muni muni | muni muni by Augustin Ra

Indie Spirit has come to its end. I've mentioned in my previous post that I changed my blog name after years of being known as Indie Spirit. As years passed by, I've outgrown it and I can say that I've changed big time. I've changed how I look, how I talk and engage a conversation with people, and even my personality despite still being an INTJ if that makes sense. However, the sure thing that hasn't changed was my love for writing especially my realizations and experiences in life. Thus, muni muni was born. 

In Tagalog, it means to reflect and I do that from time to time. Elise, the blogger behind Into Solarium told me via comment that the new blog name feels more me. I'm glad about this new change. I also mentioned that I wanted to change my domain to the old one which was augustinra.com but she thought that I'd go for munimuni.com instead. I thought of the same thing and even checked its availability but it was already taken. Do you have any domain ideas that would revolve around the blog's name? I already have a few in mind but I'd love to hear from you. 

Along with this change on the blog is the birth of a new podcast channel entitled muni muni. I've always dreamt of being a podcaster but the fear of public speaking and the lack of talent for editing audio clips hindered me to achieve this. My friends would push me to go for it and sometimes, there'd be discussions with my boyfriend and friends that I wished I was able to record it because it was podcast worthy, and yet, at the end of the day, I won't even dare to do step one. 

But all of that changed when I finally decided to start a channel and on that same day, my boyfriend surprised me with a microphone studio kit. The experience was way different from the afternoons and nights that I'd record myself talking about random stuff just using my earphones. Although, I am aware that having an essential tool doesn't necessarily mean that I will have a successful podcast right away. Sad to say, my first episode's audio sucks big time but it's okay because, on the bright side, I started and published it which is something to be happy about. There will always be room for improvement and even after hours of publishing the episode, I asked for some feedback from my listeners, took the time to read some articles that would help me how to improve the channel, and listened to podcasts that would help me with my dilemma. 

The podcast is available on five platforms. You can listen on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, and Spotify. Happy listening! 


muni muni

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

muni muni | muni muni by Augustin Ra

Indie Spirit has come to its end. I've mentioned in my previous post that I changed my blog name after years of being known as Indie Spirit. As years passed by, I've outgrown it and I can say that I've changed big time. I've changed how I look, how I talk and engage a conversation with people, and even my personality despite still being an INTJ if that makes sense. However, the sure thing that hasn't changed was my love for writing especially my realizations and experiences in life. Thus, muni muni was born. 

In Tagalog, it means to reflect and I do that from time to time. Elise, the blogger behind Into Solarium told me via comment that the new blog name feels more me. I'm glad about this new change. I also mentioned that I wanted to change my domain to the old one which was augustinra.com but she thought that I'd go for munimuni.com instead. I thought of the same thing and even checked its availability but it was already taken. Do you have any domain ideas that would revolve around the blog's name? I already have a few in mind but I'd love to hear from you. 

Along with this change on the blog is the birth of a new podcast channel entitled muni muni. I've always dreamt of being a podcaster but the fear of public speaking and the lack of talent for editing audio clips hindered me to achieve this. My friends would push me to go for it and sometimes, there'd be discussions with my boyfriend and friends that I wished I was able to record it because it was podcast worthy, and yet, at the end of the day, I won't even dare to do step one. 

But all of that changed when I finally decided to start a channel and on that same day, my boyfriend surprised me with a microphone studio kit. The experience was way different from the afternoons and nights that I'd record myself talking about random stuff just using my earphones. Although, I am aware that having an essential tool doesn't necessarily mean that I will have a successful podcast right away. Sad to say, my first episode's audio sucks big time but it's okay because, on the bright side, I started and published it which is something to be happy about. There will always be room for improvement and even after hours of publishing the episode, I asked for some feedback from my listeners, took the time to read some articles that would help me how to improve the channel, and listened to podcasts that would help me with my dilemma. 

The podcast is available on five platforms. You can listen on Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, and Spotify. Happy listening! 


more
letting it be | muni muni by Augustin Ra

I am fueled with the sudden urge to write and it's a good feeling. There is a lot that happened lately so here it goes!

letting it be | muni muni by Augustin Ra

new office (again)


Yes, I moved back to the previous office because of safety protocols against the virus. Am I sad about this move? A little bit because it's inconvenient to go back and forth from one building to another to do tasks but when I was packing my stuff for the move and already settled again today, I felt relieved and okay with this ordeal. 

There was a time during the weekend that I felt so invaluable that I had to move again. The office where I work from the other building was convenient for export tasks but now, I just had to adjust my life all over again. I just had to look at the bright side that I am in a newly renovated office with good lighting and air condition. I am enclosed with a partition as a safety barrier against the virus. Although, it's still incomplete. It's quiet compared to working in a workshop which is a good thing in some cases. I have music and podcasts to depend on if I'm sleepy. 

With this move came the opportunity to declutter some stuff and yes, I was able to get rid of a few of them. Some went to the trash, some went to a colleague, and some were arranged properly inside my personal drawer. 

struggled with being organized


I've always believed in every item has a home and that's why organizing has been one of my habits. I think it has a huge connection with the way I live. If my environment is a mess, my life will surely be a mess. My mind would be in a mess. Throughout my minimalist journey, I realized that the problem is I own too much stuff. Although some people would say that I only own less but sometimes, less can be overwhelming because this less can already be something of a clutter. For example, I used to own three pen holders in college and when I started working, I used one, and years later, gave this pen holder to a colleague. Right now, I'm using the second pen holder. In total, I only have this particular pen holder in my office that I think totally serves my need. What about the last pen holder? My cousin is using it. 

new blog name


From Indie Spirit, I changed it to muni muni. Muni muni means to reflect in Tagalog. I felt Indie Spirit has outgrown me and I'm no longer the person I used to be. I mean I'm still independent in so many ways and as an adult, we expect to be but I was no longer the college me that goes around hustling the majority of her time to further the distance. It seems like I am a loser but in some ways, I'm winning in a path that I took to slow down. I don't want to glorify busyness and the hustle culture that much to a point that it could be so toxic and hurt myself and other people to probably gain an empty void in the end. What, exactly, am I racing toward? 

I might say this now because I don't have that much to hustle in life, but I prefer to have a life that feels good rather than just settling for how it looks. It took me months to finally switched to a new blog name and it was difficult to let go especially I'm not good at coming up with names. Indie Spirit was sort of a trademark but the triggering point of the change was when a life coach asked me the meaning behind the former blog name. After a few replies and reflection, it was time. Muni muni sounds good and the meaning behind revolves around the fact that I blog to reflect. Thus, I need to do some changes to the blog.  

letting it be | muni muni by Augustin Ra

maybe a new domain


I might go back to my former domain which was augustinra.com or maybe not. I still have time to think about this. Let me know your thoughts. 

online selling


This has been disturbing me for quite some time already and with the plans that I picture myself, I need to declutter a lot of my stuff and sell it online. I tried to open a shop in Shopee but I need to have a weighing scale to fill out the form on how heavy the items are and I guess this will depend on how much the shipping fee will cost. I don't want to spend money on a weighing scale so I'm still looking for someone that could let me borrow one in this pandemic. Do you have any tips for me?

the nerve


I was blog hopping one time and I noticed someone in the comments. It surprised me that she'd drop comments on one blog to another to maybe show her support to these people in the blogosphere. We've known each other for years but I never experienced the same support from her despite the countless ways I showed mine. In a way, I wasn't expecting her to be so supportive all throughout because we're all busy with our lives so I went on, read another blog or two, and I thought to check on her. That's when I noticed she made a new account from somewhere and I never felt so betrayed and cold that she copied the thoughts I had on the same platform. She had the nerve to paraphrase what's mine to gain something or probably nothing. I had doubts about whether she was good to me in the first place. 

Despite the ocean of mess, confusion, and doubts encountered, I am still grateful that I am alive to live and let some things be. I've learned throughout the years to not force things out of my control. There are situations worth fighting for but there are some that aren't worth the attention. I don't have many friends and trust only a few people but it's okay. At least, I have people to fully count on. With this experience, it was a relief to filter out people from my life. 

letting it be | muni muni by Augustin Ra

as a takeaway


It's been more than a year since the pandemic happened and a lot has changed in our lives. We're not out of the woods yet and living in the Philippines feels so hopeless but I am doing little things to survive a day and do it all over again. I am slowly changing and developing habits and spice up my surroundings to feel a sense of calm. How about you? What have you been up to these days? 

let it be

Monday, May 24, 2021

,
letting it be | muni muni by Augustin Ra

I am fueled with the sudden urge to write and it's a good feeling. There is a lot that happened lately so here it goes!

letting it be | muni muni by Augustin Ra

new office (again)


Yes, I moved back to the previous office because of safety protocols against the virus. Am I sad about this move? A little bit because it's inconvenient to go back and forth from one building to another to do tasks but when I was packing my stuff for the move and already settled again today, I felt relieved and okay with this ordeal. 

There was a time during the weekend that I felt so invaluable that I had to move again. The office where I work from the other building was convenient for export tasks but now, I just had to adjust my life all over again. I just had to look at the bright side that I am in a newly renovated office with good lighting and air condition. I am enclosed with a partition as a safety barrier against the virus. Although, it's still incomplete. It's quiet compared to working in a workshop which is a good thing in some cases. I have music and podcasts to depend on if I'm sleepy. 

