to lead us to take a peek of their perspective, of how they see things much differently from us. The greatest lesson I learn is, there’s no us versus them, there’s only we.

I thought I would stay there for long, but after learning some of the necessary lessons, I have to move on to another path. It’s what I feel I’m called to do. I also learned, discovering our passion can’t always be done in one step. We need to follow a series of steps before we’re finally ready to do that mission we’re called to do.

For this, I’m allowing the waters to take away what no longer serves me and to prepare me with a refreshed mind for the journey up ahead.

Ahhhh. So, refreshing… And so glad to be home again.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Scale

Perspective. It’s what makes us see things differently. At times, I see myself above things, feeling bigger and more powerful. But at times, too, I see myself as small as a speck of sand, powerless and insignificant.

It’s funny how I attach myself to these different perspectives as if they were my truth when in fact both are part of the bigger picture of life. It is how things are when we make ourselves object that must fit perfectly into the picture.

But when we choose to be the one who observes, we see right where to put ourselves. And when circumstances put us either above or below, any emotions that come with these different levels have nothing to do with who we are. Because we know full well that everything is just a matter of perspective.

pwnezel

Weekly Photo Challenge

 

The Personalities That Keep The World Functioning

The personalities that keep the world functioning.

This past month I have been exposed to other truths that helped clear some fogginess in my thoughts. I come to understand myself better and others as well.

Socrates was right when he said, “Know thyself.” Indeed, knowing oneself is the beginning of wisdom. Not knowing our self may make us appear, idiots, though, in reality, we are far from being one. We don’t know because we simply lack the knowledge.

Hence, I want to share with you these type of personalities that change our world. All of us may resonate to one or more types. The good thing is there is no type that is above others. It plainly shows how we need each other to make a better functioning world.

Here they are:

1. The Initiator. The initiators are the doers of the world. They epitomize beginnings and initiations. Their decisiveness and courage drive them to get things done. They’re innately strong and positive thinkers that others find them an inspiration.

2. The Healer. The healers bring balance, unifying both positive and negative, dark and light, yin and yang. Their sensitivity makes them more effective in bringing peace and harmony. And they are the advocates of personal growth.

3. The Catalyst. These are the enlivening, enthusiastic, and youthful personalities. They contribute to the world through music, writing, dancing, and public speaking. They have the ability to change people and circumstances with their broadmindedness.

4. The Protector. The protectors are the lightworkers who love the environment and nature. They are loyal, hardworking, and dependable. They contribute to the world by ensuring that all is safe and secure.

5. The Game Changers. Game changers walk their talk. They are intellectual, investigative, versatile, free-thinking and imaginative. Their inquisitiveness makes them the best teacher in life.

6. The Nurturer. The nurturers are the most harmonious personality type. They light the path when others need spiritual and mental balance. They are the mothers who keep the community and family together. Their biggest contributions are fixing things and taking care of others.

7. The Explorer. The explorers are more in tune with the workings of their minds and the universe. They are the visionaries, thinkers, seekers, and searchers of truth, mostly spiritual but not religious. They contribute in healing people spiritually, mentally, and physically.

8. The Equalizer. This is the most misunderstood personality type. They represent authority, personal power, self-confidence, and money. They are more comfortable in material and tangible facts and are result-oriented. They mostly accumulate prestige and wealth and contribute to improving the lives of others in practical ways.

9. The Finalizer. The purpose of the finalizer is for the greatest good. They stand for universal love, eternity, and faith. They contribute in the fields of arts, medicine, religion, drama, philosophy, and metaphysics.

The above personalities are masterfully interweaved and integrated into the millions of people in the universe. This makes each one of us important in our own small way. No one is above or below. Each of us has our own role to play in the bigger scheme of our world. May we have played that role purposefully.

pwnezel

Daily Prompt

 

Seeing Hearts 10: The Many Facets of Love

I thought I was done posting heart-shaped objects. I thought heart-shaped objects are only part of the random things I see daily. I thought heart-shaped objects would no longer affect me.

Well, they do. This time. Today. They’re just too cute to ignore and the messages behind them are too loud to avoid. At least, that’s how I see them.

seeing hearts 10: love in unexpected places.

Heart-shaped stone

This one is a heart-shaped stone that lay along our path. Only a few number of stones have such shape, right? We could hardly ignore it.

It’s like the people we meet along our journey. At times, we are attracted to people who seem to have a heart of stone, adorable yet cold. But people are not made of stone. No matter how cold they appear, deep inside they have a soft spot, waiting for some connection. You might be the one they are waiting for.

Or, maybe, at one point or another, we acted as a heart of stone along somebody else’s journey. Perhaps, we can be a bit more loving.

seeing hearts 10: love in unexpected places

Heart-shaped hole in a plastic bag.

In our household, we recycled plastic bags. The one we can use, we keep, the damaged ones get discarded. Seeing a hole in that one above made me decide to throw it. Surprisingly, the heart-shaped hole caught my attention.

Can showing love makes us damaged goods? When not in the right place, yes, like this plastic bag. But even damaged goods can delight us, especially when it shows love. Whatever form love shows, it always brings delight.

Sometimes one needs to get torn in order to realize the depth of love. But true love brings magic. True love heals and makes perfect even the most damaged of souls.

seeing hearts 10: love in unexpected places

A heart in a bowl headed for the sink.

That one above is kind of dirty. It’s a bowl where we placed the fried bananas. I was about to put it in the sink when the heart-shaped image captivated me. Unusual, is it not?

It’s like when we are about to discard something in our life that it shows value.

