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From ’10 to SIX: Writing the right thing

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From ’10 to SIX: Writing the right thing
I won’t forget the time I overheard a funny whip from someone when I was introduced as a blogger. She said, “Ingat ka, blogger yan!” (EN: Be careful, he’s a blogger)

When I was a kid, I sell Sampaguita flowers in the sidewalks. I walked the streets selling ice candy and home-baked donuts, pastries, or roasted peanuts made by my mom – sometimes I use a sidecar bike. I carried huge plastic bags when I go to school as I have to deliver cakes in the canteen. I was paid pennies for posting election posters and handing out flyers during polls. We sold fish balls, barbecue and other street foods in our garage. All these were documented in a journal – as I was once a frustrated journo back then. 

These humbling bits from my childhood gave me the motivation to record similar stories of my life.

I started blogging with just a simple thought – to write about my life in Dubai because I know it’s not gonna be easy and “my friends” might find it interesting. I didn’t have a formal background in writing. I write not following a standard flow. I blog like I’m just thinking out loud. I wasn’t really well-versed in English. In fact when I read back some of my first few posts, I can’t help but laugh at how I did them.  You know, I don’t have a proof reader – until now.

Despite of that, new visitors, other than my friends, discover the blog and the traffic has dramatically increased. The articles show up pretty well on the first pages of Google search results. That’s when I felt the need to have a catchy blog name. I registered boydubai.com in November 2010 and things have changed from thereon.

Why Boy Dubai?

“Boy” is a colloquial prefix in the Philippines implying an informal ownership or mastery of the succeeding subject, pun intended. Hence, Boy Dubai means mastery of Dubai – again, pun intended.

The domain has an ‘easy recall’ that somehow it became a household name for the few who follow the blog.

Dahil kay Boy Dubai, you got updated about what’s happening in the community. You discovered great food and new restaurants based on my reviews and preferences. You uncovered must-see hidden places in the UAE. You smiled, you laughed, you frowned, you raised your eyebrows, you learned. I learned.

Boy Dubai’s purpose is to inspire and empower the readers while also covering some untapped areas that I find helpful for expats to look at life abroad a little lighter. Most of the subjects I tackle reflect happiness and fun in mostly simple ways.

 The Thrills

Many people think that bloggers are “well-privileged.” While I may agree in that, it takes a lot of time and effort to build a reputation in today’s digital world. Authority bloggers play a huge role in influencing the community, and it is a serious responsibility to ensure that we remain fair and impartial at all times.

I was elated to receive VIP invitations to exclusive events, celebrity access and interviews, product launches, restaurants and hotel stay experiences.

There were times when my calendar is always full because I rarely decline invitations. They excite me! It felt so great to be invited. “Sino ba naman ako para maimbitahan…” was my immature excuse. For me, getting involved in those activities were confirmations that “I’m doing good in what I do.”

In exchange for a blog coverage, I accept almost all invitations and gifts.

The Struggle is Real

I used to write 6 to 8 articles every month in the beginning but the demands of my day time job and the stress on the roads has caused the decline in numbers – that didn’t really help the growth of my followers in social media.

Nonetheless, I had a share of good and bad posts, lame and viral ones.

Since I don’t really have a formal training in writing, it’s not always easy to write. There are times I could finish short posts in 5-10 minutes. There are some comprehensive ones which takes days, even weeks to complete.

I’d also rather spend my remaining energy playing with my little one and bonding with the family, than consume all that’s left on me and write.

I received shares of both high fives and criticisms. I got threats for uncovering a couple of mysterious brand campaigns.

There were months when I have not written anything at all. The pressure to provide something for the few followers was strong.

The Rewards

The simplest yet most fulfilling reward for me is the inspiration I get from this self-developed passion. Unlike other yuppies abroad, I never had a stagnant work-home daily routine because there is always something to do, somewhere to go, someone to meet and something to write about after work.

It’s also rewarding that I was able to share my knowledge in a short course about blogging in the former Kabayan Institute.  That volunteer work is one of many ways I ‘pay it forward.‘

I once represented UAE in the World Bloggers Day global celebration. I delivered a short message in a crowd at the annual Geekfest Dubai extravaganza.

I was asked to become a jury in the second installment of the worldwide Pinoy Expat Blog Awards along with other celebrities in the Philippine blogosphere.

Because of blogging, I was commissioned to become brand ambassador for Samsung, LG, Huawei, and Ping Pong Dimsum Restaurant in Dubai.

I was invited to contribute monthly articles for Illustrado magazine.

I got gigs to write scripts for radio commercials.

I was frequently interviewed by Dubai-based media and newspapers whenever there are hot issues related to the Filipino community.

