Introducing Grace: The Reluctant Adventurer and Accidental Community Development Worker
The Thesis That Never Was
So yeah, you can play with AI apps and come up with a funny life story. The truth is, I do struggle in life. The “All-Or-Nothing” thinking affected my decisions in life. I wasn’t good at writing, so I did not finish my thesis in college. I also don’t know where my college education will bring me because I don’t know which profession I should take. I remember I wrote a list of available professions, but nothing rings a bell. I first took Civil Engineering but failed in physics, so I shifted to accountancy and failed in my partnership subject. I shifted again to another course, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majoring in Economics. And I still don’t know where it will take me.
Feeling defeated, I abandoned my academic pursuits and seized the first opportunity to join a research team studying non-governmental organizations across the country. This work inadvertently transformed me into a self-taught community development worker. Ironically, my path to the College of Business Administration always took me past the Community Development & Public Administration building.
What Became of Me
My NGO experiences were adventurous but also fostered limiting beliefs, such as the notion that farmlands were exclusively for farmers. One of those odd ideas I developed, but it helped me navigate life until my marriage fell apart. I was a single parent and out of decent work for a while, and I was drinking and smoking. I have ideas for businesses, but I feel I am only good at imagining them and conceptualizing them but couldn’t start it. So, I reasoned, I am not good at earning a living. Plagued with such fear for my future, over drinking and overthinking I developed a panic attack. Anxiety drove me to change my diet.
The Tag-Along Wife Tagline
I was able to get back to full-time NGO work when my son went away for college. And then I met Jeff or manifested Jeff in my life. Yes, I meditated to manifest, a good-looking foreigner with no extra weight, a good person, who doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, and has no desire for nightlife. And he is 100 percent, it. Some bonus features: he’s a vegetarian, which I also am, very loving, thrifty, and loves fitness and the outdoors. Yet, even with these shared interests, I became a reluctant participant in health and wellness activities. Thus the Tag-Along Wife tagline I coined.
The Discovery of Mindset
My diet vis-à-vis mindset took a toll on me. What’s supposed to be a lifestyle became a restriction. Work that requires a lot of writing skills also stressed me a lot. I got sick. Jeff was a tremendous support during my struggles with low energy and restlessness. It was during this time that I explored various fields through podcasts and literature: neuroscience with Andrew Huberman, longevity with David Sinclair, the workings of the mind with Moran Cerf, meditation with Joe Despenza and Abraham Hicks, and dietary insights from Jesse Inchauspe, the Glucose Goddess. These resources guided me toward a better understanding of myself and a path to a more meaningful life. "Where you place your attention is where you place your energy," as JD says. I've come to realize the profound importance of mindset. Mindset that felt like my solace, if I am figuring things at this age then I am going to live life in reverse. The thought that my discovery of my ultimate journey will give me my second wind in life. My true zest for life.
The Journey Begins
“Where you place your attention is where you place your energy” - JD.
This is more than a story; it's a journey towards a prolonged, healthier lifespan. My goals are clear: (more will be added here)
•Instead of retiring at 60, continue working guilt-free and stress-free.
•Schedule a walking/trekking pilgrimage starting 70s.
•Join a triathlon.
•Enjoy the outdoors more.
•Develop a robust mindset.