For one, I have moved to a foreign land to teach. It’s my first time to work abroad.

Instead of dealing with primary kids, I now handle teenagers, kids often bigger than me. Instead of me towering over my students, I find I often have to look up to them.

Changes in routine, for example, weekend routines back in the Philippines have changed as well. It’s now more simple.

Relationships wise, from a mini-long distance, it becomes a even longer distance relationship.

Foreign language, foreign place, everything is new.

It can get overwhelming at times really.

Change is really the only constant. 

However, I think I adjusted well and here are 5 ways I used to deal with the change:

1) Think of your Whys.

Think of the reasons that led to your decision that brought about much change in your life. Those reasons will keep you grounded.

2) Surround yourself with friends. Connect.

I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded with great friends and colleagues here in this foreign land. They help stave off homesickness and provide positive cheer.

3) Be humble

Dealing with new environments and changes can lead you to doubt your confidence. Be humble to acknowledge that you don’t know everything. Ask. Learn from others. This will lead to confidence.

4) Connect with God

Each time you wake up with the sun lighting up brightly in the sky, you know that God has a purpose for you and you have not yet accomplished it. Being in this new situation is part of the journey leading to your soul’s purpose.

5) Enjoy

Embrace the new change. Enjoy this new journey. Change often brings new things to learn and experience. One day, you will remember these experiences and smile that you braved the changes and it made you a better person.

Enjoy Change! Savor the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese! 

Spencer Johnson, Who moved my cheese?

*****

Being stuck in heavy traffic jam will surely ruin your day no matter how well you’ve started it. Even when the car air conditioner gives off cool air, you will be so frustrated and feel hot to the point that you’re burning inside, experiencing hell on earth. In this article, we will discuss some tips and activities you can do to while you’re in traffic.

1. Look for alternative routes.

Listen to the radio news intently. Search for channels announcing traffic information on the routes to your destination. If you have a GPS in your car, set the recommended routes on the device at once for you to follow suit. Also, you can refer to the taxi drivers beside you or other drivers for suggestions. Better yet, if you have a mobile app on your smart phone which can detect the paths with the heaviest traffic at that specific time, avoid them and follow through with alternatives.

2. Sing along to songs over the radio.

Not every car has an MP3 player, Bluetooth technology capable of connecting your music player to your car’s audio system and other high-technology devices, but almost every car has an in-built radio. Why not take the opportunity to sing when you’re all alone? Singing will somehow ease your anger and tension. Take on high notes and see how high your vocal cords can reach. Simply, have fun.

3. Listen to a podcast.

Before you leave the house, make sure that you have podcast and/or other audio educational or learning materials that you can utilize while in the traffic. iTunes, for instance, offers a lot of free podcasts from universities, professionals, educators, experienced individuals and entertainers. If your mobile phone has Internet access, you can even stream the episodic series of your favorite speaker and download it to your library. Use the time to get as much information to further your knowledge at some things. This can range from learning a new language, learning how to have a more positive mindset, how to sell efficiently, etc.

4. Reflect on things in life.

Maybe you’re so busy every day that you miss to have reflections on what you do, your relationships with your family, friends, colleagues at work, and the community. By thinking about the wrong and the right things you have accomplished, you are improving your personality and outlook to become a better individual. In addition, you can meditate, set priority tasks and be compelled to plan for the near future with a lighter mood and apt preparation. Jot these reflections and thoughts down on your journal (either digital or paper-based) and review them at the end of the day or share them with someone you trust.

5. Eat.

In your car, you must always have something to chow and chew on. Eating generally makes us happier. With more energy, we can think clearer and act with more vigor. If you don’t have anything from your fridge, buy food from the nearby drive-thru and eat the food while trapped in the traffic jam.

All good things happen to those who wait—patiently. So don’t let your frustration lead to anger and be patient instead. Do things that are useful to kill boredom and spend your time wisely while waiting for the red light to turn green.

******

Ann Joy Perez is an alumna from Arellano University Philippines, a former Marketing Assistant and a 25 year old, single.

She is into almost all types of Music especially love songs. She also love playing basketball, video games,watching entertainment and films.watching news tv and reading news paper is one of her favorite hobby and also she loves to eat. Follow her interests on her Tumblr.

I learned a lot of content marketing ideas from this event.

I am an avid reader on the topic of content marketing so a lot of the ideas I have heard or read before but it’s nice to hear the ideas spoken with conviction and passion.

