new start

Jan

2022

Crossroads: Making Life-Changing Decisions

Reading Time: 3 minutes

My friends and I recently had an encounter with a black butterfly. The butterfly stayed with us for quite some time before flying away. Out of curiosity, I researched what it meant. Many people believe that a black butterfly is a sign of bad omen. But contrary to popular belief, a black butterfly is actually a symbol of rebirth, transformation, transition and new beginnings. When my friends and I saw the black butterfly, we were at crossroad, making life-changing decisions in our lives, careers, family and relationships.

Transformation

Butterflies undergo metamorphosis in their lives. They were not born with such beauty. As caterpillars, they have long and worm-like bodies. Caterpillars wrapped themselves in cocoons in order to become the beautiful full-winged creatures known as butterflies. In order to become butterflies, caterpillars had to fall apart and die first. Butterflies need to undergo a very painful process before they can fulfill their purpose and become the best versions of themselves. And this is the very essence of life.

As individuals, we all need to undergo transformation in order to fulfill our purpose in lives. Unfortunately, the transformation process is not easy. Challenges are needed for growth and success. Everyone wants to become happy and successful, but how many are actually willing to change? In order for our circumstances to change, we must be willing to change the way we do things and change ourselves in the process.

We can’t continue doing the same things and expect different results.
– Paulo Coelho

Crossroads in Life

Crossroads are all about change. It is about making choices. In a a way, it is an opportunity to choose between different possible paths that you can take in your life. The choices can be equally good and exciting or can also be very painful. Whatever choices that are right in front of you, making a choice can be quite scary because change is scary. That is why many people remain stuck at where they are in their lives because of fear.

Whether you are contemplating on leaving your job, changing careers, migrating to a different country, getting married or ending a relationship; whatever life-changing decision you are trying to make, it is not easy. Crossroads decisions are hard. They are difficult because it involves changing the direction of your life. Although it is a natural part of life, there are instances that it is forced upon us by uncontrollable circumstances.

So, what to do when you find yourself at a crossroad?

1. Accept What Is

Do not resist. You are at a crossroad because it is life’s way of telling you to rethink the direction of your life. Are you on the right path? Open yourself up to the signs around you. What is life telling you? Move with the changes instead of going against them.

2. Trust Your Instinct

An instinct is a feeling inside you that only you can experience. Trusting your instinct means trusting yourself. Sometimes, we spend too much time asking other people’s opinion and trying to adhere to the status quo when in fact deep inside you, you already know the answer. Just learn to believe in yourself and what you can do and accomplish.

3. Act on It

Once you have made the decision, now do it. Make the leap. It is useless to decide on your head alone. Your decision must be coupled with action. Whether it is right or wrong, only time can tell. Every decision has no guarantee. There is no such thing as a win-win situation.

4. Give Yourself Time to Grieve

Big changes are not without pain. There will be a feeling of loss. It’s okay to not be okay for some time. Give yourself time to cry your heart out. One day, it will all pass. You will start feeling better.

5. Surround Yourself with your Support Group

Find your support group. The people around you will help you get through it. They play an important role in your overall recovery. Their emotional support can help you reduce stress.

6. Look Forward to New Beginnings

The best way to move forward is to dream again. Visualize what your whole new world will look like. This is the time to create new dream s and goals. Dream big. Rather than looking at the past, focus your attention on your future happiness and success. Embrace the changes.

Your life changes the moment you make a new, congruent, and committed decision.
– Tony Robbins

Click here to get a free copy of the Crossroads worksheet.

Click here to watch the video.

Feature Image by Pexels

First Published 10.24.2020

Dec

2021

Metamorphosis

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Change is always happening all around us. The seasons change without us doing anything about it. All of us are in a constant process of transforming ourselves. Have you heard of the saying that each one of us is “a work in progress”? Each one of us is undergoing our own metamorphosis. It is up to us how long it will take for the change to happen and what the end results will be.