With this move came the opportunity to declutter some stuff and yes, I was able to get rid of a few of them. Some went to the trash, some went to a colleague, and some were arranged properly inside my personal drawer. 

struggled with being organized


I've always believed in every item has a home and that's why organizing has been one of my habits. I think it has a huge connection with the way I live. If my environment is a mess, my life will surely be a mess. My mind would be in a mess. Throughout my minimalist journey, I realized that the problem is I own too much stuff. Although some people would say that I only own less but sometimes, less can be overwhelming because this less can already be something of a clutter. For example, I used to own three pen holders in college and when I started working, I used one, and years later, gave this pen holder to a colleague. Right now, I'm using the second pen holder. In total, I only have this particular pen holder in my office that I think totally serves my need. What about the last pen holder? My cousin is using it. 

new blog name


From Indie Spirit, I changed it to muni muni. Muni muni means to reflect in Tagalog. I felt Indie Spirit has outgrown me and I'm no longer the person I used to be. I mean I'm still independent in so many ways and as an adult, we expect to be but I was no longer the college me that goes around hustling the majority of her time to further the distance. It seems like I am a loser but in some ways, I'm winning in a path that I took to slow down. I don't want to glorify busyness and the hustle culture that much to a point that it could be so toxic and hurt myself and other people to probably gain an empty void in the end. What, exactly, am I racing toward? 

I might say this now because I don't have that much to hustle in life, but I prefer to have a life that feels good rather than just settling for how it looks. It took me months to finally switched to a new blog name and it was difficult to let go especially I'm not good at coming up with names. Indie Spirit was sort of a trademark but the triggering point of the change was when a life coach asked me the meaning behind the former blog name. After a few replies and reflection, it was time. Muni muni sounds good and the meaning behind revolves around the fact that I blog to reflect. Thus, I need to do some changes to the blog.  

letting it be | muni muni by Augustin Ra

maybe a new domain


I might go back to my former domain which was augustinra.com or maybe not. I still have time to think about this. Let me know your thoughts. 

online selling


This has been disturbing me for quite some time already and with the plans that I picture myself, I need to declutter a lot of my stuff and sell it online. I tried to open a shop in Shopee but I need to have a weighing scale to fill out the form on how heavy the items are and I guess this will depend on how much the shipping fee will cost. I don't want to spend money on a weighing scale so I'm still looking for someone that could let me borrow one in this pandemic. Do you have any tips for me?

the nerve


I was blog hopping one time and I noticed someone in the comments. It surprised me that she'd drop comments on one blog to another to maybe show her support to these people in the blogosphere. We've known each other for years but I never experienced the same support from her despite the countless ways I showed mine. In a way, I wasn't expecting her to be so supportive all throughout because we're all busy with our lives so I went on, read another blog or two, and I thought to check on her. That's when I noticed she made a new account from somewhere and I never felt so betrayed and cold that she copied the thoughts I had on the same platform. She had the nerve to paraphrase what's mine to gain something or probably nothing. I had doubts about whether she was good to me in the first place. 

Despite the ocean of mess, confusion, and doubts encountered, I am still grateful that I am alive to live and let some things be. I've learned throughout the years to not force things out of my control. There are situations worth fighting for but there are some that aren't worth the attention. I don't have many friends and trust only a few people but it's okay. At least, I have people to fully count on. With this experience, it was a relief to filter out people from my life. 

letting it be | muni muni by Augustin Ra

as a takeaway


It's been more than a year since the pandemic happened and a lot has changed in our lives. We're not out of the woods yet and living in the Philippines feels so hopeless but I am doing little things to survive a day and do it all over again. I am slowly changing and developing habits and spice up my surroundings to feel a sense of calm. How about you? What have you been up to these days? 
more
consuming too much, creating too little | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


Since moving to another new office, it has been difficult to insert actual time to blog. The noise and hustle of working in a workshop are quite different compared to just an office where silence is somehow deafening. The blogging streak stopped. I lost touch of what to say and how to even come up with a decent blog post despite the possibility of making one at my boyfriend's place. 


So when the creating streak stopped, I also lost the urge to create content offline like writing my thoughts in a journal. For the past few weeks, I was busy consuming too much content from the online world. I'd take walks or do household chores while listening to podcasts. I'd fold clothes while watching Youtube videos I downloaded for offline watching. I'd visit blogs and read a post or two. I'd pin a lot of pictures on every board I have on Pinterest to manifest the life that I want without doing the necessary steps to achieve it. You may say that I was in a rotting phase but the other night, I treated myself with kindness and permitted myself to take things slowly. 


I didn't let myself be in a hurry to tick every possible thing that I can do within that night. When I arrived home from work, I ate a little healthy snack and took a walk while listening to a podcast. I usually listen to podcasts that are an hour long or a minimum of 30 minutes for every walk and when that happens, time flies so fast that I already earned more than a thousand steps that my body will thank me for. 


Every time I'd see journal prompts that are easy to do online, I'd save it on my phone and let the day went by but that night was different. I actually did some after writing my thoughts on work, things that stress the hell out of me, and whatever thought would come out. The journal prompt that I did that night was written in a notebook that my former manager gave me. It was Lang Leav's journal edition and it was a perfect thing to write on for a good start on a plan to actually sustain a journaling habit. So yeah, I keep two journals now. One huge pink hardbound journal in which I write anything and Lang Leav's notebook that I'm planning to write journal prompts inspired from the internet or maybe anything that fancies me to write about as long as I can carry it with me everywhere I go. 


A plan I thought about for my go, grow and glow journey is to develop habits that will make me feel good with my physical appearance regardless of the rolls or muscles but the mental aspect plays along with it. I don't want to exercise for vanity but for sanity and with this, journaling is also a form of mental exercise. To actually sit down and reflect on the day feels such a huge chore nowadays but it's also a treat which I did on the night I kept on mentioning here. 


One prompt I tried was to reflect on last month, April. I only wrote two but it felt so major in a way that writing two reflections was enough. 


  1. My definition of success is to live life peacefully. I don't have to be super rich but be financially stable to support my dream lifestyle. I am content with my relationship with others and myself. A life that will give me freedom and security that if something bad happens, it's just a bad day, not a bad life. 
  2. To feel and discover a path that there's something bigger than me. This something can be the Universe or God or whatever people call this energy but this is an essential something to depend on in life in order to move forward. 

Obviously, I am vomiting words here but I hope my reflections were able to suffice whatever I want to convey because I've been creating too little these days. 

  • What were your last month's reflections? 
  • What would you say about mine? 
  • Maybe you'd like to check on me here or treat me to a coffee here.

consuming too much, creating too little

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

, ,
consuming too much, creating too little | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


Since moving to another new office, it has been difficult to insert actual time to blog. The noise and hustle of working in a workshop are quite different compared to just an office where silence is somehow deafening. The blogging streak stopped. I lost touch of what to say and how to even come up with a decent blog post despite the possibility of making one at my boyfriend's place. 


So when the creating streak stopped, I also lost the urge to create content offline like writing my thoughts in a journal. For the past few weeks, I was busy consuming too much content from the online world. I'd take walks or do household chores while listening to podcasts. I'd fold clothes while watching Youtube videos I downloaded for offline watching. I'd visit blogs and read a post or two. I'd pin a lot of pictures on every board I have on Pinterest to manifest the life that I want without doing the necessary steps to achieve it. You may say that I was in a rotting phase but the other night, I treated myself with kindness and permitted myself to take things slowly. 


I didn't let myself be in a hurry to tick every possible thing that I can do within that night. When I arrived home from work, I ate a little healthy snack and took a walk while listening to a podcast. I usually listen to podcasts that are an hour long or a minimum of 30 minutes for every walk and when that happens, time flies so fast that I already earned more than a thousand steps that my body will thank me for. 


Every time I'd see journal prompts that are easy to do online, I'd save it on my phone and let the day went by but that night was different. I actually did some after writing my thoughts on work, things that stress the hell out of me, and whatever thought would come out. The journal prompt that I did that night was written in a notebook that my former manager gave me. It was Lang Leav's journal edition and it was a perfect thing to write on for a good start on a plan to actually sustain a journaling habit. So yeah, I keep two journals now. One huge pink hardbound journal in which I write anything and Lang Leav's notebook that I'm planning to write journal prompts inspired from the internet or maybe anything that fancies me to write about as long as I can carry it with me everywhere I go. 


A plan I thought about for my go, grow and glow journey is to develop habits that will make me feel good with my physical appearance regardless of the rolls or muscles but the mental aspect plays along with it. I don't want to exercise for vanity but for sanity and with this, journaling is also a form of mental exercise. To actually sit down and reflect on the day feels such a huge chore nowadays but it's also a treat which I did on the night I kept on mentioning here. 


One prompt I tried was to reflect on last month, April. I only wrote two but it felt so major in a way that writing two reflections was enough. 


  1. My definition of success is to live life peacefully. I don't have to be super rich but be financially stable to support my dream lifestyle. I am content with my relationship with others and myself. A life that will give me freedom and security that if something bad happens, it's just a bad day, not a bad life. 
  2. To feel and discover a path that there's something bigger than me. This something can be the Universe or God or whatever people call this energy but this is an essential something to depend on in life in order to move forward. 

Obviously, I am vomiting words here but I hope my reflections were able to suffice whatever I want to convey because I've been creating too little these days. 

  • What were your last month's reflections? 
  • What would you say about mine? 
  • Maybe you'd like to check on me here or treat me to a coffee here.

more
check-in no. 2 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


The blogging streak stopped since my supervisor and I moved to another new office and somehow, it was a mixed emotion of 'I should go back to blogging asap' and 'A little break won't hurt.' However, it hurt. I felt lost again. I felt that I was consuming too much and creating too little in this world so to make things easy, here I am, updating you on the easiest thing that I can come up with a discussion - my life. 


check-in no. 2 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


23rd monthsary


Da and I celebrated our 23rd monthsary last Saturday and next month, it'll be our second anniversary. As cliche as it may sound, but it is true, time flies so fast. When I think of our relationship back then on how it turned out from being friends to its current state, a lot has happened within a short period of time. We grew as individuals and as a couple throughout the relationship. I'm grateful for how blessed I am to be in a healthy relationship with this loving and caring guy. I am inspired to be a better person each day, not only for the benefit of myself but also for the benefit of our relationship. 


ko-fi


I joined the ko-fi community. I already knew about this when I was in high school still blogging on Tumblr but I wasn't interested in it. However, last Saturday, I thought maybe I should try this. So I signed up and shared my link with the public, and set up a goal. After less than an hour, I was surprised to receive a donation from a generous stranger with a note below. 

check-in no. 2 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

I couldn't believe it but someone sent me an unexpected amount to have a new laptop. It makes me happy that someone out there believes in my potential for something that I truly love doing. 