I have categorized the ideas under the following headings:

On Attitude and Mindsets (The Self) 

• Carlo Ople talked about finding that meeting point where your passion meets strength and meets money. This means your blog should tap your passion, uses your strengths and your target niche should be a market where you can make money.
• Rem Tanauan shared the idea of the ‘soul of blogging’. Where do you find inspiration? Where do you find insights for your blog?
• Create your own rules and goals for your blog. Create eternal memories when you blog.
• To blog is to write. To write is to acknowledge our need to express the self.
• Janette urges bloggers to be assertive. Volunteer and ask for writing gigs.
• Decide whether you will be the influencer or the one to be influenced.
• Wendell Cagape shares that to be a great blogger, you have to be a great reader. Read plenty. Be inspired about your life’s experiences.
• Marcelle Fabie brought the house down with his humorous antics. Don’t force yourself to be funny. Humor will come naturally and is a powerful engaging mechanism for your blog.
• He urges us to find the humor in everyday life and our daily life experiences. This highlights the importance of paying attention to details.
• Don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh at yourself at times

Your Blog as an Artform (How to blog like a rockstar!) 

• Be creative
• Have good layout
• Relate to your audience
• Be easy to understand
• Boris Joaquin talked about the importance of having a strong, focused blog and that you should seek to be original. He also highlighted the need to have a strong and engaged readership for businesses to have an interest in your blog.
• Boris shared that writing skills is important to develop when running a blog.
• Boris Formula for Traffic: Great Content + Good Connections + Good Promotion= Great Traffic
• Guest post in other blogs.
• Add a personal touch in your entries. Engage your readers.
• LESS CLUTTER. MORE CONTENT. ARCHITECTURE IS IMPORTANT.
• Give comments that add value. Converse with bloggers and your readers.
• Build your identity. Find your voice. Discover yourself. STAND OUT.
• Great Blogs Inspire.
• Capture great photos!
• Be consistent in your blogging.
• Make posts that have IMPACT!
• Bien Elli Nillos summarizes blogging as STORYTELLING. Be a great Storyteller.  Appeal to your readers by tapping their emotions. Inspire action through your stories.
• Victorino challenges us to create world class blogs and to WOW our audience.
• Marcelle urges us to write about things we love and to make lists posts.

Your Blog as a Business and Platform

• Carlo Ople talked about a blog as an online publishing business. He gave an estimate that digital advertising is growing rapidly and is worth around 2 billion pesos at the moment.
• Carlo also shared to us that as bloggers, we are in the online publishing business and thus we have to see our blogs with a marketing mindset.
• As a business,we have to make our sites appealing to business and advertisers.
• There are 3 major business models: ads, services, and products. Decide what business model your blog will use.
• Your blog is a platform to build expertise.
• Have a media kit to those interested to advertise in your blog and collaborate with you.
• Mark Delgado talked about the importance of branding your blog and that the branding should be uniform and it should follow your niche.

Social Media

• Mark Delgado talked about creating online campaigns to drive traffic and engage readers via social media. An example is creating online contests.
• You can also create events to bring exposure and promote your brand.
• Mark highlighted the importance of creating alliances (networking) to promote your brand. Content and social media are tools you can use to do this.
• Carlo Gonzales urges us to use twitter well and to curate awesome content to tweet and post online. Understand and Tap Hashtags.

Relationship Marketing

•  Your blog is also a platform to build relationships.
• Jason Acidre also discussed the importance of engaging your industry influencers. Who are the leaders in your niche? The Klout Score can be a useful tool to measure digital influence.
• Boris highlighted the importance of connecting to people via email, calls and face to face events.
• Build your tribe. Build your community.
• Victorino Abrugar underscored the importance of getting mentors for your blog and life in general.
• Victorino urges us to focus on your audience.
• Carlo Angelo Gonzales shares the following tips to engage your readers: (1) Ask questions, (2) Mention your fans, (3) Thank people, (4) Provide Value, (5) Ask readers for their opinions.
• Jeoffrey Solas reminds us to be sincere both online and offline. Be credible. Walk the talk. Show your identity.

