Again, this is another quarter wherein I got distracted 😅. Honestly, I wasn't able to keep track of my progress for my goals lately (which is a bad thing, I know) but I'm slowly turning my direction to the correct path again. I know it's still a slow process, but there's progress nonetheless. I've also been back to keeping a bullet journal so as to keep a physical documentation of all the tracking and notes that I have in life.
🏃♀️ Career - schedule the training [3/10]
I am still currently in progress. It's essential I finish it as soon as possible, so I guess I'll have to spend every weekend from hereon to accomplish this.
🏆 Financial - go for positive figures [4/10]
I have switched to a better budgeting system, and I can feel that I am more conscious of my spending habits than ever because I can now effectively see the effect of them in the bigger picture. So I am continuing this scheme for now.
🏃♀️ Personal Development - attend a toastmasters class [3/10]
I have actually attended one toastmasters session. Although I have not participated myself, I have seen how sessions are done, especially on doing a tabletop topics contest. I am continuing the journey this year because I know harnessing my communication skills will greatly help me personally and professionally.
🏆 Spiritual - prep for milestone [4/10]
Yes, I did it! I welcomed that milestone with the kind of closure that I wanted to do. Thanks to great timing, I had some alone time as I underwent the transition. That's one moment that I will treasure forever in my life.
🛑 Educational - finish the book [3/10]
Unfortunately, I found my current method of reading that book not that effective for me in retaining all that useful information presented to me. I really need to set focused sessions for this so I could process the ideas more effectively.
🏃♀️ Relationship - end shifts early [2/10]
Having this habit is still a struggle for me, because I always tend to do overtime. But I am doing steps to make this process sink into my system because it's obvious what benefits this would entail for me and the people I care about.
🏃♀️ Physical and Health - knees [3/10]
Because of the chronic condition of my knees, I know I have to be more mindful of my physical activities. Although I admit I didn't focus that much this quarter on this, I'm proud to say I'm slowly establishing a routine to change this. 😀
Legend:
🏆 Finished
🏃♀️ Still in Progress
🛑 Aborted
🏃♀️ Still in Progress
🛑 Aborted
I just finished watching the film entitled "NiNoKuni" on Netflix. It has been sitting in My List queue for a few days now, and fortunately today, I had the time to finish it. I chose to watch it because of two reasons: 1) the title was vaguely familiar and 2) there is something Studio Ghibli-ish in the artwork. After finishing the movie (of which I super duper love the ending!), I had such strong emotions that I knew I had to write something about it on the blog (so here it is!). Although I admit most of the plot was already cliché, the ending touched something within me, and made me discover something that was parallel to my own belief system.
After watching the film I did some googling, and there I realized why the title was familiar to me -- the story is based on a video game, which I have seen in passing over at Humble Bundle and Steam sites (this was during the time I was searching for games to play, of which I found Little Nightmares). It was funny because I never realized this connection, not until I googled it today. I also had the impression that the artwork resembles that of Studio Ghibli because some of the characters of NiNoKuni resembled some Ghibli characters (ehem Yu ehem Howl). Well guess what, that's because apparently the movie was animated by the same studio. Even the soundtrack was composed by Joe Hisaishi, the same composer that did soundtracks for My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle. So desu ne! However, I realized after watching the film that there's no connection between the two worlds. But that didn't take away the fascination that I have for NiNoKuni. For me, it has it's own charm, something that cuts deep to my personal world.
Why was it relatable to me? That's because the theme of the film struck a chord within my soul, making me realize that I have to have the same resolve as Yu in the film to be strong and to succeed in some of the steps that I am planning to do in the near future. The film showed that same theme that made me love the book The Light Between the Worlds by Laura Weymouth. This film made me realize that I was going along the same thinking process that Yu followed in the film.
Spoilers ahead! If you haven't seen the film, I recommend you to stop reading now. 🤐
Sorry, I can't really discuss the point that I want to make without divulging how the movie ended, so here it goes... I just want to say that I was so happy that Yu did what he did in the end. My heart was aching for Yu to just stay, especially after Princess Astrid hugged him as a farewell gesture before he and Haru jumped to the portal back to their world. I was thinking "Hey Yu, just stay there! Your legs are okay in that world and this woman likes you back You'll have a better life there!". But when he turned around and joined Haru to jump to the portal, my heart just sank. And then the next few seconds of the film made my heart skip a beat.While the frame was focused on Yu's face while they were traveling in between dimensions, I was already screaming at my phone screen (that's where I screened Netflix) for him to just let go of Haru's hand and go back to Evermore world and be with Princess Astrid. So when his facial expression changed and he loosened his grip on Haru's hand and told him "Sorry Haru, I guess this is goodbye" (that's non-verbatim), I was screaming yes yes yes!!! 😭 I was so happy that Yu made that decision. The additional plot twist about Yu's true identity in relation to Haru didn't sway me anymore because I was just so happy for Yu!