If you'd like to buy me a coffee, click here. 

check-in no. 2 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

a new journal


I received a journal from my former manager and it was and still is one of the best gifts I've received. After years of keeping it in a cabinet, I already decided what to write on it. I used it as a journal for my manifestations and short journal prompts. I get the journal prompts from Instagram and Pinterest. This is my way to take care of myself - to actually give time to sit down and reflect on life especially when I can't do any meditation. 

adulting is difficult. 


Adulting is such a bittersweet experience. It's sweet that I can already do the things I want to do without the need of my mom's help like I can already afford the basic necessities and sometimes, I get to spoil myself with things that I used to dream of. I can already afford stuff that an adult needs like life insurance, investments, and multiple savings accounts that serve different purposes. I am grateful for the growth I've come in my career like Excel has become an essential tool in my life that I'm still using even if it's not already work-related. However, I still have a long way to go. With all the moving from one office to another in the same company and to be with different colleagues, it was such a sweet walk in the park of realizing that I feel good to have come this far. I felt that I was contributing value to the company.

Today is payday and I was surprised by the amount that I have to pay for the electric bill. Ugh, this is one of the reasons why I hate summer here in the Philippines. It makes the situation hotter when I can't wear whatever I want to wear to make things a little bit comfortable in this heat at work. One of my dreams is to work in a company that would allow wearing whatever the employees want to wear. This is truly possible if I'm working from home or working freelance but it's neither. Anyway, it's payday and it's not great living from paycheck to paycheck but I have to look at the positive that I can pay the bills, eating healthy, drinking brewed coffee, and living a good life. 

I had this note posted on the side of my office computer and it says, "Remember, as long as you have a roof over your head, food in your belly, and your bills are consistently paid, you're not missing out on anything." With that, I am comforted. 

being a writer


I reread this blog post I made almost three years ago and it made me cry. It makes me happy how someone out there believes in you without a doubt. It's life-changing. 

How's your life lately?

check-in no. 2

Monday, May 10, 2021

check-in no. 2 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


The blogging streak stopped since my supervisor and I moved to another new office and somehow, it was a mixed emotion of 'I should go back to blogging asap' and 'A little break won't hurt.' However, it hurt. I felt lost again. I felt that I was consuming too much and creating too little in this world so to make things easy, here I am, updating you on the easiest thing that I can come up with a discussion - my life. 


check-in no. 2 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


23rd monthsary


Da and I celebrated our 23rd monthsary last Saturday and next month, it'll be our second anniversary. As cliche as it may sound, but it is true, time flies so fast. When I think of our relationship back then on how it turned out from being friends to its current state, a lot has happened within a short period of time. We grew as individuals and as a couple throughout the relationship. I'm grateful for how blessed I am to be in a healthy relationship with this loving and caring guy. I am inspired to be a better person each day, not only for the benefit of myself but also for the benefit of our relationship. 


ko-fi


I joined the ko-fi community. I already knew about this when I was in high school still blogging on Tumblr but I wasn't interested in it. However, last Saturday, I thought maybe I should try this. So I signed up and shared my link with the public, and set up a goal. After less than an hour, I was surprised to receive a donation from a generous stranger with a note below. 

check-in no. 2 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

I couldn't believe it but someone sent me an unexpected amount to have a new laptop. It makes me happy that someone out there believes in my potential for something that I truly love doing. 

If you'd like to buy me a coffee, click here. 

check-in no. 2 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

a new journal


I received a journal from my former manager and it was and still is one of the best gifts I've received. After years of keeping it in a cabinet, I already decided what to write on it. I used it as a journal for my manifestations and short journal prompts. I get the journal prompts from Instagram and Pinterest. This is my way to take care of myself - to actually give time to sit down and reflect on life especially when I can't do any meditation. 

adulting is difficult. 


Adulting is such a bittersweet experience. It's sweet that I can already do the things I want to do without the need of my mom's help like I can already afford the basic necessities and sometimes, I get to spoil myself with things that I used to dream of. I can already afford stuff that an adult needs like life insurance, investments, and multiple savings accounts that serve different purposes. I am grateful for the growth I've come in my career like Excel has become an essential tool in my life that I'm still using even if it's not already work-related. However, I still have a long way to go. With all the moving from one office to another in the same company and to be with different colleagues, it was such a sweet walk in the park of realizing that I feel good to have come this far. I felt that I was contributing value to the company.

Today is payday and I was surprised by the amount that I have to pay for the electric bill. Ugh, this is one of the reasons why I hate summer here in the Philippines. It makes the situation hotter when I can't wear whatever I want to wear to make things a little bit comfortable in this heat at work. One of my dreams is to work in a company that would allow wearing whatever the employees want to wear. This is truly possible if I'm working from home or working freelance but it's neither. Anyway, it's payday and it's not great living from paycheck to paycheck but I have to look at the positive that I can pay the bills, eating healthy, drinking brewed coffee, and living a good life. 

I had this note posted on the side of my office computer and it says, "Remember, as long as you have a roof over your head, food in your belly, and your bills are consistently paid, you're not missing out on anything." With that, I am comforted. 

being a writer


I reread this blog post I made almost three years ago and it made me cry. It makes me happy how someone out there believes in you without a doubt. It's life-changing. 

How's your life lately?
more
check-in no. 01 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


It's been months since I've updated the blog with what's happening in my life lately but it has been one of my tasks to actually make a series out of it but I don't know what title would totally fit in but then, one night after doing my usual night read, an idea came and here it is, my first ever checked in series. This is a good opportunity to actually check with one another on what's happening with our lives if that's something you'd like to share on the blog or via DM. 


So here it goes. 


Yoga


Yesterday was my 18th day of the 30-day yoga journey and so far, so good! I've mentioned before that I never imagined doing this but I never knew how therapeutic it actually is. Although, I knew that any form of exercise could be therapeutic especially with the happy hormones going active but I never actually imagined that doing yoga was a good awakening to my mind, body, and soul. There'd be times that I feel so contented and at peace with my life. 

Now, I can picture myself going to Bali attending those yoga classes. Haha! It's a huge wow for a change in lifestyle. However, I had a difficult time doing one pose because my arms were too weak to carry me but guess what, I didn't pressure myself to perfectly do it. I even took a video of myself looking like a frog doing it and planned on showing it to my mom and boyfriend of the progress I am doing on this journey. I am proud to have come this far especially it takes a lot of patience and determination to just show up on a slow practice. 


check-in no. 01 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Work


I'm not particularly in love with my job but it doesn't mean that I hate it. I am thankful for the money that I earn from it because, despite the pandemic, I still have a job that can pay the bills and somehow, buy the things I want. 

We're currently in a transition phase within the department and the changes that I am facing will affect my career and I want everything to turn out good. Saying that I am looking forward to it is so positive that contrasts what I actually feel about it but I'm not dreading it. I'm grateful and blessed to have this new opportunity within a short period of time but still, I'm not excited nor avoiding it. It's just something that bounds to happen so if it happens, let it happen and I'll do the job because it's already an obligation that I am ready to take. You get me? 

Social media


Let's take the time to pause and congratulate me for deactivating my Facebook account for the nth time and so far, I haven't go back. My life has been peaceful and there was no urge to grab my phone and open the app constantly just because an Excel file is too slow to open. There were some temptations to reactivate it again like people talking about what this person posted online but if the thought of going back ever popped out of my mind, it'd be instantly blocked that it'd just be a waste of my time. 

Another achievement was deactivating my Twitter account, yay! It's been months that I haven't updated the account constantly and every time I'd visit it, it'd be overwhelming and toxic because of how saturated the platform already is and I never even look for the app since deactivating it so that's a huge game-changer for someone who had the account since high school. Have you experienced the Twitter era when there was still a tweet limit? Yup, that's how young I was back then. 

And since I'm no longer wasting my time scrolling mindlessly on social media, I have more time to invest in myself like giving more time to moving my body, doing the household chores, and reading a book. 

check-in no. 01 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Last book, hoorah!


I am on the last book of the Harry Potter series and as an adult rereading her favorite childhood series, it's still exciting! Developing a reading habit was the best decision I've made as a kid. I'm more than halfway through the book and I'm both sad and happy about it because finally, I'll be able to finish the series again but then, I'm done with the series again. I think we've felt like this with a book or two. Mine was a series. Haha!

Netflix


I'm back on Netflix and I'm watching 'The Queen's Gambit'. Yeah, I know that I'm already late but every time something goes on trend or if it's being too overhyped by any social media platform I'm on, my interest in it decreases. I'm still on the second episode and if you're happy that I'm finally watching it, let me know. Haha! 

check-in no. 01 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


Guilt-Free Coffee


It feels so good to have guilt-free coffee. How guilt-free is this? I don't use any paper cups that would just turn into waste and I've read something online that paper cups aren't really good for the environment. Plus, it feels so satisfying to get back on my values on low-impact living. My conscience couldn't keep up with the number of cups I've accumulated with my take-out coffee. Actually, it was just two or three cups but I couldn't fully enjoy my coffee because of the waste so I bought a Kool collapsible cup that I could easily bring with me on the daily for any drink or food. At first, I was hesitant because I've to spend money on it and it'd be another addition to the things I own so I only have two choices to make which were 'Do not buy take out coffee' or 'Close an eye while drinking caffeine with guilt'. As someone who was always caffeinated since college, I can't do it and there'd be days that I can't bring my brewed coffee from home so yeah, I bought it on sale and since then, mornings spent having to-go coffee in a reusable cup has always been a good start of a workday! Yay!