SEO/Google

•  Jason Acidre talked about the importance of having a value proposition. This means creating useful content and promoting it strategically to your intended audience.
• He also shared the importance of analyzing traffic statistics and to think of ways to improve conversions.
• Key things to take note in traffic statistics: Favorite pages, engagement, bounce rate and traffic sources.
• Google loves useful and compelling content. How do you know if Google will love it? Characteristics to consider: (1) Is it share-worthy? (2) Is it visually appealing? (3) Does it have a good hook? (4) Does it have good images and design? (5) Does it have clear calls to action?
• Email marketing is very powerful. Learn it.
• Optimize for search. Use keywords strategically.
• Build links through internal links and outside links.
• Make your content easy to share through social sharing buttons.
• Create ways to get the emails of people and have them subscribe to your newsletters and email lists.
• Always create awesome content.
• Be mindful of your keywords. It should show up on your title and first paragraph.
• Sean Patrick Si reminds us to use concise keywords in the title tag. He tells us to edit all our posts so that we can optimize it for the search engines.
• Kim Tryone Agapito shared advanced SEO strategies, like using blog networks and tapping authority sites for backlink purposes to your site. Blog networks can amplify your content tremendously.
• He also highlighted the need to make the anchor text in our blog entries to look natural.

Social Good and Responsible Blogging

• Danilo Arao urged us bloggers to maintain highest standards of ethics and to be responsible when we blog.
• By doing so, we maintain credibility and the reality is that trust is the currency of the web.
• Tonyo Cruz urges us to use social media for social good and to tap blogs and social media as a form of citizen journalism.
• Let us not forget that as bloggers, we are all Filipinos, and we have an obligation to help our country.
• Blogging is social. Connect with others. Help others.
• Teach others how to blog so that they can also use it for social good.
• Gellie Anne Abogado  reminds us never to plagiarize and to always provide correct information. She highlights the need to do research well and credit the source of your information and influence.
• Be accountable to what you write and always be nice to those that comment in your site.
• Janette urges bloggers to be active in the blogosphere and be nice to PR people and everyone you encounter. She says Respect is earned and you have to respect others to gain that same respect.
• Yes, there is competition in blogging so beware of politics online and tyrant bloggers.
• Do not belittle small bloggers.

So there, things I have learned from Iblog8 I leave you with the awesome quote by Carlo Ople :

Walang Basagan ng Trip! 

Did you attend the Iblog8? What did you learn? Share them in the comments below

What ideas struck you and which ones do you intend to implement immediately?

Don’t forget to share this post and connect with me on FB and Twitter and through my exclusive mailing list

So when I came across an information that there will be Tedx Katipunan, I wanted in and prayed to the high heavens I would have the opportunity. I was granted that opportunity

The Wifi there was excellent and allowed me to live tweet an event for the first time. It was an awesome experience The tweets (#tedxkatips) for the event were fast and furious. That was an indication of the positive energy in Leong Hall.

The list of speakers were diverse but all are revolutionaries in their own right.

Ideas and Inspiration are wonderful, but without action, they are nothing.

This epic event gave everyone a compelling dose of ideas and inspiration.

The ball is now on our courts to start our own revolutions.

So let me share the big ideas from the different speakers.

Dylan Wilk, CEO and Founder of Human Heart Nature

His passion and love for our country struck me. I think his sense of nationalism for the Philippines is even more than me and many other Filipinos. It should serve as a challenge for us, that national progress begins with a love of country.

Dylan Wilk’s Revolutionary Ideas for you:

• Filipinos are world class.
• The key to progress is love of country.
• Happiness is doing God’s purpose for your life.
• GK is a wonderful organization that embodies national pride: Less for Self. More for Others. Enough for all.
• Buy local products.
• When you work in another country, you make another country rich.
• Be a social entrepreneur.

On another note, he mentioned that in Human Heart Nature, they have a no firing policy. I thought that was a radical and interesting idea. The result apparently is that it’s an honor system that works really well because the workers trust the management and do excellent work in return. And they’re paid way beyond the minimum wage. Fantastic, really

• Passion is needed to start a revolution.
• Do not wait for leaders to start a revolution. You can start your own and be a leader. Lead yourself first and others will follow.
• Revolutions need not be major. It can be small at the beginning. Just start something.
• Revolutions are never about you. It’s about empowering others.

Her Postura Project is interesting. It is a 30 day challenge for us to wear Filipino Made clothes

In that project, she learned how to jump for the photo challenge

Forget Just Do It by Nike; the new mantra should be Just Jump as inspired by Arriane

If you were to start a revolution, who would it be for and why? 

  

John Chua, Photography with a Difference

I think this is one of the most interesting revolutions I have encountered.

It taps photography as a means to raise awareness for people with disabilities and special needs.

It collaborates with photography groups to have programs and photo exhibits that would benefit the PWDs communities.

