An Owl's Life

I was once called an Owl, why? ‘coz they say I have big eyes, especially when I’m surprised or trying to intimidate someone. But for two years now, I’ve been living a life of an owl. Well, setting aside the big eyes issue, it’s coz I’m working graveyard or better known as “night shift”.

Here are some of the analyses I’ve compiled while working as an Owl:

1. Night differential. Talk about the money.

2. No traffic. Coz you’d always do the opposite of what the normal human beings do. (You go to work – Normal people go home, vice versa).

3. Happy bank account. Coz you save more. So many reason why:
a) No gimmicks on Friday night.
b) Too tired to go out on Saturday, better sleep.
c) You do not need to buy prepaid credits since you wouldn’t have that much textmates, not unless your sweetheart is a guard, taxi driver or an owl like you.
d) No after-work shopping, coz malls don’t open at 6am and you’d be too tired to wait for the 11am opening.
e) No weekend shopping. Coz you’d rather sleep. In short, the mall will be missing you so badly.
f) No dates/gimmicks. Coz your sweetheart or even friends live a normal life.(Not unless they'll have a midnight lunch date with you or their an owl too).
g) Lastly, lesser medical bills, coz you’d be too scared to visit your doctors. What you don’t know won’t hurt you, not unless it’s hurting you already.

Most pinoys of my generation is living the same life. Either their working in a bpo (business process outsourcing) and/or call centers. And where are all these owls nest came from? It’s none other than jobs from the west that were transferred to developing (aka poor) countries like PI, for lesser salary expense and cut cost.That’s one of the advantages and disadvantages of the information age for it became so easy to communicate and transfer data and information globally, at any time and place. The advantage is yours if you know how to play it for it has a high earning potential.

However, there’s also disadvantage of this global move and I’ll share to you two instances:

* THE VICTIMS
The financial crisis experienced by the west countries 'coz most jobs were outsourced. Such resulted the increase in the unemployment rate that chained effect the problem of normal Joe’s inability to sustain his/her high lifestyle, for his usual JOB SECURITY ceased existence. Like a rubber at night, it left him pennyless 'coz they weren’t prepared. Their most treasured high-paid job can already be done abroad, for a lesser cost that they couldn’t compete at.

* THE BENEFICIARY or is it?
For developing countries, such is seen as an advantage for available jobs increased. BPO firms occupies more than 50% of the job employers today that's why most of my generation who are staying in PI are working in these firms. The only good news I see with this is it helped the economy of PI by providing temporary job to pinoys. When I say temporary is because of the mobility of the job plus for health reasons. Such jobs cannot provide job security for its mobility can cause a BPO to close down anytime and be transferred somewhere else cheaper with same quality. We clearly see it by the number of retrenchments that’s happening nowadays. While for health reason, imagining yourself working at night for 10years, will surely make you think otherwise.

Our beloved country belongs to the group 2, the beneficiary, and I’m one of those. But what will I do about it knowing these things?

As for me, I’m planning my way out by educating myself to learn ways on how to be free. Such financial freedom is what motivates me to move forward in learning as much as I can. But as they say, learning is nothing without action, so I choose to take actions too. And sooner or later, I know I’d be free from this owl’s life, to live a more normal, healthy and financially free life. :)

What about you, are you doing something?

A Journey of an Autistic Accountant

One of the most unforgettable moments in my life is when one quoted me “Autistic”. It was the officemate beside my desk who’ve called me such. Amazed and insulted I’ve asked why, “I’m living in my own world” is what I’ve got. Unsatisfied with her answer, I typed the word autism in google and I found this:

A brain disorder that results in communication, socialization and development problems for the individual that is suffering from it.

I would want to hate my seatmate for calling me such but instead I felt happy for it opened my eyes to see where I was.

I’m not really an autistic type of person but more of a proactive-introvert-superwoman employee (aka certified rat racer). In this environment, requires professional to do more and more work, less and less talk and building relationship.

I was one of those babies who were born with a super-rat racer family. Both my parents are accountant that’s why I pursued Accountancy and strived to get my license to work for a top Accounting firm and eventually end up as a private accountant in a multinational firm. Nice achievement if life is all about titles. And as if this is my resume, I want to add that in a year of service and at 23 I was offered the position of our teams Control Accountant, a leadership position. I am very blessed for I have acquired a great deal of emotional and professional experience in a short time however it also resulted for me to live in a world of Autism.

