Now @ Wordpress

Maintaining two blogs is not practical. I believe most of you would agree. The reason for my transfer to WordPress is the new venture, which I believe God has called me. 

Blogspot is where I had started pouring out my thoughts and emotions when I was rising from rock bottom. Since then, so many things had happened that I am very grateful for. From an HIV patient to being a peer counselor and educator to becoming a local and Asia HIV facilitator, to being a pastoral counselor, and now nearing to obtain my Ph.D. degree as a mental health professional. It has been 12 years in my journey here.

The last post I have here before this one is about my new e-book. It is the new platform I believe the Lord has called me to do at this point in my journey with Him. At first, my motivation was to have an extra source of income. However, my expectation when it comes to sales did not happen. God has made me realized that my motivation is not noble enough. I, too, believe it was kind of selfish. I have come to realize this as soon as I was writing my second e-book. 

I had prayed early this year that He gives me a platform where I can share the knowledge, experiences, learning, and skills I have acquired from either out or in-formal schooling or training. In short, everything I have learned in life that God will lead me to share. When I came across this e-book idea middle of this year, my heart is at peace when I tried starting writing and began watching webinars to educate myself on how to do it.

Thus, to make my content relevant and focus, I have decided to make another one dedicated to this. And yet, I will keep sharing my thoughts, feelings, and new endeavors that are aligned to the theme of my writings. That is being true to yourself. Hence, I called my new website or blog, Simply TRY or Simply The Really You. It is the first step towards mental wellness. Being the real you include all your experiences in life, both good and bad. It is where the tag line "Every Experience Matters" came from. Because it is the truth, take it from a long-term HIV survivor like me and now, a mental health practitioner. Sometimes, I do psychotherapy, but more often, I do counseling and psycho-educational workshops to my clients.

So, to all my dear followers here, please kindly visit my new website through the link below. Do not forget to follow me there and like my post. Thank you for journeying with me here fellow pilgrims. May God bless us all. Soli Deo Gloria!

https://simplytrytherealyou.wordpress.com/

Fighting HQ Challenges

Home quarantine (HQ) is not the kind of vacation we all wanted. The threat of Covid-19 and many other factors in which could be the sources of stress (or trauma for some) is present. As a mental health practitioner, I got this burden to do something while staying at home. I was moved to write this article that could assist people in facing some challenges while in HQ. 

We are only on the tenth day of home quarantine. There are twenty days more to endure if it will be lifted as scheduled. Depending on your personality and coping skills, you may or may not enjoying anymore this containment. If you are an indoor and introverted person, this quarantine is something you maximize and enjoy like I do. Unfortunately, some people are already feeling bored or sad about the situation. Home quarantine could be stressful to many that it can cause fear, anxiety and some degree of depression. What can we do to overcome these three major challenges? Here are some of my thoughts. 

Fear is common to everyone at this point. There are many different kinds of fears we might be feeling but people in quarantine have this fear of uncertainty. Of course, front liners and those who remained faithful serving their communities also feel the same way. Uncertainty is quite challenging to handle for it means, more often than not, waiting. DO NOT LET FEAR TAKE OVER YOU. This is the best time to DWELL IN YOUR FAITH. We have more time to read devotionals and PRAY. We might feel uncertain but God is not. He knows exactly what is happening. We may not fully understand what is going on but God remains in control. 

Anxiety is closely related to fear because of uncertainty. The period of waiting in an uncertain period like home quarantine can cause some anxiety to some especially to those who are not used to staying at home. STAY CALM AND DO NOT FOCUS ON UNCERTAINTIES. If you choose to dwell in your faith, staying calm would be a lot easier. Watching the news and reading from social media remain helpful only when it is there to inform you. When it begins to scare you, stop watching and reading and FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO WHILE WAITING. You said you have no time for many things that you want to do before the quarantine. God has heard you. Use it wisely for you may never get another chance like this.

Depression could happen from prolonged sadness and other symptoms. Two weeks of feeling and showing such symptoms (Google it DSM 5 MDD) could result in minor to severe depressive disorder i.e. if you did not do what I have said above and the recommendations below. A quarantine period can trigger a relapse to those who already have experienced it. Now that you have exercised your faith that supposed to be giving you calmness, BE CONFIDENT IN YOURSELF THAT YOU CAN GO THROUGH THIS. Think of those difficult times you have personally overcome. Now is the time to gather strength from such experiences. Experiences of others similar to what we are going through today are also helpful to revisit and learn from it. Read Exodus in the Old Testament – the plague stories and you may see the almost similarity of today’s scenario. In the end, God has delivered those who obeyed and stayed at home. So, how to fight these HQ challenges?

1. Dwell in your faith and do not let fear take over you.
2. Stay calm and do not focus on uncertainties. 
3. Be confident that this too shall pass.

Perhaps you might be wondering that these three suggestions are too broad. Well, below are the practical recommendations that you and your household can do. 

DWELL IN YOUR FAITH

1. Read devotionals (alone or as a family if they are open to it) and pray each day of the quarantine period.
2. Read the Word of God and other inspirational books.
3. Pray incessantly but make sure you take time to LISTEN TO GOD. Attend to the online service of your respective churches.

