Dani Defines

Fuzzy Colorful Circles

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 10:18:00 +0000

Ever since I started wearing eyeglasses, I get pass temporarily at all the blurs to get a clearer sight of what was happening around me. I once feared of leaving the house alone without wearing any of my eye gears and that because I haven’t undergone any eye correction procedures yet. Having a myopia is a serious case from the fact that it makes you feel that you are close to blindness and that I always have to get nearer at all the things that I really need to understand. It feels like you’re asked to get closer at life and confront it from all the fuzz it brings you everyday.

Earlier yesterday, I tried removing my eyeglasses while riding as a passenger and he was driving. My eyes were again in awe seeing these small colorful circles like a bokeh effect in photography from these beams of light everywhere. It gave me a relief and made me realize of all the beautiful things I’ll still be able to embrace with or without a 20-20 vision. First is that I’ll still be safe as long as I am with someone I know who can get me to my destination. Applying that deeper in life, I realized too that I’ll be out of danger by having someone who’s willing to take extra miles to make you feel better.

Sometimes the blurs in your life are the best parts and that fear only tricks us from living peacefully. Be ready to understand some things by feeling what’s inevitable than just seeing what’s out of our control. Whether you are alone or with someone, it’s always better to know how to win ourselves and get the best of both worlds.

Grateful to have someone like you who by far gave me the most wonderful feelings. Yeah, you.

Mount Costa: A newfound treasure up North

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sat, 20 Apr 2019 09:35:00 +0000

As soon as the scorching heat of this year’s summer season started to blaze, me and my family immediately planned to spend a weekend vacation in the summer capital of the Philippines once again. Being the Unica Hija in the family, I was again assigned to organize our travel itinerary. While searching for places and new things to try in the city, I picked the places I haven’t been to or at least haven’t visited for a while like Tam-Awan Village, Ben Cab Museum, Valley of Colors, Camp John Hay, and the newest spot that I’ll be sharing with you is the Mount Costa at La Trinidad.

Before blooming into a unique stroll around garden, the land where Mount Costa is situated was a strawberry field in the late 70’s. The then strawberry field was managed by a couple named Col. Voltaire Acosta and Cleotilde Acosta who became one of the pioneers of making quality strawberry wine in Baguio city. During the early 90’s, an unfortunate fate struck the strawberry field which led to the decision of the couple to close the area and stopped growing strawberries.

A couple of decades later, new generations of the Acosta family came to an idea on how they can regain the land’s purpose. They developed the once almost abandoned eight-hectare land into a beautiful and stunning garden which is now a must-see tourist attraction in the Cordilleras.

If you’re planning of having a road trip to the city of Pines anytime soon, don’t forget Mount Costa to include in your itineraries. Mount Costa is just a 20 to 30-minute drive from Baguio City. They have an entrance fee that is worthy enough for you to enjoy strolling around an eight-hectare garden full of beautiful surprises.

Let me share with you some of my photos taken inside the beautiful Mount Costa. Indeed, the place became a treasure that would make anyone get enchanted.

Here’s how I deal with my demons and here’s how I can help you fight yours too

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sun, 24 Feb 2019 09:08:00 +0000

You may have thought that this world would be easy and fulfilling once the past have already defined you. It is when you arrived at a point in your life still questioning yourself every night if you have taken the right path or chosen the right decisions.

Anxiety dictates a lot of could-have-been and what ifs every night then another day comes at you waving hello to new beginnings. Beginnings that give you another chance to every shot you missed and reasons to prove you are right. Constant fear of what could possibly go wrong may sound overrated but when will it end? What makes a reason good enough to convince someone? What makes a thought become valid to others?

Stopping ourselves to worry about things that are way beyond our control may be a struggling process, but it does progress gradually.

Over the years of overcoming myself, I figured out some helpful mechanisms and lessons which I’m whole-kindheartedly sharing with you who deals with such obscurities and the same.

Never compromise just to get a prize.

It is always about you rule over them or they rule over you.

When you start to feel everything’s too impossible and lose an ounce of motivation, that’s the perfect time to snap and try even harder.

Everything is inevitable including that one thing you fear the most to happen.

Do not settle for something you desire only for a moment.

Be mindful where you invest your time and your happiness. Salt and sugar may look the same but tastes differently.

Express what kills you more often to people you totally trust only. Other people might just take it against you at some point.

Appreciation is what everyone craves, at least start from yourself.

People will always say what they wanted to say because they believe what they only want to believe.

There is no such thing as consistently successful if you’re not successfully consistent.

Failing is always part of any journey. It's for you to embrace enough the essence of winning.

Live your life and do not let life outlive you.

In everything you do, do it with purpose.

We live for the highest moments. We pursue what sets our soul on fire.

You doubt yourself a lot but at least you are still fighting everyday with full of hopes because sometimes, the only thing you can afford is to lose yourself in a moment.

Always remember that you may become emotionally and mentally exhausted but never allow yourself to become spiritually fragmented.

Let go and Let God.

5 things I am positive about this 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 16:47:00 +0000

Whew! It's been quite a while!

It’s been exactly a year ago and how funny it is to realize that my last article was also about looking forward to another year. Finally, after a busy year, I am back again pushing my desire to write but instead of sharing most of what happened from the previous year, I am listing down my top 5 to look forward to this new year.

The year 2018 for me was a mix of highs and lows. I embraced a lot of new experiences which most of it came from my new role and work environment. However, as I weigh everything that year 2018 has brought me, I can say that there are more things to be grateful for than to whine about.

As I recall one of my takeaways from our pastor's preach before the year ends, he said that the more grateful you are, the more positive you will be. So, from all this gratefulness I have in my heart, I am excited to embrace more of these 5 things this 2019.

1) Boost more self-confidence

It’s not that I totally lost my confidence last year, but I want to prove to myself that I can be extra this 2019. (Extra- sounds terrifying haha!) Like an upgrade of myself believing that I can do better than dwelling in my comfort zone. Being confidently flexible to any situation is what I am gearing myself up to for this year.

2) Hello health!

Always been to that “New year, New me” resolution but never consistently executed. Lol! Since I am still active with my gym membership, I’d still kick my ass to the gym to flex and sweat. I will regularly monitor my food intake, or some health conscious say, have a “Mindful eating” this year. To Chicharon, Potato Corner, Salted egg chips, and the rest of fatty and salty foods… farewell my dearest friends.

3) Explore new places

It’s been a while since I’ve been up with the clouds and crossed out places to visit in my travel bucket list. I am excited for my planned travel adventures this year! To more stories to share, memories to keep, and moments to capture!

4) Better finance management

No more impulsiveness. I am whole-heartedly willing to attend some financial management seminar if given an opportunity. Lol!

5) Stronger faith and a bigger heart

Reflecting again on my greatest take-away for 2018, being more grateful is what I realized one of the most important values anyone should have. My previous years were a roller coaster ride but by taking my heart along the journey and keeping faith, I never thought I would come this far. I always believe that everything happens for a reason and I take with me only the good reasons with a positive outlook.

There are more yet to share about being grateful and from having all these, I am lifting my hands up to our only one Creator. I am forever living with gratitude knowing that He is leading my path according to His plans.

How about you? Any positive thoughts for 2019? Feel free to share it. :)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

What's up for year 2018?

