Authentic Happiness

While waiting for my mud-stricken car to get washed and cleaned in a car wash station, I was reading an article in Reader's Digest, "The way to Happiness-by Dianne Hales."
There is one sentence that caught my attention. I found myself reading it over and over again as if reciting a litany of prayer.

"Seligman (PhD) calls authentic happiness: engagement with family, work or a passionate pursuit, and finding meaning from some higher purpose...."

Well, let me see, I am close to my family, which by the way, is one of the things I'm truly proud of. So, on that note, I can say that I am happy. But---not authentically happy if I were to consider the two remaining category.

"work or passionate pursuit"
That strike a nerve of mine. Lately, I have been feeling incomplete. As if there's a hollow hole in my heart, like dropping a silver ball in an endless tunnel.
I have been very busy doing a lot of things, with my work in television production and starting up my business, and regularly going to the gym.
Deadlines here and there.
Phone calls from other offices and agencies.
I am an inch away to mastering the art of multitasking.
But at the end of the day, I don't know what is it that I have accomplished.
I climb the office stairs, knock on other department's door.
I am busy, I am tired, but I know, my mind is not with me.

During quiet times, when I am alone, then, I listen to what's inside me.
Something is missing. Like a piece of a puzzle I can't fit.
I keep on denying myself that silence. But the more i silence it, the louder it gets.
But now I realize, I'm searching for a job that will make me feel fulfilled.
Work, that will make me really, really proud of what I did.
Now I understand, why I am so uneasy and why I am not at peace with myself. Because, I don't feel fulfilled with what I am doing.

Steve Jobs said " struggle to find your passion.."
Boy, I couldn't agree more. It can really be a struggle finding your passion. I might reach my 40th birthday, still not knowing what I am passionate about (I wrote this wishing not to happen).
A magazine "Pursuits and Passion" was published by an insurance company for their anniversary. From cover to cover, it tells stories of people who pursued their passion.
May it be climbing a mountain, running around the country, writing their literature, mixing different coffee beans, and diving with sharks. It might be silly to some, and these passionate people may not offer us a very logical explanation, but in the end-they owe it to themselves. Pursuing your passion.

Robert Kiyosaki in his book Rich Dad, Poor Dad defined passion as combination of anger and love.

Now that I was able to distinguish what makes me sad, it's time for me to recognize what makes me angry and what I am soooo in love with... and hopefully, find my soul's passion.

I want to go to...

Travel..

robs you away from your home, but affirms the real sense of your identity.

Not being chosen

I can say that the rest of my day is pretty disappointing.

You see, i applied for a free business mentorship for a year from a top-notch marketing professional. From 12 applicants, only 8 will be chosen. It has a sort of voting from the audience mechanics to choose who will accepted.

To cut the story short, I-my business- was not chosen. I was disappointed, yes. Naturally, i will search for answers why I was not chosen. But, I am trying to look at the bright side. I take it as a challenge, perhaps, to even work hard and study as much marketing strategies that I can.

But that experience was really fun.

That meeting with other entrepreneurs is a solid proof that positivity is contagious. You diffuse a certain degree of positivity in the air, when you converse and share the same passion with others.

I walked out of that conference room feeling light-hearted and energized. In my subconsciousness, I know, I was infected by the positivity and hopes of the people around me.

That meeting opened doors for me though i was not chosen.

Independence and a box of doughnuts

it was an unusual Friday night.

due to the storm and power failure, the city was not as vibrant as it was expected to be.
maybe, the mall rats and the party animals, which comprise half the metro
have nowhere to go.

well, im no different.
i have nowhere to go.

and since my stomach sent hungry waves to my brain,
i decided to swing by at this popular doughnut shop in katipunan.

i just thought of how unproductive the day was.
the workplace was not fully operational.
the fast foods wont deliver.
the parking lot was covered with leaves.
batteries were drained.
communication was difficult.
our location hunt was cancelled due to road blocks.
the sky was dry.

i thought of my friend who i havent seen in 5 long months.
i thought of my bestfriend's sister who is about to get married in 3 weeks.
i thought of my ate and brother in law who is about to visit us in 3 months.
i thought of my 2 friends who are going abroad. one will work in germany. one in singapore.
i thought of my aunt who just gave birth to her first daughter.
i thought of my close friend in college who gave birth to a tiny boy 2 weeks ago.
i thought of my 6th day in my workshop.
i thought of the joke we had in the office that made 6 people laugh their hearts out.

and there i was.
sitting in the middle of the empty doughnut shop.
counting the ways how to calm a storm.