I stand by the saying "pursue things that make you happy." At this point in my life, I have an idea on what will make me happy and satisfied. Although I am unsure if I would still feel the same way once I actually achieve that goal, I know now that I really wanted to make it happen. That's the resolve that I needed to be successful (just like in the movie). I know that doing this would mean leaving people that I deeply care for, but I knew I had to do the sacrifice, because I know these same people will also benefit on this decision that I am about to make. I also see the parallelism in the film -- this journey very well feels like I am going to another dimension, a whole new world filled with new people, new environment, and new scenery. And these factors really excites but scares me at the same time. But I know what I needed to do and I am on my way to my first steps to that destination.
I'm ecstatic to have seen this movie at this point in my life. I know now that I have that resolve to achieve this goal and just like in the film, this is my key to achieving my heart's desires. I believe that there's no such thing as coincidence. Universe, this is my acknowledgement -- message received. I'm on it. 😉
P.S. By the way, I also learned that Yu was voiced by Kento Yamazaki. Ahhh the feels!!! 😍
Another P.S., I think I have found my anthem for this goal and for this journey. Really, music comes to you in just the perfect timing.
Another P.S., I think I have found my anthem for this goal and for this journey. Really, music comes to you in just the perfect timing.
"It's an end of a decade, but the start of a new age." Taylor Swift, I'm borrowing that one from you.
Oh hello, here we are on this milestone. I've reached it. It's odd because I don't feel like I'm 30 (well how am I supposed to feel, really?). I have grown older, but I guess my mindset in life is still the same. It's kind of uncomfortable now that I'm in this age and I'm in my situation. Real talk: most women this age already has a family of her own. Well here I am, still not even getting one foot onto the door of the dating world. During the latter half of my 20s, I felt a bit down about this aspect of my life. But slowly, I learned that this is something that is out of my control. What will happen will happen. Bahala na. At this point, I just need to focus on things that will make me happy. I just have to make the most out of the set of the cards that life has dealt to me.
During the last hour of my 20s, I reflected everything that had happened in the last 10 years of my life. Sure, I never thought I would be able to travel to places I only dreamed about (Seoul! Tokyo!). I never thought that that job interview, where I just dragged myself into attending to avoid being blacklisted, would be my second home for most of my 20s. I never thought I would be travelling alone to another country. I never thought I would be getting a tattoo. There are a number of things that I never dreamed of doing, but I did. That just shows that I have to trust myself and the Universe. I just have to allow life to surprise me in different ways.
This is also the decade where some repressed childhood trauma came pulsing back. I was so confused at first, why these events that happened so long ago were still affecting me until now. Reading online resources, talking to a professional, and listening to podcasts (especially this one) made me aware of what was happening to me. I learned (in a painstakingly slow process) that what I was experiencing (and still experiencing, as sometimes the flashbacks are as fresh as if it all happened yesterday) is normal and not something that I should be ashamed of. I am not a victim. Upon listening to that Eve's Drop podcast episode, my respect to ex-radio DJ Delamar just became more apparent. I could relate to her experiences, and the defense mechanism that she has built for herself for the years that followed mirrored mine. Until now, I am still in progress of fixing that mindset. I can't change a long-time habit overnight. This is still a developing story.
Getting that tattoo was my way towards self-care that I so need to give myself moving forward. For the longest time, I am myself's worst enemy. This tattoo will be my life-long reminder that I am able to do great things on my own for myself. I can enjoy life in solitude, if things come to that. During times that I will feel down, I will remind myself that music will be my anchor. This art has been my lifeline during times when I was down. Most of the time it worked -- it did lift my spirits up. As long as I live, I will turn to music to heal my soul. ♪
Age is just a number, and this is a stage in my life wherein I feel the magnitude of truth this statement holds. Happy 30th self. 🎉
Posts
.png)
