I Dare you to be Daring

Hmm.. The title of this post is intriguing huh? Let me tell you this event that made me "daring" and challenged you to be "daring" too.

This year, I wanted to spend the holy week in a different way that I'm still trying to figure out how back then. So when Jes, a friend of mine invited me and Ked to a camp, I didn't think twice.

I asked my parents for their signature on the waiver and I provided myself with ALL the things I need. Pretty resourceful huh? :p Since I was in first year College, I was invited to attend this camp but because of unavoidable reasons I always happen to say No; until this year that I promised to myself that I will definitely, truly, positively, and hyperactively say YES!

I thought this camp was all about talking and sharing just like what we do on a retreat during my High school days. But I was wrong. Gosh, this camp really made me dirty! Hey, don’t think of anything bad, I am talking about being literally dirty. Read this and think of who wouldn’t get dirty: I was dipped on the pool with all the glory of my jeans, run back and forth with all the soils at my feet, done tasks with the messiness of my hair, exercised in a very "swimming" and "stretchy" way, stumbled many times in front of many people, and the most remarkable is I crawled on a mud to find paper clips! Whew! But let me tell you, that experience was once in a lifetime. Yes, granted that I am dirty but everybody’s dirty too so that made it a lot of fun. We laugh, we smile at pictures, and it’s fantastic! Everybody’s energy was overflowing that pulls you in that big ball of enjoyment, happiness, and excitement.

Now, let me introduce to you this camp that I am talking about. It is entitled "Knowing". It is jam-packed with action games, treasured sessions, heartfelt devotions and wonderful sharing’s. The sessions are all about Knowing God, Knowing God's love, Knowing your potentials, Knowing your Importance, and Knowing your enemy. This is truly a soul opening experience.

I thought I knew God because I attended Sunday school when I was young, I go to church with my family every Sunday, I read the bible, I pray the rosary, but then what I do is not important anymore. What's important is Accepting Him as my personal God and Saviour, Being naked in my wrong doings and mistakes, Allowing him to plant seeds of goodness, and giving my life to Him.

Throughout this Growth Experience (I’m still a baby on receiving God’s love and this is a big milestone for me), we were given a manual that has the schedule of activities, the devotions, and the notes where you can write your thoughts. I partnered mine with a notebook, a pen, bottled water, and the Bible that’s been my best friend since then. BTW, we have the cutest ID ever! It’s a head band. I love it!

In the whole duration of the camp, we were assigned to a certain group and we were bounded in that group in anything we do. I'm happy with my group because all of them seem very nice. They are gentle, caring, and respectful.

LESSON LEARNED:

As we grow up, we learn that the world is not a perfect place. We find that things don’t always go our way, that sometimes we get hurt, and that we do fail. But what I learned in this camp is, just because life has its disappointments doesn’t’ mean we should give up on being happy especially now that we have God.

Ayra’s 5 Step to Living, Loving, and Knowing God’s Plan for our Life:

1. Forget the Past. Past is one of the heaviest burdens a person can bear. So let it go! Leave behind those old mistakes, regrets, and frustrations--there's nothing you can do about them, anyway. Once you clear out the closet of your past, you'll find you have more space to enjoy what you have in the present.

2. Have Great Friends. Ate Dhang our session adviser, told us to choose our friends. Do not let ourselves be surrounded by people who uses bad words, who influences us to lie to our parents, and who make us feel bad about ourselves. It's time to look for friends elsewhere. Surround yourself with people whom you can respect, who are positive and honest, and can make you laugh and feel good about who you are.

3. Set Goals for Yourself and Make them Happen. It's easier to get out of bed in the morning when you've got goals to achieve because you'll have a sense of purpose and direction. In my case, my goal is to wake up in the morning, read the Love Letter (Bible), and write a letter to God. So far, I haven't miss a day yet and I'm proud of it because ever since I did it, turns out my day would always turn out better than yesterday.

4. Ask for Help. When trouble is there, be brave enough to share your troubles with those close to you, and be humble enough to ask for their help when you need it. According to Kuya Renz, "wala namang dalawang bata na nag-aalagaan sa sarili nila" (There are no two babies that takes care of each other). We need help; always need help. And if you have nowhere to go to, Hey, God is up there, excited to hear you talk to Him.

