One morning, I had a small epiphany. Why do I do the things I do? A friend asked me why I activate my nuts. I think she was not interested in the science of it. She wanted to know why I bother. For activating nuts was indeed time consuming, not to mention energy consuming. The time and effort applied could be better spent doing something else. So I searched in my heart. And the answer is simple. Wellbeing is my current passion. It consumes me and fires me up every day. A passion needs no explanation nor excuses. It’s just IS.
I looked back. I realized that I have been climbing mountain after mountain my entire adult life. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that my life is hard. It means that I like exploring, I like adventure, I like peaking, I like to have a goal. Life will sometimes deal you a mountain. It could be sickness (eg. cancer) or a challenging circumstance (eg. losing a job or separation). I have my share of life’s challenges. But oftentimes, I seek my own mountain. Where I have utmost control. Let me count them.
Live life in a forward motion. Never move sideways.
The first decade of my adult life – My 20s
1) Career. I graduated with a degree in computer engineering in 1991. But I’ve always abhorred software programming. So I decided to move into the world of telecommunications. In hindsight, friends who decided to take the shift had to get a second degree in communications. I didn’t have to. I simply charmed my way into landing a telecommunications job and taught myself all things telco. In a male dominated industry, I achieved technical expertise.
2) Mountain hiking. Before children, I was an active recreation mountaineer in the Philippines (1995-1998). Do you agree that being close to nature gives one an enhanced perspective in life? I carry that awareness since, in the little things that I do. I believe in this mantra. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.
Do things that make you happy, for you!
The second decade of my adult life – My 30s
3) Motherhood. My 30s was all about parenting. There was no blueprint for success, I had to learn the ropes as I go. My next challenge was to make my two children the best they can be. Nature dealt me with an autistic child. I lived and breathed Migo’s disorder. I explored therapies, alternative diets and natural medication in search for, not so much a cure, but an improvement. These days, we focus in building Migo’s life skills rather than wanting him to become someone he can never be. On the mainstream child front, I steered my youngest child into the best high school that he can qualify for. Gabo’s entry into a selective high school could very well be my highest attainment so far.
4) Migrating to Australia. We came to Sydney from Manila in late 2000 with no relatives, no jobs waiting, only a few thousand dollars and with two children ages 11 months and 2 years old. We had only 2 close friends who supported and cheered us on. Migo, my eldest child with autism, was a difficult child to raise. He was diagnosed at 3 years old, so for one year we had no clue. Migo was not aggressive nor did he engage in self-harm. On the contrary, he was extremely passive. His story is something I have yet to tell. I will get to it one day. Coming to Australia was the best decision the bloke and I made, we could not have picked a better country to raise our children. I was fortunate enough to land a job with a telephone company after two weeks of job seeking. The bloke had a tougher time. So for nine months, I was the breadwinner. Blessedly, our roles were reversed back after nine months. I finally fulfilled my dream of becoming a stay-at-home mum. We rented houses for seven years before finally moving into our own home in 2007. Property investing is yet another story.
5) Staying home for 2 years and getting back into the career saddle was tough. From late 2001 to 2003, I nurtured my children. It was the best two years of my life as a mother. Life was filled with simple pleasures. Despite Migo’s autism, he was a docile child and I knew that we were blessedly lucky. Other parents have it tougher. In 2003, I was ready to get back into my stalled career. There was just one problem. My head. I lacked confidence. I imagined that the two years of caring for the boys rendered my brain dull. I could not remember anything remotely technical! Oh I wish I was already blogging at that time so I could tell you the turmoil that went on in my head. I searched for a telco job for one year. I had to deal with rejection after rejection. In hindsight, the telco industry did suffer a period of mass layoffs at that time. That fact did not ease my strain. My head told me that I was not good enough and I think that mindset merely attracted negativity. I did manage to get into the retail industry. I spent one year behind the lay-by counter at Myer Department Store. I was part of the back office staff dealing with daily accounting, audit, inventory, and support for the cash registers. We also dealt with difficult customers that the floor staff were unable to handle. I met, worked and befriended the Aussie working class. They gave me insight into their typical lives. They who take overseas holidays just like anyone else with their minimum wage. I did not regret my one year in retail because it was insightful and different in its own way. That year taught me humility and gratitude. Finally, after 12 months of seeking, I was offered a role in a mobile phone company that was a perfect fit to the skills I had previously. I spent the next few years re-learning the ropes, acquiring new confidence and proving to myself that my brain can still function outside home life.
The third decade of my adult life – My 40s
So we arrive to where I am today. I once sent a message to a friend who turned 40 – “Our lives took a detour at 30. It’s time to get back on the YOU Highway at 40.”
6) Fitness and Wellbeing. This is the mountain I am currently exploring. In 2012, I lost 8 kilos. Not a big number by usual standards. But it was enough to give me inner joy. Enough to transform me into a positive and energetic person. The zest for adventure is back. The 90s Charina is back! I talked about what I learned along the highway of weight loss here and here. This year, I am learning new things about nutrition and fitness. I am embracing a whole new lifestyle. There are three inputs to wellbeing – nutrition, exercise and detox. Fitness experts will tell you to treat your body like a Ferrari. Only use the best fuel you can afford. This means eating whole foods – unprocessed, lean proteins, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, whole carbs. I added weights and cardio training to my weekly jogs. Over the coming months, I will share with you what I am doing and how I am going. You can watch me succeed or fail; or you can join me, do things with me and learn with me. Either way, I hope this blog will inspire you to eat better, move faster and live larger!
One last thing. In order to succeed with anything, surround yourself with like-minded individuals.
Norberto says
Very brave revelations, love the line ” I like to have a goal”. As fellow climber this mentality lives beyond the mountains, we carry it in our daily life. So lucky are those who have peaked a sunrise on top of a foggy mountain…. its our to forever keep….
Chiqui Pineda says
“A passion needs no explanation nor excuses. It’s just IS.”
Oh, my, oh, my, oh, MY. Your story is my story. I feel much lighter after reading your words. I know why this is, I have entered a very light mind and am now infected. Thank you, Charina. It’s such a blessing knowing you talaga! Double treat that you’re my pakner in this jarknee toegeder!! 😀
Cha R-g says
Hello Chiqui. The feeling is mutual. Really. I like your spirit, momma. I think our paknership is going to go places teehee. Fancy I stumbled onto you and your beautiful friends in IG! Truly truly grateful maself. (smiles).
Cha R-g says
Hi Nono, I guess our Akyat (climbing) days pretty much set us up for life. Don’t ya think? I am so glad we did what we did. There’s nothing like reaching the peak. Now, I am always chasing peaks… LOL!