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 07:24:00 +0000

Photo Credits: Michael Ong

It's not a new year if you're still with your old self.

The year of 2017 brought me a lot of new perspectives in life. It was full of obscurity yet it made me unleash all my hidden capabilities. It was a year full of realizations, and realizing that everything is beyond my control is what I am most thankful for. I got to meet the people I never expected to bring significance in my life. I had to pick up myself from the force that keeps on pushing me down. I had to become more aware of every situation around me. I needed to control my emotions, from being too euphoric to just staying calm. I had to become the other version of me- a side of myself I have been looking for a long time. I had to bend, I had to break, all I can manage is myself.

A new year is more than just a restart, not a new season to expect for the best things from it rather. Instead of waiting for the days to be better, I chose to embrace situations at my present more calmly and with gratitude. I now have a wider grasp of what's inevitable and what's vulnerable in me. It was indeed a very challenging year that led me to re-evaluate my path. As I reflect from the highlights that happened, I will keep the greatest lessons I got:

Don’t do what feels right; do what makes you a better person

Don’t use the countless chances that will allow you to escape from the struggles. Instead, see them as a platform to better things ahead after overcoming them

Failures and disappointments are inevitable, so as blessings and success

Know what's best for you with compassion for others

Be satisfied with your happiness one moment at a time

Think before you speak, reflect before you react.

Pay attention to circumstances

Become committed with your words and actions

Dodge the stuff that's filling toxic to your inner peace

Never lose your faith and continue to love

Greater things will surprise you at the time you're about to lose your grip waiting for something wonderful. It was an essential chapter for most of us just like the previous years. We forgive and we try to forget. Let's not confuse and overlap the past with new opportunities ahead.

May we all breathe with inner peace, love without doubts, and be genuinely happy this year of 2018. ❤️

A Predestined Story

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 19:20:00 +0000

I know I wasn't looking for any sort of attachment that night when he popped that question. "Can I court you?", he said. The glimmer in his eyes and the sound of his voice paused me for a moment. I suddenly felt a familiar vibration in my chest like I never felt something like that in ages. My heart was beating I know but my words crumbled leaving him without a single response.

Days and weeks have passed eventually and we continued sharing stories and stuff like we're no longer a total strangers. He speaks beyond his age and our wavelengths collided astoundingly. We slowly created new memories with each other until we found ourselves falling to the depths of our souls that suddenly made me utter that response. A response that will finally embrace something that's genuine, something I deserve, and something I know its purpose.

My heart chose to embrace a new story.

As I take a new journey and look back to all the rides I've been to, here's something I know will finally put an end to those nights of wondering my stand to somebody else's life, days of waiting for a label for security, and months of wasting time with a lame soul. The sweet gleam from his eyes that moment when I gave that response is unforgettable; something I know I'll treasure for a lifetime.

He bumped into me when I wasn't waiting for something like what he made me felt during that chapter of my life. Everything was unexpected. Everything seemed to happen quite fast yet he made me feel alive again and he is everything my soul yearns for.

I believe our story was written somewhere in the past that's about to unfold in the most precious time of our lives. A story that is bound to create new beginnings and fight with the tragic parts.

A story that will strive to survive 'till infinity.

-[not yet] The End-

Sparks

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sun, 10 Sep 2017 10:51:00 +0000

Sparks flew at that moment I was captive by the glare.

I swam in an abyss of thoughts glimmered by his stare.

Written By: Hannah Dani

Scarred butterfly

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 10:34:00 +0000

You get scarred at some point and try to unravel the consequences.
You were tested enough to get enlightened by the hype of the game.
Sometimes, life is really a matter of you ruling over the world or the world will rule over you.
Travesty it may seem but no matter how bruised you are, you see your soul's reflection at some distant places and make you realize how those wounds are slowly turning you to a ravishing and amazing creature.
You are beautifully pained but the light of hope keeps you warm and the breeze of it heals you impeccably.

Written By: Hannah Dani

DABDA

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 04:55:00 +0000

You have no idea what it feels like;

Having caught in the middle of nowhere

Trying to look and clasp for fresh air

You don’t know how it feels like;

Having a highly-sensitive soul

Struggling every day and cope

You will never know how it was;

Being broken and lost in a place

Diverting pain to believe that was just a phase

Written By: Hannah Dani

The search of calm in chaos

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 10:23:00 +0000

Then she started to sense that she never existed in a realm where she chose to mend her broken soul.
A place she thought will be a temporary haven in the midst of her ambiguity.
A haven that surprisingly turned into a room of chaos and anonymity.
She did not fathom it all the while when she was at her most.
Then she regrets plummeting to that place and fought her existence back to her calm and unbroken soul.

Written By: Hannah Dani

An Uncharted Link

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 10:49:00 +0000

Two spectrums with different souls;
They collided and bliss suddenly grows

Like two fragments from broken platforms;
They broke each other's ice to chase norms

Taking time like infinity and incessantly;
Things seem to come alive with sanity

The breeze of one's calm saves the other
The other seize the day to calm the other

Like a boost that rapidly connects the gap;
They fill each other's oblivion without a trap

It is that link that connects their souls well
It is uncharted yet they want to dwell.

Written By: Hannah Dani

You deserve a breakthrough after breaking apart. You have 3 reasons why.

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 12:48:00 +0000

When was the last time you did something great for the first time? When was the last time you failed from believing something great will happen for the first time?

Did something cross your mind that made you re-evaluate the path you are taking?

We always have those same questions we ask ourselves everyday. We are in different phases and direction but I believe we are all heading to one destination. If you are still living at this point in your life thinking you are going nowhere, capture these 3 things life always tells us but we fail to listen to.

1) Believe what you can imagine.
Never let anything stop you from pursuing what you have to do. Either it's what you need to or what you really want, the sense of fulfillment comes from deep within our heart. We never ran out of choices to pick, decisions to make, and expectations we hope to happen everyday. We can listen to people's advise and learn from their experiences but we are always in control of what we believe we deserve. If we set our mind believing that every possibility we think of can happen, we are closer to achieving the desires of our heart.

2) Do not stop trying again.
Whenever you realize you're bound to start all over again, accept that there's no available door for you to quit and just runaway. You are about to try again, harder. Cursing a hundred times and swearing this will be the last time you would ever give your best shot are quite the normal ways how to respond. Risking things and failing is really frustrating but we always keep on missing out the good from having all those disappointments. We learn and become wiser. We take decisions more responsibly and become stronger from anything that tries to pull us down. Take a higher leap when you know you're about to fall again in a depth of things you've already conquered.

3) You are on your way to where you are supposed to be. Always.
We often give reasons to everything for us to make ourself believe that everything happens for a reason. If you constantly feel you are not in the place or situation you have dreamed of then it's all about fate and time. Every step we make and every minute that passes by is a chance for us to turn things in order. Every move we take is a product of the circumstances we face and upon every stumble, it leads us to a path. The path we sometimes term our calling or our niche or our destiny but wherever we maybe at this time of our lives, up or down, learn to catch the rocks that were being thrown to you as a way to shove you to your destined happiness.

We are all heading to happiness we always deserve to have. That's our destined place. The time and chance that we have now is the way to get us there.