I’ve had encounters with different personalities I look up to which I never thought would ever happen at all. I found myself rubbing elbows with Kobe Bryant, had a QnA with the musical legends and childhood idols Bamboo and Ely Buendia. It didn’t cross my mind that I would have a chat with Marian Rivera and Bea Alonzo. I covered PBA games on the side court and did interviews with the basketball hall of famers – Asi Taulava, Mark Caguioa, Coach Tim Cone, to name a few.

An ambush interview with PBA superstar and long time national team player Asi Taulava

Recently, I had an exclusive interview with Nick Vujicic, one of the world’s most inspiring motivational speaker.

I was listed in the 2015 100 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf. This year, I was nominated for the Media Personality of the Year in TFT Awards.

Why am I telling these to you? None of these would’ve happened had I not started Boy Dubai. The dreams would have not become realities if I did not take the risk of writing even if I don’t really know how to.

BUT… I reached the point where those things don’t really matter anymore. I don’t mind not going into any 5-star, not receiving the latest gadgets, not having a backstage access in a concert, not able to attend high profile events.

I don’t want entitlement. Honestly, I never really found myself jelling well with it.

As my blog shifts into higher direction, what matters to me now are not these kinds of rewards. The change of wind is aimed at impacting at least one person to look at things in a better perspective than what we used to do

It’s not gonna be about vanities anymore. I’d write more about what happened to me in Farabi Hotel in Kish, than what I found in Burj Al Arab.

After 6: Writing the Right Thing

As they say, subtraction is the most valuable addition. I don’t want a full calendar anymore. Going forward, I’ll be more selective on events I’ll attend to. I appreciate all the invitations, but I just can’t afford to keep myself busy and not find time for personal and spiritual development.

Time came I realized I was only doing what everybody else is already doing. I was not really using my experience to somehow change lives. Almost everything I wrote about was vanity.

This is a realization of my purpose bigger than my passion – which I wish I had known years ago. I want to respond to the question, why we’re here in Dubai, in which the common answer would be ‘para sa kinabukasan ng pamilya.‘ (EN: For the future of the family). I want to expound on that. I want people to realize that there are more valuable things and activities in Dubai worth spending their time with.

Maturity has set in the way I want to write things.

Maturity is when I can still write about anything but in a better perspective. Maturity is when I can ruin someone who did me wrong but I choose to let wisdom reign and deal with it. Maturity is knowing that life is too short to spend time writing negative articles, rant or igniting conflicts.

It’s All About Perspective

If I’ve influenced you with food choices or places to go, this time, please allow me to influence you with wisdom to help you develop a better perspective in life. 

I’ll still share my activities I think you’ll find interesting as I want you to be involved and engaged as well. I will still do food, places and event coverage but on a deeper perspective. I’ll try to add sense to humor. BALANCE is what I advocate about.

I commit to write articles that have more relevance to you.

And if you find no new posts for a long time, it’s just that I also committed myself more time to read, so I could write more when I got time.

Boy Dubai is not a directory anymore, okay. Instead of asking me where’s the best place for lunch, ask about where it is best to go and talk over lunch. 🙂

From now, this blog is my ministry. It’s not just about happiness. It’s about joy. What it takes to discover that joy within our usual experiences everyday.

If I didn’t take the risk of writing on my own, I wouldn’t be where I am now. And if not for the wisdom from the Almighty, I would still be writing nonsensical stuffs, and not realize this potential to influence the readers the way my mindset was transformed.

To my fellow bloggers, thank you. You always inspire me. To my sponsors and supporters, thank you for the trust.

To my readers, thank you for being there all the time. My stories are your stories.

I’ll always be grateful to God for the talent and for allowing me to use this to reach out and improve how I influence people. All glory is Yours!

—–
Before it became Boy Dubai, the original name of the blog was SocialMEDubai.

Why I share inspiring messages on Facebook

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Why I share inspiring messages on Facebook

There is at least one person among our friends who needs encouragement. This is one of my biggest motivation to keep sharing stories of inspiration, quotes by successful people and biblical messages everyday.  I aim to connect not really to the hopeless, but to those who have immature source of hope.

Simple thoughts about love, hope and faith could uplift a person. Someone once called me her “daily friend” for doing so.

An old colleague revealed how he was saved from further depression by just stumbling on one random inspiring post on Facebook. Another one has opened the door for more guidance after relating to a message he found on his feeds. The gesture has started a lot of private chat and phone conversations with people who want to know more relevant messages that could enlighten them more.

It’s a great way to reach out in the digital world.

