SELF LOVE ISN'T SELFISH Archives - Page 2 of 3

5 Ways to a Less Stressful Holiday Season

December 13, 2016 by Tina

The holidays are almost upon us and we all know what that means, right? Traffic! Shopping for presents and other holiday-related whatnot! More traffic! Christmas parties and family reunions! Even more traffic! Food galore and Christmas carols! (And did we mention the traffic?!)

Kidding aside, everyone knows that the holiday season is a time for joy and celebration – but many times, it also becomes a source of stress and tension, especially among family members.

Does it have to be so though?

The answer is no. We can actually avoid stress during the holidays and truly enjoy every bit of it! Here are five suggestions that we hope can make this possible for you, based on the acronym R.E.L.A.X.:

Remember what the holidays are all about.

Don’t forget “the Reason for the season”, i.e. Christmas. If you’re a Christian (and yes, all Catholics are Christians, too!), you’d know that Jesus is the main reason for the holiday season. It is His birthday we are celebrating, after all. Don’t let the busyness of the “holiday rush” make you lose focus.

Instead, spend some time every day leading to Christmas Day in silence – even just a few minutes will do. Think about the true meaning of Christmas, and teach your family members to do the same, too. If it helps, post different images of the Nativity or the Baby Jesus around your home to help you remember the essence of the holidays.

Exemplify giving and sharing.

Christmas is a special time to model giving and sharing to others, especially to the people in our own family. Focusing on others instead of ourselves gives us more opportunities to remember the “essentials” in life, and how we can bless others.

When we are preoccupied with sharing of ourselves and what we have, there is a tendency to be less stressed. We learn to be more grateful for what we already have, and not be focused on what we can get or receive from others.

Look around you.

Sometimes we find ourselves so overwhelmed by all the glitzy and shiny holiday decorations around us that we lose sight of what is truly important.

Take time this holiday season to really look and observe the things around you. The beautiful Christmas lights that remind us of the star that shone over the manger where Jesus was born. The gifts that remind us of the best gift we could ever receive – Jesus. The family and friends who are our greatest blessings in life.

See Christmas through the eyes of a child, and allow yourself to be wrapped in the wonder of Christmas. Be grateful for everything you have.

Avoid the holiday crowds and traffic.

On a more practical note, if you find yourself getting stressed out at the thought of Christmas shopping and being stuck in holiday traffic, find out how you can simplify your purchasing process.

Maybe you can consider online shopping or buying presents from stores in your neighborhood. Make a list of all the holiday parties and gatherings you have been invited to and maybe choose only those you really need or want to attend. (It’s OK to say “no” to people, you know!)

Inhale. EXhale.

This may be a silly suggestion to some, but you’d be surprised at how many of us actually find ourselves super stressed out and breathless during the holidays. When you start feeling so, stop and take deep breaths.

According to the American Institute of Stress, focused breathing actually helps evoke our body’s “relaxation response.” (Check out this link online for more details, plus helpful breathing techniques.)

So, there you have it: just some ways to help avoid stress during the holidays – or at least decrease it somehow. May we always remember that as long as we are able to make meaningful memories with our loved ones, the holidays will be a memorable time for all!

*This article was originally written for the monthly e-newsletter of Family Reborn, a special membership club that helps families build stronger relationships. It has been edited for the purposes of this site and is used with permission.

If you found this article helpful in any way, please feel free to share it on Facebook, Twitter or Google Plus — just click on any of the buttons below! Thank you and God bless us all! 😉

Our Worth Lies in Our Being

August 26, 2016 by Tina

Last weekend, I was honored to give a short testimony at the first JEWELS gathering. JEWELS is a ministry for women, and it stands for Jesus in Every Woman, Empowered to Love and Serve. The talk that day was given by my friend and sister in Christ Ichel Alignay, and it was about “Women of Worth.”

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Ichel reminded us all of the importance of focusing on who we are in Jesus, and I am so grateful that she did. Every person needs to remember this actually, but I think women especially need to hear this message:

Self-worth is the sense of acceptance of who you are — both strengths and weakness.

We need to take care of ourselves, and to love ourselves as Jesus Himself loves us. How else can we love those around us — if we are not filled with love? And who can fill us with love? God alone. Yet He also expects us to love ourselves. Remember His greatest commandment (Matthew 22: 34-40)?

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them [a scholar of the law] tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest? He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” So self-love is NOT selfish. Self-care is NOT unimportant.

We also need to remember that our worth is NOT based on what we can do, nor on what we have. Our worth is based on our identity in Jesus. It is based on our being His, not on our doing.

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I need to be reminded of this often, because I tend to put my worth in what I do, and not who I am. Because of this, I sometimes say “yes” to tasks even if I am already fully loaded. Perhaps you need this reminder too, today, or in the days to come. Please pray for me as I pray for all of you, dear members of the Truly Rich and Blessed community! (I consider all my readers as members of the community!)

I Surrender.

July 11, 2016 by Tina

The past few weeks — err, months actually (!) have been super hectic, and I have found myself distraught at times over the “juggling act” that I have been doing lately. I’d forgotten how erratic routines and schedules can be with a baby at home, and to be completely honest with y’all, it’s been tough.

Add to that the need to care for a husband and three other kids, get work done, manage the household, homeschool (yes, we still homeschool the kids!), media ministry-related tasks, etcetera etcetera… you see where I’m headed, right? (Don’t even get me started on blogging tasks and responsibilities, folks! Plus blog backend/technical issues!)

So yes, I may seem like a broken record here sometimes but there are really moments when my doubts, fears, failures (and fear of failure), worries tend to get the better of me. Does this happen to you too?

Do you worry about your family?

Do you worry about your finances?

Do you worry that you don’t have enough faith? (See the irony in that?)