Written By: Hannah Dani

My Almost Perfect

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Mon, 15 May 2017 09:16:00 +0000

There is always an underlying purpose beneath every decision. He left me and broke my heart but I am now embracing it for the better. Almost.

I felt it was the right time for me when I met him. The way he looked at me and smiled at me that night struck my heart whispering, "just try again".

At that moment, I know I am ready to love again. I have been to a struggling roller-coster ride of love stories before he came. It was that year when I asked for a sign and he seemed to be the answer. So I tried settling.

He felt he could love again that fast when he met me. He knew that there is a process to moving on but then still tried focusing on a person he just suddenly met. He was still too broken, careless and confused when I came. I seemed to be the answer for the sign he asked so he listened to his heart whispering, "just try again".

He initiated everything and I was too enchanted. He asked for my number and added me the following day on social media accounts, took me out consistently on weekends, and we talked and talked until our conversations became too deep.

Too deep that I slowly became blinded by the reality of this kind of attachment.

I was supposed to ruminate everything from the start but too weak to manage my emotions. We had it with madness and from it, we hold on to uncertainties. I know he just got out from a relationship only a couple of weeks before he met me. It was an unfortunate timing but I still depended on him for he asked me to trust him that we'll work this out together.

We dated for almost a year hoping we are on the same phase working out things to progress from having a platonic attachment to a real relationship. Time, chances, and efforts were invested really hard. We were almost at the edge of obscurity but our situation turned sour that it slowly drained me.

I told myself several times to end this before he rejects me first, but then I was too frightened. I am ready, he was confused. I am starting to give my heart fully to him but I never thought he was taking it only to fill his broken heart. He was pulling me closer and taking me everywhere he wants me to while telling me beautiful lies of promises he thought I was begging to hear from him.

He asked me to stay with him through this journey and look forward for the future- a future together happily achieving our dreams and crossing out our life bucket lists.

I believed him. I felt it was real but then suddenly, he let me go. He let me go at that moment I thought everything will finally work out between us. He gave me a lot of reasons why he realized to end it but I couldn't absorb any of it. Until now.

Denial, anger, depression, and the rest of the cycle of moving on stumbled me for I was too confused why he did that.

We were almost there. Almost perfect.

It's been a month since he ended this and a year ago when we started this. Our story led me to a realization that an almost love story really demands a lot of courage. For us, we lost it. It took me a long time figuring things if our pieces will fit perfectly. He pulled me so close to madness and then pushed me away heartlessly. It was there all along, he was just too weak to admit it and baffled me since the beginning for he just really needs someone to be there with him.

I am now gradually moving on. I may be having a hard time seeing the good in every situation right now, but I keep on reminding myself that every loss is leading me to the right direction.

He wasn’t a mistake. He is a lesson.

I sometimes feel alone and lonely but I am preparing myself to embrace the beauty in detaching from anyone for I have to regain what was lost from my soul. I still re-evaluate every pain he gave me but trying hard to perceive every piece of it as a lesson I could share and take with me forever. I know this was as painful as letting go from a real relationship but not as worth it to dwell on for a longer time.

I need this time to make things right for myself. I was losing myself and maybe it was a perfect time to snap out to realization that I was becoming the person I don't want to become. I have faith that I'll soon rise again and meet someone who's ready and whole in God's perfect time.

A man that has a real plan. A man who sees my worth and values my time. A man who will love me unconditionally.

When that time arrives, I know I will never fear to try another shot for I can finally decipher what's real love from a lame attachment and just a perfect almost.

Love is not a game. You don’t invest in games, you compete.

Written By: Hannah Dani

Here comes the sun!

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 04:01:00 +0000

I had a last-minute shopping for summer essentials and found out something new and refreshing to share for all of you beach enthusiasts. :)

Plane tickets, accommodation, and your IG-worthy outfits were all set but how about your vanity stuff?

I wasn't really into double-checking the brand of Sun block lotions. I usually grab the one that has SPF ___ plus (not really into the number of SPFs also) and one that has cooling effect, or just the first product that caught my eyes in the store!

This summer somehow changed my perspective in putting extra care with my skin when fate got me bumping into Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Sunscreen!

It was my first time to ask a Saleslady and get other's preference on Sun protection products. She immediately pointed at Neutrogena products and after hearing about all the benefits of their Sun block, I suddenly decided to buy one without any hesitations. :)

Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Sunscreen has SPF 50+ that leaves you feeling so light without that sticky feel leaving your skin smooth and soft. You can apply it on your face and body which really amazed me because it's safe for all skin types. You can be really confident enough wandering around protected from skin damage!

I will definitely still use it even after summer season for longer protection from the scrorching heat of the sun. :)

Written By: Hannah Dani

The Favorite Mistake

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 06:08:00 +0000

For you who tricked me,

Here are my last words for you and a story of a love game where you put me through.

For you who started this and opened doors for me to enter your life,

For you who gave butterflies for me to believe again in second chances,

For you who gave me sunshine to believe again in greater things,

Everything was a freaking mind game.

I was suddenly or almost at the horizon of believing to everything you want me to.

You were telling me promises, took me to places, and gave me hype of emotions I was too weak to manage. You reminded me that starting with an end in mind, is a way to look at a better perspective and that better things are ahead of us.

You were pulling me closer to you… so close I never expected I was on my way to getting lost. I was in that era of my life where I wanted to try new things and I started changing some things in my plans. The plans I created for myself alone when I was at the process of getting back from my previous pain. I never thought I will re-write my plans and include someone in it.

And you, you asked me to become part of yours too.

You brought me beautiful things I believed they were true. We were almost there, supposed to happen, and seemingly meant to bind for a fairy tale ending. I was starting to fall for everything that you said, everything you did, and every sacrifice you did for me. I can feel them completely and sincerely appreciate all of it. You promised to do your part and told me that all I have to do is trust.

Trust in the possibility of us.

We were eventually in the scene where everything around us was too hard to believe at first for they were the things we stopped believing before we met. We both loved too hard and suffered at the same time. We had our hearts torn into pieces by someone else. We both had a fragile heart and upon meeting each other, we were too careful with our emotions.

We pushed slowly and had each other’s pain to bring out stability. I was your port in the storm and you were my damsel in distress I guess.

Then that day came.

The day I never thought will be overpowered by the reality I thought was the same with my expectations. Everything was too vague. I was supposedly ready to ask for clarity from you, from everything that’s happening and where will it lead us to finally reconcile all uncertainties that occurred from the very start. That day unexpectedly turned out to be a day of chaos. I was supposed to fall for you completely as what you seem to expect from me only if my expectations happened perfectly but you let me fell to frailty. You suddenly switched to a kind of person I was afraid to meet again. The person you promised you will never become. Or perhaps, that type is the person that’s purely you and maybe I was deceived by your masked personality all this time.

You left me dwelling with your awkward silence and unusual actions. I was clueless and totally surprised from your insensitivity. You chose not to fix and never compromised so what do you expect me to believe in now? Stay and keep the trust? Hold on and wait for something inevitable? How can I not be totally perplexed from all that is happening and not be puzzled by your inconsistency? You define my over thinking as a barrier to fulfill your own satisfaction. You perceived my over thinking as an irrational behavior without putting yourself into my shoes. Have you never noticed that there are a lot of issues between us that needs to be resolved? I will never buy your lame excuses of analyzing a real petty issue and let it destroy everything.