We have different motives when posting online. We could be driven by joy or pain. At times people judge us thinking we’re going through something when they notice a pattern on our Facebook posts. “Baka may pinagdadaanan,” they’d say.  Some would criticize us of trying to make impressions.

There’s even a study that claims ‘People who posts inspirational quotes on Facebook have lower levels of intelligence.‘

If you have genuine intention, never be stopped by what they say.  Your posts are not for them.

We are all influential.

The world today has made us busier than ever.  So busy that we find no time for solitude and reflections anymore. No thanks to technology and social media that consumes even our supposedly ‘spare time’ to re-energize ourselves to keep going.

So I thought of a way to reach people where they spend more of that ‘spare time.’ I ensure that there is relevance to what I share – even to just one soul. I don’t intend for the whole world to bother. I’d be happy albeit only ONE person finds my posts interesting. It is a great joy to know that there is this person who finds relief in what I post and how it has brought positive impact to his mindset.

Don’t think that no one cares about your posts. Think about what positive change could happen when you share what’s on your mind.

Sometimes, only one random person is what it takes to change your perspective. We could influence someone who then could influence the world.

The purpose of doing it is to remind people about apparently some lost perspectives from a wisdom point of view.

The bible says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Not everyone can be popular but all of us can be naturally influential if we realize the significance of what we say or do. I believe social media was meant to happen so we all could see the visibility and feel the value of our influence. Your amount of influence depends on what lives inside you. Use your Facebook walls to change lives. The greatest thing you can do in the simplest way is to share words of encouragement.

I still share other stuffs moderately because I’m an advocate of ‘balance.’

But go easy on these mannequin challenges and other trends. Stop typing ‘Amen’ or hitting ‘Like’ to please God or to save lives. It just doesn’t work. Challenge yourself to use your natural influence. You can inspire in your own way.

Never underestimate the difference you can make for others.

But, strategize.

Every time you share, please keep the following pointers checked to be more efficient:

  1. Do not flood your news feeds with barrage of posts. I know how exciting it could get but it may not work its purpose when you storm your friends with posts. It is an irritation. Schedule your posts. Make them excited as they await your next words of wisdom.
  2. When sharing bible verses, expound them because not everyone are versed in understanding profound scriptures. Make the message easier to understand in a quick glance.
  3. Refrain from posting selfies with inspiring captions (unless your face says a lot about overcoming struggles or you are a picture of success).  It defeats the purpose. It’s not about you. Shift your focus from self-centered thinking into others-centered thinking.
  4. Do not intimidate people. Don’t sound like you know it all. It’s better if you can start a conversation.
  5. Be humble. Do not try to correct people. It is best to humble yourself by a testimony on how you’re able to rise from where you were before.
  6. Instead of posting your personal prayers, post messages of encouragement. Talking to God is done intimately, not on public walls. Talk to people instead.
  7. Don’t fall into the ‘people-pleaser’ trap.  Our longing for belonging, or the desire to fit in is normal. But understand that you don’t need anybody’s approval.

What matters most is you CONNECT. That’s the key.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Social media is a great avenue to pay it forward. Whenever we come across something meaningful and socially relevant, please share it. You’ll never know, it can make someone’s day, or even change someone’s life.

The learning and the wisdom should not end in ourselves. One of our purpose in life is to build each other up. If you’re not yet doing it, start today. What’s stopping you? If I can, so can you.

Recognize your influence and MAKE A DIFFERENCE, shall we?

—

Photo from unsplash

An afternoon of inspiration with Nick Vujicic in Dubai

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An afternoon of inspiration with Nick Vujicic in Dubai

An informative and inspiring presscon – that was what just happened in a presser for Nick Vujicic ahead of his talks in Dubai and Sharjah this weekend.

Nick, born with phocomelia – a rare disorder characterized by the absence of legs and arms, is one of the world’s most influential motivational speaker at 33. He met the bloggers and media straight from the airport to brief about his two upcoming talks.

He will be speaking to students in “Attitude to Live” forum at Sharjah Expo Centre  on Thursday, 17th November, 10am. 

He is expected to tackle subjects around bullying among others. One of his advocacies is to stop bullying in school – having experienced the same in his childhood years.  He may also impart some ideas about values-based curriculum which is now in beta testing in some schools in California.

On Friday 18th, he will speak in “A Night of Hope” at The Dome in Dubai Sports City, 7-10pm.

Tickets start from AED150 and available online at Platinum List.

Nick, an Accounting and Financial Planning graduate, loves to connect to those who are missing a spark of purpose in their lives, those who lack inner peace and those want to discover the truth of happiness. He always deliver messages of encouragement, hope, love and inspiration, regardless of our different faith and religion.