Hey, what's up?

check-in no. 01

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

check-in no. 01 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


It's been months since I've updated the blog with what's happening in my life lately but it has been one of my tasks to actually make a series out of it but I don't know what title would totally fit in but then, one night after doing my usual night read, an idea came and here it is, my first ever checked in series. This is a good opportunity to actually check with one another on what's happening with our lives if that's something you'd like to share on the blog or via DM. 


So here it goes. 


Yoga


Yesterday was my 18th day of the 30-day yoga journey and so far, so good! I've mentioned before that I never imagined doing this but I never knew how therapeutic it actually is. Although, I knew that any form of exercise could be therapeutic especially with the happy hormones going active but I never actually imagined that doing yoga was a good awakening to my mind, body, and soul. There'd be times that I feel so contented and at peace with my life. 

Now, I can picture myself going to Bali attending those yoga classes. Haha! It's a huge wow for a change in lifestyle. However, I had a difficult time doing one pose because my arms were too weak to carry me but guess what, I didn't pressure myself to perfectly do it. I even took a video of myself looking like a frog doing it and planned on showing it to my mom and boyfriend of the progress I am doing on this journey. I am proud to have come this far especially it takes a lot of patience and determination to just show up on a slow practice. 


check-in no. 01 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Work


I'm not particularly in love with my job but it doesn't mean that I hate it. I am thankful for the money that I earn from it because, despite the pandemic, I still have a job that can pay the bills and somehow, buy the things I want. 

We're currently in a transition phase within the department and the changes that I am facing will affect my career and I want everything to turn out good. Saying that I am looking forward to it is so positive that contrasts what I actually feel about it but I'm not dreading it. I'm grateful and blessed to have this new opportunity within a short period of time but still, I'm not excited nor avoiding it. It's just something that bounds to happen so if it happens, let it happen and I'll do the job because it's already an obligation that I am ready to take. You get me? 

Social media


Let's take the time to pause and congratulate me for deactivating my Facebook account for the nth time and so far, I haven't go back. My life has been peaceful and there was no urge to grab my phone and open the app constantly just because an Excel file is too slow to open. There were some temptations to reactivate it again like people talking about what this person posted online but if the thought of going back ever popped out of my mind, it'd be instantly blocked that it'd just be a waste of my time. 

Another achievement was deactivating my Twitter account, yay! It's been months that I haven't updated the account constantly and every time I'd visit it, it'd be overwhelming and toxic because of how saturated the platform already is and I never even look for the app since deactivating it so that's a huge game-changer for someone who had the account since high school. Have you experienced the Twitter era when there was still a tweet limit? Yup, that's how young I was back then. 

And since I'm no longer wasting my time scrolling mindlessly on social media, I have more time to invest in myself like giving more time to moving my body, doing the household chores, and reading a book. 

check-in no. 01 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Last book, hoorah!


I am on the last book of the Harry Potter series and as an adult rereading her favorite childhood series, it's still exciting! Developing a reading habit was the best decision I've made as a kid. I'm more than halfway through the book and I'm both sad and happy about it because finally, I'll be able to finish the series again but then, I'm done with the series again. I think we've felt like this with a book or two. Mine was a series. Haha!

Netflix


I'm back on Netflix and I'm watching 'The Queen's Gambit'. Yeah, I know that I'm already late but every time something goes on trend or if it's being too overhyped by any social media platform I'm on, my interest in it decreases. I'm still on the second episode and if you're happy that I'm finally watching it, let me know. Haha! 

check-in no. 01 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


Guilt-Free Coffee


It feels so good to have guilt-free coffee. How guilt-free is this? I don't use any paper cups that would just turn into waste and I've read something online that paper cups aren't really good for the environment. Plus, it feels so satisfying to get back on my values on low-impact living. My conscience couldn't keep up with the number of cups I've accumulated with my take-out coffee. Actually, it was just two or three cups but I couldn't fully enjoy my coffee because of the waste so I bought a Kool collapsible cup that I could easily bring with me on the daily for any drink or food. At first, I was hesitant because I've to spend money on it and it'd be another addition to the things I own so I only have two choices to make which were 'Do not buy take out coffee' or 'Close an eye while drinking caffeine with guilt'. As someone who was always caffeinated since college, I can't do it and there'd be days that I can't bring my brewed coffee from home so yeah, I bought it on sale and since then, mornings spent having to-go coffee in a reusable cup has always been a good start of a workday! Yay!

Hey, what's up?
more
habits i wanna break by Augustin Ra

Developing good habits has been one of my life's tasks and as someone who's tackling adulthood one day at a time, it's a struggle to develop good habits especially sustaining them but most of all, it's much more difficult to break bad habits. 


Some habits are already innate and we sort of classify them as our default actions. Some are to be developed for how many days. As much as I want to try to make this blog as positive as it could be, that would be a huge lie of my personality because I don't live a perfect life. I also have bad days. 


So the following are the habits that I want to break: 


duh, online shopping. 


When the quarantine started, it became a huge relief on my part that I won't be spending a lot on food, transportation, and miscellaneous. I felt that I'd be this adult that would only focus on the bills and through this, I was able to save more. However, as months passed by, I gave in. I checked out an item, received it, and was so happy with my purchase that turned into a cycle of happiness and misery at the same time. Although the majority of my purchases since this pandemic started went into good use, I can't deny that how I wish I had this self-control and discipline not to check out an item. Yes, it became an addiction. 

Right now, the only parcel that I'm waiting for is a brand new Fjallraven Kanken No. 2 backpack, and oh well, there won't be any regrets because it has been a dream bag and I'm more of a backpack kind of girl. I'm hoping that this would be my last huge purchase for myself this year. 

One of my solutions to this is to think of the hours I actually worked to earn the amount I have to pay for an item, service, or whatever it is. Good idea, right? 

scrolling mindlessly on social media


Scrolling is the new smoking. Ugh. 

How many times did I catch myself going back to the reality that I'm in this deep world of scrolling mindlessly on social media? Lots! Just because I don't have anything to do. This is why I like planning my day and being productive as much as possible so I won't have to pick up my phone and just go from one app to another. 

Plus, without careful usage of these socials, it can seriously harm my mental health. This is when detox is a must. I'm planning to delete my Twitter account. It no longer serves me. I felt that it's a platform that drains me so much because of these people who are so woke to pick a fight on everything even if you're just eating a banana. I don't know why I said about the banana thing but you get me, right? Some Twitter peeps would just call you out on a little thing and cancel you for nothing. I haven't experienced that but seeing this kind of behavior is so toxic. 

Why won't they put their energy into something else, huh?

not getting enough sleep


I'm the kind of person who doesn't get enough sleep but still able to wake up early, not be late on anything, and function as a human. I really do want to break this because I'm on my journey of self-love and I want to nourish my body with enough rest and a good night's sleep. This is why I'm trying my best to do everything on my to-do list by the time I arrive home so I don't have to beat myself up for not having enough hours in a day. But then, my usual day would be taking a rest when I arrive home, scroll mindlessly on my phone, and do the things I need to do. Basically, I wasted maybe an hour or two. 

Acknowledging these bad habits that I have was actually good for me so I know what I'd focus on improving from now on. So far, these are the bad habits that I can remember. 

What are yours? Were you able to break one and how did you do it? 

breaking bad

Thursday, March 25, 2021

,
habits i wanna break by Augustin Ra

Developing good habits has been one of my life's tasks and as someone who's tackling adulthood one day at a time, it's a struggle to develop good habits especially sustaining them but most of all, it's much more difficult to break bad habits. 


Some habits are already innate and we sort of classify them as our default actions. Some are to be developed for how many days. As much as I want to try to make this blog as positive as it could be, that would be a huge lie of my personality because I don't live a perfect life. I also have bad days. 


So the following are the habits that I want to break: 


duh, online shopping. 


When the quarantine started, it became a huge relief on my part that I won't be spending a lot on food, transportation, and miscellaneous. I felt that I'd be this adult that would only focus on the bills and through this, I was able to save more. However, as months passed by, I gave in. I checked out an item, received it, and was so happy with my purchase that turned into a cycle of happiness and misery at the same time. Although the majority of my purchases since this pandemic started went into good use, I can't deny that how I wish I had this self-control and discipline not to check out an item. Yes, it became an addiction. 

Right now, the only parcel that I'm waiting for is a brand new Fjallraven Kanken No. 2 backpack, and oh well, there won't be any regrets because it has been a dream bag and I'm more of a backpack kind of girl. I'm hoping that this would be my last huge purchase for myself this year. 

One of my solutions to this is to think of the hours I actually worked to earn the amount I have to pay for an item, service, or whatever it is. Good idea, right? 

scrolling mindlessly on social media


Scrolling is the new smoking. Ugh. 

How many times did I catch myself going back to the reality that I'm in this deep world of scrolling mindlessly on social media? Lots! Just because I don't have anything to do. This is why I like planning my day and being productive as much as possible so I won't have to pick up my phone and just go from one app to another. 

Plus, without careful usage of these socials, it can seriously harm my mental health. This is when detox is a must. I'm planning to delete my Twitter account. It no longer serves me. I felt that it's a platform that drains me so much because of these people who are so woke to pick a fight on everything even if you're just eating a banana. I don't know why I said about the banana thing but you get me, right? Some Twitter peeps would just call you out on a little thing and cancel you for nothing. I haven't experienced that but seeing this kind of behavior is so toxic. 

Why won't they put their energy into something else, huh?

not getting enough sleep


I'm the kind of person who doesn't get enough sleep but still able to wake up early, not be late on anything, and function as a human. I really do want to break this because I'm on my journey of self-love and I want to nourish my body with enough rest and a good night's sleep. This is why I'm trying my best to do everything on my to-do list by the time I arrive home so I don't have to beat myself up for not having enough hours in a day. But then, my usual day would be taking a rest when I arrive home, scroll mindlessly on my phone, and do the things I need to do. Basically, I wasted maybe an hour or two. 