Reflective as I am, after thorough thinking, I realized why I was living in such world, for with all the paper works in my desk, I did lived in my own world. I was working myself out 16 hours a day sitting and facing my desktop, including Sundays. Why? Will be explained by these two: 1) Ignorance on Leverage, and 2) Self-employed mentality.As such, socializing and building relationship was prejudiced, which resulted for me to lose my true self in the process.

Recognizing where I lacked at, I started searching and learning till I found my answer. I’ve mentioned in my blog, “A piece Called CA2020”, that being part of the core was like a piece of a missing puzzle.

Being a core team showed the real passion and shine of my true self. It guided me out of the autism world thru facing out of my comfort zones. It empowered me to enhance the skills I needed to be effective not only in business but as a person. Such skills included business, people, communication and leadership. These I’ve learned thru exposure to the real world, to people. In here, the more I talk the more I grow while the more I listen the more I learn. The longer I stay the more I realize that the true happiness and fulfillment in life isn’t about titles and how high you climb that ladder. I’ve discovered my happiness and fulfillment in simple things such as talking and listening but creating a big difference in someone else’s life. Such couldn’t be matched by any title or prestige that the corporate can offer me. And the most important lesson I’ve learned in the community is the power of leverage. You are not alone. You don’t have to do everything on your own. And with a team around you, there is a greater abundance you’d achieve.

So why live an autism world? :)

Living life to fullest is like a piece of puzzle that you have to continually searched on to reveal your real shine and passion. It’s not an end but a journey that you have to live along the way. :)

A Simple Life

Oh Philippines!

I duno how many times I’ve said these two words, whether I’m happy saying it or not. And I know a lot have already listed things they’d like and hate about it. Some tag it as “PI”, which I thought then as “P***** Ina”, later on I knew that it means “Philippine Island”. But other than the endless comments I hear about PI, I wonder what more can I say. I’ve already lived in PI long enough to know that it is one of the best paradise in this planet. And honestly, I’ve always believed that it is ‘til I was exposed to the lifestyle of other countries. And what’s with them that PI doesn’t have? “SIMPLE LIFE”

I’ve once watched “Simple Life” starring Paris Hilton. And whenever I watch it, I’m not sure of what I’ll feel. Sometimes I’m mesmerized by Paris classiness, but half of me wants to laugh and cry with what they call, “A Simple Life”. I’ll repeat that word in my head then sigh, “Oh Philippines”. And why? Geez… their simple life, is the life I’ve always dream to have.

What’s that simple life anyways? Just a two-storey house enough for regular family and one to three “regular” cars. Plain and simple. Is it?? Errrr…

For some of the “blessed” pinoys out there, it is simple, but for MAJORITY of “will be blessed” like me (*wink*), it’s something I have to work hard for. And what’s dreadful sometimes is I’m thinking how long before I’d have it? Accountant as I do, I’ve calculated it. And the burden of years, I’ll keep it to myself. Such burden however, is only applicable if I’d rely ONLY thru EMPLOYMENT.

Simple Life is a LIFESTYLE, a way people wants to live. At that day I’ve think of having such “simple life” plus realizing nthe burden of years I have to take, started my quest to BUSINESS and INVESTING.

The more I knew about it, the eager I was to KNOW MORE. For not only the money interests me but the LIFESTYLE, that simple life. Abundant life of money and time.

Then I realized why majority of Pinoy in PI do not live a simple life in our own paradise? That’s cause Pinoys focus too much on EMPLOYMENT. Then who does live abundantly here in PI? Aren’t they mostly CHINESE? Do you still wonder why? What does Chinese focus on? Now, do you see the difference???

My 30th Day Voyage: Into the Core

“You cannot cross an island if you won’t sail the sea”, this runs thru me at decision point.

Thirty days ago, I’ve faced the port and had my choice, to be a WIZARD or a WARRIOR. To differentiate, a wizard is someone who likes to speculate and be skeptical before taking action while a warrior is a fighter that takes on the challenge in the quest of seeing the unseen. And what did I chose? BE A WARRIOR THAT BIDDED BON VOYAGE. :)

Now, thirty days after, I haven’t reached the island yet. As my mentors have said, this sail isn’t an easy quest that will give you an instant result but the journey and long-term result will speak for itself. And chronicler as I am, I wouldn’t want to miss telling my reader the story of what I’ve seen and got on my first thirty days of sailing.

