on the Verge of

With the recent conflicts from the ongoing Marawi clash, I felt it was only appropriate that my next Encouragement Weekly Photo Challenge would be about peace. Peace is an elusive idea but it is not impossible. Too often do our conflicts result from differences in beliefs and imposing these to others who have different ones. Instead of using force to convince others, it is best to respect each other and live in solidarity with these differences. It is in understanding one another that we will be able to get each other to respect, cooperate for justice, and achieve peace. With this, I pray that our country will be able to overcome this crisis in Marawi, that everyone will stand united to fight and end terrorism. 

I remember it was around this time of the year last year when I bought my very own oven. It was small but it was good enough to bake cakes and roast chicken. It was the start of a new chapter in my life and I couldn't wait to learn new things, especially baking. I didn't have the luxury to have formal lessons then so I taught myself how to bake. I researched the internet, watched videos, and read a lot of stuff. After successfully baking my first ever brownies, I never stopped trying out new cakes and pastries. Of course there were some mishaps along the way but it never discouraged me to keep on trying again. I learned to substitute things which were not available, add chocolate chips or cinnamon if possible, estimate proportions in making ganache, and many other things. I slowly bought new baking materials to try out more things. In the future though, I'm hoping to get baking lessons to enhance my knowledge and further hone my skills. I happily look back at the year

The past week has been an exhausting one. Aside from the physical and mental stresses, I had to go through some emotional ordeals as well. As such, I found myself oversleeping on a Saturday morning, too tired to get up from bed and eat breakfast. I had some personal errands that day and even thought of going to the office to finish some work. But I was too tired that I couldn't do any of it. I had to give myself some time to get some decent sleep and recover. I had to stop neglecting myself and prioritizing others. This time, I had to give myself some love. Sometimes we forget that we need to love ourself first before we can truly love others. Don't be too hard on yourself and know your worth. You are beautiful and deserving. So I say this to myself and everyone else, 'Always Love Yourself' ❤️

I know it's a bit late for my week 7 photo challenge. Nonetheless, here is my encouragement photo for the week which is about gratitude. The past week has been quite tiresome for me. Everything was just dragging and exhausting, running a lot of stuff in the office and going to the gym. I feel like complaining about the problems and restraints I have in life. But then I realized that there's so much to be thankful for despite all my dilemma. If I could shift my attitude towards gratitude, I can see a more positive outlook in life. I can be thankful for the work that provides me financial resources, for my family and friends who love me, and for this opportunity to live a simple yet extraordinary life. Gratitude is indeed the best attitude!

Keen and I were thrilled since we were finally back at Chez Nous where we celebrated our 13th monthsary last May 2. Chez Nous has been one of our favorite restaurants in Davao. It is also one of our most recommended restaurants in the city. So far, all the feedback from our recommendations has always been positive. Since it opened early last year, it has created quite a buzz in social media for its consistently good reviews. Their innovative cuisine, which aims to 'Think Global, Eat Local', mainly delivers international dishes made primarily from local ingredients. From our latest visit, we noticed that they have revamped their menu, keeping their bestsellers while making room for new dishes. They've increased some of the prices but they remain reasonable for their taste and quality. We ordered our staple Seared Tuna Nicoise Salad . Everything was satisfyingly fresh from the greens to the tuna. The excellent combination of textures and tastes made it a r

My sixth Encouragement Weekly Photo Challenge reminds me that it's okay to take those breaks in life. In this fast paced world that we live in, we sometimes forget the need to give ourselves enough time reflect on the things that have passed, enough time to heal all wounds, and enough time to allow ourselves to be whole again.