Nothing Changes Until You Do

People tend to be hesitant and afraid to do sacrifices and changes in their lives. Some of them were able to start the process or even in the middle of it but eventually stopped for some reasons.

Photo borrowed from http://gogrove.co.uk/fit-life

I used to be one of them. I was once hesitant. I was once afraid. The realization for change started years ago but it was only last year that I decided to go for it. I must say it was really difficult (dieting, exercising) at first, and in the middle of the process it was quite disappointing considering the fact that my body has already adjusted to what I was doing which gave me a slow progress. However, the last part of the process was the most satisfying and rewarding. Sacrifices finally paid off and every bit of it was worth it.

I started. I did not quit. I succeeded!

Now, I am totally changed, I am totally different. I am no longer the person who looked like an inflated balloon. My fats are gone and I looked fit. It did not only changed the way I look but also the way I feel about myself; I gained more self-confidence and self-trust. I actually see life differently now; the life that I used to think that was dark and hopeless has transformed into something very bright and full of hope.

Most people would say that life is difficult and I agree to them. However, life has choices an these will make life easier for everyone to live. What I am trying to imply is that when you think that there is something wrong with your life, do not hesitate and do not be afraid to change it. Do not think of the sacrifices you might be experiencing along the process, but always think of the outcome it will bring. Let's just say you will be sacrificing for a couple of months, but after that sacrifice you will be enjoying its result for the rest of your life.

A Journey To A Healthier Me: The Hidden Truth

Photo Borrowed from emergingcenter.wordpress.com

Growing up with an extra body size has never been easy for me. Some people find me cute, hug-gable while others find me unattractive--ugly. I have been battling with this since I started schooling, I got teased, offended and even insulted. If only words could kill, I may be dead now, those unpleasant and mean words coming from different people are so painful that could almost tear me apart. When I was a child, there were many times that I felt isolated because  nobody liked me to be their playmate and  at that early age of mine I already experienced how to be dumped and rejected.

Adolescent stage was the hardest part for me. I started to realize that my body was not normal but instead of correcting it, for some unknown reasons I did not. Boys and girls in the campus were getting prettier, sexier and more appealing but sad to say I remained fat, unattractive--ugly. As I remained to be fat, people around me also did not change the way they were treating me; insensitive, mean, evil!

As what teenagers normally feel and do, I had crushes, took chances, I fell in love, courted and many more but I did it all with hesitations, doubts and insecurities. I was once loved and taken but with just a blink of an eye she was gone. She fell in love with another man who's the total opposite of me. I blamed myself for what happened, If only I looked good, she would have stayed with me and I would have been happy.

When I went to college, I took up nursing as what my Father wanted, but what they didn't know was I almost got rejected by the College of Nursing's Dean Emeritus to enroll the course because of my extra sized body (I was 275 lbs that time). She gave me permission to enroll but with one condition, and guess what? I have to lose weight by the next semester. Good thing was, our ways didn't cross the following semester.

I focused all my attention in my studies without thinking of the pains I had. I was trying to build a new life, a new me, who's a lot stronger and a lot wiser. I tried to appear as a jolly and pain free person to every people I met and knew in our University. I didn't tell them about my painful experiences, about my dark past. I didn't want them to pity me, all I wanted is to be happy and enjoy life.

My college life was not perfect as what I wanted it to be, there were still people who teased me, I got busted  twice but what I did was to make friends with them and it made my life a lot easier. It was like playing in their games and winning it.

Losing weight  while studying didn't ever came in my mind, but due to stress and lack of sleep I lost some pounds which made me glad. I thought it would be consistent but when my body learned to adjust, my weight started to increase again. The reason may be was coping stress by over eating and over sleeping  whenever there's time.

I finished my nursing course in the year 2010 and passed the Nurse Licensure Examination in the same year and worked as a Nurse Trainee the following year.

It was then when I started to realize that I'm in a profession that has something to do big with health; being healthy, being fit. It was a big slap in my face giving health teachings to my patients, encouraging them to engage in a healthy lifestyle but I, myself is not even doing all those things. Not following what I'm teaching is a huge damage to my credibility as a health advocate. I always believed that if you want to be a good leader, you must be a good follower first and foremost.

When I ended my contract as a Nurse Trainee, I really wanted to get a job and get paid. I applied in several companies, tried my luck in other fields but there are just things that are not really meant for us. It was a bit disappointing but as most people say, when doors are closed, God opens a window.

Right there and then, I already knew what God has planned for me, He wanted me to become an epitome of health. In some point, I was glad I didn't get at least one of those jobs, it was like God has given me a sign, a direction to where I should be heading and without any doubts I took the chance.

Photo Borrowed from teamrich.wordpress.com

In order to make things easier for me and to stay away from so many temptations (food, liquors, etc.), I decided to go to Manila. God is so good that he gave me a very supportive siblings, a father, and a mother. It was like He didn't just prepare me alone for this journey, He also included my family.