So there, I was abruptly struck by the reality of you and me.

In just a glimpse, I started seeing the other side of us and saw myself drowning with all the expectations you built in my mind and all the bullshit of promises you created inside my heart. Bits of my intuitions all fell into place and realized you were already dragging me down and that everything was a trap from the very start.

Everything happened so fast and ended too soon.

Like a boomerang, I threw away myself to you and now I started regaining my soul that wandered to your confused soul. I lost my way all the while to you and when I was already at the peak of knowing who you really are, I found all the way back to me.

But until the very end I tried discerning to who you really are and understand what we were.

Maybe I was too deep for you and you were too logical for me. Maybe you snapped and suddenly started searching for a greater perhaps and I was left blinded with settling with what I’ve seen and found in you. Maybe I was expecting too much from your uncertain moves. Maybe you still have a wrecked heart and disillusions. Maybe I was getting less from you and you getting more from me and planned to escape in the end. Or maybe you really tricked me and maybe this was all just a game.

You may consider you ditch me through silence but I already rejected you first. You quit this game and I was standing still.

I remained whole and not broken by you. I wasn’t over thinking all this time and now all my thoughts are all facts for you never gave justification and never became a participating attendee inside my head. You have to realize that what goes around comes back around. You will never stop the cycle of your own nightmares for you do not know how to commit a forgiving heart, a consistent mind, and a real man of your own words. I was tricked by your intentions.

I wrote this not for you to enlighten our little love story. I dedicate every word here to remind myself I was once too lame to figure out a dumb love game. I will measure my progress away from this phase you put me through and for sure, months or years from now, I will thank God for taking me away from someone like you and become grateful for the kind of life I will have the soonest. I was your secret playmate caged in your confused soul. I had a lot of new lessons from this extraordinary story and thank you for making me wiser.

As I am down with the last words for this prose, I am still exasperating from everything that turned out to be. I am annoyed with thoughts of you still figuring out what to do for us and perceive the idea that maybe soon we’ll still end up together, but that sucks now. I still have this mixed-up emotions yet I know I’ll be better or become the best version of myself from this.

Defining something uncertain is a permanent solution that will keep your heart safe from obscurity.

If ever you had the chance to read this, you know who you really are and know exactly what you did from the very start. I will never be sorry for what I felt and what I realized for I have this extraordinary talent of over thinking. You agree right? And through my over thinking mind, to tell you, this is where I get my strength of seeing every situation at a larger perspective which others fail to perceive. I put wider possibilities and a longer patience to any situation for I am once weak with having closures to something that enchanted me.

Hope you find the gratification you keep on searching from people and the contentment you never possessed for you are stuck with a heart that needs healing and a mind full of confusion.

Drained.

Exhausted.

I was right then all along.

Our time and chance still happened but this is how it ends and I am more than thankful.

Written By: Hannah Dani

Suddenly not Strangers

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 09:56:00 +0000

Hearts once in rage;
Emotions in a cage
Everything started so strange

Running out of reasons to take,
Smiling and no need to rake
Hearts in flush and nothing to fake

Started with broken pieces,
Waves of emotion increases
Suddenly bound for greater pieces

Pieces that turned into whole
Bunch of bliss now filled the hole
Strangers we were, no need to crawl

They say forever are for fool,
Let's try to stay and be grateful
You and I, together we rule.

Written By: Hannah Dani

Clearly Blurred Path

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sat, 11 Feb 2017 09:00:00 +0000

You are again on this phase where you are confused of what’s totally fine

Same passive feelings, irrational thoughts… a total waste of time

You often wonder and then wander to realize nothing’s ever a crime

Every face, every emotion, every day that passes by felt like a dime

An ounce of joy and a drop of bliss they please your ears like a chime

Odds pushed you to pretension instead of comprehension

All these obscurity were too subtle to deceive constant attention;

A notion only you could ever put a concrete conclusion

You should’ve done this; you should’ve pursued that…

Constantly feels like nothing’s in right motion

Crushing you to anything that’s seemingly meant to be

You unintentionally created a world full of mystery

Nosy crowds, pretentious acts, all brags about identity

You crawl and you pause, and yearn for serenity

You are gasping, fading, and annihilating perfectly

A blurred path, that’s where you are heading to,

Again.

Written By: Hannah Dani

What defines you now?

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 08:30:00 +0000

You have been through quite a lot, your old self knows that well.

It has been a long time swearing and regretting what you could have been if only you knew back then what you have learned and realized in your present.

Now you look at the mirror, scrutinizing every single change from your external appearance unsure of gaining a bit of weight, having that pair of icky eyes from those shaming eye bugs or maybe you became a little more physically alluring but just can’t figure it out yet.

Intellectually, you know you are smarter now but you still over think of social acceptance bothering your mind of thoughts you never needed anyway. You care too much to people you believe will never harm you. You define your worth outside your own world without realizing you are the one controlling it.

What defines you?

People can say whatever they want to say. Mirror can show you what you need to see.

But most importantly, it’s how you make a difference that leads you to the definition you want to know about yourself.

What makes a difference?

You no longer rethink about your distressing behaviors for you already started to maturely adjust away from your old self also pulling away every flaw from your personality.

You don’t argue with petty issues, you don’t trigger conflicts with anyone who’s against your ideas, and you now understand concisely every situation on your own most of the time.

The present you will never be again dragged by your past mistakes and will not be overwhelmed by your ambitious future self remember that.

You are yourself right now, just so in time without limits so focus with all the possibilities what today can offer you.

Learning to embrace the joy in the ordinary will keep you away from uncertainty. Sometimes, you only give reasons to everything for you to make yourself believe that everything happens for a reason.

How you simultaneously manage and balance every aspect in your life is what defines you. You give your best shot not to attain the greatest issues you already buried from your past.

What devours your mind, consumes your time, and what your heart longs for are the things that define you deep within; but how you conclude and communicate your thoughts, how you manage your time, and how you express the longings of your heart are the things you give other people to define who you are.

Written By: Hannah Dani

My OWNDAYS eye care experience

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 13:41:00 +0000

"I just had the brightest relief I never felt before. They made me feel I deserve to have a clearer perception of the real world."

Rushing last Friday to have an urgent eye check-up, I decided to go straight to EDSA Shangri-La Mall which is just a walking distance from my office and while on my way, I am also in a rush to make up my mind in choosing between replacing my 2-month old contact lenses or just grab and find a new granny-look yet classy eyeglasses.

I've been wearing my 250-grade contact lenses since October of this year and I was confident enough that it will last for more months as it is even labeled for a 1-year quality and durability assurance from where I purchased it. It was my 2nd pair of contact lenses and because of a quite good experience with the brand; I gave it another shot and replaced my 1st pair to them.

But surprisingly, I noticed the other day when I got home that the right piece of my contact lenses is nearing to its unfortunate fate. There is a small split coming from the edge of it starting to tear the whole piece into two but having no choice that morning, I still wore it and thought that it may not harm my eyes. Then the morning of Friday came and my right eye started to get itchy and even if I dropped an eye solution to it several times, the irritation still stayed and you know what's even worse? Because I can't help to scratch it, the irritation gets terrifying so I immediately grabbed a mirror and I was half-panicking when I noticed that the split run longer almost tearing the whole piece. I was like, gosh... I can't last that day having that pirate with one eyesight feels! And it's Friday, I usually have other stuff to do after working hours. (uhm, millennial issues please. Lol) I had a scheduled get together with my friends that night.