“It was done so that the works of God would be revealed through him” John 9:3

He is one of the motivational public speakers I look up to and it really feels great to have the opportunity to ask few questions (from the tens on my list).

First I asked when and what made him realize about his calling – what motivates him to travel the world to inspire millions of people, young and old. To date, he’s already been to 63 countries, met 16 presidents and 9 governments.

It started with a janitor.

“Out of all the people who inspired me to be a speaker was my Indian friend, my janitor at my high school.  I was 17, he was 61 years old.”

“My Indian friend Arnold came up to me and said ‘Nick you’re gonna be a speaker one day,‘ and I said “Mr. Arnold you are crazy.”

After 3 months, Nick was convinced by Mr. Arnold and he went speaking in front of 5 people and in 10 minutes people were crying.

“When I saw people crying, I thought, wow! How can a 5 or 10-minute speech bring tears to someone’s eyes?”

Watch and listen to the rest of what he had to say:

When he was 19, Nick spoke in front of 300 students in a public school. One girl, crying, interrupted his speech and asked him for a hug.

“She whispered in my ear and said ‘thank you, thank you, thank you. No one ever said that they love me. No one’s ever told me that I’m beautiful the way I that I am.’”

That’s when Nick knew he was born to be a speaker.

“When I told my mom and dad I was going to be a speaker they said I was crazy.”

I asked him to share a message to many of us who have become busier than ever, and have found less time of spiritual solitude – no thanks to ‘greener pasture’.

“Take a couple more vacations,” he said with an amusement.

“Money comes and goes. It never satisfies. Some people sacrifice their family for money and they lose all. The most important thing for me is faith and family.”

“My prayer to God first of all is to help me keep humble, and not be distracted, and continue to know that everyday is a gift. Every person I meet is an opportunity to see their love and faith and hope in their daily walk.”

He ended his message by sharing a verse from Jeremiah 29:11, as a good reminder to know that God is in control and that He loves us.

He elaborated a part of his journey, from his early years of depression between the ages 8 and 12, when he had attempted suicide. At 13, he became fond of football and started recovering from depression. At 16, he became active in faith and in his belief in Christianity. At 17 he met the janitor, and started his non-profit organization Life without Limbs. At 19 he was already speaking in front of 300 students.  He moved to California when he was 23.

He also invites us to watch his award-winning short film, “The Butterfly Circus,” a 22-minute movie in Youtube about being driven by hope even when things are going against what he wished for.

“When you can’t get a miracle, you can still be a miracle to someone else.”

“Be the best that you can be.”

Please visit trainings.today for more info about his talks.

No-phone zone implemented in one Dubai household

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No-phone zone implemented in one Dubai household

Mobile phones have become our ‘best friend.’ In fact, we hold it, touch it and look at it more than we do with our loved ones. We even take it to bed.

I used to do that. We all do.

Now, at home, mobile phones are not allowed in the bed (and on the dining table, among others). We’re strictly doing this for almost three months now and we’re enjoying the positive effects.

There are challenges in the beginning, and I mean CHAL-LEN-GES.

We fail every now and then and we always try make reasonable excuses for browsing Facebook and Youtube “just one last time” before putting it away. That’s how attached we were.

Eventually, we improve day by day and we’re reaping its benefits.

Here’s what’s happening:

1. Meaningful conversation

We’re able to encourage our 4-year old daughter to talk more (as if she’s not already talkative enough). She shares more about her day in school and we get to ask more questions as well. Never mind if she’s on repeat. Many times, her young mind speaks about her dreams and aspirations of what she wants to become.  We discover her more at the time before she becomes Little Miss Sleepyhead. She loves it when your ears are 100% on her.

As a couple, we’re also able to get more minutes of quality conversation about absolutely anything. Instead of chatting on Facebook with someone else, or posting on our walls, real talk happens. Sometimes we also remember important subjects we want to discuss at the days end, so it’s recommended to reserve a time for that.

There are many realizations that only a good night conversation could reveal. So we don’t let the gadgets interfere with this anymore. CHAL-LEN-GING.

Notice lots of more happens?

2. Additional reading time

BOOK reading it is. Instead of Youtube, we engage her more into storytelling. It’s more fun when this is your habit. At many instances, she’s the one telling her own fairy tale already. Instead of spending my remaining energy on browsing my mobile, I use it to play characters while reading her a story. More fun.

I’ve also devise a night reading plan for longer nights, and it proves really helpful.

3. Falling asleep becomes easier   

These days, scrolling news feeds had replaced counting sheep to help us sleep. We thought browsing stories on Facebook reduces the day’s stress. Apparently, it does the other way around more often than not.

Eliminating smartphones in bed is the smartest thing that ever happened to us. Better sleep, better body. Enhanced energy the next day.