Acknowledging these bad habits that I have was actually good for me so I know what I'd focus on improving from now on. So far, these are the bad habits that I can remember. 

What are yours? Were you able to break one and how did you do it? 
more
15 bookish facts about me | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

I had a difficult time falling asleep last night. My brain was bombarded with thoughts of my life being a bookworm and since I've been thinking about it, might as well, share it here. When I was a kid, I never imagined myself reading a lot especially books with no pictures. Haha. But then, it has always been the default of a child to be interested in books with pictures, especially colored ones. Years went by and here I am, a self-proclaimed caffeinated book junkie and I am proud of that. 


1. I was fond of reading the 'I Wonder Why' set when I was a kid. 


I remembered reading these books every day because it has been a routine in the house to let me read something to develop the habit of studying. I didn't feel that it was a chore because I was also interested to learn and see the colored pictures. My favorite topic from this set was Egypt and until now, I have an interest in this country. 


Years later, I discovered through my father that my name originated from the Egyptian Sun God, Ra. 


2. I had my first set of Harry Potter books (#1-4) when I was probably six years old. 


My mom bought this set along with the 'I Wonder Why' and I questioned her taste in books because it doesn't have pictures in it but I used to play these books and pretend that I was witch without knowing that the books I was playing with were about witches, wizards, and magic. It has been my childhood favorite. 


3. I've read my first novel at age 10.


My mom arrived home from a trip and she brought two novels. I was hooked with James Patterson's Sail and was able to finish it in less than a week. What happened to the other novel? I wasn't interested in it because it was a science fiction and gave it to a classmate in high school who liked the genre. I don't have the copy of the first novel I mentioned because I lent it to someone last 2018 and he hasn't returned the book yet. 

4. I used to read a novel per day. 


In high school, I had this streak in which I can read a book per day and I haven't noticed that until the librarian noticed how a fast reader I was so on that very day, she stamped a 24-hour deadline on the book I borrowed. Oh well, unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish it right away. I guess it was the pressure but I can still remember that day clearly, I was pretty busy in class and wasn't able to read. It was no longer fun. 

How old am I during these times? 13! 

5. I wrecked my eyes through reading. 


I became a 4-eyed person when I was 16 and I'm already 23 so do the math. I'd hear from colleagues that I'm too young to have blurry vision and maybe the cause was my usage of technology but nope, I used to read in a dark corner of my room the whole day. Back then, it was okay for me as long as I can still read and I just realized that seeing things from a distance was getting difficult. At first, my mom wouldn't believe me because I'm still young so we had an eye check-up, and guess what, both of us have blurry vision. Plus, it's in the genes. 

6. Mom, the influencer. 


I wasn't a bookworm when I was a kid. Yeah, I'd read but I couldn't call myself a bookworm at that time. So how did I develop the love for the printed word? By having a mom who would discuss the Harry Potter books with me and I couldn't contribute anything to the discussion so I got curious and started reading it. From that day on, I became a Potterhead. Thanks, mom!

One of my goals if ever I become a mom is to let my kids see me reading because in some way, they'll copy me and reading is such a good drug. *winks*

7. Being fortunate in unfortunate circumstances


I grew up in a province that doesn't have a bookstore but I was able to read more novels by borrowing books from people of all ages. I guess this is how I was able to deal with different genres. After finishing my studies in high school, we moved to another province that doesn't have a bookstore. It was only years later that I was able to discover local stores selling a mix of brand new and secondhand books. Anyway, so during that time, the possible thing that I could have a chance to read a novel was ordering it through Book Depository, borrowing books from the school library, and downloading e-books. 

8. I used to do book reviews. 


I used to have a blog on Tumblr about my life and book reviews. Every time I'd finish a book, I'd post a review about it. Through that, I was able to turn my blog into what I was dreaming of what a blog should be especially I follow blogs with the same niche. In my third year of college, a fellow bibliophile sent me a message asking what were my preferred genres and the address of where to send the books she'll be giving me. She was giving me books because I inspired her through my blog and I never knew that someone appreciated my thoughts and writings. One of the things that I miss on Tumblr is the appreciation that I'd receive from time to time that the online space that I established as an escape inspired them. 

Do I have any plans on making book reviews in the future? Yes. I am slowly trying to compose my thoughts and make them into solid reviews just like old times. *fingers crossed*

9. I read them first. 


My college best friend, Lyka, would receive books from her boyfriend or from anyone and I'd read the books first. After reading, I'd tell her my thoughts about it. I'd judge it and that's how she decides if she's going to read it or not. I weigh both the good and the bad of each book she lent me. 

10. Ask Ra. 


I had guy friends in college that would ask me what books to buy for their girlfriends. I had college friends who would ask me what e-book reader is best to use. I had friends who would ask me what to read and what are my thoughts about it without spoiling them. 

15 bookish facts about me | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

11. Penguin


I had this huge obsession with buying any book that I could find that was published by Penguin Random House. 

12. Career


I've always wanted to be a librarian so I could be surrounded by silence and books. I also have the opportunity to read more of both old and newly published books. Can someone hire me to read a book the whole day? 

13. Minimalism


I used to own more than a hundred books composed of novels and autobiographies. The majority of them were read and obviously, my to-be-read list is pretty long. However, due to minimalism, I gave away some of the books I've already read and had no plans to keep because I wanted them to be read and touched by many instead of collecting dust. I think the purpose of the book ceases to exist when it's just being kept on a shelf. 

14. Such a dream


I've always dreamt of having a Kindle and received one from my boyfriend on my birthday last year. Yay! I cried. Every time I'd read a book on my Kindle, it'd remind me of how loving and supportive my boyfriend is so I could read more. When I started working in the corporate world, I had less time to read and it was such a struggle and painful that sometimes, I'd cry and tell him that I wanted to read so bad but I was always exhausted or there was a reason on why I can't do it. If I can remember it correctly, I cried happy tears twice because of books. Obviously. First, he surprised me with a set of Dan Brown's books and his reason was "just because". Second, the Kindle. 

15. Grateful 


I used to hide the fact that I was a bookworm. I thought that people would find me weird and nerdy which is true the majority of the time but meeting people who have the same interests as mine which is reading a lot made me open to the fact that I shouldn't be ashamed of it. As a bookworm, we hold great power through knowledge and no one should belittle us because not all people have the patience to read a book. Aside from traveling, reading makes us richer. I always see the printed word as an investment. 

I am grateful to those who lent and gave me books and even discussed the printed word with me in the past because, in one way or another, you contributed a percentage of who and what I am right now. 

I enjoyed oversharing these facts and maybe I'd share more next time. Haha! What are your bookish facts? 

15 bookish facts about me

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

15 bookish facts about me | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

I had a difficult time falling asleep last night. My brain was bombarded with thoughts of my life being a bookworm and since I've been thinking about it, might as well, share it here. When I was a kid, I never imagined myself reading a lot especially books with no pictures. Haha. But then, it has always been the default of a child to be interested in books with pictures, especially colored ones. Years went by and here I am, a self-proclaimed caffeinated book junkie and I am proud of that. 


1. I was fond of reading the 'I Wonder Why' set when I was a kid. 


I remembered reading these books every day because it has been a routine in the house to let me read something to develop the habit of studying. I didn't feel that it was a chore because I was also interested to learn and see the colored pictures. My favorite topic from this set was Egypt and until now, I have an interest in this country. 


Years later, I discovered through my father that my name originated from the Egyptian Sun God, Ra. 


2. I had my first set of Harry Potter books (#1-4) when I was probably six years old. 


My mom bought this set along with the 'I Wonder Why' and I questioned her taste in books because it doesn't have pictures in it but I used to play these books and pretend that I was witch without knowing that the books I was playing with were about witches, wizards, and magic. It has been my childhood favorite. 


3. I've read my first novel at age 10.


My mom arrived home from a trip and she brought two novels. I was hooked with James Patterson's Sail and was able to finish it in less than a week. What happened to the other novel? I wasn't interested in it because it was a science fiction and gave it to a classmate in high school who liked the genre. I don't have the copy of the first novel I mentioned because I lent it to someone last 2018 and he hasn't returned the book yet. 

4. I used to read a novel per day. 


In high school, I had this streak in which I can read a book per day and I haven't noticed that until the librarian noticed how a fast reader I was so on that very day, she stamped a 24-hour deadline on the book I borrowed. Oh well, unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish it right away. I guess it was the pressure but I can still remember that day clearly, I was pretty busy in class and wasn't able to read. It was no longer fun. 

How old am I during these times? 13! 

5. I wrecked my eyes through reading. 


I became a 4-eyed person when I was 16 and I'm already 23 so do the math. I'd hear from colleagues that I'm too young to have blurry vision and maybe the cause was my usage of technology but nope, I used to read in a dark corner of my room the whole day. Back then, it was okay for me as long as I can still read and I just realized that seeing things from a distance was getting difficult. At first, my mom wouldn't believe me because I'm still young so we had an eye check-up, and guess what, both of us have blurry vision. Plus, it's in the genes. 

6. Mom, the influencer. 


I wasn't a bookworm when I was a kid. Yeah, I'd read but I couldn't call myself a bookworm at that time. So how did I develop the love for the printed word? By having a mom who would discuss the Harry Potter books with me and I couldn't contribute anything to the discussion so I got curious and started reading it. From that day on, I became a Potterhead. Thanks, mom!

One of my goals if ever I become a mom is to let my kids see me reading because in some way, they'll copy me and reading is such a good drug. *winks*

7. Being fortunate in unfortunate circumstances


I grew up in a province that doesn't have a bookstore but I was able to read more novels by borrowing books from people of all ages. I guess this is how I was able to deal with different genres. After finishing my studies in high school, we moved to another province that doesn't have a bookstore. It was only years later that I was able to discover local stores selling a mix of brand new and secondhand books. Anyway, so during that time, the possible thing that I could have a chance to read a novel was ordering it through Book Depository, borrowing books from the school library, and downloading e-books. 