Having a near-sighted pair of eyes is a big deal to all who can relate. Like a major disability problem we've been coping forever where you will need someone to read for you that small phrase anywhere you are... that menu board hung above in a fast food chain, the signage of the bus or van on your way home or off to somewhere, and even the challenge of viewing a clearer picture of that movie in the big screen, they're all just some of the awful feelings we deal with.

So taking advantage of my lunch break that day, I got to Shang Mall and there I suddenly got that good-vibe towards this newly-opened branch of OWNDAYS. (Yes, I still have on my right eye that almost-broken piece of contact lenses when I got there)

With the stylish designs of their eyeglasses, I suddenly decided... Imma go back to basics and in that moment, I eventually saw myself choosing the perfect fit for my eyes.

For you guys who haven't heard about OWNDAYS, they're the newest fashion-eyewear shop here in the Metro that originated from Japan and has the goal of bringing the most affordable, trendy-styled comfy eyewears. Their designs are all original and assures quality to every product they offer. You guys might want to explore their other services, check out their website: www.owndays.com

Shoutout to the staff of OWNDAYS Shang branch who took care of me. To Doc. Aileen who shared eye care tips and guides how to prevent astigmatism, to Doc. Dev who entertained me with a short chit-chat while waiting for my eyeglasses, and to Ms. Cath who helped me choose the perfect style of eyeglasses for me. You guys are awesome.

I just had the brightest relief I never felt before. They made me feel I deserve to have a clearer perception of the real world. From 250-grade last October, which is just only 2 months ago, I discovered from them that both of my eyes already reached the 300-grade. Maybe there is a reason why my contact lenses got broken. And there, I had the brightest realization of replacing it to something clearer and better.

(So yeah, a mandatory selfie. Lol)

Written By: Hannah Dani

The worth of a workplace and where to find it

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sat, 03 Dec 2016 03:40:00 +0000

Dedication can never be seen from someone who never sees their purpose at something.

You are placed to a certain designation because you heartily agreed with the terms and conditions. You agreed because you put trust from its striking perks and opportunities and eventually programming yourself to put commitment to it.

Not until you are so into the situation and finding out the real picture of an established structure.

Where do you see yourself five years from now? What can you contribute to the company? What's in it for us to hire you? And the list of questions goes on to you like a blast then you see your thoughts wafting around your head trying to come up with a perfect construction of words to sell yourself perfectly. You are trying to make a good impression as of the moment and right there and then you are also expecting something great or something better in return perhaps. We are always searching for a win-win situation wherever we may be.

I might confidently exclude myself as a fresher when it comes to recruitment. I have been exposed to this industry ever since I finished my bachelor's degree in Psychology. No bragging of experiences or knowledge here but I strongly believe that anything is never an issue until something never stops bugging you and become wary about it. This is not to point out my views alone. This is to review what is right and what is really supposed to expect.

Are we really still allowed to expect when we have signed and agreed with the power of legal documents?

Definitely yes, but how?

You on-board yourself full of hopes, high-end career manifestos, and endless expectations. You know this is not your first time to get yourself hired or get a job role you are always fond of doing but how can you keep up? How can you become consistent and stick to your purpose if you are guided by total opposite policies?

Here's to a discursive structure and a very different culture.

I still have with me the reasons why I agreed and accepted this in the first place. I can only count them with a very low number far from the reasons why I should've not accepted it. Totally, there are more reasons not to stay longer. I'm trying to understand all the maybes, what ifs, and all the pros and cons. Did I miss any review about them? Is it really me? No. It's all about the culture and worth of the organization. Their worth is affecting each and everyone's worth as a follower. They may have already imposed a not-so-fancy reputation but what's in it to disorient the perspectives of a new bunch that is expected to contribute new ideas and helpful working styles?

We all have faded ever since we started and it seemed that our worth have become dull for a certain moment, the kind that no one from them may ever could decipher. How could they? Have they really perceived us from the depths of our worth?

Anyway, to light things up for a bit, you may have noticed I derived the title of this blog to Rowling's another trending and blockbuster piece. Haven't watched it yet? Okay, here are some of my reviews of the film...

Kidding aside, instead of the film, of course, you might want to focus and learn something too from these cranky experiences me and my new found team had to deal with. I am actually thinking of listing down each and every incident but that exactly may seem I am only composing an incident report or an open letter to share to concern readers. You guys might want to check out articles about things to consider before accepting a job offer or something like, things to remember when you're in the process of decision-making of your retention and career plans. I will suggest you search articles from Linked-in. You can find a lot of corporate-related articles there and Forbes Media is my favorite.

Written By: Hannah Dani

Defining happiness with resilience and realizations

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 18:03:00 +0000

Have you ever crossed that line where you felt stuck at something you can’t even fathom? Have you ever been to a certain situation where you had to create urgent choices and bad decisions to surpass that burden that surprised you?

Everyone deserves real happiness but for me I define it into two courses and each one of us choose the other way around every day. First is the kind of happiness where you wanted to become fully unaware about nothing else but yourself alone. The other one is the kind of happiness where you found it with someone else... the kind where you depend on it with some other people. It’s not really about getting attached too much but it’s how we carry ourselves to manage different emotions.

Every realization has its different form and realizations murder people’s decision from time to time. You may have realized that last year you settled to a decision that’s totally different to the one you’re currently making. We are moved and affected by people, by things, by situations. At the end of the day we seriously have to reserve a boundary for ourselves- the kind of limit that no one can pass through it and when they try to, we know to ourselves that they’re the kinds that will only destroy us.

Let yourself deserve the life you always wanted to without flowing to anything.

You can be happy with someone or something else but always reserve. Remaining whole consistently is not possible but as long as you learn how to put a very small amount to anything from you will always get you back to resilience easily.

Timing and chances in between love and losses

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 10:47:00 +0000

I fearlessly tried moving forward with every piece of my brokenness to never get stuck in ambiguity again. I wasn’t looking for anyone to help me… but then you came.

Right when I was in rage about love just a week before I met this guy, a twist of fate perhaps paved its way to lead us to something that took us for quite a long time to define. I used to refuse any invitations that might lead to any kind of romantic attachments after what I have gone through. I used to want someone so bad and forgot to save rooms for my own benefit. I used to believe to fantasies I only created in my own world. Until then, we can really never find conclusion till we go outside of our comfort zones and take risks.

A little rewind.

About a year ago, I had a serious relationship but things didn’t turn out the way we thought it supposed to be and too much chaos led me and my ex to end the relationship. I had a quest for what my heart truly longed for that I even chased a man I thought was enough for me to settle for great love. Bittersweet goodbyes, un-following of social media accounts, and treating each other again as strangers were just few of the harsh realities happening at the end of any relationship. The cruel yet funny thing I realized while moving on is that we’re grieving too much about someone’s loss in our life while that person is still alive.

Anyway, I do not want to prolong and incorporate this story with my past regrets and heartaches...

