Kids want to get old and older people wanted to be kids again. The same feeling as others who turned at this age, I had that moment of truth. Like “Wait, really? What happened?” It is also a moment where you evaluate your life and will have a profound realizations. Let me share my thoughts on turning 29ish.

LIFE IS SHORT, Be Content.

I become more aware of my age. If we only know when we will die, we will live every day as if it is our last. But reality check, we do not know when. But we all know that our life here on earth is short to be negative all the time. Why not spend your years meaningful and happy? How?

Contentment is one of the answers. We are all given an experience to enjoy. Just because some are rich, you should hate yourself being poor and choose to pity yourself. Just because you are in the Philippines and most of your friends work abroad doesn’t mean you are not successful. Also, only because they work abroad doesn’t mean they don’t experience struggles and hardships. Life is not a competition. Be content on whatever you have.

We all do, wherever we are, whatever we do, we all undergo in the process of learning and enjoying life. Admit it or not; we have and had depressions and anxiety attacks at times. You started to look down on yourself and believe the thinking that you are nothing because you are also starting to compare yourself to others.

We always want more. 

I remember someone who once said, “If I will only have that phone, I will end up there and will not ask for more” He got that phone, but guess what every year he wants to change his phone. 

High technology, trending, everyone has it and ending up “I want that too”. If the cellphone is only a way of communication and if it still works, why should I buy a new and expensive one? It is okay to upgrade or buy whenever and whatever you want. It’s not a problem as long as you can afford and know your priorities. My point is, in our lives, we never be content if we will freely let ourselves flow how the world goes. 

You get frustrated when you can’t have what you want, the luxurious life that everyone wants, and start to feel jealous and compare yourself to others. 

Be content. If others are rich, let them be rich. If you think you are poor, you are wrong. God has given us everything we need. 

You have to know the difference between NEEDS and WANTS.

Hebrews 13:5(ESV)

Keep your life free from love of money and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Timothy 6:6-11 (ESV)

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and[a] we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these, we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

When I was younger, I used to be like someone who wants more. I want this and that. I had deep thoughts of being rich—my own big house, car, and beautiful branded clothes. I spent time thinking and wishing my life to be like that, perfect as others look at it. And when I came back to reality, I started to get mad at my parents. “If only they are rich.”

But as time goes by, as I learned from life and see what truly the real treasure is and through God’s word, the light unto our path, I changed. 

My perspective in life changes. That “if only they/I am rich” turns to “If only I am content”. If only from the very start, I am content, I would be happier and appreciate the beauty of life. 

I do not want to spend my life on earth, comparing my life with others. I want and choose to be content. Thank God for his correction and learning.

Love Yourself.

It is a broad topic to discuss. I will be clear when I say, “Love yourself and Be yourself,” God loves everyone and accepts us for who we are. I will only talk about a situation where self-pity and low self-esteem overwhelm me.

Many of us dwell on the thoughts “I am not good enough” “I am not capable” “I can’t achieve great things” “I am miserable” “I can’t achieve my dreams” “I will be forever like this.” 

Regardless of age, we tend to dwell on negative thoughts. “Buti pa sila” “Buti ka pa” Those words and thoughts unconsciously destroying your character and personality. You forget who you are because you are filled with others’ attainments and even look at their flaws to make yourself believe either you are better than them or you are wretchedly unhappy. 

Both results are not right. If you don’t know how to balance, you will become insecure and end up comparing yourself to others and hatred starting to fill your heart to the people. You think they’ve got them all good together in their lives and you don’t. 

Sadly, you become hard on yourself unknowingly. You become jealous of other’s possessions and achievements instead of focusing on your abilities and accomplishments.

Social media is something we can access to others’ lives, and you started to think that they are more blessed or fortunate than you are. Typically, we sometimes feel jealous; everybody thinks that, admit it or not. 

Search your heart. If you want to have a peaceful life, begin to love yourself and see the good things in your heart. I admire people who are happy with others success. They are very few. Do not be somebody else. Be yourself. Love yourself.