Strict diet, exercise, self-discipline, and motivation; these are the things I need to do and I need to have. At first, I felt like I am being punished and tortured not being able to eat what I like plus the 2 hours in the gym was sick! Gladly those negative thoughts were replaced with concentration, determination and fun.

I started with an alarming and awakening weight of 280 lbs or 127 kg. Having that weight made me feel so bothered. That was my biggest weight ever in my entire life. I took things seriously from then on, I eliminated rice, pork, soda, red meat from my meals, I also did modifications in my diet from time to time. On the other aspect, my gym trainer also did modifications in my daily routine exercises and boxing drills from time to time just to reach our goal which is to lose weight. 

Photo Borrowed from thehealthculture.com

Everything we did was successful, I was losing weight every week and in just a span of one month, I lost 40 lbs or 18 kg. I didn't even expect that I would lose that much of weight in just one month and it made me feel so happy and proud. My sacrifices finally paid off and everything was worth it.

Now, I am about to end my second month in the gym and surprisingly, I am still losing weight. I can already see changes in my body, I got my neck back, my collar bones are starting to show up, and my tummy is already smaller and thinner compared to what I got before.  Even  my old clothes are already big for me to wear.

Going into the process of losing weight is really hard, but being able to see the changes it will bring to you is very satisfying. With the results I got now, it didn't only changed my physical being, but it is also changing me as a whole person; I gained self confidence and trust, it made me more happier and I can say that I am loving myself a lot more now.

God is really wonderful in His plans for us. We might failed in our personal plans but the only reason is that God's plan is better than ours. All we need to do is to surrender everything to Him and let God rule our lives.

Everything I am experiencing right now is because of His great plans for me. I know this is just the beginning, but I will be forever thankful to Him and to His instruments (my family and friends) for helping me change for the better. 

To all obese like me, it is never too late. 

Let's start changing our lives! 

Let's be fit! 

Let's be healthy!

Sa TESDA, May Choice Ka!

TESDA - CAMC - Competency Assessors 
Methodology Course
Photo Credits:  http://www.daycody.com/category/tesda/

Chances, Choices, these are the two (2) C’s that everyone has to deal with and it is just a matter of taking chances and making right choices.

Everyone is dreaming for a bigger and brighter future and in order to realize these dreams, right choices must be made.

A person’s economic standard is not anymore a hindrance in realizing dreams. Our Government is taking its part in order for the less fortunate people to still be able to realize their dreams, and that is through TESDA.

TESDA has different programs that would benefit the people. They have Community Based Program which is addressed to the poor and marginal groups or for people with low skills and limited management abilities. They also have a Center Based and School Based Programs. TESDA is also offering Online Programs for them to be accessible anytime, anywhere. So, saan ka pa? Choices are everywhere in TESDA!

TESDA has a lot more to offer, they have both technical and vocational courses that you can choose from, and these courses are not just ordinary courses, because these require special or hidden skills/talents from a person.

If you are a person with special skills in the kitchen and love to cook, you can enrol in their Commercial Cooking course and get a chance to work in hotels, clubs, restaurants, cruises and many more.

If you are a person whose fun in cutting patterns from fabrics and making garments, then Dressmaking course is the one for you!

More so, if you are a person who has the skills in repairing appliances or cellular phones even without proper training, do not waste you time! Enroll in their Consumer Electronics course and get a chance to broaden your knowledge and enhance your skills.

If your interest is with mechanical and electrical parts, components and automotive vehicles, TESDA's Automotive Servicing course is the one that suits you.

Those are just some of the courses offered by TESDA, and these courses are CHANCES! So all you have to do is to choose because the CHOICE is yours!

All you need to remember is that wherever or whatever you are right now, that is just the outcome of the choice you have made.

Bigger and Brighter future ba ang hanap niyo???

Be with TESDA!!!

Dahil Sa TESDA, May Choice Ka!!! 

This blog post is officially entered in the TESDA Blog Contest.

Secret Hiring

Secret hiring, are the best words to describe the employment process in our country in both Government and Private institutions. Secret in a sense that the information on job vacancies are not being forwarded or disseminated outside the institution. On the other hand, if and when the information has been given to the public that is only for the sole purpose of informing the people, but the truth is there are already reserved people in the said vacancy. The worst thing that could happen for a regular job hunter (without backer/relatives in the institution) is being able to undergo on the stages of the job application like exams, interviews etc. as if  that was really for real but the fact is, those were just for formality purposes. Again, there are already reserved people for those vacant jobs.

Now, who are these reserved people?- I called them reserved simply because they are the products of Nepotism and Political Partisanship. They always have the chance of getting a job not because of their credentials or qualifications but merely because of the influential people behind them. They do not experience what a regular job hunter has to undergo; the pain, the pressure, the sweat and tears just to get the job that they needed and wanted.

This secret hiring is clearly seen and observed in the Nursing Profession. There are thousands of Registered Nurses produced each year and it seems like there are only hundreds of opportunities.....Opportunities that we can't even compete!