This is all about me and this guy who suddenly came in an unexpected time and situation. The person who I met at his worst and the person who had me when I was at my knees looking for clues, missing pieces, and answers for mysteries that haunted me for years.

You might be starting to raise one of your eyebrow and might think this is again just a story about a bliss in love that bloomed only from the sudden struck of taking a new dating experience in a new situation with the new person. I can admit that yes, everything between me and this guy started with all those sudden gush of everything- emotions, choices, decisions and a huge wave of confusions. I may not be the only person here on earth who experienced the usual mind over heart battle and the irony of meeting the right one at the wrong time but I still took the courage to share my personal take on this kind of madness I am now dealing with. I wasn't taking everything seriously at first. Or , just when I thought I would never think of anything in between deeply... and meaningfully as I went slowly with the flow of it.

I was at the verge of holding on to my past. His heart was freshly wounded. Undeniably, we’re both dealing with a broken heart at the exact time and situation we first met.

Our brokenness may be the reason of our connection.

The first month was quite a madness I can say. We spent time talking to each other almost every day. We’ve been conversing about our past, the mistakes we think we’ve done, and all the shitty heartaches we went through. We've been to different places already and constantly talking about everything under the sun for weeks that we even connected to our humours eventually and laughed endlessly.

I then started to wonder where this connection leading us does.

I was given a vast of advises from people who sees our connection not healthy since we started treating each other more than just friends. He just recently got out from a relationship. The timing wasn’t right and I must guard my heart they say. My mind was getting confused every day yet my heart screams for another chance... a chance at love even still in pain.

Maybe then, to live and to love is all about taking risks. You’ll never find out and you’ll never move till you get there halfway or at the end of every journey. I decided to trust his consistency more than my intuitions. I trust his intentions for words don’t really matter than what is being felt. He always make me feel secure. He gave me back all the confidence I lost in my heart.

Since I met him, everything suddenly makes sense.

He came at the very strange time in my life yet I see all the chances and hopes I asked for in him. He suddenly popped out from somewhere when I was at my weakest carrying a heavy heart and living a confused life. We both have stumbled to different kinds of heartaches and realizing someone suddenly came and chose to stay by your side makes me weak... the kind of weakness that uplifts your soul.

Every time I look at him I see a blissful future making me forget the nightmares of my past. But I still keep on trying to figure out if it really gets easier every day. I sometimes ask myself, why am I still here? Inside my head, I know I have a lot of reasons not to stay but he keeps on giving and showing reasons for me to stay. I once walked out from a relationship I thought it deserves to have it that way only to realize that I did a great mistake. But then this time, I want to see what will happen if I stay.

It could’ve been the situation but not his innate quality. I don’t know if I am the only one seeing the sparkle from each of the fragments of his broken heart. I see them as beautiful pieces torn by someone else. Maybe we could really get that certain connection to someone who’s into the same situation we are into or we had from the past. There, we eventually see ourselves fixing something we didn’t expect to do and some of us surprisingly does it even we, too are in need of that kind of fixing.

I remember I had this tendency to reject before I get rejected again ever since I became numb to same numb-cold-hearted people. I was rejected before and it is essential I guess to guard our heart the time you felt your heart still has the scars of the past and afraid to have it wounded again.

But again, he is consistent. He’s different from what I thought guys would always be.

He gave me beautiful vibes every time we’re together. Slowly, my mind ponders everything between us. He makes me feel I have someone I could lean on when times get rough. He doesn’t mind our differences in life and creatively create ways to align everything. He seemingly turned out to be the best thing I thought I will never have. I still have doubts I know but this time, I am sure of one thing; I would give another chance at love. I was guarding my heart for a long time but at the same time I was also taking so many risks. It was like you still wanted to be safe when you’re about to jump from the 40th floor of a building. Risky it is yet my heart whispers that it’s okay to give it another shot to the right person at the right time.

Timing and chances.

We’re all afraid to settle again for something we believe could only harm us. We fear we might again put ourselves into something we could only have regrets in the end. Most of all, we fear trying because we might again receive the same reason why we were once broken. Maybe then we need to find someone who defines love the same way we define it, someone who knows our worth that they will never intend to waste our time investing to nothingness and someone who values our whole being, accepting us without any doubts, without reservations, and will love us unconditionally.

A little fast forward.

Months passed and the day I thought would never happen came. He voiced out his heart and I came to a realization. I snapped and realized I'm tired of fighting for my delusions that I cried too much hoping someday I wanted to be fought for even just for once. I've been spending time with no definite direction for too long before but with him, I never thought I would do something I never did in the past. I wanted to stop the cycle of heartaches, the cycle of ambiguities and the cycle of spending a life to someone who only annihilates our soul.

Everything happened that moment were all still clear to me.

He was there standing right in front of me holding me and telling me he wants me... to stay... for more years to come. I paused, I stuttered, I felt nothing but the pounding of my heart right at that moment. I told him what I felt with all those confusions between us and that I know where I stand. He told me I don't need to demand for the things that will make us better. He will do his part and I just have to trust him. He was looking at me and through his eyes I felt a fire burning inside me.. then he leaned and kissed me, the kind of kiss I felt I’ve been missing all my life suddenly chasing all my fears away. It was that day I finally had the answers. I have never felt such sincerity from a man until that day.

When you delay instant gratification, you will experience long-term satisfaction as the saying goes. Some endings are suppose to happen with the person you know for so many years then turn out to be the wrong person to start a new beginning with the person we even never thought of meeting in the first place. We really don’t need to have everything all figured out to move forward. Yes it will definitely take some time to cope up but no matter what, love should not be a temporary decision. When the feeling is there, it will be just right there... waiting for someone to burst it out and embrace the full blast of brand new emotions to refill our thirsty souls.

I want the kind of it that lasts. I want it with the last person. I know it would be him.

Some of the great stories were unplanned and some stories were adventure of a lifetime we never expected. I have learned to start writing a new chapter and decided not to create sequels, part 2 or whatsoever continuation of false hopes. He stayed with me just when I was about to lose my grip to great love. He had me hitting with a surprise that something greater might be on its way... maybe not too soon or not too long. Nothing's certain yet time creates each moment possible... every breath, every heartbeat, and every second shared together has something to tell.

And this is our story...

Written By: Hannah Dani

5 Things to remember how not to get emotionally-affected in your workplace.

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sat, 08 Oct 2016 21:29:00 +0000

Too much sensitivity might ruin your performance.

Dealing with stress in your job is inevitable every day. From the moment you start your day browsing and responding to emails, attending an unexpected meeting in the midst of a bunch of urgent tasks you need to accomplish, up until the last hour of your shift yet you still need to report to your boss to provide an update for the day… all these office routine weighs to you and usually ended as stressors more than a daily reminder that you need to keep going.
Have I missed any office routine? Of course, accompanied by any circumstances in the workplace, we can never deflect our dealings with our workmates. It may be a professional or an emotional approach, eventually you will be needing some of these helpful reminders how not to draw into any occasion that might lead to internal conflicts or worst, dissension.

1) When under pressure and your officemates bug you to go on a 15-minute break- Go ahead!