They also teach these people to use photography to express themselves to their family and others

It also highlighted the power of Social Media, particularly Facebook to connect groups and people to create projects and organize events. Also, it helps to have big corporations like Canon to have on your side

John Chua’s Revolutionary Ideas for you:

• Make the distance between Idea to Reality short.
• Execute the vision.
• Hold yourself accountable. Share the vision to others.
• Have strong convictions.
• Dream Big.
• Work on your revolutions.

Very passionate and witty speaker. Love her sense of humor as she describes her advocacy and adventures as an Environmentalist and Writer. I mean just her title is amusing already

Stop Global Whining! 

Pie Alvarez, Mayor of San Vicente, Palawan

Yes, she’s only 24. I didn’t know you run to be a mayor in your 20s. Time to run! Nah, I’m not for politics

Her stories of being a young mayor was quite fun and hilarious.

I really agree that our political system needs young, idealistic blood. We have too many dinosaurs in politics. New ideas. New Paradigms. Our country needs a good dose of that.

Pie Alvarez’s Revolutionary Ideas for you:

• Be bold.
• Break Rules.
• Be adventurous.
• Serve through public service.
• Young leaders can make a change in the system.
• Know yourself really well.
• Have fun in the process of serving

Do not cross the line. Promise yourself you won’t cross the line when it comes to doing evil, like corruption. 

****

I hope you learned a lot from these revolutionaries.

Start your revolutions immediately and if you have already started yours, share them in the comments below

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Do you spend more time developing your strengths or do you spend more time on your weaknesses?

I’m a big advocate of developing strengths and talents. Work with what you have rather than than what you don’t have.

For example, I’m terrible in drawing. So I don’t seek to improve it. Yes, I wish I had that skill but it’s just not in my genes.

On the other, I’m decent with writing. Not yet a super strength but a strength nonetheless. This is one skill I’m honing.

This is one major reason I blog. To hone my writing skill.

How about you? Are you actively working on your strength? Or are you letting your lizard brain take over and convince you to procrastinate?

According to John Maxwell, if you work on a weakness, you can only raise your ability a little bit (2 points on a 10 point scale). However, if you work on a strength, you can hone it even further to become  a super strength.

Malcolm Gladwell in his groundbreaking book, Outliers, say we have to clock in 10,000 hours to become truly proficient in something.

Are you clocking in towards that 10,000 hour mark?

If you have’t discovered your strengths, I highly recommend you take the Strengthsfinder Test by the Gallup Institute.

It will tell you your top 5 strengths and how to harness it in your life.

For me, I have gotten: Futuristic, Learner, Intellection, Input and Empathy as my major strengths to work on

Have you taken it already? Share your results below!

What are your thoughts on strengths and weaknesses? Write them in the comments below!

Also don’t forget to join my mailing list for exclusive content and offers!

Come to the Edge.

No, we will fall.

Come to the edge.

No, we will fall.

They came to the edge.

He pushed them and they flew.

by French poet, Guillaume Apollinaire

The poem reminded me of baby eagles where their parents nudge them off cliffs to force them to spread their wings and unleash their flying prowess.

Risks are an essential part of our existence. If people did not risk and make mistakes in the process, we would still be living in prehistoric civilization.

To risk is to live. To avoid risk means to avoid to live. You are simply existing. But in risking, you become alive.

I’m sure you are familiar with the line, No guts, No glory. 

Of course, I’m only talking about taking risks that can have benefits, where something can come out out of it.

Vices like smoking, is not taking risk. It’s just plain stupidity.

A lot of us get stuck in our comfort zone. We like being comfortable. We can blame our lizard brain for this.

We need to defeat the lizard brain so that we can take good risks and live once again.

I have taken many risks in my life. Some had good results, others did not materialize but on hindsight, i never regretted taking those risks.

Looking back, what I regretted was not taking enough risks. I wish I was more bolder, more courageous.

Srinivas encourages us to take small risks daily.

How about you? Are you a risk taker? What was the most risky thing you have done in your life?

Always remember this quote: Boldness has genius, power and magic in it! ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I also had a chance to get to know awesome bloggers that came along with the Club. Although it was a tiring trip on the car, being in great company made up for the minor discomfort.

Azalea Residences

Our hosts in Baguio was Azalea Residences, a newly opened private haven in Baguio catering to families, couple retreats and for business workshops and team meetings.

Their exclusive suites were spacious and looked very much like high end condo units. They were also very clean and well equipped with everything a typical family would need in a stay there. You can cook meals and they even had a microwave for quick meals for midnight supper.

