Twenty days ago, I posted this on Twitter:
So much emotions that i don’t know where to start. Agghh, pano na??— Reg Rodriguez (@heyrocketgirl) April 21, 2016
Little did I know, I’d be going through so.much.more in the coming days. Kung alam mo lang, Reg, if you only knew when you tweeted that. The past weeks were filled with face palms, happy dances, guilt, accomplishments, love, and anxiety. You’re just about to deal with one, then something else comes up. It’s a roller coaster of contradicting emotions that leaves you as exhausted as you are confused. It’s especially hard for someone who tends to analyze every little detail and be conflict-avoidant at the same time (aka: me). Today though, I’m back in this blog (and this life, ha!) determined to focus on the silver lining. Maybe it’s the adrenaline from the Philippine Elections, maybe it’s the Facebook reminder that I haven’t posted in 23 days, or maybe it’s because this afternoon, I finally did something I’ve been meaning to do for a while now (and ended up bawling my eyes out 6 hours later), but today is as good as any for me (and you!) to invoke an attitude of gratitude even for the not so desirable situations.
Like The Secret goes: “The universe loves gratitude… When you radiate and live gratitude, you press the ON switch to the Universe and it will deliver ALL GOOD to you, matching the intensity of your gratitude.” So, game, let’s get started.
1. I am thankful for AUP. My heart is nervous and excited and I am looking forward to this falling in place.
2. I am thankful for *finally* getting my mom’s support. It took a while – 5 years of arguing about this *topic* to be exact – but it’s so much more than I could’ve ever asked for.
3. I am thankful for a better late than never brunch date. It goes without saying, I am thankful for effortless yet solid friendships that span decades. But next time we’ll be less lazy because alcohol, hehe!
4. I am thankful for Lolo Ben and the laughs he brought. I am especially grateful that I got to thank him for that.
5. I am thankful for songs whose lyrics have etched themselves in my heart as well as my mind. Mas masarap kumanta because of that, haha!
6. I am thankful for a country so passionate about a better future. If only the same could be said about our understanding of the past– okay, rephrase, bawal nega! I am thankful for the hope my candidates have brought. Yep, I voted for Duterte and Robredo. 
7. I am thankful for the best boss I could’ve ever asked for. 
8. I am thankful for the pizza dinner from the family I am living with especially since I was still in the middle of prepping food and I was already veryyy hungry, hehe
10. I am thankful for WhatsApp sessions with my favorite people. I cannot wait to hangout with you guys in person!!!
11. I am thankful that my kontrabida red hair is starting to lighten up. I hope I get the pink I wanted and that it’ll suit me.
12. I am thankful for non-ass people. I promise to be better in this front.
13. I am thankful for the internet’s endless supply of recipes and exercises. Kelli and Daniel are my new BFFs, haha!
14. I am thankful for life conversations, be it over cold beer or over tears. I am so glad my mom and my cousin Miguel went to visit last weekend!
15. I am thankful for that overwhelming kind of love that makes you question if you deserve it in the first place.
Here’s to better days! While I would’ve preferred to have had better judgement then, as what every commencement speech will tell us, failures, mistakes, and shortcomings are part of life. I’ve accepted that I can’t do undo the past but the present remains up for grabs. It’s time to LIVE THE DREAM. #ChangeIsComing <- God, I love this hashtag. Haha!
What about you? What are you thankful for?