5.Spread the Love. You have received God, experience His love, and now its your turn to be daring. Daring means being bold, courageous, and fearless. Be daring in sharing and proving, the power of the love of God. Always include the phrases "Lord, I dedicate to You this day" in your prayers and I tell you my friend, you can't get mad at other people easily because Jesus never hates anyone. Plus, your problems become smaller and easier to handle when you're thinking about other people.

Fighting Stress

HERE'S A SURE BUSTING TIPS TO FIGHT STRESS!

1. Exercise. "Run, do some yoga, punch a bag at the gym," advises Charles Goodstein, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry at New Your University School of Medicine. Exercise is a way to manage stress that doesn't have to add to your financial woes. For example, a 20-minute walk or jog around your block can yield up to 12 hours of improved mood. The main thing is to find a physical activity that you enjoy, whether it's dancing or hiking.

2. Laugh. Laughter really is the best medicine. It is proven to lower tension, and at the same time, improves blood flow and the health of your heart. Rent a funny movie or hang out with that wannabe-comedian friend, and forget about your worries for a while.

3. Write. Dedicating a period of time every day to write about a situation that is bothering you may reduce tension and give you stress relief for the rest of the day. Keeping a journal can also help you solve problems or find positive angles amongst the stressors.

4. Socialize. Spending time with friends and family who give you a sense of belonging, purpose, and fun may provide all the stress relief you need.

5. Take care of yourself. When tension spikes, it can be tempting to put yourself last -- but prioritizing healthy eating, physical activity, relationships, and sleep is necessary if you want to avoid making your stress worse.

6. Get some fresh air. If you are cooped up inside all day, take a few minutes to get outside and see the sun. A little time in the great outdoors can improve your mood and help you relax.

7. Be kind to yourself. Think about positive affirmations daily. Thinking negative thoughts only makes you feel bad and will increase stress. Tell yourself you are doing a good job, and believe it!

8. Meditate. Practice deep breathing and meditation exercises daily and when you feel tension rising.

9. Be thankful. Showing thanks for your family, friends, and loved ones and being thankful for the positive aspects of your life has a calming effect. Not only does it give you perspective, it makes other people feel good, too.

10. Make a change. Sometimes the best way to obtain stress relief is to remove your source of tension. For example, if you are in a job working at a certain pace in an environment that is objectively painful because of your boss, coworkers, and so on, and you're doing it because you can earn 10 percent more money than doing something else, you could calculate that you might be better off doing something else.

Today My Life Begins

YES! Another milestone in my life has been marked. I Graduated from College!!! whew, I'm still high from the sensation. I can't believe a lot of people congratulated me and even gave me gifts to commemorate that wonderful day. My success is like the success of my Barangay because when we got home, the tables was set with a lot of food and a banner of Congratulations was there!

Family, relatives, friends, fellow youths, neighbors, and my cousins was there to celebrate my success. We ate together, laugh together, and celebrated together. Everything went so fast that I easily fell asleep by the end of the day.

I thank my loved ones for giving me wonderful gifts which are: a pair of Havaianas that I really want since I can't remember, a Red Ribbon cake that I want since my birthday, a surprise 1.5 gallon Ice cream of my favorite brandSelecta and my favorite flavors (Coffee Crumble and Cookies and Cream), a Hang Ten garment, a Triumph garment a pair of Mario d' Boro 5" sandals and a few cash :) Honestly, I never know that graduating is better than Christmas when it comes to gift giving, hahaha!

My graduation went smooth. We were not late, we hired a cab so that the transportation going there and going back is not a hassle, there is no traffic can you believe it?! It did not rained, and the shocking highlight was the first person I saw when I arrived is also the same last person I saw before I go home is my long time super forever crush! Maybe God wants me to see him and reminisce the beautiful feeling I felt for that person.

I can say that the fastest part of my life is College. It's 5 years but it doesn't felt like one. Time flies so fast but time doesn't matter. Its the people I met, the things I've done, and the lessons I've learned that made me who I am today. Friendlier, Intelligent, and a very Loving child.

But more than the gifts and the foods, the most important thing is how God led me throughout this journey. He guided me in this course, He never let anyone to be on my way in completing this journey. He never let me get a single failed mark (though there are times that I thought I will get one), He made the way easier (like what happened on my CWTS), and He made me get closer to Him. Thank You Lord, this is it! My hard earned Diploma!