Their lobby was simple and clean, and manned by courteous and friendly staff. Beside the lobby was a cozy lounge called 8 degrees, which I found to be an interesting name.

Here are photos on Azalea Residences

Workshop Learnings

The next day, we had the Digital Filipino Workshops. Day 1 focused on the different internet business models while the second morning was about the science behind digital influence.

I learned many things but here are 10 epic ideas from the workshops

• The Philippines has a young population and we need to adjust our business models to cater to them because very soon, they will drive the economy with their purchasing power.
• The Youth is the Free Generation, i.e. they expect things fast and free (at least online) so your business should definitely have a free component while you provide higher value products and services beyond the useful free content.
• Your readers/customers seek significance and the sense of belonging. Give them that and your business will prosper.
• Give your community and audience  the opportunity to define your brand and business.
• Work with influencers in your niche and industry.
• We buy with emotion and justify with logic. Appeal therefore to both.
• Content marketing is all about providing epic and useful content; content that informs, inspires and that promotes positive actions.
• Understand your customer. Really, Really, Really understand them from all angles.
• Make your value proposition compelling.
• Social Media is all about relationship building. Build and cultivate your relationships.

Tour of Azalea Residences

After the 1st day morning workshop, we were toured by the manager of Azalea Residences around the hotel rooms and facilities

Notable things about Azalea Residences:

1) They have a playground outside for kids. Truly children friendly.

2) They have tent facility outside where you can hold different functions, whether business or family related. It can house 250 people.

3) They have a Vacation club wherein for a lifetime membership of P220,000, you can stay there for free 7 days a year! If you’re a frequent Baguio visitor, that fee is a steal I think Plus, there are plans for Azalea Residences in Boracay. Yes, even though the places begin with B, they are A+ destinations.

4) They have CCTV cameras all over the place and roving personnel at every floor to make sure everything is secured.

So if you’re heading out to Baguio anytime soon, check out this remarkable accommodation. If you’re a Baguio newbie, and want to explore it with a trusted guide, the hotel offers personalized tours.

You can see their room rates and reserve your rooms online with instant confirmation

Also, drop by their Facebook Page to see photos and raving reviews from previous guests. Don’t forget to like it!

Here are more photos of Azalea Residences

Chilling with the Bloggers

It was fun to get to know the bloggers that came along to the Workshop: Jinkee Umali, Cha Sy, Mac Vasquez, JayL Aquino, and the associates of Ms. Janette: Randolph Rovino and Heidi Kleiber.

Here are some places we visited and ate at

Once again, special thank you to Ms. Janette Toral of The Digital Filipino Club for inviting bloggers like me to join. Thank you also to Azalea Residences for the awesome accommodation and props to my fellow bloggers and to the Digital Filipino Club for making it a a great learning and fun experience

As the Philippines establishes itself as the social media capital of the world, and internet users become more tech savvy, it’s time to join an organization that keeps pace with all these technological changes., The Digital Filipino Club.

1st Reason: Seminar-Workshops (including Out-of-town)

This coming June 4, Monday, the Digital Filipino Club, led by Digital Entrepreneur and E-Commerce Expert, Janette Toral is going to Baguio for their workshop on the different business models in Digital Marketing.

If you join, you’ll be learning the different business models you can adopt for your internet business or blog beyond advertising like Google Adsense. You’ll also learn how to build your influence online.

Get all the details on this workshop here.

If you’re a member of the Digital Filipino Club, you’re entitled to join workshops like this for free or at discounted rates depending on your membership profile.

2nd Reason: Knowledge Edge

By joining the club, you will get access to exclusive presentations and research materials on e-commerce and digital marketing. If you’re a small business owner, you can use these materials to plan out your digital campaigns and engage your customers online.

3rd Reason: Networking

By joining as a corporate member of the the Digital Filipino Club, your organization can tap the extensive network of the club and seek feedback and assistance on your e-commerce pursuits. All this for only $600 a year!

4th Reason: Advertising and Marketing

By joining the club, you get a banner that will be advertised in the website and get listed in their directories. You will also get text link placements in their link exchange network. In addition, you can have your marketing materials distributed in all events and exhibit participated or organized by the club. Your marketing reach will definitely extend to a wide spectrum of consumers.

5th Reason: Take your Blog and Social Media efforts to the next level.

I am sure you are aware by now the power of blogs as a marketing platform for businesses. But running a blog is not an easy task and there are many things to consider. By joining the club, you get an instant 15% discount in the Digital Entrepreneur Program of Janette Toral. This is exclusive mentoring from her.