In Greek, the word has the following meaning: meta = changing, morph = shape or form, and osis = process of (*membean). Although, it seems to mean just physical change; it can also pertain to a whole lifestyle change. In reality, metamorphosis is a big word for it means a major change in many aspects of our lives. For each individual, it is a process of becoming something or someone else.

The word “meta” also means “with, across, or after” in Greek. It denotes a change of position or condition and seeing things across a period of time. You are seeing things from a different position or perspective. You may only be thinking of your life in terms of a year. Having a meta view of things means that you are now thinking about your life in 5 or 10 years time.

The word “morphosis” refers to the way an organism changes or develops. This means that a metamorphosis is a transformation that happens over a period of time. So, it is not something that is accomplished overnight or a few weeks or months. It takes time. And it can only be done slowly.

Your Metamorphosis

The important thing in your metamorphosis is that you define what you want to become. You get to choose how you want to go about your transformation and the challenges you want to overcome. You are in full control of how you want to change yourself and your life.

What are your goals for your own metamorphosis?
What change do you want to make in your life?
How do you want to implement these changes?
What changes are going on around you right now?
How will they fit in with the kind of life you want to have?

There will be uncomfortable moments as you adjust to your metamorphosis. For example, If you want to gain muscles, you go to the gym to lift weights and get body aches the next day. So, many quit along the way. But for those who persevere, rewards will soon follow. As time goes by, your body gets used to the routine. You are able to lift heavier weights more comfortably and with less pain.

Fully embracing your metamorphosis doesn’t mean that the experience will all be pleasant. A transformation requires “growing pains”. Learn to accept them as part of the process, and they become less painful.

Are you now ready to become the better version of yourself?

Updated: First published on 2020.07.03.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Ravi Roshan on Unsplash.

Mar

2021

Zero O’clock

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Did you ever wake up in the morning and feel that something is wrong? For some reason, the day feels gloomy and sad. As the day goes by, nothing seems to be going your way. You feel drained and stressed. You cannot wait for the day to be over. Why? Because you know deep inside that one bad day does not necessarily translate to a bad life. Once the clock hits zero o’clock, it is a signal for a new beginning, a new day and a new life.

You know those days, those days where you are sad for no reason, those days where your body is heavy….but this day will be over, when the minute and second hand overlap…zero o’clock.
– BTS, Zero O’clock

Zero O’clock Tiny Tans version
Video Credit: Bangtan TV

A very powerful message from a beautiful song by BTS. The lyrics were written by the group’s leader RM. When asked during an interview, RM said that “The title is Zero O’clock because no matter how tiring and exhausting our day has been, when the clock hits midnight, it is a brand new opportunity.”

Life is a wonderful thing. Wa can feel love, happiness and joy because we are alive. Unfortunately, not every day is the same. There will be days of disappointments and frustrations. There will be days that will be too difficult to handle. But the beauty of life is that life goes on. Challenges are given to us so that we can grow and become better persons. Each day is different. A bad day does not mean it is a bad life. There is always the promise of a better day.

If there is anything, zero o’clock gives us comfort that it is already another day. The bad day is finally over and It it an opportunity to start anew. The previous day might not be what you have expected it to be but you can always do something different for this brand new day. For one, you can change the way you look at things. Instead of looking at a glass as half empty, look at it as half full. And stop saying that life sucks. Instead, learn to count your blessings. Find joy in the little things. And before you know it, soon, you will be waking up in the morning with a smile on your face.

And you’re gonna be happy, and you’re gonna be happy. Turn this all around, when everything is new, zero o’clock.
– BTS

Image Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Jan

2021

Life Goes On

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The year 2020 has been tough. But no matter how tough it has been, you were able to survive it all. So, congratulations! You made it at this point. It is now 2021. The New Year signifies new beginnings. Life cannot remain in a standstill. At some point, people need to move on and accept that life goes on.