If there’s one word to describe it, that’ll be, CHANGE. Change in itself is broad, so here are some of those that I’ve personally encountered:


*** MINDSET ***

Before I’ve met the community, I was aware of the law that states “thoughts become things”.

Most people aren’t aware of this law or some do knows it but rarely do they apply it. In my first 30 days, exercising the power of my thoughts has been one of the great activities I’m enjoying. Now, I’m not only aware but I am reminded and directing it to think like the rich people does. Day by day, I exercise my millionaire and billionaire mind. :)

Remember, your thought is the most powerful thing for it gives you what you feed it. So what I do is feeding it with positive and richness thoughts.


*** LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE ***I’m a professional accountant and as such, I’m usually surrounded by wizards, those who speculate and are skeptical, most especially, they have an “employee” mindset. I’ve used to be quoted as extra-ordinary and weird for I think differently. I knew I was ‘til I found this community, then I thought I’m not a weirdo, I just have a different mind from the usual CPA.

In here, I am surrounded by those who think the way I do, and what is it? Financially free mindset. A mindset that believes that money should work for me and not vice versa. A mind that believes there are greater things to be done, with our most valuable asset called TIME, than spending it 8 hours or more in a cubicle of your office desk.In here, I’ve learned to disassociate and spend less time to people who may disempower my rich thoughts and have started building relationships and network with different but like-minded individuals. Indeed, like attracts like.

As they say, if you want to be beautiful surround yourself with beautiful people so you can learn to be one instead of surrounding yourself with ugly people to stand out and learn nothing. :)

*** MENTORSHIP ***No man is an island. In life, one way or another you’ll need another person that will serve as your guide post that will inspire and teach you ways they’ve got thru learning and experience.

In this community I’ve learned to differentiate “helping” and “teaching”. As they say, “Feeding the fish to someone won’t solve the problem but teaching how to fish will”.

T.Harv Eker have quoted, “If you want to be rich, learn and spend time with the rich”. In this community, you’d meet a lot of mentors and coaches who are wealthy, that’s rich with both money and time. And these mentors serve as my guide post that teaches me (in lieu of helping me) how to have what they’ve achieved.

Here, I’ve learned to be “coachable”. BE=DO=HAVE. That’s develop and grow myself to BE the right person to do business. DO act upon the task and commitments given to me. And as I diligently follow it thru, I’ll HAVE the personal and financial growth and reward I’m aiming for.

Trust is vital in this community for without it, you wouldn’t last.

TRUSTING your mentors is very crucial. Besides, they’ve made it and you’re here to learn from them. And from there, you can apply it as your own and/or create your own blueprint that works for you. :)

*** UNCOMFORTABILITY = GROWTH ***

TAKE ACTION TO YOUR FINANCES OR TAKE ORDERS ALL YOUR LIFE. – Robert Kiyosaki.


Since day one into the core, the tasks were never ending just like the jobs we have to do at work. But the difference is that these tasks are non-routine and usually hits your comfort zone that results to your uncomfortability and growth. New core team like I am are called “Apprentice” for we are still learning to be “Coaches or Mentors ” ourselves. Being an apprentice means we still need to grow. And to be able to grow, all you have to do is have humility to start as a beginner and learn from the experienced mentors/coaches.

To give you a quick idea, I’ve formulated it as follow:

TASK + ACTION + UNCOMFORTABILTY = GROWTH

In here, each task or “job” will result to your growth, as long as you’re coachable enough TO TAKE ACTION.

And from growth, MONEY will just follow.

I personally believe that personal growth is very crucial to be successful for it helps you move despite the most uncomfortable circumstances and nothing else can beat such courage.

*** COMMITMENT AND INTEGRITY ***

My personal goal is to walk my life with integrity. Integrity means differently to different people. But to define it myself, integrity is more than honesty of your words but more of realness of your values, principles and purpose. Once your integrity is clear, commitment follows for you wouldn’t want to spread dirt to your deepest values and purpose. Most people are confused with their purpose that’s why it’s hard for them to live up to their commitments that prejudice their integrity.