STAY CALM AND FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Do debriefing with each other with your family and friends. Ask what are their thoughts, how they are feeling, and discuss possible things that you can do each day of the quarantine period. For people with pre-existing mental health issues, you may want to set an appointment online with your counselor or if you need one.
2. Connect with friends, colleagues, families, and relatives that you have not talked to for a while. God has allowed the world to develop a technology like the Internet. Use it wisely to connect with people. We are only physically separated but can remain socially connected.
3. Revisit those hobbies and try on new things. Read books, cook, bake, play online games, do art, sing karaoke, watch movies and series online, have coffee, plant trees in a pot (if you do not have enough empty land), smell the flowers, and watch or listen to the chirping birds. If you have a thing for cleaning every corner of your house, what are you waiting for? Go and clean every dust!

BE CONFIDENT THAT THIS TOO SHALL PASS

1. Stay home and be safe by obeying the protocols instructed by the authority.
2. Stay healthy – eat well, drink plenty of water, sleep well, take health supplements, do a home workout, and exercise.
3. Be a responsible citizen and do your part to protect not just yourself but for others too. Of course, pray for the welfare of the front liners globally. 

The list of suggestions above is not exhaustive. You can add more. The content of this article came from my workshop presentations, readings, and devotionals that I can only remember as I type. If you need professional help, do not hesitate to call your counselor for an online appointment. 

REMEMBER THIS. God has a purpose for this Covid-19 and HQ. We may not know exactly what it is but we can TRUST GOD. Our plans for this year are all messed up however, Proverbs 19: 21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” In case you find this article helpful, please feel free to share it.

A Worth-Remembering Lesson

Journaling, writing, blogging or whatever we may desire to

call it nowadays for me has become spontaneous like tonight. Perhaps I got inspired by the New Year’s Eve holiday. I feel nostalgic to reflect back on the most important lesson that is worth-reminiscing that took place in the past year. THE ACT OF FORGIVENESS.

First, it is truly a HUMBLING experience. Forgiving someone whom you have thought to be the last person to deeply hurt you by his unsubstantiated claims was really hard. With his gentle but blatantly throat-cutting words, I felt judged, worthless, and untrustworthy. He’s the greatest influencer in my eleven years’ journey with the Lord Jesus Christ. I am who I am today largely because I have internalized his teachings and principles from the scriptures! Again, those words were entirely groundless and pure assumptions. He was like a mentor to me! I look up highly to him! I believe you got my point.

Second, the act of forgiveness is truly a PROCESS. The offense took place virtually a year ago when I was moved by the Holy Spirit to do it. My heart was protesting but my mind and body were united to go against it. Honestly, I still cannot believe he did that and I am still hurting until today whenever I think of it.

But I am glad God did it because lastly, the act of forgiveness when you are deeply wounded can only be done by His GRACE. Whenever I think of those words he said, until this moment I fail to understand how or why he did that. It cost our intimate relationship. However, I chose to forgive him almost every day with a little hope that restoration towards a sweeter relationship will happen soon. It taught me what an elder told me a few times. The amount of grace you have received from the Lord is the same grace you can bestow to others especially to those who hurt you the most. Indubitably, I am so grateful to the abounding grace like an ocean that God Himself has bestowed upon me over and over again. So, who am I not to do so? But then again, it is difficult, however, by His grace it is possible.

Yes, through forgiveness reconciliation has taken place and largely, to a certain degree, it has freed me from negative and unhealthy thoughts about him. Nevertheless, as I tread on the path of 2019 towards my twelve years with Christ Jesus, my prayer is that the Lord will allow me to see the remaining pain in a different light. A new perspective that will usher me to become more like Him. That is to do what is right always despite my pain and sinfulness simply because I love Jesus above all. Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to see the SILVER LINING through hurt and for teaching me more about humility and grace through the act of forgiveness, especially when my heart says no. Truly, this is a lesson worthy of living and remembering. A Blessed Happy New Year to all! 

Teaching – An Honor and A Responsibility

It has been a couple of months since my last entry here.

Workshops, teaching, and seminars took most of my time in addition to school readings.

Last August, I conducted two HIV&AIDS workshops. One in Cagayan De Oro City for two and a half days. The other one is at this private company in Quezon City through a pastor friend’s invitation and connection. Since it is just a half day, I have decided not to share my testimony as first planned. However, I was moved (by the Holy Spirit) to share it towards the end. People who were so grateful with what I shared! Some were touched and cried but mostly were blessed. Last Sunday of the month, I was invited to preach at this house church in Caloocan. The message was about “Embracing the Pain.”

Early of the following month, I was given an opportunity to share “How to love our LGBT neighbors as we love ourselves?” at this forum. Then I traveled to Pangasinan for another Channels of Hope HIV workshop and another with the staff of this private hospital in Tondo. All were great and blessed experiences, a testimony how God can turn things around even the worst situations into our favor when we trust Him.

The month was capped off with teaching on “Understanding Depression and Positive Psychology” at this college in Munoz, and “Stress Management Workshop” at our counseling and training center. I believe that Mental health should be focused on including wellness through stress management especially nowadays. This has become part of my advocacy since I got a calling into helping profession of counseling and psycho-education. Thus, motivated me to pursue my doctorate degree in clinical counseling.

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Counseling and teaching on topics that address our total well-being are truly my passion and calling. Truly, speaking the truth in love is both an honor and a responsibility especially doing it all for the honor and glory of our Lord Almighty! And there’s more to come. In the meantime, as I have mentioned already about my studies, coming middle of this month my classes start. It is time to be a student again and focus. Shalom and God bless!