Also, when we wake up, the phone is NOT the first thing we look for. [Read about my social media fasting here]

In short we (continue to) become healthier in many aspects – spiritual being one. Sometimes the  most spiritual thing to do is sleep (rest).

No one’s exempted in this house rule. At times, our daughter reminds us when she sees phone in the bed that “Phones are not allowed in bed mommy/daddy.” It’s really good to hear those words from her. Even though she’s exposed to technology, she knows that everything has a proper time and place of use. She learns that nothing beats real interaction.  At her age, she’s not tied to something ‘invaluable.’ I’m a happy dad.

We are also trying a ‘ less phone weekend’ rule. We’ll only hold the phone for important purposes. When matters are important, people would call. Unfortunately, many of us rely on chat for everything. But people should call.

With the phone away from bed, goodnight means better night.

Please, if you find this useful, I encourage you to also practice a no-phone zone at home.

—

Top photo from Pexels

31 Photos: Our visit to Dubai Garden Glow

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We didn’t visit this place in its first season last year because the entrance fee is a bit pricey at AED60. We had planned to do it at later time. Apparently, it worked well for us as this season features a lot more attractions than what it had last time.

The park exudes a unique edutainment concept using advanced technology of its kind with an obvious and illuminating artistry.

I’m on leave this week and I’ve had enough of dressing up barbie dolls and fixing hairs, so I wanted to take the family out. I guess this is a valid “local leave” destination.

The garden was designed with a theme of ‘Art by Day, Glow by Night’. But you won’t have that long daytime anyway because the park opens 4pm, less than 2 hours before sunset.

See also: 26 Photos from our trip to Dinosaur Park

Probably on weekends, the park will also feature several live performances by international, regional and local artists and acrobats. Some live musical performances have been conceptualized to showcase the UAE culture to the world.


The Dubai Garden Glow project has been inspired by wonders across the globe and has created several experiences that will take you to Masai Mara wild beast migration to the tulips of Netherlands.

In addition to Dinosaur Park, there are the following attractions inside:

  • Kids fun area
  • Stages shows and parades
  • Mushroom Forest
  • Animal Kingdom
  • World of Underwater

There are Tim Horton’s and Coldstone kiosks in the park. There are also the smaller stores & restaurants around the park.

There is a dedicated area where kids can enjoy ‘learning with fun’.

60 dirhams could be costly especially for big families. Plan your visit. It will help if you have a ‘family fun’ fund so your other expenses and savings are not compromised. Don’t rush in. The park is open until 30th April 2017.

For more info visit the website.

Parang “Paskuhan sa Dubai” lang di ba?

26 photos from our trip to Dinosaur Park inside Dubai Garden Glow

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Imagine a mini Jurassic Park with the Dubai skyline as the backdrop. Well yeah! Dinosaur Park, the biggest of its kind in the region is the main addition to the second season opening of Dubai Garden Glow in Zabeel Park.

Weather is good on Monday so we visited in its second night, and it was a good experience, especially for the little one. There are about 100 life-sized animatronic dinos big and small spread in area B of the park.


The park is divided into 3 eras of dinosaurs, showing various stages of pre-historic animals and their extinction.

Every dino has a tablet in it containing basic info about it.

They all roar every time people come near them so there’s a fancy-creepy roaring sound in the atmosphere all night.

Half hour is enough to see all the dinos, but it depends on how long you spend on taking photos. We went on a non-peak day of the week so we had a luxury to snap shots without other people in them.

They move their hands and tails and open their mouths wide. 

Stegosaurus

Allosaurus

In front of a T-rex

There’s the Apatosaurus

Diplodocus

Deinonychus

Triceratops

Carnotaurus

There are activities for kids like feeding and riding dinos. 

There’s an area where replicas of their skeletons are showcased.

Isanosaurus

There is this dino lab where birth of the dinos from eggs is on display.

It’s ideal to reach the park ahead of the sunset especially if you want to take better photos of the dinos.

Park is open every day 4pm to 11pm. Entrance fee is AED 60 and it gives you access to both the Garden Glow and Dinosaur Park. Kids below 3 years old enter free.

See also: 31 Photos on our visit to Dubai Garden Glow.

It’s a bit costly. You may ask if it’s worthy, well yes for me. It all depends on who you are with and what’s the meaning of fun for you.  For us, we encourage the little one to discover more and be amazed at these historical beasts. It’s a short infotainment tour.

And… I’m on leave this week. I don’t want to bring the family to malls to have fun.  So I guess this is a valid “local leave” destination. 

