(Estimated reading time: 5 minutes) "We reap what we sow." "What goes around comes around." "The law of cause and effect" "Karma" Every day, we found ourselves hustling and bustling as we delve into a world that only seems to be nothing but full of chaos and distraction. Life is full of sudden changes and we need to make decisions with every turn of a second, that we tend to often forget that our actions can have profound impacts on ourselves and those around us. Also, more often than not, we make decisions that can have negative consequences and unknowingly could hurt people, even the ones that are close to us. But, although it is true that we tend to make mistakes, as conscientious beings, we still want to create and sustain meaningful relationships. We want to make decisions that have better consequences and that would benefit us and those around us. What could help us unlock the potential of having a positive transformation and change our li...

(Estimated reading time: 13 minutes)  Within the past few decades or even years, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe. Back in 2019, an unprecedented deadly heatwave hit Europe. South Africa, particularly in Cape Town, experienced a severe drought in 2018. Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast of the United States back in 2017. Drier conditions caused the devastating wildfires that ravaged Australia between 2019 and 2020 and have become frequent threats to many parts of the United States. Europe also experienced extreme flooding in 2021, and strong typhoons continue to ravage many countries in South East Asia. Are these isolated events? Or, is there one underlying cause that contributes to such extreme conditions that threaten the survival of our planet? Questions such as these can quickly escalate from a genuine effort to seek answers to a heated argument between two opposing opinions. The answers to these questions can vary depending on the sources available...

(Estimated reading time: 1 minute, 28 seconds) As we go on with our lives, we come across many failures. And when we fail, it often puts us in seemingly impossible hardships that feel out of our control. There are many causes of these, and most of them are complicated. Things don't always go as we planned them. And there is one mistake that we make almost every time we make a mistake—to put the blame on someone or something. We point a finger at other people. We blame external factors like unfair conditions or bad advice from others. And this is because blaming others is an easy way to avoid facing our own shortcomings. But rarely do we put the blame on one thing—or on one person—that is, ourselves. And this is the hard but one simple truth. That we are the ones accountable for our own actions. Why? Because we took the liberty to heed that "bad" advice. We put the outcome of things into chance without considering other possible difficulties or results, often forgetting th...

(Estimated reading time: 3 minutes) Happiness- it is what we want in life, what we desperately seek, and badly need. For long, many great minds sought the meaning of happiness, or in particular, a happy life. There is this cliche, " Happiness is a choice ," and many say that we should always choose the things that make us the happiest, though some might disagree. Some equate being happy with instant gratification, satiation of senses, and fulfillment of desires. But what is true happiness? And, most importantly, how can we achieve a happy life? This is one of the many questions that Aristotle , a Macedonian philosopher, sought to answer. He was born in 384 BC (BC means before the common era) in Stagira, Macedonia . The great Macedonian conqueror Alexander became his pupil, and Aristotle would advise the emperor until the last years of his reign. One of Aristotle's works is Nicomachean Ethics, named and dedicated to his son, Nicomacheus. In this work, Aristotle discussed h...

(Estimated reading time: 1 minute)  “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone... just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.”- from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. When put into the context of the whole book, the significance of those lines is how they affect the entire course of the story's plot. But for readers like me, who always think that what s/he reads is tremendously relevant to her/his existence, the words mean like this: Others may be dealing with situations we are unaware of or fail to recognize. As a result, it is unfair to criticize others when we do not have the same circumstances that lead to something we think is worth condemning or criticizing. Before making conclusions about others, it is always best to put ourselves in their shoes first, though, more often than not, this is impossible to do so. And that is where we often fail. What can help is to be more empathic and considerate and show compassion...

(Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 31 seconds) We are frequently lied to and deceived. People can hide the truth from us. We are frequently lied to and deceived. This is one of the many reasons why it becomes difficult for many of us to give away our trust to somebody. Trust is difficult to come by. Trust issues are so common that it makes it difficult for many to have meaningful relationships. From a young age, we're conditioned to prioritize self-preservation and guard ourselves against potential threats. Relying on others whom we deem capable of helping us survive or even thrive helps on that matter, but we also learn from our experiences that it also comes with a lot of disappointments. Those people whom we give our trust to, we put them on some sort of pedestal as we also look up to them, and we sort of match our standards to the most ideal image we can think about them. We set high expectations towards them. But as it is inevitable for us humans to fail and commit mistakes, ...

(Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 15 seconds)  "To be, rather than to seem." We all want to achieve perfection. Anyone else who says otherwise is either a liar or out of touch with reality. We desire a perfect relationship. We want to ace our scorecards, tests, and grades. We do what we think will make us have a perfect body. And how frustrating it is for some when they just can't get the perfect selfie. But is desiring perfection right, and will it lead to a contented and meaningful life? Being perfect in the eyes of others has been a shield for many. Just look at people's social media accounts. Even if life has been rough, social media feeds should always be awesome. Of course, it is not bad at all to post some of the achievements you made through sheer talent and grit, and nothing is wrong to post those shoes you finally bought that you've always wanted or the vacation you longed for and truly deserve. But the thing is, we try to look perfect, most of the tim...

(Estimated reading time: 1 minute, 30 seconds) As humans, we have frailties and weaknesses, and because of that, we are prone to making failures. We make mistakes; we mess things up. There are times that we make embarrassment of ourselves. We let opportunities pass, and we can make errors in our judgment. In the same way, we are bound with insecurities and uncertainties. We are bound to make the same mistakes. Our surroundings change in the blink of an eye. Shifts in weather, economy, politics, or even in relationships can get us all so blindsided that thinking about what is going to happen next can render us helpless at some point. How should we face this unavoidable reality? Most people let these things occupy their minds. They kick themselves over the things that they did in the past or pull their hair over what may happen in the future. We are all guilty of this at some point in our lives. The thing is, we should not let the thoughts of the past and the future overpower us. We shou...

(Estimated reading time: 1 minute)  Whether we accept it or not, be aware of it or not, there are times that our emotions can get the best of us. People's actions can upset us. Little things can stir up a whirlwind of emotions. Certain memories can get us triggered. Even those that indirectly affect us or those that we only observe from others can be a cause of undesirable feelings. What is the best thing to do before we get to spill all the brewing emotions? What should we do? The key is to choose to try to stop ourselves before our emotions spiral out of control. We cannot control emotions. But what we can do is recognize them, accept that they are part of our being, and know what caused them or triggered them. Stop. Feel. Think. Breath. To try things that will make the stimulus subside—whether it will be deep breathing, counting, silent meditating, or walking—being aware of triggers and doing something about them can help stop undesirable responses. Uncontrolled emotional reacti...

(Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 16 seconds) In all our dealings, we encounter all sorts of people, and more often than not, they do not make it always easy for us. People can get in our way. They can be aggressive and can get envious. Some can really do serious harm to us. But so we can also find the peace we desire; it is our duty to do good to them and put up with them. Is it that hard? Yes. Why? It is not just that they can do those things to us. Every day we see people do harmful or destructive things to others. You know someone who flirts while their partner is not around. Another one is being rude to a waiter. A government official is cheating on his taxes. One of your coworkers is being toxic and pulling the team down. Dealing with these every day is taxing and exhausting. And it goes the same with ourselves. There are times when we become that person. The one who makes the life of others around us harder than it should be. When we exhibit unprofessionalism, show rudeness, b...

(Estimated reading time: 2 minutes)  We all face different situations, and things can get difficult to deal with. It could be a dent in a relationship. A rebelling teen. A child is throwing tantrums. An unstable economy. Job loss. Sudden illness. Loss of a loved one. But there are also blissful times. A child graduating from college or university. Finally getting to pay off all your loans. Getting a job promotion. Landing your dream job. Starting to build your own loving family. Finding the right person you want to spend the rest of your life with. In both tiny details and in the grand scale of things, what we have in front of us is changing and shifting, and fast. For better or for worse, depending on the choices we make. We can get caught in the moment but at the same time be at a loss with the sudden transformations in our situations. How can we better face this? It is always prudent to keep in mind that everything is but a phase. Again, everything is but a phase. Continuity is ...