Believe me, you still have enough time if you will focus on the tasks that are urgent and important. Ignoring that offer from your office friend only inhibits you from your sanity and will just distract you once you realized you really need time to refresh your mind. It’s only 15 minutes anyway… but don’t go beyond that especially if you’re obliged to accomplish specific tasks for the day.

2) Peer pressure is always a common ground for insecurities with anyone in the office. So don’t bother about it.

Every day is a competition. You may see yourself envious about hearing a batch mate’s promotion or overhearing an officemate’s luxurious travel to your favorite destination and you still can’t reward yourself because you lack a work-life balance this time in your career.
Cheer up. Focus on working for yourself first. Strive to achieve little things that satisfy you than pressuring yourself grabbing bigger goals that are undeniably unattainable for now. Splurge on your passions to impress yourself. Know that our chances come at the perfect time so don’t rush things around you. This may not be the right time for you but always remember to lift your goals higher even when you fail.

3) Sometimes it’s hard to leave your personal problems at home but you can!

If you’re currently in an unstable relationship, struggling with some financial problems, or any issues you’re still trying to resolve with, you have to manage your thoughts and weight them in terms of importance.
Most of the time we tend to have a subtle approach about our emotions but often times we are quite vulnerable to conquer it. And more often than not, we cannot guarantee to ourselves alone if we are on the right track of decision-making so we seek for SOS from people who we believed had overcome the same situation we are into. By then, we can become heuristic about our own struggles. Try picturing yourself winning the battles rather than weeping over reasons you think are the causes of your problems. Give yourself a deadline and never dwell on them for a longer time.

4) Never take anything against you.

You might have been noticing these past few days’ lack of credit for your efforts and diligence which in a way the reason why you’re out of focus and becoming a little heretic to your team’s ideologies during meeting. Hey, please always take into consideration that certain issues in the workplace never concern anyone’s emotional welfare.
Take a pause and take yourself into introspection. Stop presuming pessimistically on things and keep on collaborating your thoughts rationally with your colleagues rather than spreading negative vibes with anyone. It’s not bad to become cynical but limit yourself and maintain a positive outlook. You don’t want to become the basin of aversion at the end of the day, aren’t you?

5) Embrace Diversity!

We can choose a company or industry we want to be part of but choosing the set of people we want to work with is quite impossible. As the saying- first impressions last, you can take this as a way to discern to people you’ll be seeing every day in the office. Remember that we differ in personalities, ideas, and past experiences. We cannot judge a certain cause or effect based only by our own observation and understanding to people.

Closing Thoughts:

“Your emotional reaction to issues determine how you assess their risks and benefits. If you like something, you believe that the risks are smaller and the benefits greater than they actually are. If you don’t like something, the opposite is true. Risks and benefits appear to be dependent. Of course, in reality, they are not.” -an excerpt from the book, The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli on Why you are a slave to your emotions chapter.

As most psychological studies prove, we usually get ruled by our emotions more than our intuitions but I’ll take these as equilibrium in between the virtue of getting involved to different situations and dealing with downsides of it. What we can only manage is our own emotion toward other behaviors. Always look on a bigger picture. Think outside the box. We may have different personality types but at the end of the day, we all should have a sensible approach to anything around us.

Written By: Hannah Dani

Change the way you see friendship

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 01:22:00 +0000

When you think winning a friend could be that easy as sharing a seat with a complete stranger, or can be bought from somewhere then we could go on believing that we will never feel incomplete, lonely, or weary with the idea that we can find it anywhere and anytime we need it. We could easily appreciate every people we meet and eventually accepting some to become part of our lives for the sake of companionship. I was defining friendship at its simplest form, a mediocre kind of relationship but not until I came up with an astounding realization from this kind of bond I found from my College friends.

I had this thought since I was in high school that the kind of friendship everyone deserves to have is the kind where one must never feel down and that kind of having a person who will always be by your side literally or figuratively whenever someone tries to go against you. Every person I meet, I try to adjust with how they treat me. I try to be one of whoever I am with believing they could appreciate me more if I behave the same way they behave. This thought I had has changed and learned that real friendship is tested with the authenticity of souls who were always available for each other in any kind of situations.

I have been blessed when I met this bunch of amazing persons.

Being a transferee, it is really proven that you’ll experience challenges during the adjustment period to a new environment full of different people. You get intimidated and don’t know who to approach whenever you missed any stuff in your class like a particular update from the last lesson, upcoming exams and deadlines of critical projects. I am innately an introvert person and it really took me a while to learn how to initiate small talks to people. I sometimes don’t know how to express what I really want to say to people so I tend to suppress some of my emotions most of the time.

Year of 2010, I was in my 2^nd year college from my second university when I started to get along with different circle of friends that has been already established before I transferred there. Some will invite you to join them over lunch and there were also some loners like me who’ll call you to have some chitchats and get to know you more. I am not into groups actually and I had myself conditioned that time that I will just stick to few real people who’ll be able to bring out the best in you, uplift you, and never back stub you.

Then weeks and months had passed, I found myself slowly getting attached to this new formed circle at first I never thought of becoming part of. Neither of us.

Let me share the profile of these 4 wonderful human beings I am grateful to have with and how each of us have touched each other’s lives in the past 6 years and continuously doing it for each other.

I’ll start with Richelle. She is our “Ate” who we all depend our needs when it comes to advises regarding life experiences. Admittedly, she had the most experience when it comes to family matters through her battles with different chaos she had to face on the earlier years before we met. I can still remember the very first day we talked and got too comfortable with each other that we eventually opened up and shared our life stories to each other. She is already married that time after she got pregnant but unfortunately had a miscarriage. She shared with me how she loses not only the baby but also herself believing she could no longer have the chance to become a mother. Being not that great impromptu adviser, I just told her to have faith and wait in God’s perfect time and believe everything happens for a reason. Ate Richelle is a kind-hearted person and an easy-to-get-along-with type of a friend. What made her inspiring is that she is very resilient in life. She can stand any obstacles and pursues to conquer any kind of battles.

Then Ate Richelle introduced me to Lalyn. She and Lalyn has been together as buddies for quite some time before I met them. Lalyn and I cracked the ice with our same sense of humor. I found my bubbly self in her where we found ourselves spending most of our time giggling over things from nonsense to more nonsense stuff. Opposite of my first impressions of her not taking serious of things, Lalyn is a very studious person and I can label her as the achiever in the group. As long as I get to know her more, I find how serious she is when it comes to her values and principles in life. She is always determined to keep what she believes in and has patience in waiting for all the good things that are about to happen in life. We both believe in serendipity and this I guess is one of the reasons why we got to connect with Hazel.

Hazel occasionally join Ate Richelle and Lalyn the time I met the three of them. We were already starting to have lunch together and spend time talking about everything under the sun. I guess most of the reasons me and Hazel able to start a connection is the part where we talk a lot about our views when it comes to dating and relationships. Definitely, Hazel was my girl-talk buddy in College. We share to each other almost all of our love stories from heartbreaks to heartfelt moments we had with our previous relationships. With our ups and downs, I can relate my life experiences mostly with Hazel. We were both a working student and when it comes to decision-making, one of the dearest people I look up to is Hazel. She is a cheerful driven-person careful with her life plans. Hazel and Anne were the two individuals I share heartfelt conversations with.