There will always be someone better than you, prettier or more handsome than you, smarter than you, more abundant than you, but there is only one YOU. You are unique. 

When I realized that I wanted to write, a dream held in my heart for a long time. I doubted it first because I focused on others’ works. They are so good, and I am not. I admit I still have to learn things. I have learned that I won’t achieve any goals in my life if I don’t step on it. JUST DO IT. 

I do not write because everyone can write (for bloggers and writers). I write because I love to. I need this to make me feel happy and fulfilled. They are better than me, yes, I know. I admire them, but instead of focusing on those ‘more than you’, look into your heart, START, and appreciate your self. You will be amazed at how God becomes gracious in bestowing blessings and favors, abilities, skills, talents, and gifts upon you. 

I can’t say that I can write excellent, but by doing this, I love myself. It helps me to express myself. So whether people won’t like what I am writing or saying here, I will still do it because I love doing this. 🙂 

I am God’s masterpiece. You are God’s masterpiece. It means you are His great art of work.

Ephesians 2:10 New Living Translations (NLT)

10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Nobody to Somebody 

I am 30, and during my younger years, negative thoughts like these empower me. It does happen to me still at times. I don’t like it. I do not want my heart to be consumed with dirty things such as hatred, greed, anger, jealousy, frustrations, depressions and all. 

Everyone does not like them, of course. I do not want to live like that, so seeking the ONE who created us is the best way to know what is good and what is not and to know right and wrong. 

I am so thankful that the life God has given us every day is a chance and challenge for ourselves to be better. We must live a life with a purpose. 

You learn along the way; your journey of being Nobody to Somebody is not comfortable, yet it is fulfilling. I used to believe that I am just nobody and won’t be able to achieve great things.

Yes, if I have to compare my life to my college friends and batchmates, and define success as possessions and career growth, I would say I am nobody. 

In my previous posts, you would read how was my life in 4 years living in Aruba. A part of my Story if you want to know. 🙂 But I would say I am Somebody now. I am not boasting about my life. Honestly, I have nothing to brag about. 

At this age, I do not have a job everyone dreams; I don’t have a house or a car, I don’t have expensive clothes, I do not have gadgets that everyone wants. I don’t have money to eat to some fine dining restaurants, name them; I have nothing to boast. 

But let me tell you, I have a job, not a good position but I have at least I have a job. I do not have my own house, but I have people who treat me like their own family, besides from my father’s place, I still find a home by those people who are kind to me. 

Gadgets? To tell you honestly, I didn’t spend a lot of money on my phone, laptop, and iPad. They are almost free. Freely given to me. 

Restaurants, I can eat sushi, which we all know are expensive. I ate at fine dining restaurants because of lovely people who invite me at times, again it’s free.

This how I call favor from the Lord. I don’t demand things; God is showering His blessings to me. I am so blessed. Really. I don’t mind if other people look down on me. I am not explaining myself for the ones who think I have all together. I also experience things here, huh! 

You just have to be content, love yourself, and to be somebody. Somebody means knowing your identity in Christ. When negative of this world strike you, remember who you are in Christ. You are accepted. A new creation, blessed, cherished, designed by God, favored, forgiven, saved, unique, loved, and victorious. The Lord sees us so beautiful, you have to believe you are. 

From a person who thinks she is a Nobody, she has learned to embrace the love of God to be a Somebody, knowing her worth.

I am an Egg! HAHA

I am like an egg, mixed with other ingredients to bake a cake. I used to like to be isolated. I was covering myself with my shell. I don’t like to see the world as being open-minded and just believing what I want to think. I do not want to open myself to anyone. 

I am okay being inside, comfortable. But I had to let someone break my shell for me to be useful and to live longer, I guess (mabubugok ako e!). Breaking the shell could be painful for me; adjustments will happen because I’ve been living inside my shell for a long time. 

A time comes that I need to be put in a bowl and mixed with other ingredients. I am an egg; that is my purpose of living, so I let myself mixed to others. In the mixing process, I need to blend in for the baker can create a perfect cake. 