There are Tim Horton’s and Coldstone kiosks in the park. There are also the smaller stores that sell corn, sandwiches, beverages and other light snacks.

For more info, you may visit the official Dubai Garden Glow website here.

How and why I did a social media fasting

Ion
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How and why I did a social media fasting
The secret’s out… I went to rehab.Sort of.

Weeks ago, I did a social media fasting – no Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for 7 days.

It wasn’t too easy for someone who breathes social media. I used to be an impulsive Facebook user, sharing almost anything, checking about everything. Like most of you, I had a FoMO apprehension at some point – Fear of Missing Out.

The first 2 attempts failed as I itched back too quickly in it again. Determined to do it, I uninstalled Facebook app and the messenger. For 7 days they don’t exist. Discipline.

WHY FASTING
The time spent lurking on the feeds doesn’t help my ever-growing to-do list. It has taken its toll on things I really want to do on and offline.

One research found that users between 18 and 34 years old spend an average of 3.8 hours a day on social media. That’s almost HALF A DAY’s work!

Newsfeeds are filled with filtered moments of our lives; Temporary happiness – what everyone had for dinner, where they are traveling, OOTDs, their awe about the number of likes for their #IWokeUpLikeThis photos, new gadgets, striking quotations, rants about the government, their delayed salaries, #IfYouTypeAmen chain letters, how they seem to miss Kris Aquino or Mrs. West, etc.

Everything vanity.

By the time I wake up, or even before I tap that snooze alarm, I’m already consuming these not-so-important updates from everybody.  Unconsciously, time flies too quickly.

The 7-day fasting is a kind of “cleansing” process to refocus a significant amount of time from social media into more important matters and to rekindle real relationships.

Have you noticed how Facebook spoils reunions? Meetups were more intimate before. Today, what else are we missing from our friends who share all their lives online? What else is left to talk about? Gossips, eh? 

Why 7 days? I got the inspiration form the bible wherein the number seven implies completeness, perfection, and wholeness in many stories.

SO WHAT I MISSED
In 7 days, I missed a number of event invites, a couple of writing gigs, one group announcement, and a bunch of sweet hi’s and hellos. They are important. I don’t delight missing them but I don’t feel really bad. The hiatus didn’t really stop the world. It won’t.

I also had news blackout from trolls and self-proclaimed (and irrational) political analysts.

WHAT I REALIZED
There are too much drama and too many divas not worth the attention. Relevance lost. I don’t need the noise. A lot more things are more worthy of my time.

I was able to refocus on many valuable things – spiritual growth among them. The world has become busier than ever that we don’t find a genuine time to talk to Him and listen to what He says.  How’s your faith today?

Before, when I was idle like waiting at the parking lot or waiting for my wife to finish shopping or just standing on queue, I hold my phone and browse Facebook – to pass time.

THE REPLACEMENTS
Those little scrolling, photo viewing,  and watching funny videos totals to quite a significant amount of time.

During fasting, I committed to self-study. I aimed to increase my knowledge, understanding, and wisdom in many areas I feel I was lacking.  I started using other apps – one daily devotional to read, a journal to document my progress, and a fitness challenge app that only requires 5-8 minutes of my time daily.

THE RESULTS
In my time off, I was able to do the following among others:

  • Reorganize and de-clutter my inbox. From 5,000+ unread messages to 0
  • Develop a 5-10 minute morning workout
  • Read 2 books and write a journal
  • Finish work more efficiently
  • Wash the dishes one day a week 🙂
  • Ponder on bigger and wiser plans ahead

Best of all, these things are now habits.

Now I’m using social media with a regulated approach. I have my defined time off, and “no-phone” zones. I did it little by little, slow, and steady. I don’t get sore thumbs for “SCROLLiosis” anymore.

Social media is useful.  There are really thousands of valuable and quality content shared on our feeds every day. It’s a matter of filtering what we take in and how much we give time for it. It is our undisciplined and ungoverned usage that makes it unfavorable.

Fasting helps. I was surprised to discover there are a lot more things I love to do in lieu of glancing at what everyone is doing.

Today, I committed to lessen the tweet a bit, reduce more kilograms than Instagram, and yes, read a book before Facebook.

And instead of WhatsApp, let’s meet up. Shall we?

Should we remove the W in OFW?

Ion
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Lately, I’m seeing posts on Facebook from some Filipinos who are lobbying (wanting) to omit W from OFW so it simply becomes Overseas Filipino.

Why?

For them, NOT all Filipinos abroad are “workers” and the tag doesn’t fit well for “professionals.” Some of them said that the term is “degrading.”

Google defines worker simply as a person who works.

According to Merriam-Webster, a ‘professional‘ is a person who characterizes technical or ethical standards of a profession exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace.