8. I used to do book reviews. 


I used to have a blog on Tumblr about my life and book reviews. Every time I'd finish a book, I'd post a review about it. Through that, I was able to turn my blog into what I was dreaming of what a blog should be especially I follow blogs with the same niche. In my third year of college, a fellow bibliophile sent me a message asking what were my preferred genres and the address of where to send the books she'll be giving me. She was giving me books because I inspired her through my blog and I never knew that someone appreciated my thoughts and writings. One of the things that I miss on Tumblr is the appreciation that I'd receive from time to time that the online space that I established as an escape inspired them. 

Do I have any plans on making book reviews in the future? Yes. I am slowly trying to compose my thoughts and make them into solid reviews just like old times. *fingers crossed*

9. I read them first. 


My college best friend, Lyka, would receive books from her boyfriend or from anyone and I'd read the books first. After reading, I'd tell her my thoughts about it. I'd judge it and that's how she decides if she's going to read it or not. I weigh both the good and the bad of each book she lent me. 

10. Ask Ra. 


I had guy friends in college that would ask me what books to buy for their girlfriends. I had college friends who would ask me what e-book reader is best to use. I had friends who would ask me what to read and what are my thoughts about it without spoiling them. 

15 bookish facts about me | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

11. Penguin


I had this huge obsession with buying any book that I could find that was published by Penguin Random House. 

12. Career


I've always wanted to be a librarian so I could be surrounded by silence and books. I also have the opportunity to read more of both old and newly published books. Can someone hire me to read a book the whole day? 

13. Minimalism


I used to own more than a hundred books composed of novels and autobiographies. The majority of them were read and obviously, my to-be-read list is pretty long. However, due to minimalism, I gave away some of the books I've already read and had no plans to keep because I wanted them to be read and touched by many instead of collecting dust. I think the purpose of the book ceases to exist when it's just being kept on a shelf. 

14. Such a dream


I've always dreamt of having a Kindle and received one from my boyfriend on my birthday last year. Yay! I cried. Every time I'd read a book on my Kindle, it'd remind me of how loving and supportive my boyfriend is so I could read more. When I started working in the corporate world, I had less time to read and it was such a struggle and painful that sometimes, I'd cry and tell him that I wanted to read so bad but I was always exhausted or there was a reason on why I can't do it. If I can remember it correctly, I cried happy tears twice because of books. Obviously. First, he surprised me with a set of Dan Brown's books and his reason was "just because". Second, the Kindle. 

15. Grateful 


I used to hide the fact that I was a bookworm. I thought that people would find me weird and nerdy which is true the majority of the time but meeting people who have the same interests as mine which is reading a lot made me open to the fact that I shouldn't be ashamed of it. As a bookworm, we hold great power through knowledge and no one should belittle us because not all people have the patience to read a book. Aside from traveling, reading makes us richer. I always see the printed word as an investment. 

I am grateful to those who lent and gave me books and even discussed the printed word with me in the past because, in one way or another, you contributed a percentage of who and what I am right now. 

I enjoyed oversharing these facts and maybe I'd share more next time. Haha! What are your bookish facts? 
more
Clickies 04 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Hi! 

We're back with another post of the Clickies series. This category on the blog discusses the links that tickled my interest. These posts, podcasts, or whatever link it is are worth discussing, giving a chance to read or listen to, and may fall into a category of fun or informative. Whatever it is, I hope these links will help you to be more open with certain topics, or maybe come with the realization that we have the same sense of humor and interests, or maybe not. 

Potterless


One time I was already tired of listening to self-help podcasts on Spotify and chose the entertainment category and found this podcast about a grown adult reading the Harry Potter series for the first time. This was a shock to me because I was assuming that the majority of the population around the world has a Harry Potter childhood especially for someone living in the US or UK, right? 

I had my first four books of the HP series when I was a kid. I think I was five years old and I had no idea about Harry Potter at that time. I can remember that I used to play with these books and pretend that I was a witch without thinking that the books I was using for fun have wizards, witches, and magic on the plot. Years later, I saw my mom reading these books and talking about them to me and I couldn't contribute to the discussion. That's when I decided to pick up a book and read it and kids, that's when I became a Potter fan. 

So if you haven't read the series, why? What are you doing with your life? Haha. But really, you might want to try listening to Potterless. It's funny and you'll see a glimpse of what is it like to be living in the wizarding world. 

If you're someone who read and watched the series, oh well, it's fun listening to someone who has no idea what actually happened in the books and would just rely on movies. But of course, along with the episodes, you'd hear him talk about the chapters and realize that some scenes weren't featured on the movie which could've been featured to make it more entertaining, and listening to this channel while at work makes the boring hours bearable. 

Clickies 04 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

On Being Vulnerable


This is a blog post from Elise of Into Solarium and god, this made me miss the good old days on Tumblr when you can pour your heart out without being judged nor canceled. These were the years when people discover your blog from the depths of the internet that they'd found you as someone cool and artsy. In conclusion, it seems that blogging in the past was more genuine compared to now because back then, based on my experience, it wasn't all curated. Everything was a huge kind of a beautiful mess of art, emotions, and thoughts. Right now, we're trying to be all perfect without thinking that we're also looking for this genuine openness and vulnerability. 

However, it doesn't mean that I only consider blog posts that aren't the 'good vibes only type' as genuine. As a reader, we could easily feel and distinguish whether a particular blog tickles your fancy and sort those that won't pass our standards. Since the pandemic started, we've consumed more of the internet whereabouts and whatnots compared to pre-covid. We've been obliged to stay at home and due to the countless opportunities on the internet, we can consume almost everything that it could offer. Just imagine living in this kind of situation back then when our form of entertainment would be a game of snake on our Nokia 3315.  Kinda insane, huh? Due to this mindless scrolling, it makes us think that social media is the real world when it's the exact opposite. We forget to remind ourselves that we choose what we want to post and share to the world that would lead to societal pressure of having a good life. 

Hence, we forget to actually have a human connection despite having an internet connection 24/7. 

Let's talk.

  • So obviously, blog hopping and listening to podcasts are my ways to survive the day especially during mundane hours. How do you survive yours? 
  • What's your relationship with social media? How do you use it for genuine human connection? 
  • What podcasts have you been listening to lately? 
  • I want to watch or listen to the full interview of Meghan Markle and Oprah but damn, I couldn't find a full video of it. Send help!

Clickies 04

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Clickies 04 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Hi! 

We're back with another post of the Clickies series. This category on the blog discusses the links that tickled my interest. These posts, podcasts, or whatever link it is are worth discussing, giving a chance to read or listen to, and may fall into a category of fun or informative. Whatever it is, I hope these links will help you to be more open with certain topics, or maybe come with the realization that we have the same sense of humor and interests, or maybe not. 

Potterless


One time I was already tired of listening to self-help podcasts on Spotify and chose the entertainment category and found this podcast about a grown adult reading the Harry Potter series for the first time. This was a shock to me because I was assuming that the majority of the population around the world has a Harry Potter childhood especially for someone living in the US or UK, right? 

I had my first four books of the HP series when I was a kid. I think I was five years old and I had no idea about Harry Potter at that time. I can remember that I used to play with these books and pretend that I was a witch without thinking that the books I was using for fun have wizards, witches, and magic on the plot. Years later, I saw my mom reading these books and talking about them to me and I couldn't contribute to the discussion. That's when I decided to pick up a book and read it and kids, that's when I became a Potter fan. 

So if you haven't read the series, why? What are you doing with your life? Haha. But really, you might want to try listening to Potterless. It's funny and you'll see a glimpse of what is it like to be living in the wizarding world. 

If you're someone who read and watched the series, oh well, it's fun listening to someone who has no idea what actually happened in the books and would just rely on movies. But of course, along with the episodes, you'd hear him talk about the chapters and realize that some scenes weren't featured on the movie which could've been featured to make it more entertaining, and listening to this channel while at work makes the boring hours bearable. 

Clickies 04 | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

On Being Vulnerable


This is a blog post from Elise of Into Solarium and god, this made me miss the good old days on Tumblr when you can pour your heart out without being judged nor canceled. These were the years when people discover your blog from the depths of the internet that they'd found you as someone cool and artsy. In conclusion, it seems that blogging in the past was more genuine compared to now because back then, based on my experience, it wasn't all curated. Everything was a huge kind of a beautiful mess of art, emotions, and thoughts. Right now, we're trying to be all perfect without thinking that we're also looking for this genuine openness and vulnerability. 

However, it doesn't mean that I only consider blog posts that aren't the 'good vibes only type' as genuine. As a reader, we could easily feel and distinguish whether a particular blog tickles your fancy and sort those that won't pass our standards. Since the pandemic started, we've consumed more of the internet whereabouts and whatnots compared to pre-covid. We've been obliged to stay at home and due to the countless opportunities on the internet, we can consume almost everything that it could offer. Just imagine living in this kind of situation back then when our form of entertainment would be a game of snake on our Nokia 3315.  Kinda insane, huh? Due to this mindless scrolling, it makes us think that social media is the real world when it's the exact opposite. We forget to remind ourselves that we choose what we want to post and share to the world that would lead to societal pressure of having a good life. 

Hence, we forget to actually have a human connection despite having an internet connection 24/7. 

Let's talk.

  • So obviously, blog hopping and listening to podcasts are my ways to survive the day especially during mundane hours. How do you survive yours? 
  • What's your relationship with social media? How do you use it for genuine human connection? 
  • What podcasts have you been listening to lately? 
  • I want to watch or listen to the full interview of Meghan Markle and Oprah but damn, I couldn't find a full video of it. Send help!
more
yoga-na do it | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Last Sunday, I planned on downloading YT videos related to fitness that I can do at home and I thought maybe I should try yoga after watching Maxine's videos of her self-improvement journey. Yoga has always fascinated me. The calm and patience it takes to pose, breathe, and stretch is really something, and the benefits along with it like mindfulness, serenity, and the wonders it could do to the mind and body. 

