Because we’re halfway through 2019, I am now writing about 2018. Yep, you read that right. I may be 6 months too late in publishing this, but I still want to write and share about the year that was.
So 2018 was a year to say yes to opportunities. I challenged myself to just say yes. It didn’t matter if I was comfortable or scared; whether I thought I could handle it or if I needed to dive head-first into unknown territory; or whether it was my passion or not. My only requirement was the availability of time and my personal resources. I welcomed and embraced all opportunities made available to me.
In this post:
Why I did it?
I had always been cautious and slow to make important life decisions. I am admittedly a bit reserved and I often second-guess myself.
But then I figured, it may open opportunities to know myself better and maybe discover skills and strengths I didn’t know I have. I felt like it was time to take a leap of faith and let the universe make those important decisions for me.
How I did it?
It was indeed a scary commitment to make. As the year progressed, countless times did I need to remind myself of my personal promise to say yes and just trust the process. Oftentimes, I was not sure that I can do it. I just said yes – then learned how to do it later! I needed to take a leap of faith, so I basically just let go and let God. It may be a little crazy, but a very welcome challenge plus a whole lot of fun! Prayers lang talaga puhunan, mga besh!
So I said yes to…
Go Social and Social Media Optimization Project
Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. was one of the global winners of the grant given by the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines through its Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2017) for the Go Social project. It was my first moonshot that actually inspired me to jump into this personal challenge for an entire year. My experience in event organizing and project management was limited to city-wide small events for the blogging group I co-founded; but backed with a great team, we knew that we could handle four workshops in 4 key cities in the Philippines — Iligan, Cotabato, Cebu, and Baguio. And yep, we sure did! Thanks, IBS fam!
We closed the project in March 2018 with an exit conference, but we did not stop helping the local businesses. The team partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-Lanao del Norte) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT-Mindanao Cluster 2) to continue the project, and we are currently working on developing a toolkit that can be used by the local entrepreneurs. Oh, the magic of taking moonshots! 😉 
#ForMindanao and Empowering ME
During our stint with Go Social, John (rightmost in the photo above) mentioned they needed a teammate specializing in social media for an upcoming project. It was around the time that I decided the theme for 2018 is YES. Naturally, I said yes, and I’m so happy to be part of this family. Last year, we launched a call for proposal (February), organized a training/workshop for the 14 teams (about 50 participants) who will implement their projects (April), visited their communities for monitoring and evaluation during the project implementations (several times), organized a media and bloggers tour (August), and hosted a summit and exhibit for all completed projects (October). Crazy, but it really fills my heart with so much joy to witness firsthand the resiliency and incredible strength of people who were affected by the fateful Marawi Seige. It’s beyond inspiring to be part of that.
As the same team (Naawan HELPS Communities, Inc.) runs another inspiring project called Empowering Madrasah Educators, I also became a part of that project. Through this, I was able to meet amazing educators who will do anything in their capacity purely for the love of their community. It’s an honor to meet the project implementors, module writers, facilitators, volunteers, and participants all fueled by love and compassion.
ADROIT Officer
Albeit short-lived, I also said yes to serve as an officer (I think I was the PIO) for the Alliance of Dependable and Resourceful Outsourced Iligan Talents (ADROIT). It’s a local group of online freelancers. While I didn’t have a major role in the organization, it felt good to be part of this group of passionate raketeros/raketeras in the city.
Speaking Engagements
If you know me in real life, then you probably know that I have always had a terrible case of stage fright. I die a little every single time I hold the microphone and people start to stare at me, waiting to hear what little I have to share. Haha!
I have been invited to some speaking engagements in the past, but the experience is different every single time. I don’t think the shy part in me would ever get used to speaking before an audience, so it always keeps me on my toes every time I get an opportunity to share what little knowledge I have. I do my best to prepare so at least they get something valuable from what I have to say. So thank you to #ForMindanao, Kulturismo, Iligan Bloggers Society, Iligan Chamber of Commerce, TechCamp CDO, etc. I am forever grateful for the opportunity and honored for the trust.
Oh, most of these speaking opportunities are because of my engagement with the For Mindanao team. Amazing how more opportunities are made available to you because you said yes to one, right? And I also got to participate in Equal Access International’s Stakeholders’ Consultation Workshop on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism.
Travels with Blogger Friends
As if I wasn’t busy enough with the projects I am involved in, I also had multiple chances to travel with blogger friends. Travel will forever be a passion, so no matter how busy life gets, there will always be time to explore and unwind.
Together with my Iligan Bloggers Society friends, we welcomed summer in El Nido and Puerto Princesa, Palawan (March) following our completion of Go Social project. We also attended the Davao Food Appreciation Tour in Davao (May) organized by Davao Bloggers Society, For Mindanao Media and Bloggers Tour (Lanao del Sur, August), Blogapalooza ConnecteD Event (Metro Manila), and AirAsia Philippines’ Inaugural Flight from Cagayan de Oro to Iloilo (October), Lanao del Norte Familiarization Tour and Kagayan Experience Tour (November). And oh, we hosted #EatIligan 3.0: Iligan Food Appreciation Tour in August too!