Mixed and put in a pan. When ready, set in an oven to bake, you cannot make a cake if you don’t put the mixture in an oven. The temperature would be so hot inside the oven, but it is needed for a cake to be baked. 

As soon as you are ready, the delicious sweet aroma will spread the whole area. Just like when you pass a bakery, you smell the delicious cakes and breads. whooo 🙂 Dushi! And you are ready to be eaten.

I let God break me and release me from my shell. Shellfishness. Haha 

Selfishness. It is not always about myself, being comfortable, and not to see others needs. I have to give myself to be used and be useful. It does not provide you with satisfaction when you are alone inside your shell. 

Perhaps, God created you for something else or more; that is why you are longing for that purpose for you to feel the satisfaction. 

He needed to break me so I can give myself away. When I say, “Okay, Lord, have your way,” I let the Baker do as he wishes. It was not easy; it’s uncomfortable.

“What? Why do I have to mix myself with others? Why do I have to blend in? I can be alone.” “I don’t care about them. I will live my life on my own.” 

Yeah. “self” where we can only think about ourselves, what we want, what we feel, what makes us comfortable without desiring to see others’ needs or situations. 

That is the moment I got to see different and difficult people around me, but I still have to accept them for who they are and blend in because they are also God’s creation with different functions in the world just like me. 

To please everyone is not my intent. The point is that God shows me that I am loved, and he also teaches me how to love. I am not saying even that I can love someone utterly. Only God can do that. 

But Jesus inspires us to love others. Well, the greatest commandments God gave us:

Matthew 22:36-40

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Loving yourself makes you love others. Loving others is loving God.

The mixing process produces you with these characters that God wants us to learn. I am not saying I have them at all times. I am human. I am not perfect, I am so perfectly imperfect, but I have a perfect God who loves me just the way I am and teach me how to live a life meaningful. 

His word is a guide for me to be on the right path. Sometimes I am in doubt about writing things like this; I don’t want to let people feel uncomfortable by making them think, “I have the perfect life.” 

Of course not, again, I am not going to boast about myself, but I can boast about the ONE who helps me becoming like this. I still have things to learn, I know. Just like the saying, “Experience is the best teacher, and the worst experiences are the best lessons” In life, learning is a continual cycle. Live to learn.

The baking time. Those are the times when you want to get out of it because it is painful; you feel like you can’t endure the temperature anymore. 

This stage could be the painful experiences in your life, dealing with difficult people, facing different tragedies in life, financial problems, broken hearts, broken lives, etc. you feel like there will be no escape. 

There is a time for everything. Even the baker wants to get you from the oven; he still has to see if you are ready. I have to wait for the right time until I am ready. 

Sometimes you have to endure it for a long time, but guess what? When you wait, the result will always be great. There is a blessing in waiting.

When the Baker takes the cake out from the hot oven, he knows that you are ready. The aroma will spread out the place. You will see the smile from the Baker and from the people around you wanting you to be part of their lives. 

The praise will always go to my Baker for making a good cake or bread. You are becoming a blessing. You make them happy. It is so fulfilling to see you are blessed to be a blessing.

Final Words

Life is short. We should learn how to be content and enjoy life. I will repeat it, stop comparing yourself to others. While living on earth, do not waste your time comparing yourself to others; instead, appreciate yourself. We are unique in our way. 

Find things that make you happy. If you have a desire and dream deep down your heart and you still didn’t act with it, just do it. We are all learning. If you fail, it’s okay but never stop learning. 

Like what I am doing, if writing makes me happy, even if there are people who are better than me, I will keep doing this, I guess. HAHA. 

Because I am becoming proud of myself, I used to have low self-esteem, yet I am sharing my deepest thoughts, which help me see my worth. 

When you learn lessons from life, choose to be a blessing. There’s someone out there who needs your story to be refreshed, encouraged, and be reminded again. Share yours! Be a blessing!

If you are still reading this, thank you so much for your time. These are some of my great lessons in my 29ish living in this world. I still want and have to learn a lot of things. And may this be an encouragement to you. I would love to hear from you by writing on the comment box. Yey! God bless you 🙂

Princess Leah

princessleah.co