I appreciated the idea and efforts of some Government Organizations in creating programs allotted for Nurses just like the RN-Heals by the DOH and Philhealth Cares by Philhealth. Let me irreterate, I only appreciated their idea and efforts in creating those programs but not their process of filling in the available positions. 

Their programs may sound good to the public but for me, it is just another set of foolishness and false hope. It could have been better if there was equality and fairness in the employment process but there was none. Unfortunately, before the complete information has been disseminated to the public, the slots were already filled in and taken. Information is being trapped in the lower office and benefited only the people who received it, their relatives, families and friends. The only thing that's left for others......is NOTHING!

"REJECTION is ACCEPTABLE with FAIR COMPETITION, without it, REJECTION IS DEBATABLE" - Reynald Baguio -

It's Not What You Know, It's Who You Know

One of the social-diseases of our country is Nepotism, and it is very common in both private and government institutions. It is safe to say that when you know of someone, a relative perhaps with a high position in a certain institution and you are aiming to get a job, everything will be as easy as 1, 2, 3. 

Getting a job nowadays especially in the nursing career is as difficult as passing into the hole of a needle. Your license as a nurse is not a guarantee that there's a job ahead of you, even your Masters Degree will not help you. You maybe have the best experience among others or you maybe better than them but still it won't get you there. The only thing that matters now are the influential people behind you, even though you lack the experience to do the job and may even be totally incompetent and unsuitable for it, but if you have the connections, you will surely get the job. 

What will happen to those competent nurses without any connections? How long are they going to suffer from unemployment? How long are they going to prove to those selfish employers/admins/institutions that they are worth to hire? There are a lot of nurses who are victims of this social disease and what's left to them are frustrations. I pity those nurses who doesn't have any backer/connections and I pity myself for being one of them.

Sing For Life

I love singing, it is my easiest way of expressing my feelings and emotions. Every time I feel bad or whenever I feel broke, I'd just sing and eventually my worries and pain will slowly ease. 

I started singing when I was just a little boy and I used to sing with my mom and dad and also with my siblings. Singing has already been a part of our lives, it is our way of spending quality time together. I really miss those times when we sang together outside our house in the middle of the night and with a bonfire as our light. 

Singing is indeed a talent that must be shared and developed. It is also something that we must be proud and be thankful of. I do not sing just for myself, I sing for the people, for my family, friends and most specially I sing for my GOD. But  there is still one more thing that I'd like to do someday, and that is to sing for my BRIDE. I want to sing to her our love-song while she walks in the isle towards me, and also while we walk together going to the altar and say the words "I DO".

Nightmares in Nursing

    Its been a while when I started working as a Nurse Trainee in a private hospital. As a nurse trainee, I am not receiving anything, not a single centavo from the hospital. Lucky to those professionals who does not belong in the nursing career because from the time that they passed the board exam and got their license, they were able to work immediately with pay. They paid a cheaper tuition fee but look at them now, they are receiving a bigger salary compared to nurses.

    It is a sad reality for us new nurses that we need to suffer first for a couple of months or even years working as volunteers or trainees before we can actually work as staff nurses. We are already licensed but we are not being compensated, we are exploited! We did not study nursing for free, we even had the most expensive tuition fee but look at us now, we are still asking money from our parents and we can't even buy our own needs.

    They are always telling us that the surplus of nurses is the primary reason why we do not have opportunities here. Well, Yes, they maybe right but my point here is that we have plenty of hospitals in our country and as far as I know, if not all, most of our hospitals are under-staff. If we are going to base it on the international standard ratio of nurses to patients which is 1:4, they really lack of staff nurses. Hospitals today are getting wiser, for them to be able to save expenses and fill in the lacking number of nurses they implemented the volunteer/trainee programs. In short, they have been taking advantage to the surplus of nurses without even thinking of our rights.

     When this issue was raised in the Senate and was televised, I was a bit hopeful that somehow there could be better solutions but in the end, I was just disappointed. The solution given primarily focused on reducing or limiting the number of enrollment in every nursing schools. My God! we're talking about surplus and unemployment of nurses, so why give as a damn solution that has nothing to do with our concern? Do you think that when the enrollment decreases the employment for nurses will increase? Come to think of it!

    All nurses are members of the so called PNA (Philippine Nurses Association) and it is so nice to hear that we belong to a certain association that could somehow do something from our concerns and could protect our rights but sad to say they are not doing anything to the existing problems of nurses. All I know is they have been collecting money from us. How many new nurses does our country produced each year? How many existing members would renew their membership? That's a big number for sure, therefore, that is also a big money to them. They must have done something to help unemployed nurses, a program perhaps, but then again there were none.

    The only thing that I will get from being a nurse trainee is the experience; the chance to sharpen my skills, widen my knowledge, work with good people, and also being able to help and give care to the sick people, but other than that, there's nothing else.

   Just recently, the Department of Health stopped the volunteer programs for Nurses in all Government hospitals. Let's just hope and pray that this action would take us somewhere, so that there will be no more exploitation and there will be better compensations for nurses .