HOW IT STARTED

December 2020 and January 2021 

This was taken in December 2020 during the wedding of my big brother. I had to quickly take off my face mask and face shield in order to take this photo lol.

December 31st, 2020 | Welcoming 2021 with a hope-filled heart

HOW IT'S GOING

June 2021 and July 2021

IMPORTANT NOTE: I AM NOT MEDICALLY TRAINED. I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. BUT I AM A BELIEVER OF THE VACCINES. THIS POST IS TO HOPEFULLY PROVIDE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION because there have been a lot of negative news about the vaccine. Because of such, people get discouraged. People easily get deceived by so much fake news circling around the Internet. This post is here to tell you my own journey about the vaccination and how I responded to it. I have my fears and worries, too. But how did I overcome it? Read ahead so that you'll know my tips for you. Please do not be a part of the people who discourage others regarding vaccines. Do not be a part of the problem.

FACT: Right now in Cebu City, Philippines, the cases have been rising. (Written today July 30, 2021). You can also check your news sources to do your fact-check. The majority of the people who are in the hospitals with COVID-19 are people who refused to get vaccinated. You do not want to be a part of that statistics, would you?

This was taken after my first dose.

FIRST DOSE SIDE EFFECTS TO ME: My left arm felt too heavy for me. I did not have any cough, colds or fever. I just felt sleepy, that's all. The whole second day after my first dose vaccination, I cannot move my left arm as much because it is a bit painful to do so. I really prayed that I would no longer feel that way, since the following day, I would do go Bantayan Island. True enough, the next day, my left arm did not feel swollen anymore, and I thanked God in prayer. Yay!

This was taken after my second dose.

STEP 1: Fill out the form. Wait for your turn. I mean patiently wait for your turn.

STEP 2: This is the Screening Area. Again, patience is the key.

STEP 3: Line up for the Counselling Area.

STEP 4: You are up for the Vaccination Area. Yes I know, patience is a virtue indeed.

STEP 5: This is the actual "vaccination". Get ready to be vaccinated, yeyy!

STEPS 6 and 7: You will "check out" and they will get your signed consent form. The staff will monitor you for 30 minutes after your injection. Once you are cleared, you can safely leave the facility. Me in the photo: Of course I need to take my "I am fully vaccinated" selfie lol.

#HIITPLAYtime 2021

Celebrating the First Anniversary of HIITPLAY Activewear

HIITPlay Activewear, in partnership with Happy Hippos, The House of Wellness PH, Adventure Co., Soul Sierra, Sole Searching Sole, among others, arranged the pop-up event to celebrate its very first anniversary. Yay!

My blogger sister Rica of @sassycebuana got an invite, and she wanted me to come along. I am glad I said yes!

CEBU, PHILIPPINES—The event happened in Soul Sierra—a tranquil, beautiful place to soak in the stunning creation of God. It was my second time going to the place but I will never get used to its… magnificence. My first visit to Soul Sierra was on January 1st of this year, and I came with my family—my mother, siblings and nieces. I never got to enjoy and soak in all the beauty because we only stayed for about three to five hours. My current visit, which was last Saturday, July 10, allowed me to be able to truly experience Soul Sierra. I was in the place from 9 AM to 6 PM—practically the whole day! I do not know with you guys but I am always drawn to the serene beauty of nature—the free-roaming butterflies, attractive flowers in their vast colors and shapes and sizes, the tall sky-reaching trees of all kinds, the expansive greenery touching the clear blue skies—oh, what a beauty! I am so glad and grateful to be a part of HIITPLAYtime 2021. Check out their HIITPlay Instagram here.

THE BEAUTY OF SOUL SIERRA 

The HIITPLAYtime 2021 officially kicked off with the lighting of the torch by Ms. Denise Kirsten, Miss Den, the proud owner of Hiitplay Activewear, as she thanked everyone for the support. Oh, it’s been a year already, how time flies. Her love for fitness and passion for a healthy lifestyle gave her an idea for Hiitplay. Her supportive mother was with her all throughout the event. Miss Denise’s supportive friends were also there to celebrate with her on this special day.