So there, five brilliant reasons to join the Club

Hope to see you on the Baguio Workshop!

Please share below your thoughts of joining a Club to mentor your business in this Digital Age.

If you know entrepreneurs or small businesses looking to go digital to expand their marketing efforts and increase their digital influence , please share this post to them

This is the first guest post in Pinoyminimalist. It is by a fellow minimalist, Raymund Tamayo

How to Live a Life of Lasting Impact

How many of you here want to have a life of lasting impact?

I know I do.

While it might sound cool, living a life of lasting impact is harder than we think. It requires things that take our time, focus, exertion, and self, such as:

• Humility
• Discipline
• Wisdom
• Courage
• Responsibility

Powerful words, eh?

You’re right. A life of lasting impact is focused and powerful. It is purposeful, intentional, and is never neutral. It is not easily achieved, but is attainable by anyone.

If you want to live a life of lasting impact, you simply have to decide to do so.

Here are some ways on how to make your life worthy of remembrance after you die:

1.                   Live boldly. Being scared is normal. It’s our response to fear that can immobilize us. The only fear that we should have is the fear of the Lord. Don’t be afraid to challenge the norm, to raise the bar higher, and to live against the flow. In other words, make a positive difference!

 2.                  Have a purpose. People like the Apostle Paul, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa and Steve Jobs lived with such strong purpose, and all of them left a lasting impact to our world. Knowing your purpose, doing it, and completing it make for an impactful life.

 3.                  Put people first. Always remember that relationships are more important than stuff and status. Anything you do and achieve means nothing without people to share it with. When you strip life of everything, all that’s left is love.

 4.                  Focus and simplify life. Focus gives impact, and a simple life gives you focus. When you focus and simplify your life, it leaves an impact lasting beyond your lifetime.

 5.                  Stay humble. There is much power in humility than we can imagine. As Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist once said, “Humility offers its owner complete freedom from the desire to impress, be right, or get ahead.” It doesn’t mean letting yourself be a pushover. Real humility means power under control. Being humble, and staying like it, requires strength of character and a healthy self-esteem.

 6.                  Be healthy. Being healthy is an excellent foundation, not only to look good physically, but also to feel strong and well. If you are sickly, it’s going to be hard to focus on living a life of impact.

 7.                   Serve others. We can’t have a life of lasting impact without serving people. A servant’s heart is what makes great leaders great and what earned them respect and strong influence over their followers.

8.                  Be disciplined. Discipline is of utmost importance for a life of lasting impact. This is training yourself in obedience, self-control, and skill. Without it, you will not be able to commit to anything, to persevere when it becomes difficult, and to make enduring changes.

 9.                  Commit to excellence. The old cliché “to be the best in everything you do” is not only an ancient wisdom formula, but a command from God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that “whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Great things happen when we give our best. That goes in everything we do. Give your best to your family, your relationships, your finances, your health. We give glory to our Creator when we pursue excellence.

 10.              Pass on your wisdom. To make your life a lasting impact, you have to pass on your life’s learnings to someone who is reliable and is willing to pass it on to another also. It’s not how great you are but how willing you are to contribute to the greatness in others. Learn to contribute to other people in a meaningful way, and you are sure to have a life of lasting impact.

Raymund Tamayo is a husband and a father. He writes about finding focus, living simply, and discovering purpose in life at raymundtamayo.blogspot.com. You can like his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tamayo.raymund.

Sometimes, I can’t believe I stored papers and ads from way back 2 years ago. I have random advertisements, receipts, bills, payslips from previous jobs, etc.

It’s like as if I was attached to it.

I realize that to declutter is to detach from material things.

Am I really going to use it? 

Is it really important?

I also noted that I liked writing down notes on paper and then keeping those notes.

Tablets were not yet on the rage then so pen and paper was the most logical.

Now that I have a tablet, I try to put my notes there. No more paper. Less trees destroyed

Another thing that I threw away were bank statements and online transaction receipts. The reason was that I have online banking accounts. I can access the information there. I don’t need the hard copy.

If more people tapped online banking, and requested the banks to send the bank statements online on soft copy, then more time will be saved and less paper wasted.

Technology can indeed help simplify our lives. It can be an ally towards a minimalist lifestyle.

We just have to integrate technology in our life and make it work for us, not us working for it.

***

Your turn,

How do you use technology to simplify your life? What steps are you doing to declutter or simplify your life?

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