I first encountered Anne the following year. I remember she was with other set of friends but most of those times I noticed her not regularly being with a specific group and I had the impression she also prefers to be alone like me. A lot of our batch mates tell us we look alike that some of them mistakenly call us by swapping our names. I admire her strong-will and determination about her passions. She is a driven-person who always lend a helping hand to any one and being admired by many because of her inspiring activities in life. She is also a born-again Christian like me who actively participates in different kinds of life/Christian group in their community and even in our campus. We jokingly tag each other as twins not only because of our physical features but also because of our same experiences and fate when it comes to dating and relationships. Anne later on started to spend time and get along with us.

We all eventually had a connection we surprisingly found with each other. As the famous saying reiterates, “Birds with the same feather flocks together” -this didn’t sink in us completely as we have our own unique traits, different interests and passion, and past experiences. I came to realize that a perfect mixture of a strong bond results from having the same values in life. It is not only based on having the same type of fashion sense, food you like to eat, or genres of music and type of movies you are fond of. Friendship is a type of connection we all must take deeply and seriously. We can get along to any set of friends in the different stages or phases in our lives but we must never forget to choose who we invest a great deal of relationship. Friendship must perhaps become a synonym of family. Something that you must be proud of having and not bragging only to show you are not left out in the scene.

Graduated from the same bachelor’s degree, we differently followed a career path in Psychology and in life choices. Ate Richelle is now residing in Virginia, USA with her husband and adopted a baby. Lalyn graduated Cum Laude and pursued her career in the academe as a Guidance Counselor. Hazel just got married last July of this year and have plans of opening a business. Anne is now a teacher for Teach for the Philippines and is still actively involved in some outreach programs. I pursued a career in the corporate setting specifically in Human Resources and currently continuing my passion in writing.

Every December, we celebrate a friendship anniversary for us to reminisce, reflect and catch-up with each other. How we started our friendship were all unplanned. I can say friendship is as same as looking for your soulmate too. Whenever one needs support and guidance, we are on full-force to uplift that person. We were there in the airport when Ate Richelle was about to leave for U.S., we were all in support for Lalyn’s run for Cum Laude, we were present witnessing Hazel’s wedding in Bukidnon (except for Ate Richelle), and just recently we participated in volunteering for Anne’s involvement with Teach for the Philippines outreach program.

Our friendship goals differ as years passed by. From college days, wishing we will all graduate on time and achieve the right career path, from our professional status hoping to become successful and overcome quarter-life crisis, and up to this stage that we’re now busy preparing our lives aiming to have the life we have always wanted. Get married, open a business, end frustrations of our long-time passions and live boldly.

One of the great things we are thankful for are the best moments that we were able to capture either through lenses of a DSLR or from our outdated camera phones back when we were in College. We are admittedly guilty of taking selfies and conscious with how we will appear and what we will post to our social media accounts. We give so much value to photos because we believe this is the best treasure we can have as evidence of our wonderful moments together.

Good thing Huawei P9 with Leica camera was created. With its 5.2-inch, 12-megapixel specs, we can now take selfies and lessen our worries with the quality of our photos. We can confidently post them immediately to our social network accounts without further fix and filters.

Thought Conclusion

Embracing each other’s differences in life and understanding what makes the other person high or down are the ultimate secrets to lasting relationships. We are created with different imperfections too. It will take some time for us to improve ourselves but the moment we find the right people who possess qualities that are perfect fit with our incompleteness in life, we’ll be able to feel fulfillment we thought we can never get from other people. Friendship by all means is a kind of bond that is essential. Something you instinctively treasure for in a lifetime.

Written By: Hannah Dani

Signs you’re dating someone still not over with his ex

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Dani) — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 15:24:00 +0000

Watch out for these signs before you know you’re just a rebound

Let’s picture a usual scenario.

You’re in a sudden situation where you met this charming guy from a local bar and started a good conversation with him. You had that spark from the way he looked at you and how his every word moved you. You’re getting out of control but the other side of your thoughts believe this could only be a start of somewhat a new kind of dating stage.

Thinking if it’s a love at first sight? Well at this point, you must first take a braver step out of those sudden gush of emotions. How well do you already know this guy? Is he from the same town? Does anyone from your circle of friends know him? Take advantage of that getting-to-know stage and dig as much information from him. Take time, slow it down, and take these signals to know if he’s serious or he’s just deceiving you for his own benefit.

• He always talks about his ex (regardless of how he tells a story about her)

When he does this frequently, obviously he’s totally still in denial and in rage about his recent heartbreak. Regardless of the reason of their break-up or the length of their relationship, but still he oftenly puts in between your conversations any topic and expounds his memories of his ex-girl, you should start cutting him off by asking what does he really plans to the bond that you have. Is the connection you are both dealing right now is just for playtime or a foundation that may lead soon in real time?

• You found out he just recently got out from a long-term relationship

How could we really term it if it’s a long-term relationship? I guess a 1-year relationship could be the minimum length. I remember Fitzgerald’s famous quote, “There are different kinds of love in the world but never the same love twice.” He may be experiencing a heartache right now but we’ll never know if this was his first time. So before immediately walking out from the dating scene, ask him about the impact of his recent break-up to him and how is he willing to move on. From there, you can measure your confusions with his intentions to you.

• He only calls you when he’s lonely (or only when he feels to perhaps)

Well, this can be a case-to-case basis. We can never judge him if he’s that type of a career-oriented guy whose shift on weekdays is really hectic but still finds time to take you out on a date on weekends. Maybe, we can question a guy whose availability is really not that tight on weekdays or in any day but leaves you hanging with a lot of “maybe-he’s-not-just-that-into-you” thoughts. Well, in this case or in this situation, we can rephrase that into, “maybe-he’s-still-into-his-ex”.

• He’s not ready to commit yet

This kind of excuse from anyone could be very general. We could put in a lot of assumptions but at the end, we usually end up thinking maybe he’s still into his ex and he’s confused whether he still has to wait and hope she’ll changes her mind and comes back to him. Upon confirming he’s still hurting and struggling with his recent break-up, better take the courage to have that space and time between the two of you. Don’t bother thinking who’ll lose the game. Either of both sides’ situation, the timing isn’t right enough for now. If you both see each other having a great connection, you must learn to respect the healing stage first. If he’s really into you and he wants you to become part of his life, he’ll still be there in the perfect time and situation. But if not, he’s not the right person for you.

• He’s seeing another while you’re in the scene

This could be the greatest sign that will make you stop seeing that guy. First of all, fidelity issues may arise every now and then so the moment you realized you’re not the only girl he’s dating, please let go of this kind of relationship. None of us are desperate enough to be with that guy whose soul is troubled and confused and takes all the advantages to every girl he meets just to cover-up his mess. Save yourself and always remember someone better who has good intentions to you will come along.

There could be a lot of statistical probabilities in love at first sight and we could get struck by the idea that spontaneous connections are rare because these are made up of two in a million people with the same wavelength who only met by chances in a specific time and situation. We get that thrilling yet exciting feeling of meeting someone new and we suddenly go beyond our limitations. With that chance the two of you have already taken, you must also have to take a lot of considerations before going on full-dating before one of you gets fooled.

Seriously, you’ll only freak out the moment you realize you’re investing time and effort from an uncertain relationship with the unnecessary person.

Written By: Hannah Dani