In the community, my integrity have doubled and improved more. For they see the passion and pureness of my purpose. It’s easier for me to act on my commitments for I know and live my purpose. And this purpose is what’s keeping me moving forward regardless. :)

*** A MISSION AND VISSION GREATER THAN MYSELF ***

Another addicting part about this community is its mission and vision.

In the past, I’ve been involved into reading and sharing my life experiences and lesson learned thru blogs. But in this community, I do not only write it to share but I speak and teach it day by day.

Making a difference into someone else’s life is the most rewarding feeling I ever felt. Empowering them thru words and modeling are priceless.

Our community isn’t only spreading financial literacy alone but personal greatness overall. :)

If all Filipino’s can attend to this kind of community and gatherings, FIRST WORLD PHILIPPINES is very possible. And that’s what I love about this community for despite rejection of our invitation, we keep our eye on our commitment and mission to move us forward to our vision. :)

*** PERSISTENCE ***

For me, this is the most important change and value I have learned from this community. In the past, I’m one of the people who are scared of failure and rejection. But as I’ve learned, successful people fall 7 times but stands up 8 times.

In the community, this phrase isn’t purely theoretical for I’ve applied it in my reality during the first weeks. In 30 days span, I’ve encountered a lot of uncomfortabilities that if I didn’t persisted, I’ve perished. As they say, “If it won’t kill you, DO IT. It’s better to do die trying”. :)

*** PROFIT ***

Ofcourse, anyone who engage in business think of the profit. Most of my coaches have said that in this business your profit is in direct proportion to your growth. GROWTH = MONEY. Thus explain why the journey to your growth will determine the time of your profit.

In 30 days, I’ve already earned both personally and financially. Tho I’m still not yet financially free but I know I’m not too far from it. :)

It has only been 30 days but a lot have changed already. And to experience the same, I invite you to assess yourself if you want to embrace these three important characteristic that you need to endure being a core team:

1) Be Coachable (have an open mind and willingness to take action)
2) Be success-driven (set your purpose and goal)
3) Be willing to start as a beginner (have the humility to unlearn and learn)

Three simple characteristic, that if you have them, for sure you’d enjoy THE VOYAGE INTO THE CORE TEAM.

A Piece Called CA2020

In grade school, I’ve been exposed to the mainstream of high rise buildings in Ayala, Makati. My mom has been working all her life as an Accountant and she was a great influence on why I pursued my profession as Certified Public Accountant. At a young age, I was mesmerized by the glamour of the corporate world for the high profiled job and office my mom had back then left a huge difference in me. And like the usual parental advice, I’ve studied hard and diligently reviewed to pass the board exam. Fortunately, I’ve passed it and got jobs on good firms in the country. But as I’m living and working in the corporate world, the glamour I’ve used to believe in did not shine the way it used to.

Three years after college, I’m now at Ayala, Makati working in a multinational oil company with a high profiled job inside a luxurious building with my own desk complete with all the things I need to work well. In such time, I was recognized and promoted to a leadership position. I am grateful with the recognition and trust but deep within I knew something’s missing. I’ve worked hard and reached the positions I’ve aimed for but slowly I started to see and realized that corporate world wasn’t the place I want to grow and live with. I started to realize that this world is taking too much of my time but doesn’t provide me that much financial freedom. As I stay longer, the more I valued my youth and time that I rarely have because I have too much work in my desk. Then I felt something’s not right and I started to look for that missing piece until one day, like a light of bulb, I found the piece that completed my puzzle. That piece of puzzle is called Create Abundance 2020 Business Community (CA2020).

Before I’ve found my piece, I’ve searched my soul by reading a lot of books, attending seminars and a solo road trips to places just to reflect. All the soul searching was beneficial and fulfilling but still I felt the emptiness of that piece until one day a friendster message have solved and changed my growing puzzle.