Therefore, a construction worker or a cleaner can be as professional as a manager or an architect.

Sadly, these days people have become more title-conscious. We are after what people think or say about us. I understand where this is coming from – we are often tagged underdogs in the global stage.

In the UAE and probably the rest of the world, everyone from overseas is called expats. British, Canadian, Indian or Filipinos – we all are expats.  Only our fellow Filipinos call us OFWs. So why bother if it’s just us?

As long as our contract says we are employed, we are workers – blue-collar or white-collar.  Only businessmen and investors (and the housewives) can ‘technically’ claim they are not OFWs.

Who you are, is not defined by profession, title or label. Your persona is built by your attitude which gives you character. Respect, or the lack of it, happens not because of what we are labeled as, but because of what character we show. Therefore, whatever people call anyone who works abroad should be the least of our concern.

If you will be discriminated, you will be discriminated. I’m sorry. On the other hand, if you’ll succeed, you will – because you have the desire and the attitude to achieve – regardless if you are the underdog or not.

The world has had this issue for ages even before the label OFW has been created. You can be discriminated somewhere because you are Filipino, sadly. Now if you get treated differently because you’re an OFW, then my friend, that’s a typical “Pinoy contra Pinoy” mentality.

So, if you have issues being tagged as OFW, something’s wrong with you, not with the acronym. I encourage you to look beyond the label. Drop the entitlement mindset. What you feel is what you become.

I’m fine calling us all ‘global Filipinos,’ but “OFW” is already a living legacy.  Whether we like it or not, it is already deeply embedded in our culture.

Wag po sana tayong elitista!

Nick Vujicic will be in Dubai to spark passion, kindle hope and ignite change

Ion
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PR – Nicholas James ‘Nick’ Vujicic, a young motivational speaker born with phocomelia, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of legs and arms visits UAE for an exclusive event on November 17 and 18, 2016.

Nick has spoken over 3,000 times in a total of more than 57 countries on topics as varied as bullying, inspiring positive change, persistence and determination, and his own life story.

On November 17, 2016, Nick will address students at the event titled Attitude to Live with Nick Vujicic. It will be an exclusive event for the student community in the UAE. Held at the Expo Center in Sharjah, the event is exclusive to UAE students over the age of 13 years, from 10AM to 1PM. According to Nick, “Students who are not motivated will not learn effectively. It is very essential for students to spark passion and kindle hope at this tender age in order to be able to set goals and then go ahead and achieve them.”

Customized specifically for corporates, an event titled Night of Hope with Nick Vujicic is scheduled on November 18, 2016 at The Dome, Dubai Sports City from 7PM to 9PM. Commenting on this event, Nick said, “Through my event in Dubai, we would want the audience to know how to draw on their inner strength and instigate positive change—both in themselves and in those around them. In short, the event is dedicated to empowering everyone to transform their life in a real and lasting way.”

Commenting on the exclusive event, Mr. Vasif, Founder Trainings.Today said, “We are extremely pleased to invite Nick to the UAE, who is not only born without hands or legs, but has also faced countless challenges and obstacles. His talks are truly inspirational and we at Trainings.Today, aspire to bring to the community of UAE a new breath of air in the training field. Aligned with the knowledge economy of the UAE, Trainings.Today exists to support individuals, enterprises and organizations through training and development, to provide valuable learning experiences through leadership courses in the region by inviting top class global thought leaders, trainers and inspirational speakers in various fields like hospitality, customer service, sales and marketing, leadership and strategy, team building and communication skills, motivation, mind mapping, body language and more. We are hopeful that Nick’s event in both Dubai and Sharjah will enable the audience to conquer their fears, push past their problems and achieve set goals.”

For tickets, register at www.trainings.today

School ongoing, parents behave

Ion
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School ongoing, parents behave

With natural excitement of a first-time dad I WAS impulsive in sharing my daughter’s life events – out of PRIDE. First spoken words, first walk, first mess, and other fancy firsts. I thought the whole world would want to see.

Nowadays, uploading kids photos and videos has become a ‘norm’ in the parenting world. We have our own criteria of what’s “too good not to share“.

Yes I’m guilty.

But not until she’s in school I realized what should be stopped. It’s not just all about her and us anymore. She has started creating new connections and she’ll be more exposed to the outside world without us by her side.

Let’s be reminded, anything we share online lasts forever.

From a dad’s perspective, here are 12 things I think must not be publicly shared on social media:

1. School milestones

We are all excited to see them read and write their first words, or paint their first artwork, or their first dance. These developments are definitely big accomplishments for us.  But let’s be aware that kids have different stages of development. Some learn to color before talking; Some develop motor skills faster than verbal; Some actively dance than do good in math; and so on.