Challenges are part of life. Even without this pandemic, every human being will go through challenges in their lives. What is important is how individuals will react to challenges that will come their way. It may sound cliche but everything happens for a reason. Learn the lesson and move on. That is the essence of life.

The COVID-19 pandemic literally caused the world to a standstill. the world which we are used to ceases to exist. Suddenly, we have no choice but to adapt to the new normal. It happened in the blink of an eye that no one was prepared for it. But now that it has been months since the start of the pandemic, people need to learn the lessons from COVID-19 and move on. There is no point resisting the new norm. It will only cause stress and more problems. Unfortunately for us, it will be difficult to go back to the world that we were used to. So, there is nothing left to do but to embrace change.

Life Goes On is a promise of a better tomorrow. We don’t know when it will come but it will come. One day, all these things will remain just a distant memory.

Close your eyes for a moment. Hold my hand to the future, let’s run away. Like an echo in the forest, the day will come back again as if nothing happened.
– BTS, Life Goes On

New Beginnings

The New Year is the perfect time to redesign our life through a bucket list. The goals that we had before may no longer be applicable in the new normal. So, take this time to reflect on what it is that you really want in life. Visualize your ideal life. Unleash the genius within you. It is okay to start from scratch. Just believe in yourself. Believe that you have the power to create your reality. You can be happy, healthy and wealthy. It is all up to you. Listen to your hear t.

No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today. life goes on, and it will be better tomorrow.
– Maya Angelou

Let’s all work for a better 2021. Happy New Year!

Dec

2020

Characteristics of a Successful Start-Up

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Have you heard of the phrase “survival of the fittest”? Made famous by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution; the phrase means that in natural selection, only the strong can survive. And they are the ones who have adapted to the environment well. The same is true with the world of start-ups. Just like in the theory of evolution, only the strongest can survive among start-ups. Faced with limited resources, fierce competition and the challenges of brand creation and promotion plus finding a dream team; no wonder only a few start-ups survive. So, what separates those who succeeded? What are the characteristics of a successful start-up?

1. Flexibility

Flexibility is an essential trait for entrepreneurs, more so for start-ups. Being flexible means the ability to adapt to changing environments. Yes, it is tough to allow some changes to your original idea but it is the only way to survive in this fast-changing world.

Be clear about your goal but be flexible about the process of achieving it.
– Brian Tracy

2. Their Product is a Solution to a Problem

Before you start your business, ask yourself the following:

Will the product solve an existing problem?
Who are my target consumers? What are their existing needs?
How can the product address the needs of my target consumer?
What problems can my product solve that my competition cannot?
Why should your target consumer use your product?

Every new product has to solve an existing problem in the market. That is the only way to attract your target consumers. Addressing these questions can help you develop a strategic plan to create a valuable product.

3. They Test Their Products First in a Small Market.

You have a product that you want to sell. But how do you know if people will actually buy your product? The answer is to test first. Testing the market before launch can help you evaluate your business strategy and make adjustments to your product. Start small. Mark Zuckerberg launched the site to Harvard university first, extending to other Ivy League schools before making it available to all US universities and then ultimately the world. For example, if you want to open a restaurant, try to get some feedbacks of the food that you want to sell from your family and friends before actually opening a restaurant.

Testing leads to failure, and failure leads to understanding.
-Burt Rutan

4. A Dream Team

Studies have shown that one of the most important factors in the success of a start-up is the founding team. Your dream team is composed of key individuals that will work with you from the very beginning to achieve your business goals and dreams. Any successful start-up rarely is the work of just one person but has a group of people behind it. The fate of the company lies in the strength of the founding team.

Teams are incredible things. No task is too great, no accomplishment too grand, no dream too far-fetched for a team. It takes teamwork to make the dream work.
– John C. Maxwell

5. Persistence

Entrepreneurs face challenges on a daily basis. Thus, persistence is a vital ingredient to success. Entrepreneurs should be willing to overcome failures. After all, failure is part of success. Never ever give up. Be willing to take that extra mile to success. The people who succeeded are those who persevered. Walt Disney, Colonel Sanders, Elon Musk and Jack Ma are just but some examples of highly successful entrepreneurs who persisted.

