Deep Thoughts

This month,A Wife’s Charmed Life is celebrating its 6th birthday in the blogosphere. I sometimes look back at the journeys this blog has taken and I always wonder in awe at how much it has grown and how much I’ve grown too as person. So as a gift to my beloved readers, let me share a special moment that happened on my birthday six months ago: attending Elizabeth Gilbert’s talk at the Sydney Opera House where I also got to meet her.

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Elizabeth “Liz” Gilbert is intelligent, funny and endearing. Her aura illuminates with such positive energy. Listening to her talk about her life and advices when it comes to following one’s passion was a very inspiring experience.

I love Liz Gilbert. Her book Eat Pray Love brought a lot of sense to me and thru it I learned the missing link in my life then which was the value of balance. It was a dream come true to see her and learn a lot from her stories. 

The best part was I got to meet her too! She did this talk three days before my birthday in January this year and it was one of best gifts the Universe has ever given to me. When we met, she complimented me that I have a beautiful name (she referred to Ivy) and then greeted me a “Happy birthday!” when I mentioned that she is fate’s birthday gift to me. It was so surreal! 

Elizabeth Gilbert, Life After Eat Pray Love (January 2013)

Here she is signing my old Eat Pray Love book. 🙂

Elizabeth Gilbert, Life After Eat Pray Love (January 2013)
I’m sharing a video of her talk at the Sydney Opera House below. It’s lengthy but it’s worth your time. However, if you have no time to watch just yet, here are some things I learned from Liz Gilbert’s talk:

On her life:
Writing is her only talent, she does it good and had always been her path.
She’s experienced life in Wyoming as a ranch girl.
She’s gullible…she easily believes in everything.
She enjoys the company of men as men are more interesting.
She describes herself as an introvert trapped in an extrovert body.

On writing 
When writing, one should have a particular person/audience directed to .

On writing Eat Pray Love
It was a letter to her friend Darcy. 
It’s her most intimate book as it is her story but she had no regrets writing it, it is a great blessing to her life.
The best thing that has happened during her journey was the 4 months she spent in India as she finds a peace resolution to herself.

On overcoming that judgemental voice
Be more stubborn to that voice; quiet that voice so your own voice will come out.
Be kind to yourself and forgive yourself.
Push hard, be relentless because it has to be done.

On making your dreams come true
Anything challenging is worth doing.
It is your passion, it is your responsibility.
Stop complaining.

On empowering women
We as women need to constantly be realistic perspective on how far we’ve come in such a short time.
Relax and don’t be hard on yourself.
It doesn’t help when society dictates what women should do etc. but there are new freedoms.

Last year, the universe gifted me with Roger Federer. This year, it was Liz Gilbert. Words cannot express how much I’m truly grateful for these inspiring encounters. Moments like these will always warm my heart.

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Happy 1st day of July, everyone!

Let’s start the second half of the year with a cheerful post, shall we? 

I discovered this book at kikki.K early this year and the first thing I thought of was to get a few pieces to give to friends. I have always believed that happiness felt from within should always be shared with the people you hold dearly. As much as I would love to give a copy of this book to everyone I love, well, some of them would have to wait (haha!) because I can’t afford to give each one a copy–yet.
Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Book
The HAPPY Quote Book is a compilation of quotes on Happiness interpreted thru wonderful artworks and illustrations. It also includes a fold-out poster which you can frame and hang on your wall.
Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Book

Here are a few of my favourite Happy Quotes and a bit of comments from me:

Think happy thoughts. 

_MG_26Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Book82

Most times, it’s the little everyday things that give us a joy. 

Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Book

This quote supports my belief that happiness should come from within us. The pursuit of happiness must start in us and we should never depend on someone else or some things to make us happy. 

Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Book

A quote from a famous song which I love. One of the recipients of the books I gave out took a photo of this quote via instagram and tagged me. I was very touched by my friend’s gesture.

Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Book

Dedicated to the love of my life. 

Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Book

I always relate happiness to gratitude. I believe that being happy is appreciating the blessings we have ALL the time. It’s like seeing rainbows of opportunities in a sea of challenges. And I also believe that as long as there are things to be grateful for, there is no reason to be unhappy.

Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Book

Happiness is a choice.

Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Book

I love this book! It’s inspiring and fun (because of its adorable illustrations) at the same time. A pocketful of reminders to live a life filled with happiness and inspiration.

The Happy Quote Book is available at kikki.K.

Related Posts:
My Affirmation Today (Focus on Happy Thoughts)
Discovered Inspirations: 10 Ways To Be Happy

One of the few realizations we had when we vacationed in Manila was this: that we come back because we want to have a feel of what our life used to be. Going back to our mother country means we get to reminisce of our childhood and relive a life we once used to be a part of. Seeing Manila grow and change with the times is a milestone but a part of me wishes that some things and places are still maintained to how it’s supposed to be. That’s why I love reading books and watching old films where I get to see how things were when Manila (and the Philippines) was young.

A Penchant For The Old
A penchant for the old. My love for what Manila used to be.
Curly Tops from my childhood. The romance of using a telephone.
I was fortunate to come across the book “The Manila We Knew” in April. It was a collection of stories and essays of life in Manila. Stories that capture one’s love for a city and its soul, life and history. In its pages you’ll find romance and tragedy, hope and struggle. 
I started reading a few pages on Sunday morning and it brought me back to a time when I wasn’t even born yet, when life in Manila was simpler. I’m glad that thru this book, I get to have a peek of what it’s like to be part of the old Manila.

We arrived in Sydney on the last week of April after three weeks of vacation in Manila and Seoul. As always, it was a vacation worth remembering, filled with love and warmth from family and friends, going back to our roots, reliving the things we love doing in our motherland and of course, discovery and exploration of new places and gastronomical indulgences. It was wonderful. It was beautiful. We left Manila with an ache for the people we will miss. We left Seoul with a longing to come back there again one day.

On the Autumn morning we arrived back home, Sydney welcomed us with the lovely Sun shyly peeking from the horizon with orange, pink and blue hues shining brightly around it. 

We have a lot to be grateful for from our vacation. In the coming days, I hope to sit down and gather my thoughts about it. On our first week back, I’ve been busy getting well from a cough I got on my last few days in Manila, sorting out our things and getting back to normal. This week, I started work on Monday and still chasing away a few more of my post holiday blues. 

While it feels like such a looooong workweek for me, I’m glad to be back at work as it has helped stabilized my equilibrium. I’m slowly finding my centre once again. I think there is no easy way of getting over a wonderful holiday. You just have to accept the ache that goes with it once it’s over, move on with life and look forward to the next one.

Have a lovely weekend ahead!

This morning, I spent a few moments reflecting on how grateful I am to love and be loved by family and friends. Every Valentines Day, my thoughts are not just for my significant other but also for the special people who fill my life with love and joy. Wherever they are, I send positive and grateful thoughts out to them, not just today but everyday.

Here’s my Hearts Day gift to you dear readers. A short film by Disney entitled “Paperman” which takes only six minutes of your time but will give you a smile that could last the whole day.  

This video made me remember how love can find you in the most unexpected times and how the universe makes a way for things to fall into place because some people are meant for each other. Ahhh Love, the most wonderful thing!

Have a fun Hearts Day! Live, love and be grateful! 🙂 

Sources: Wikipedia Youtube