It’s like when we value something, but keeping it wouldn’t make us any good.

It’s like a love that is there only for the moment, yet needs to go when the right time comes.

Love has many facets indeed. It’s part of the grand design of this universe. In whatever ways love touches us, one thing is sure – God is there for us and with us.

 

pwnezel

Daily Prompt

True Grit of A Seeker

true grit of a seeker

I just found out freedom means a lot of things. It’s not really a liberation from some sort of things, rather it’s another way of living a life with different sets of struggles.

When I was still in the corporate world, I thought freedom means being out of some sleeping people’s authority, free to be myself, free to do what I love to do.

However, when I already have in my hands the things that I consider could bring me liberation, I realized I am facing another set of challenges. Some of which are the following:

1. People do not appreciate your freedom because they’re conditioned to live as slaves.

People are so conditioned to live a pre-designed life that when you don’t fit in a cookie cutter they’ll think you’re absurd. It’s hard for them to understand why you do what you do because in the first place they don’t know why they do what they do.

2. When you take on the Seeker’s journey, only a very few could resonate.

People fight for a pre-designed path that when someone says this is the right way, most will answer without batting eyelashes: Yeah, it’s the right way!

They forget that they have to forge their own path in order to know why they’re here in this world in the first place.

3. Shredding title off yourself means people will not like you for being ordinary.

People are crazy for titles. I don’t blame those who have and deserving for titles without identifying their ego with it.

Shredding myself off a title gives me the freedom to be who I am and not being identified as something that does not make me who I really am. It feels so wonderful to be a ‘nothing’!

4. Preparing to go against conventional wisdom and be criticized for it.

Done playing the validity’s game. Actually, I love to comment on posts, especially now that I am on a genuine soul’s journey. When I see something that’s not quite right like a thwarted belief, I share my opinion on the matter, not to make the other person appear wrong, but to make them see something that’s nearer to the truth if they’re just open enough for it.

It’s okay to be hated than to carry on with regrets for not sharing what was bestowed on me. If I’m the one who is wrong, that’s a great opportunity for learning. Besides, life is not best lived by how many times I was right, it’s how I learned from being wrong!

5. Embracing the life of the lone wolf.

When others learned that I’m just staying at home, they’re raising their eyebrows. Because for most of them aloneness kills. They forget that while it kills them, it might invigorate others.

I have to embrace who I am because that is just what I am. I am different, so are other people. The difference lies in the fact that only a few choose to live the life they want, and most live their life in accordance to the number of likes they receive in their social media accounts. I know, this is ouch! But it’s a hard reality.

5. Trusting God, or the Universe of what’s to come.

One reason why people try hard to get ahead of life is the feelings of security. Yes, we need to consider our physical body’s survival and those of our loved ones, yet it’s only one-half of the equation. Who knows what’s to come? No one. Who gives what we need? God, Higher power. Why fret?

6. Accepting and embracing people for what they are.

This is my struggle too. It doesn’t mean that because I am finding my way, I am right and others are wrong. They’re just living their life according to how they see fit.

Bringing them to the brighter side of life, to what really MATTERS is the greatest challenge on the seeker’s journey, but one we must do because it’s what we’re called to do.

While on earth, there’s no actual freedom. We can only continue to hold on to our greatest Source to lighten our path and makes the journey a little lighter for our self and others.

pwnezel

 

Daily Prompt

Out of Focus, Always in Sight

out of focus, always in sight

Though I find delight in taking photos of every heart-shaped thing that I see, I altogether stopped the activity, except for times when the object is unique and exceedingly adoring.

It is because I found the activity somewhat get in the way of my productivity. Like when I am totally engrossed in an activity but stop in the middle to take a photo of something that caught my eye. I lose my momentum in the process. So, I have to give it up no matter how tempting it seems.

What matters most to me is the realization I have in seeing heart-shaped things. I believed it’s the universe’ way of telling me that I am doing the right thing and I should strive to love more.

I still see heart-shaped objects every single day. It makes me smile and say: I love you. Though the focus is no longer there, yet it’s starting to become a regular part of my life. And it never fails to excite the innocent child in me.

 

pwnezel

Weekly Photo Challenge

Getting Real

Getting real

Before I started my venture online, I used to click links that promise me how to earn online. Not just earn. But earn millions. Naive as I had been, I keep giving them my emails and read every word they promise, that one day I end up like them: doing the things they love while having fun at the same time.

To my dismay, no promise was ever real. I was just lead to click links that either a scam or which I have to pay. Most of these promises turned out as leads to links of courses I have to take in order to get that promise of earning millions.

I have no problem with online courses. They help to a certain degree. What I don’t like is the ‘promise’ of a million. Most of the successful online gurus built their millions and brand for years. Neil Patel for one built his empire for five years. Not in a month, or even a year. But why couldn’t they be real?

As time pass by, I slowly unsubscribe to the sites that offer great promises. I retained in my inbox the ones that helped me along the way to be the best that I can be.

I no longer aim for the millions. I aim for the stars. Earning for the stars means I have to follow my passion, give to others what I can give sans false promises, and do the hard work required for its achievement.

There’s no need for me to follow the steps of others. They may serve as my inspiration as the going gets tough.

Mark Zuckerberg did his own thing. So did Steve Jobs. They innovate. They think outside the box, and perhaps never utter promises to others to help them achieve millions.

What these two great men did was inspire others to be the best that they can be, that one day, they too may make something of themselves that could help millions of people.

No false promises. Only a certain grip on reality.

 

pwnezel

Daily Prompt