Energy and persistence conquer all things.
– Benjamin Franklin

Oct

2020

A Whole New World

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Whether we like it or not, the world has changed. We just woke up one day in 2020 and there is a whole new world out there waiting for us. We can no longer go back to how we used to live before the pandemic. Even with the development of the vaccine, Covid-19 will not just ‘magically’ go away. It is now part of our world and our environment. And it is going to be here with us for a long time.

Point of No Return

We already came to a point where we can no longer change the environment. At this point, no amount of lockdown, no matter how long can prevent the spread of the virus. What it can do is just to help slow the spread. If we can no longer change the outside, what is left is for us is to do is to change our way of life. We need to learn to co-exist with the virus.

It will be difficult to adapt to the new norma l if we continue to look at things the same way. We need to change the way we see things and try to look at it from a different angle.

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
-Wayne Dyer

A New Fantastic Point of View

Remember Aladdin? When he took Princess Jasmine out for that magic carpet ride, he showed the princess, a whole new world. Well, technically it is still the same world. Aladdin just wanted to show Princess Jasmine to take a look at the world differently and see it from a new fantastic point of view.

With all the changes happening, you are still you. You are greater than your current situation. Trust and believe in yourself. There is a silver lining out of all this. After all, success comes if you learn to how to overcome challenges in life. You just need to start looking at things differently.

Video Credit: DisneyMusicVEVO

Are you up to the challenge?

Feature Image Photo by Johannes Plenio from Pexels

Aug

2020

Digitize Your Business

Reading Time: 3 minutes

There are 4.57 billion active internet users in the world as of July 2020. This figure is based on a published report by Statista, a German online statistics portal company. This means that roughly about 59% of the total world population are now online. Thus, there is no denying that the world is moving towards a digital future. And if there is one consequence that this pandemic brought us, it accelerated our journey towards digitalization. That is to say, the new normal has forced individuals and businesses to digital transformation. So, if you want to stay afloat, you need to start to digitize your business or work.

What is Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation is the use of digital technology such as computers, the internet, social media, applications, systems and devices as leverage to meet the changing business environment. The pandemic compelled everyone to work from home. Despite the gradual lifting of the lockdown, many people opted to stay at home because of fear of the virus. It is very difficult for services to thrive in this kind of environment. Thus, digital transformation is a must in order to survive in this economic crisis.

How to Digitize Your Business?

There are many ways to digitize your business depending on your industry. You don’t need to actually start from the scratch or invent an application to cater to the specific needs of your business. There are already tons of business-ready applications and softwares available out there for you to use. Some are even offered for free. All you need to do is to look around you. It will help to take a look at what your competitors or those businesses who are selling the same products/services that you offer are doing in as far as digital transformation is concern.

If you are a big company, it helps to hire professionals to do it for you. If you are self-employed or owns a small company, there are still ways to do it without hurting your budget.

Things to Consider in Digitizing Your Business

Here are some things that you should consider in digitizing your business.

Visibility

The first thing to do is to create an online presence for your business. There are several webpage hosting and e-commerce platforms available out there that you can use for free. You only need to pay a minimal amount if you decide to upgrade your plan or if you want to have your own URL address. The URL is your official address in the world wide web.

If creating your own website is too complicated for you, you can still opt to just use social media sites. If you already have a personal account on any of the social medias out there, creating a business account is just as simple. But before you open an account in all the social media platforms available out there, make sure that you have already identified your niche. There is no point opening an account in a platform where most users are teenagers if your target market is for seniors. Having more accounts does not necessarily mean good. Sometimes it is better to maintain just 2 or 3 as long as it caters to your target market.