Do you worry, worry, worry?

Well, join me in saying, “Enough.”

Together, let’s declare this to Him — He who is far bigger than our worries, problems, doubts, fears:

“I surrender.”

And if you know this oldie but goodie, sing along with me, won’t you?

(Below are the complete lyrics of the song, in case you want to sing the full version 😉 ):

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

Refrain:
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow;
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!

Are you facing trials and challenges right now? Let’s surrender everything to Him! And if you know someone who might need to read this post, please feel free to share it with him or her. God bless you! 🙂

One Question You Should Ask Yourself Every Day

June 9, 2016 by Tina

I was recently honored to have been invited to an intimate gathering of women — of moms actually — organized by Moleskine Philippines and .

As a post-Mother’s Day celebration of sorts, we were treated to a relaxing afternoon of getting to know one another, of learning, and of listening (and eating delicious food courtesy of Vask!)

Sharing a light moment with Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio, and Beng Feliciano and Maricel Cua of The Parenting Emporium (Photo by the amazing — all the photos in this post were taken by her!)

Through the talks of Marilen Montenegro, Cheska Kramer, and Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio, we got great tips for ordering the home, letting our inner beauty shine outwards, and ordering the heart, which is what 100% Whole Mom is really about.

To be honest, I had qualms about attending the gathering (I actually confessed this on and after the event). I am glad I went though, because I was able to meet and mingle with other moms who had different abilities and talents but all had one thing in common: a passion for life and love. Love especially for our families, of course!

But my main takeaway from the whole event — which I believe applies not just for us moms, but for everyone — is the question Rica asked us to ask ourselves that afternoon; a question that ALL of us should ask every day:

How are you today?

It’s something that we probably would not ask in the midst of our daily routines and busy lives, yet it is something that should be asked, don’t you think? (Thanks for the reminder, Rica, and thanks, Moleskine, for the chance to answer that question in our personalized notebooks!)

So if you’re facing challenges today (aren’t we all, in some form or other?) I want you to take a deep breath (or two), ask yourself the same question Rica asked us, be perfectly honest with yourself, answer the question, and then say a prayer. Let go and let God. Trust in Him.

He’s got this.

He’s got your back. He’s in control. He’ll give you grace for the day.

Whether you’re a mom or not, know that He loves you. He will provide. He will heal. He will grant you miracles, big and small.

Do I hear an Amen?

Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.

If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?

So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear? All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.

Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

(Matthew 6:27-34)

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Again, special thanks to , and for organizing this inspiring event, Sheila Catilo for the photos, for the delicious food, and for the lovely flowers that were given to all of us present! God bless the work of your hands!

It’s Never Too Late to Experience God’s Mercy

March 25, 2016 by Tina

Today, Good Friday, marks the beginning of the Divine Mercy Novena. It is very apt that this is so, because Good Friday is the day to remember Jesus’ suffering, crucifixion and death. Yet even amidst His difficulties, and even when He was on the brink of death, He showed mercy to those around Him — even to the thief who was crucified next to Him.

I must confess that showing mercy to others — even those near and dear to me — is something I am still working on. Truth to tell, I feel like this Lent has been such a “failure”, especially in terms of making sacrifices, praying more, being more generous (almsgiving), and generally growing closer to Christ (and helping our kids do the same).

But then I saw by Allison of Reconciled to You:

It couldn’t have come at a better time, yes?

“Life” in this case for me was mostly caring for a baby who isn’t 100% OK yet, but on the way to being in the pink of health (we claim it in Jesus’ name; thank You, Lord!). It’s been difficult, but His mercy prevails. His love and compassion — especially shown through the people around us — has kept us (me especially!) going.

Just as one of my favorite writers Elizabeth Foss wrote recently:

Lent brings us to the Garden of Gethsemane, where we stop with Christ before the walk to crucifixion. Jesus’ time in the garden is the Father’s expression of empathy for us. In that moment, even before we have taken our first breaths, God sees us. He knows the sorrows we will face, and He sets aside this time before he takes on the weight of all our sins to teach us how to ask God’s mercy.

He sees us in our struggle to surrender. He sees us in our suffering. God knows how hard it is to come to our knees, at the end of our strength, at the end of our power, at the end of everything we thought we could do on our own, and to stare down a difficult situation. He knows what it is to say, “I can’t do this anymore.” In His goodness, He allowed His Son to come to that place so that we could know beyond all doubt that God is there with us.

So yes, even if Lent has come and gone this year, and we’re already smack-dab in the middle of the Easter Triduum, we must remember that it is NEVER too late to experience God’s mercy. His divine mercy is all we need in every season of life; in good times and in bad; in sickness and in health. Praise the Lord for His sacrificial love indeed!

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Now, for those of you who might be looking for a place to celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection this Easter Sunday, allow me to invite you to the Mercy Full Grand Easter Feast (GEF) 2016. I likely won’t be able to go this year (you know, because of the baby and all) but my husband and thousands of other people will be there!

The GEF will have two sessions: 8:00 AM – 12:00 NOON (morning session) and 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM (afternoon session).

As we celebrate the Year of Mercy, may we realize that one of God’s greatest gifts to us is His forgiveness. Our Easter celebration invites us to understand the depth of God’s mercy and breathe in His love, so that we may, in turn, extend mercy and love to other people.

There will be an Easter Mass by Fr. Joel Jason and Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite, life-changing talks by Bo Sanchez, Fr. Bob McCognaghey and Monching Bueno, and powerful worship by the Kerygma Worship Team.

I invite you to experience all this and more for only PHP 200.00. Buy your tickets now at www.smtickets.com or at any SM Tickets outlet nationwide.

I wish you all a blessed and beautiful Easter season ahead!

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