Do not delight so much if your kids learn particular skills ahead of others. This is normal. Normal.

2. Grades
I understand the pride but be mindful because you might be sending the wrong message. Not all high grades equate to greatness, and not all low grades mean bad.

Don’t create an atmosphere of competition among your friends. There are people posting grades trying to out-do their parent counterparts about the performance of their kids in school. BIG NO!

Kids are shaping up their passion from their earliest days in school. Future athletes don’t necessarily need to keep up with scientists or mathematicians. The future educators don’t really need high grades in arts.

Stop posting report cards or test paper scores online. It will backfire if it becomes a habit. How would you feel if one day your child gets low marks? Set your expectations the right way.

Grades are only results from a school test, they will excel in a lot of other ways, especially if we recognize what their strengths really are.

I’d rather be proud of their good character than high grades.

3. Stars
All kindergartens get stars. There’s no point in bragging about it. They are either rewards for really doing good or consolation for being silly.

4. Minor awards
Best headdress, best in eating hotdogs, best in Bring Me, best in GMRC… people don’t need to see these.

5. Packed lunches
You are blessed if you have the time, money, and energy to prepare decorated meals. Your fancy lunch boxes don’t imply bigger value than those simple yet full meals. I have nothing against the art, especially if it works for your purpose of encouraging your kids to eat well.

It’s all about your intention of sharing it in public. If you want to inspire your friends, continue. Make sure the message says so. To just brag about how beautiful and crafty you make your kids baon, that’s something that should go down the drain.

Ooops, my wife would kill me for this.-=(“,)=-

6. Stories with school whereabouts
Some parents post stories that include the time they drop and pick up the kids – the name of the school, them in uniform.  Not only that you’re vulnerable to people with harmful intentions; school details don’t really matter for the public to see. Don’t tell these stories.

7. Conversations & study sessions transcripts
It’s cute, but only her grandma actually cares a lot about it. Your child is a genius, good. They are sweet, okay. Don’t rub it in. People who do not post their relationship stories might have actually far more real intimate conversations than you.

8. New school supplies and other things
Not everyone is as wealthy as you. You don’t have to post their new notebooks, bags, pencils, shoes – they are irrelevant to your child’s progress.

9. Gifts and rewards
The world doesn’t need to know what you give your kids for their birthdays or for Christmas or for getting high grades.

10. OOTD
Let’s be sensitive that not all our friends can dress up their kids according to trend. Fashion comes with price tags. Some of us tend to overdo this adding bags, shoes, and other accessories to our “little models”. People love to see kids in their cute outfits once in a while BUT not every day. Post with a meaningful purpose, not #OOTDs.

We “unconsciously” contribute to igniting vanity. What could go wrong is the kids’ concept of what’s necessary and what’s not. Don’t allow them to conform to the patterns of this world. They don’t have to.

Simple getup is beautiful. Don’t spend so much money and effort in dressing up your star.

…unless you are in showbiz or in the digital influence business.

(and with that, one Instagram account has just been deleted, FYI.)

11. Shaming photos
Nutella on the face and Halloween costumes are cute, but a boy dressed as a girl, a kid doing business in the potty? Nah! These shaming photos can have devastating effects on kids in the short and long term. Either they become subjects to bullying or they grow to bully themselves. Consider how posting certain pictures online may impact your child at school.

12. Photos with their classmates in it
Your social media manners may not be the same with other parents. So before you post a group picture, ask the other parents involved if it’s okay. Be ethical.

Taking pictures is not the problem, irresponsible posting online is.  Facebook has privacy settings you can modify to manage who sees your photos. You can also just send them as a direct message to the ones who really want to see them – uhmmm grandma and grandpa – unless you are after the approval of others, and you delight in the number of likes and comments.

We are trapped in a celebrity mentality.  We thought our online accounts are our personal ‘fame space.’ At the end of the day, all our babies have tantrums, but we only share happy moments in the limelight.

We have different parenting patterns. Respect. Don’t sound like we are the expert – that we oughta know what’s right.  In fact, this blog won’t sit well with some of you. I respect that.

It all boils down to our goal of posting these things online. It’s about being conscious to who we may harm with insensitive, thought-lacking posts.  If you have meaningful and life-changing intentions, then all I’ve written above don’t direct to you.

And if your children ask why you’re not sharing much about them, then it’s an opportunity to teach about the value of humility. Let other people do the talking about the goodness in your kids.

Let me end by sharing this verse from Proverbs:

 
“Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth – a stranger, not your own lips”
Proverbs 27:2

We cannot be perfect parents, but we can be wise.

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