Frequency

Digitizing your business does not end with the creation of an online page. Your next goal should be how to increase your visibility. The more people who will see your page, the higher your chance of making a sale. Didn’t you notice how many times a commercial is being played while you are watching your favorite TV show? The same thing is true with online marketing. Frequency does matter.

Unless you are familiar with using basic on-page search engine optimization techniques (SEO basics), your best bet is to post valuable content frequently. But be careful, there is a thin line with being seen always and being annoying. You need to learn to strike a balance between the two so as not to annoy your audience.

Usability

Usability is very important in designing your page or shop. The customer experience plays a big role in your conversion rate of turning visitors to buyers. Thus, your page must be simple, easy to navigate and pleasing to the eye. Fonts should be readable. Use colors that not only grab the visitor’s attention but also evoke emotions. Most importantly, buying your goods and services should be secure and easy in just one click away. Make the whole experience pleasing to the customer so that they will come back for more. And lastly, make sure also that your page is mobile friendly. A great number of internet users use mobile phones in searching the web.

Launch Challenge

Identify your niche or target market.
Choose the proper social media account for your target market.
Open an account.
Plan your post for the week or month.
Start posting.

Good luck!

Jul

2020

How to Survive This Economic Crisis

Reading Time: 5 minutes

We are nowhere near the end of the Covid-19 health crisis yet we are faced again with another challenge – the economic crisis that was brought about by this pandemic. Millions of people around the world lost their jobs. Many businesses closed. It will take years before we can ever go back to the way it was before. The challenge now for many is how to survive this economic crisis?

I recently attended an webinar on Transformative Leadership. It was about developing business strategies on how to survive a crisis based on lessons from a leading conglomerate in the country. The key point is transformation. There is no way to survive this crisis without making some changes. Abandon the old model and create a new one. I found the lessons applicable on both businesses and individuals.

Here are my notes on the transformation guide and some insights and lessons on how you can apply them not only in your business but in your personal lives as well:

1. Ensure Financial Sustainability

The very foundation for everyone right now should be financial sustainability. Financial sustainability means being able to meet the cash flow requirements of the operations of the business or the monthly household expenses of the individual. There is no telling until when will this crisis last. So, liquidity is very important. It is time to cut down any unnecessary expenses and preserve cash.

For Businesses: Do you have enough cash? Do you have access to capital to continue operating your business? Do you have enough funds to continue paying your obligations? How to continue earning profit amidst the crisis?

For Individuals: How was your income affected? Do you have enough savings? Do you still have enough money to pay for your monthly household expenses? Are there already warning signs that you are living beyond your means? How to continue earning amidst the crisis?

2. Serve Customers

The customers are the foundation of any business. Knowing and understanding the customer needs at this time is essential for any business.

For Businesses: How will you be able to serve your customers without sacrificing your financial sustainability? There is no point continuing a business without profit. You also need to take into consideration that this is a health crisis. So, it is best to consider how to continue serving customers without putting their health at risk?

For Individuals: If your income was greatly affected by the crisis, it is time to look for other sources of income. Ask yourself, how can I serve others now using the skills and talent that I have? What can you offer to the community? Instead of chasing the money, focus on how you can be of help to others. Money is a by-product of the service that you rendered. The most successful businesses in the world addressed and solved an existing problem.

3. Protect Your People

The employees are the most important resource of any company. In these trying times, it is important that you have motivated and healthy people around you.

For Businesses: How do you protect your workforce? They are the ones who has a direct relationship with the customers; so, it is important that you protect your people. The success of any business heavily relies on customer satisfaction. In order to stay motivated to do their jobs, employees must first feel safe. Is their work environment safe enough?

For Individuals: Protecting your family and those who are dear to you should be one of your main concerns. It is hard to adjust to the new normal but it is the only way to stay healthy and safe during this crisis. Always remember that first and foremost, this is a health crisis.