ADVENTURE CO

Their Advocacy and the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace

Adventure Co shared who they are as a group and the reason they got together. Furthermore, they shared their advocacy with us, which is to promote safe and sustainable camping. They passionately educated us on the importance of Leave on Trace—the seven principles for outdoor ethics. To summarize: (1) Plan ahead and prepare (2) Camp on durable surfaces (3) Dispose of waste properly (4) Leave what you find (5) Minimize campfire impacts (6) Respect wildlife and (7) Be considerate of other visitors. You can check more about Adventure Co on their Instagram.

WELLNESS JOURNEY—RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD, EXERCISE AND MINDFULNESS

Stories of House of Wellness PH, Soul Sierra and Happy Hippos

Ms. Trishe Stuart shared her wellness journey. She is a vegetarian but says that she eats healthy food only 80% of the time and allows for the 20% to eat food she wants to eat—for balance. She started eating healthy food choices when she was away from the Philippines. She loved it! She never knew eating healthy could taste so good. When she got back here, she looked for healthy organic food sources and realized that there is not many options here, particularly in Cebu. That is when she came up with House of Wellness PH. You can find their Instagram here. To quote their Instagram bio “We aim to boost local health and wellness awareness by providing healthy staples for your kitchen/business 🌿” Let us #SupportLocal

Ms. Kimberly, one of the owners of Soul Sierra, shared her wellness journey as well. She watched “Food Inc.” as suggested by her Dad and it was her turning point. (I will watch this food documentary soon.) She now chooses to eat fruits and vegetables from the bountiful fields of the Earth, organic and not pesticide-induced ones. She became a vegan. In fact, she explained to us the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian, as many get confused with the two. She explored yoga and mindfulness and meditation and mind-body-soul connection. She said she’s never felt so good in her life. She went on to tell us that she cannot eat any animals because she considers that slaughter/murder. She believes that every living being should be free to live and have life.

Ms. Eryn, the owner of Happy Hippos PH, shared her wellness journey, too. It all started with her best-selling hummus she served one time at a gathering. After that, people kept asking if they could order. (I tasted the hummus and to say that it was so good may be an understatement. really.) That was the beginning of how Happy Hippos came to be. During her talk, she reminded us that it is important to eat and be 80% full only, not 100% full. It is said that the more we eat, the younger we die. Our bodies are machines that continue to work in order to digest all the food we eat. So if we choose to eat more and more on a daily basis, we push our bodies to work so much more than it is designed to do, and that is why our life expectancy will shorten.

SET FREE YOGA CLASS

Mind your Mind and Body-- with Miss Sepfry

It was a freeing experience! I had fun and I enjoyed the class. Actually, we all enjoyed the class!

I have always been interested in doing yoga, so last year during quarantine, I have attended several online classes. It was my first time attending a face-to-face yoga class. And I loved every bit of it! It feels so great to be in sync with your mind and body. Our class instructor, Miss Sepfry, was patient and gentle to us throughout the class.

Later on the day, there were two classes (Pinoy Yoga with Jaya Dabatos and Energy Healing with Cath Plaza) I wasn’t able to attend because I had to go home quite early. I badly want to stay and join but as circumstances did not allow it, I am hoping that I could participate in these types of classes next time.

The event was a success! The entire day was such fun, transformative and packed with so much learning! Thank you so much Miss Apple of Sole Searching Soul for inviting us. It was a magical experience for me! Now more than ever, I am more conscious of how I take care of my mind, body, soul and overall wellness. Daghan'g salamat-- thank you very much in Bisaya. It felt so good to be surrounded by humble, loving individuals. 😍

Congratulations are in order for Hiitplay Activewear and the organizers of the event for an awe-inspiring first anniversary celebration! Yay! To more successful years ahead!

The following photos are from the Instagram account of @hiitplay 😍

“True health infuses positive energy in the mind, body, and spirit."-Unknown

‘Til the next post, loves! Remember that you are loved beyond borders and beyond time & space. Okay? Okay. 💛❤️

Ciao for now! 🤗 xoxo, Jong 🥰