So yesterday was my first day of a 30-day yoga journey and a little background about myself and the fitness journey I've been into is that I like anything that would make my body move and make my happy hormones go active. I love anything that would make me grow and my body would benefit a lot from so trying out yoga despite the lack of patience is something that I'm willing to try and I have this hypothesis that maybe, just maybe, yoga is really for me. Maybe this will be a journey not only for my body but also for the mind to teach me to be calm and patient despite the circumstances. 

There are plenty of benefits to doing yoga and the top reason why I want to do this is self-care. Now that I'm in my 20s and being in a healthy relationship with my significant other, wanting to improve myself for the better has always been such a dreamy goal. When you love someone and being loved in return in a healthy way, it makes you fall in love with yourself, too. Don't get me wrong, though. When I was still single, I was also on a self-love journey, getting to know more of myself, and trying to be better every day so when I fall in love, there won't be any mess with the relationship because of my issues. However, this isn't a perfect world, I'm still struggling with this self-love thing but having a partner that supports you to be someone who you're ought to be is such a huge blessing and I don't want to waste this opportunity so, in the long run, I won't be dealing with any issues that may cause trauma to anyone especially with building a family. 

I was pretty excited about this journey but at the same time, kind of nervous about what to do because I'm not flexible. That's why I prefer lifting weights and doing cardio as sweaty activities but oh boy, I never knew that I'd also sweat a lot during the yoga session. I could feel pain in stretching my body and at the same time, I feel relaxed that my body needed this. It deserved this. The breathing exercise was a struggle. I couldn't do it in a timely manner but I was trying my best not to pressure myself to do it perfectly. I'd remind myself that I have to be gentle with this situation especially since this is my first time and that my body isn't used to it. 

Along the way, I was getting the hang of it despite the shaking and painful stretching. As someone who wants everything to be done right away, yoga is quite the exact opposite. I can't just finish the session in a short period of time and be all sweaty and breathless. It takes time to even reached the peak and there were times that I'd yawn and feel sleepy which led me to the realization that I have to do my cardio and HIIT body workout before doing this. 

Is it worth the try? When I ended the session by whispering 'Namaste' in a prayer position, I felt light and relaxed. So far, yes, it is. I felt good and gentle towards myself. I'm not sure what kind of reasoning is behind this gentle aura that was caused by yoga but it was indeed worth it. How would I sustain this activity? I can picture myself not doing this on a daily basis because there are days that I'd stay at my boyfriend's place to spend time with him so those days are considered to be as rest days. Since yoga is a gentle activity, I'd treat myself with the gentleness it deserves and count the days that I'd able to do it until I can reap the fruits of this journey. 

We'll learn more of this journey as time passes by but for now, let my excitement of doing something new for my mind and body be the start of a slow and conscious living. If not, at least, I tried. 

yoga-na do it

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

,
yoga-na do it | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Last Sunday, I planned on downloading YT videos related to fitness that I can do at home and I thought maybe I should try yoga after watching Maxine's videos of her self-improvement journey. Yoga has always fascinated me. The calm and patience it takes to pose, breathe, and stretch is really something, and the benefits along with it like mindfulness, serenity, and the wonders it could do to the mind and body. 

So yesterday was my first day of a 30-day yoga journey and a little background about myself and the fitness journey I've been into is that I like anything that would make my body move and make my happy hormones go active. I love anything that would make me grow and my body would benefit a lot from so trying out yoga despite the lack of patience is something that I'm willing to try and I have this hypothesis that maybe, just maybe, yoga is really for me. Maybe this will be a journey not only for my body but also for the mind to teach me to be calm and patient despite the circumstances. 

There are plenty of benefits to doing yoga and the top reason why I want to do this is self-care. Now that I'm in my 20s and being in a healthy relationship with my significant other, wanting to improve myself for the better has always been such a dreamy goal. When you love someone and being loved in return in a healthy way, it makes you fall in love with yourself, too. Don't get me wrong, though. When I was still single, I was also on a self-love journey, getting to know more of myself, and trying to be better every day so when I fall in love, there won't be any mess with the relationship because of my issues. However, this isn't a perfect world, I'm still struggling with this self-love thing but having a partner that supports you to be someone who you're ought to be is such a huge blessing and I don't want to waste this opportunity so, in the long run, I won't be dealing with any issues that may cause trauma to anyone especially with building a family. 

I was pretty excited about this journey but at the same time, kind of nervous about what to do because I'm not flexible. That's why I prefer lifting weights and doing cardio as sweaty activities but oh boy, I never knew that I'd also sweat a lot during the yoga session. I could feel pain in stretching my body and at the same time, I feel relaxed that my body needed this. It deserved this. The breathing exercise was a struggle. I couldn't do it in a timely manner but I was trying my best not to pressure myself to do it perfectly. I'd remind myself that I have to be gentle with this situation especially since this is my first time and that my body isn't used to it. 

Along the way, I was getting the hang of it despite the shaking and painful stretching. As someone who wants everything to be done right away, yoga is quite the exact opposite. I can't just finish the session in a short period of time and be all sweaty and breathless. It takes time to even reached the peak and there were times that I'd yawn and feel sleepy which led me to the realization that I have to do my cardio and HIIT body workout before doing this. 

Is it worth the try? When I ended the session by whispering 'Namaste' in a prayer position, I felt light and relaxed. So far, yes, it is. I felt good and gentle towards myself. I'm not sure what kind of reasoning is behind this gentle aura that was caused by yoga but it was indeed worth it. How would I sustain this activity? I can picture myself not doing this on a daily basis because there are days that I'd stay at my boyfriend's place to spend time with him so those days are considered to be as rest days. Since yoga is a gentle activity, I'd treat myself with the gentleness it deserves and count the days that I'd able to do it until I can reap the fruits of this journey. 

We'll learn more of this journey as time passes by but for now, let my excitement of doing something new for my mind and body be the start of a slow and conscious living. If not, at least, I tried. 
more
Trying To Pick It Up Again | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


As a bibliophile, people assume that we never get tired of reading, we never lose touch with the printed word, and it sucks how these assumptions could turn out to be the opposite for quite some time. It's such a nightmare to be in a reading slump. The uncertainty on how it happened demotivates me more as to why I'm in such a state. I couldn't remember when I lost motivation on reading. A novel per day, wow! That's how fast I used to read but of course, I try not to pressure myself on reading a novel per day but what I wanted is to bring my old self back into this habit. 


So lately, I've been trying my best to read as slowly as possible despite the 30 books I set for myself on Goodreads. Damn. I know, I know, what a load! Haha. We're still on the third month of the year and I'm just being optimistic here that maybe there'd be a time along the way that I could even read more than the goal. Right? 


The following are the things that I try so I could have a little reading time: 


Commute Reads


One of the best things that I dream that I could able to do every morning is to read a book and that's what I am trying to do despite the lack of sleep. Every commute to work is an opportunity to read a chapter or two. It boosts the happy hormones in me that I'm doing something for myself before others which is sort of a self-care ritual. 


Instead of scrolling


I'm starting to live with intention these days especially I'm focusing on self-growth to have a better future and every time I'd catch myself scrolling mindlessly on social media or even on shopping apps, I'd lock my phone and get my Kindle so I'd read even just a number of pages. So instead of feeling guilty and a little bit dumb for wasting my time, I was able to be productive even just a couple of minutes. 

But first


How many times did we tell ourselves that we can't read a book because we don't have the time? Plenty, huh? So what I'd do sometimes is to do the things I have to do for the day and push myself to finish all of them as much as possible so I could reward myself to read the printed word. I'd do this majority of the week after work so I'd feel enough for doing the best that I can and if I really can't because I have to sleep, at least, I was productive and not wasting time again on social media or doing nothing. 

Through this, I can do the next tip. 

Getting in the mood


One of the best things about getting in the mood is having an organized mind and place in which there's no clutter that would distract me from reading a book. Now that I have a clean and organized room, I'd light a scented candle which was a gift from my best friend, or burn some essential oils, relax, grab my Kindle and read. A good drink at the side makes it more rewarding. 

Although, one fact about me is that my sense of smell isn't really that good so lighting a scented candle doesn't do much of a service for me unless there's no electricity. Maybe the scented candle that I have doesn't have a strong scent that my nose can smell. Nothing to worry about, though. I don't have the virus. My nose can no longer smell that easily since pre-covid but I can still smell but kind of picky towards scents. One time when I bought a body spray, I brought my best friend along with me so she'd be the one smelling them. Haha! 

Channel Your Energy


There'd be times that we're too lazy to even do it and would just do mindless things but it's all in our mindset. If we channel our energy to do the task and focus on reading the first few pages, we won't notice that we're already halfway through the chapter especially if you're like me that I couldn't measure how short my concentration span these days. 

Being Accountable


I think there are two types of being an accountable reader. One is keeping it to him/herself like having a Goodreads account to keep track of the current reads and the reading challenge. While the other join book clubs to have a reading buddy to discuss the current read and motivate each other to pick up the slack. 

I am both but the majority of the time, I'd just keep it to myself. I followed a book club called @curlupclub by Jen Im on Instagram during the quarantine so it'd motivate me to read more or to pick ideas on what to read next but I haven't talked to the community so I couldn't call myself an active member of the club. Haha! 

I used to dream of having a book club here in the province and we'd meet once a month after reading the book of the month to discuss it. However, due to the pandemic and my current internet situation, doing it via Zoom makes it impossible and besides, I'm not yet in the phase that I can call myself as someone who can read a lot of books within a month. I'm still struggling. 

Carry it everywhere


I bring my Kindle with me whenever and wherever I go. Usually, the boring commute or lines pushes us to get the book from our bag and start reading, and doing this during the mundane hours makes living magical and I romanticize it so much. 