4. Abandon the Old and Create A New Plan

Change is a necessary part of life. It is crucial for growth and success. However, it is also one of the hardest things in life. There is always that fear of the unknown. That’s why many people choose to stay in their comfort zone simply because it is familiar and comfortable.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 is here to stay. The world will not go back to 2019. Unless your industry benefited from the pandemic, it will be difficult to stay afloat and survive this economic crisis without some changes. Yes, it is ok to abandon the old plan and change to a completely different one.

For businesses: Assess your business model. Is it still applicable? If not, you need to abandon the old business model and create a new business plan for your company that will adhere to the new normal.

For individuals: Was your work greatly affected? Were your future plans and goals disrupted? Instead of merely just waiting for things to go back to normal, it is now time to reassess your goals and make some adjustments or changes. Redesign your life through a bucket list.

5. Come Up with a Transformation Recovery Plan

A total recovery will not happen overnight. Recovery would be done in stages. Without a plan, it will take longer to recover. This is also the time to have tough goals in order to make it through. Remember, your main concern now is SURVIVAL.

For Businesses: The business transformation recovery plan should include strategies and timeline. It should also include procedures and responsibilities. Tough goals include reduction in workforce, following strict schedules and time frames and coming up with new goals that are totally different from the past. Once in place, regular testing and validation should be done to make sure that the plan is working.

For Individuals: The transformation recovery plan for individuals should start by the creation of SMART goals based on the bucket list that you just made. To ensure success, your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based. Tough goals may include doing work that you have never done before.

6. Transform Corporate Culture

Corporate culture pertains to the shared values, beliefs and behaviors of a particular organization. The transformation recovery plan will only be successful if there is cooperation of all members of the organization. It is impossible to do it alone.

For Businesses: There will be a need to retrain people.You need to work hand-in-hand with your staffs. Make sure they understand. Make sure you are on the same page. You need the complete support of the organization to make it through the crisis.

For Individuals: Just like in businesses, the whole family should be in the same page. Each member of the family should understand what is going on. Everyone should do their share for the common goal.

7. Embrace Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is basically using technology to reach customers, transform processes and implement business solutions. The new normal would be heavily dependent online. That’s why, an online presence is essential for survival. Digitize what you can.

For Businesses: Do you already have on online presence? Can you reach your customers online? What part of your business processes can you digitize? Integrate digital technology in several areas in your businesses.

For individuals: Whether you are selling products or offering your services, you need to take advantage of the digital world. If you are looking into changing careers, there are lots of courses available online. The possibilities are all in your finger tips.

Good luck and let us all emerge from this economic crisis successfully!

Feature Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Images.

May

2020

Your First Step

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The first step is the start of something new. It signals a fresh start or new beginning. The first step is usually the hardest but once you decide to take it, then you have advanced forward in your journey. You need to take your first step if you want to change your life for the better.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
— Lao Tzu

To change Your Circumstances

We experience many setbacks in our journey through life and we need to take many kinds of first steps to change our circumstances. Taking a first step into the unknown is always a scary experience no matter how many times you do it; but it is necessary to do so in order for us to thrive and grow as individuals.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.

To Chase Your Dreams

Taking the first step into an uncertain future can be daunting. It takes courage and belief in our own capabilities and faith that the Universe has our back. Sometimes, it may feel that our first steps lead us to a dead end. It may even feel like the wrong path to our intended destination. However, if we keep on striving, trusting our intuition and holding steadily to our goals; no matter what path we are taken thru, we will surely get to our destination.

“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.”
— Chinese proverb

To Move Forward In Life

Our journey may seem like a labyrinth sometimes and we don’t always see the way out. Our destination may sometimes become unclear, obscured by hurdles along the way. But as long as we take the first step and have the courage to keep on moving forward, then we are moving closer to success.

Together, let us take our first steps – even if they are baby steps – to get ahead on our journey.

Featured Image: Original Photo by Clemens van Lay on Unsplash.