CA2020 means a lot to me, it’s my school, my battlefield and my family for I own and breathe with it for I’ve found a new form of living that supported my beliefs and desires. In this community I’m learning to be a good player in the game of business and life. Every day I spend is a day of empowerment and positivity. In this place I can be both at my best and not-so-best for it doesn’t criticize and accepts failure as learning ground. It’s a place for me to learn and re-learn by empowering others and be empowered. In here I’m enhancing all the skills of business, people, leadership and personal that I needed to truly succeed in life. And with these powerful people surrounding me, success in all aspect isn’t too far and hard at the same time, I’m enjoying my most valuable asset called TIME. :)

Isn’t it a marvelous piece of puzzle to find a place where you learn and grow as a person, meet and cultivate people, and you’re earning yet you have all the time in your hands. It sounds impossible but it’s existing for a lot of us have already found it. You just have to ask yourself if you have the same missing piece that you need to search on for who knows you’ll find the same piece I’ve had.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

In the past, I always put my focus into one. Whenever something interests me, I’ll strive to be at my best on that something. I always strive for “efficiency” instead of “effectiveness”. Other than being efficient, I also tend to be “do-it-all” type of person. I never say “No”. As I’ve blogged a few weeks ago, never saying “no” isn’t good at all. You should learn to say “no”.

Habit 3 teach about dealing with urgency and importance, putting things first without losing balance. Most people lack balance in life, either their too pre-occupied with work, love, family, school, business etc. Such lackness causes them to feel stressed, haggard and unhappy with life which also at times lead to broken relationships. I used to be one of those who don’t believe there is this real “balance” in life. Now, I’m happy to say that my life never felt this balanced as I started to learn the trick. :D

When I say balanced, it doesn’t mean complete equilibrium in all aspect, mind you, it can’t be perfect equality. Someone have said that life balance is like your four fingers (exclude your thumb). If you’d look at these fingers, they’re not created equal but their close to it. In viewing life’s balance, you can look at your fingers to remind you the “almost equality” in the four aspect of life, that’s mental, spiritual, physical and emotional.

When you start to understand this, you’d see life as easy as ABC. Haha. You’d start to appreciate how wonderful life is and how you can live it to the fullest, day by day. You’d realized that “busy” is the most irrelevant excuse you can ever say for you’d never be busy. You’d start to view the word “busy” to mean lack of control on the most important asset of life which is TIME. For you do have all the time to build relationship and produce outputs, it’s just rest to you on WHAT’s valuable that leads to your happiness. :D

As I started to apply this in my life, a noticeably changed in my aura and outlook started to come out. Now I feel bubblier, younger and happier than I ever felt. :D To start attracting positive vibes in your life, aim for balance, and from there you’d start to attract positive things for you feel positively happy with life. Remember, like attracts like. :D

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of the things which matter least”. – GOETHE

A Stain I Want To Erase

Imagine yourself having a relationship that’s too good to be true. LIke a love that’s deeper and sweeter than Romeo and Juliet. A prince in a fairy tale world. Then suddenly, it all stopped. For days, weeks and months, you won’t receive any texts, email nor phone calls.

Furious and confuse, you’d approach that prince. He’d ask you why do you want to see him? And you’d answer, “Coz I wonder how you’ve been” then ask him, “What am I to you?”. And he’d tell you, “You’re a stain i want to erase!. Start worrying about yourself. Take care.” OUCH???!!! OMG!!!!!

Okay, how did I know this? Stop playing that thoghts in your mind for this isn’t my love story, hahaha. I’m currently watching the korean version of “Boys Before Flowers” (a.k.a Hana Yori Dango (Japan) & Meteor Garden (taiwan)).

There’s this scene where the guy said that, “A stain I want to erase”.

I find guys (or even gals, for i heard there are bitch out there) who does this thing a BIG COWARD. Instead of telling the other person directly that they’ve fallen out of love, they keep the other waiting and wondering of ‘WHY THINGS SUDDENLY CHANGED’. They don’t have the nerve to tell directly that they’ve fallen out of love.

Face it, telling them or not will cause the same, you’d break their heart (may even crashed it). So why prolong, and why leave the other person hanging?

Some are scared to say the magic word, “i’ve fallen out of love” because their scared of hurting the other person. But scared or not, not telling the other person that you did, will only worsen the other’s situation. For some, those who tell the girl/guy directly are cruel, but as for me, it’s better to be honest than keep the other waiting. They’d get hurt, that’s for sure, but at least, they can move on.

Pain isn’t scary, what’s more scary is believin’ onto something that isn’t there anymore.