I hope these tips will help you and also myself to read more this year. As a bookworm, it saddens me that working in the corporate world and getting tired after the day led me to not being able to finish one book even just for a month. So here's to being hopeful and getting back on track as the bookworms we used to be! 

Happy reading! 

Trying To Pick It Up Again

Monday, March 8, 2021

Trying To Pick It Up Again | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra


As a bibliophile, people assume that we never get tired of reading, we never lose touch with the printed word, and it sucks how these assumptions could turn out to be the opposite for quite some time. It's such a nightmare to be in a reading slump. The uncertainty on how it happened demotivates me more as to why I'm in such a state. I couldn't remember when I lost motivation on reading. A novel per day, wow! That's how fast I used to read but of course, I try not to pressure myself on reading a novel per day but what I wanted is to bring my old self back into this habit. 


So lately, I've been trying my best to read as slowly as possible despite the 30 books I set for myself on Goodreads. Damn. I know, I know, what a load! Haha. We're still on the third month of the year and I'm just being optimistic here that maybe there'd be a time along the way that I could even read more than the goal. Right? 


The following are the things that I try so I could have a little reading time: 


Commute Reads


One of the best things that I dream that I could able to do every morning is to read a book and that's what I am trying to do despite the lack of sleep. Every commute to work is an opportunity to read a chapter or two. It boosts the happy hormones in me that I'm doing something for myself before others which is sort of a self-care ritual. 


Instead of scrolling


I'm starting to live with intention these days especially I'm focusing on self-growth to have a better future and every time I'd catch myself scrolling mindlessly on social media or even on shopping apps, I'd lock my phone and get my Kindle so I'd read even just a number of pages. So instead of feeling guilty and a little bit dumb for wasting my time, I was able to be productive even just a couple of minutes. 

But first


How many times did we tell ourselves that we can't read a book because we don't have the time? Plenty, huh? So what I'd do sometimes is to do the things I have to do for the day and push myself to finish all of them as much as possible so I could reward myself to read the printed word. I'd do this majority of the week after work so I'd feel enough for doing the best that I can and if I really can't because I have to sleep, at least, I was productive and not wasting time again on social media or doing nothing. 

Through this, I can do the next tip. 

Getting in the mood


One of the best things about getting in the mood is having an organized mind and place in which there's no clutter that would distract me from reading a book. Now that I have a clean and organized room, I'd light a scented candle which was a gift from my best friend, or burn some essential oils, relax, grab my Kindle and read. A good drink at the side makes it more rewarding. 

Although, one fact about me is that my sense of smell isn't really that good so lighting a scented candle doesn't do much of a service for me unless there's no electricity. Maybe the scented candle that I have doesn't have a strong scent that my nose can smell. Nothing to worry about, though. I don't have the virus. My nose can no longer smell that easily since pre-covid but I can still smell but kind of picky towards scents. One time when I bought a body spray, I brought my best friend along with me so she'd be the one smelling them. Haha! 

Channel Your Energy


There'd be times that we're too lazy to even do it and would just do mindless things but it's all in our mindset. If we channel our energy to do the task and focus on reading the first few pages, we won't notice that we're already halfway through the chapter especially if you're like me that I couldn't measure how short my concentration span these days. 

Being Accountable


I think there are two types of being an accountable reader. One is keeping it to him/herself like having a Goodreads account to keep track of the current reads and the reading challenge. While the other join book clubs to have a reading buddy to discuss the current read and motivate each other to pick up the slack. 

I am both but the majority of the time, I'd just keep it to myself. I followed a book club called @curlupclub by Jen Im on Instagram during the quarantine so it'd motivate me to read more or to pick ideas on what to read next but I haven't talked to the community so I couldn't call myself an active member of the club. Haha! 

I used to dream of having a book club here in the province and we'd meet once a month after reading the book of the month to discuss it. However, due to the pandemic and my current internet situation, doing it via Zoom makes it impossible and besides, I'm not yet in the phase that I can call myself as someone who can read a lot of books within a month. I'm still struggling. 

Carry it everywhere


I bring my Kindle with me whenever and wherever I go. Usually, the boring commute or lines pushes us to get the book from our bag and start reading, and doing this during the mundane hours makes living magical and I romanticize it so much. 

I hope these tips will help you and also myself to read more this year. As a bookworm, it saddens me that working in the corporate world and getting tired after the day led me to not being able to finish one book even just for a month. So here's to being hopeful and getting back on track as the bookworms we used to be! 

Happy reading! 
more
Plan With Me: Go, Grow, and Glow | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

After having a usual weekend date with my significant other, I decided to be productive yesterday and Sundays are my self-care days - an opportunity to reset my life and prepare for the upcoming week. My self-care days could be either of these two: 1) be lazy and glorify the day to its truest purpose which is to rest or 2) be productive like doing household chores, prepare a week worth of work uniform, read a book, do journaling, and whatever tickles my fancy of what a productive day should be. 

I cleaned my bedroom, did the laundry, read a book, and wrote in my journal. After writing all my thoughts in my journal, I was planning to exercise but then, my room wasn't available for exercise because all my washed clothes were inside. Yeah, I had to hang all of my washed clothes inside so I won't have to get worried if it rains. So my only option yesterday was to take a walk around the subdivision which I did. I didn't let laziness triumph. 

While walking, I was thinking of lessons I learned during this pandemic. These lessons could be considered as cliche but as cliche, as it may sound, they're still lessons that we often take for granted. With these lessons learned, I want to share them here on the blog as slowly as possible. 

In my previous post, I mentioned that I failed to plan my 2021. However, that we're now in the third month of the year, I am hopeful that I'll be planning this year for good. I'm planning to take this project seriously which is to go, grow, and glow inside and out. This project is about me and how to make myself the best version ever that I can be within a year. 

Plan With Me: Go, Grow, and Glow | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Regular exercise and meditation are the habits that I'm planning to put into practice badly. Some would say why would I need exercise when I'm already skinny. I may look skinny but I am not. I don't look skinny nor fat but also, I can't say that I am the healthiest that I've ever been in terms of my physical. Going up and down the stairs has become a struggle compared to my so-called skinny days. My pants won't fit me. What's really worse is that I don't feel healthy inside. One thing that I'd like to develop in exercising is my strength. I did habit stacking which is putting a new habit on top of the old one. The old habit was exercising and I put meditation on top. The twist here is to focus more on strength training and cardio on working out and when it comes to meditation, to do it regardless if I exercised or not. 

Through these habits, I'd be developing my physical and mental well-being in order for me to glow inside and out. Putting these plans for the public to see would mean that I'm telling the Universe that this time, I mean it. I'm doing this for myself!

I'm sick with people body shaming me and looking at myself not appreciating the body that I have. There are days that I may look in the mirror looking beautiful and empowered with this body of mine but there'd also be days that my insecurities are eating me which sucks big time. I want to have a healthy body that is empowered through healthy habits like exercising and eating good food. Throughout the process, I am hoping that slowly but surely, I'll be loving my body to its full potential regardless of the rolls or muscles that I'll be having in the future. I'd love to witness my journey of how my body changes to go and grow to become the best version it could be. 

Plan With Me: Go, Grow, and Glow

Monday, March 1, 2021

, ,
Plan With Me: Go, Grow, and Glow | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

After having a usual weekend date with my significant other, I decided to be productive yesterday and Sundays are my self-care days - an opportunity to reset my life and prepare for the upcoming week. My self-care days could be either of these two: 1) be lazy and glorify the day to its truest purpose which is to rest or 2) be productive like doing household chores, prepare a week worth of work uniform, read a book, do journaling, and whatever tickles my fancy of what a productive day should be. 

I cleaned my bedroom, did the laundry, read a book, and wrote in my journal. After writing all my thoughts in my journal, I was planning to exercise but then, my room wasn't available for exercise because all my washed clothes were inside. Yeah, I had to hang all of my washed clothes inside so I won't have to get worried if it rains. So my only option yesterday was to take a walk around the subdivision which I did. I didn't let laziness triumph. 

While walking, I was thinking of lessons I learned during this pandemic. These lessons could be considered as cliche but as cliche, as it may sound, they're still lessons that we often take for granted. With these lessons learned, I want to share them here on the blog as slowly as possible. 

In my previous post, I mentioned that I failed to plan my 2021. However, that we're now in the third month of the year, I am hopeful that I'll be planning this year for good. I'm planning to take this project seriously which is to go, grow, and glow inside and out. This project is about me and how to make myself the best version ever that I can be within a year. 

Plan With Me: Go, Grow, and Glow | Indie Spirit by Augustin Ra

Regular exercise and meditation are the habits that I'm planning to put into practice badly. Some would say why would I need exercise when I'm already skinny. I may look skinny but I am not. I don't look skinny nor fat but also, I can't say that I am the healthiest that I've ever been in terms of my physical. Going up and down the stairs has become a struggle compared to my so-called skinny days. My pants won't fit me. What's really worse is that I don't feel healthy inside. One thing that I'd like to develop in exercising is my strength. I did habit stacking which is putting a new habit on top of the old one. The old habit was exercising and I put meditation on top. The twist here is to focus more on strength training and cardio on working out and when it comes to meditation, to do it regardless if I exercised or not. 

Through these habits, I'd be developing my physical and mental well-being in order for me to glow inside and out. Putting these plans for the public to see would mean that I'm telling the Universe that this time, I mean it. I'm doing this for myself!

I'm sick with people body shaming me and looking at myself not appreciating the body that I have. There are days that I may look in the mirror looking beautiful and empowered with this body of mine but there'd also be days that my insecurities are eating me which sucks big time. I want to have a healthy body that is empowered through healthy habits like exercising and eating good food. Throughout the process, I am hoping that slowly but surely, I'll be loving my body to its full potential regardless of the rolls or muscles that I'll be having in the future. I'd love to witness my journey of how my body changes to go and grow to become the best version it could be. 
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