Family Travels
And of course, no matter how hectic life gets, you got to have time for the family. It’s a non-negotiable yes… always. Our favorite bonding is travel and eating. So I travel with them as much as I can…. because well, we’re clingy like that.
Online Course: Coursera
Apparently, I didn’t consider my schedule tight enough. Can you believe I enrolled in an online course? Haha! I am taking (yes, present tense because I’m still working on it) the Social Media Marketing Specialization Course through Northwestern University on Coursera. I have finished 3 out of the 6 courses. Whew! It’s taking a while, but we’re getting there…
Moved to a New Home
And on to another highlight: I moved to my new home (sort of; because I’m more often NOT there. Haha!). But hey, I’m a homeowner… somehow. Here’s a sneak peek of my humble #UptownLife. Huge thank you to my ever-supportive parents who oversaw the completion of this tiny project, 2 hours away from home. Clearly, I know nothing about construction!
And then there were the NO’s
Of course, life is not always rainbows and sunshine. There were a number of times I received a “no.” I applied as a TechCamp Coordinator, for example, but I didn’t get the position because of schedule problems. I also got a no when I applied to the YSEALI Professional Fellows Program. And I also lost a client from my online gigs. NO’s will always leave hurt and disappointing feeling, but then again, trust – the – process.
I didn’t get ALL the yeses, but everything really happens for a reason. I may have lost that one gig for my online freelancing career, but it was replaced quite quickly by another that was paying considerably more. So yes, God knows what He is doing with our lives. He knows us much better than we know ourselves, and He has full control. So… chill.
What I gained
Since I embarked on my personal yes year challenge, I gained a lot! I made new friends from different backgrounds — bloggers, community workers, young professionals, freelancers, educators, government workers, etc. And they bring lessons, valuable insights, and some opportunities for me and the community I serve. I also gained confidence, and I somehow believe that I can and I will thrive under any circumstances because I have friends and families who will back me up and pray for me and with me no matter what.
What I learned
For me, 2018 was a blur. That’s why it took me 6 months to finally write this. Hehe! It was crazy busy, but I learned a lot. I had a crash course on time management by throwing myself into all those activities. I learned prioritization and the value of commitment and professionalism. I learned to work not harder but smarter.
I also learned that in the blur of all the things that happen around us, we all need our constants (our family and friends) to keep us grounded. So always make time for the important relationships in life. (Thank you forever, my constants and prayer warriors! Huhu! #youknowwhoyouare)
I’m not at all saying that I’m an expert juggler of all these activities. I just had to weigh my priorities. I am far from perfect, but at least I’m seeing progress in how I do the things that I love to do, and I’m okay with that.
Did I go crazy doing this challenge? Well, there were times that I admittedly imploded. Sometimes, I explode and lash out at people because I cannot accept mediocrity. But then again, we’re all doing our best. We’re learning. So I’m still grateful for the experience, and I’m just fully embracing the process — birth pains and all.
Another important lesson I learned is to honor my mental health needs. I do whatever it takes to get me into the right headspace. I cook; I binge-watch movies and series on Netflix; I sleep and/or oversleep; I meditate; I intentionally turn off my phone; read a book; or just stare blankly into the ceiling. Whatever it takes to capture the peace and quiet I need in order to function better. You know, self-care. Because you really cannot serve from an empty vessel. 🙂
Will I do it again this year?
Short answer: YES. I am still keeping my eyes peeled and my mind and heart open for all opportunities that come my way. It was a fun year, and I look forward to the new adventures that await me this year and the years to come. I am still committed to the yes challenge, but my criteria for saying yes will not be solely the availability of time and money. I would also take time to also consider my well-being and my future. More importantly, I will strive harder to say yes to the people and causes I truly care about.
Plans for 2019
This year, in addition to my commitment to continue the yeses, I am also challenging myself is to share more — more stories, lessons, random thoughts, etc. I am notorious for being an inconsistent blogger (or even social media sharer). My family and friends have already stopped expecting me to post photos of our trips and get-togethers. Haha! I have crowned myself as the Queen of Backlogs. But hey, I’m trying. I started on January 3 with a tweet, with plans to add something to the thread daily…
Mantra for 2019: I choose love.
— lovette jam (@lovettejam) January 3, 2019
but clearly, I did not follow through. I am still buried in backlogs up to my eyeballs! But I believe in second and third and fourth and endless chances. So as we start the second half of 2019, here I am sharing a rather long story about how my 2018 went. Here’s to hoping I’ll do a better job with the 2019 challenge.
Ending this with a love note to myself:
Progress, not perfection.
