Going Home From A Beach VLOG + Things I've Learned

Hello guys. As you can tell, I've been to the beach recently. My skin's a bit dark but heck I'm not complaining at all. The beach and the sea in general always have this special place in my heart. It will always be my comfort zone and my go-to-place to escape when life gets a bit tougher than expected. I've come to realize that spending your time at the beach has some good benefits both mentally and physically. I'll count the ways here.

Things I've Learned From My Beach Trip

1. The Sand

Walking barefoot on the sand is always a good activity. It has this therapeutic benefit because you are on with the earth. One good thing also is it naturally exfoliates the dead skin cells of your feet literally. Another one is it's a good form of exercise. 

2. The horizon

You have the sight in front of you where the sky meets the sea. This picturesque view always gives someone an inspiration. It makes someone stop and stare at sight. I believe something pleasing to they eyes like that will always give good effects to mind.

3. Beach waves and sound of nature

This combination is a perfect lullaby. Why? It has this calming effect that easily makes someone fall asleep and take a nap at the beach. If you have the chance, sit on a hammock and just fall asleep. You'll be rejuvenated in no time. Trust me. :) 

4. The warm sunshine

Nothing gets better than this. With the warm sunshine  hitting your skin, it just feels so relaxing and comforting. Of course, don't forget to wear your sunscreen, some cover up and your hat for that added protection. Plus, getting some Vitamin D from the warm sun is always a good idea.

5. The beach itself

The beach itself is the perfect playground to hang out and be yourself. Nothing gets more natural than that. Maximizing the resources you have around, I'm pretty sure there's no dull moment when you're at the beach. 

My Travel Vlog 

That's a wrap for me. Absolutely, the beach is just the perfect place to relax and push the reset button. Truly, you'll go home feeling much better and more inspired.

--- John and Belle

VLOGGING : Lambug Beach in Badian Cebu

Welcome back to my blog everyone. I'm greeting this new month of July with a random vlog about our beach trip. It was in Lambug Beach which is in Badian located in the southern part of Cebu. The main purpose of that trip was like a company outing and I just accompanied him by the way. How lucky.

Actually, it was my first time there and I didn't have any expectations whatsover because I was running short of sleep and your girl right here was like grouchy and not in the mood. But wait, lo and behold, when I took a walk down to the beach, I was greeted with a long stretch of fine white sand. Also, it was the right time to witness the romantic sunset. How nice it was. Looking at it was like a breath of fresh air. Overall, that weekend getaway was truly what I needed. Something new, relaxing and filled with new memories and new found friends. 

Here's my VLOG about our experience there

Here are the top 5 activities to do there
1. Play games to strengthen your bond as a team
2. Walk barefoot on the sand
3. Swim like nobody's watching
4. Watch the picturesque sunset and cloud formations
5. Slow down and just take it all in


Random snapshots

That's it for us. Thanks for reading this blog entry. As always, stay hungry. See you in my next adventure.

--- John and Belle

Married Life Decoded + A Random Video

Greetings of warm sunshine from this side of the earth. Now, I am back with a little different content. I realized that this year is already my fifth year of being married and it has been getting better as each time passes by. Let's cite the ways how to make marriage long lasting and fun at the same time.

A. My Random Video with Hubby + Family Lunch

B.Ways How to Make Marriage Long Lasting ( at least in my experience)

1. Learn To Appreciate.

This is always a game changer. There are tons of ways to show your appreciation to one another. You may hug, kiss, tap his back for a good job done, write short notes and call and text him if you can. It's the THOUGHT that counts that is always valued. Appreciating one another means it's that great reminder and a good motivation to be better.

2. Say Thank You.

Another sweet gesture like saying thank you means a lot already. It shows a good affirmation of one's effort and in effect makes your partner feels good about himself. A good feeling always attracts good things that you, his partner will also benefit from it. :)

3. Take Care of Yourself.

Sounds weird but it does help. It's not really more on the physical appearance alone. Taking care of one's self means you are aware of maintaining your cleanliness, hygiene, grooming and the list goes on. Remember, it always feels good if you hear praises from your partner that you look good or even better. Taking care of each is very helpful that you both continue to nurture and help each each step of the way.

4. Have Relationships Outside of Marriage

Yes to this. It's always important to maintain these kind of relationships to keep your individuality. You may constantly meet your BFF, club members perhaps and even your close co-workers. Doing this way, when you go back home and sit down together, you'll have many topics to share and eventually it makes your own relationship more interesting and not dull or boring.

5. Be Honest.

Honesty is always the best policy. We all know this proverb since birth, right? Also, it applies to any kind of relationships too. If honesty is being practiced, the relationship gets real and secured. Plus, you have this assurance that the relationship is intact, and transparent.

6. Watch Your Words.

Words may sound simple but they're more painful in the long run especially if the meaning  is quite bad and offensive. It's always better to filter what you want to say, think of the intentions before spilling the beans and just practice the virtue of being tactful. 

7. Try Something New Together

Amen to this. Doing something new together always feels exciting and novel. It pushes the couple to be daring, adventurous and even creative. You may try new sports and hobbies perhaps and also travel to new destinations if you can. 

8. Be Kind.

It may sound simple but kindness these days is somehow forgotten and overlooked even. Kindness teaches anyone to do good and see the goodness in the people without hidden intentions whatsoever. Being kind in the relationship teaches you to think of your partner's benefit first before yourself. It also means being kind with your words, affection, time and effort towards your partner.

9. Have Realistic Expectations.

Yes to this. Realistic expectations always look better and achievable especially if you make and plan these together. Instead of having your own expectations, why not tell them to your partner and talk about them directly. Brainstorm if you must and compromise. It's always better when there are two heads in a situation actually. That way life gets better.

10. Constant Communication

Communication is one big factor to make any kind of relationship work and prosper. It always bridges the gap, makes the relationship fun and authentic and in return you spend quality time together as an effect. If possible, try to sit down together and just talk. You'll be surprised there are hundreds of topics / ideas  that you need to discover and learn about each other when you keep this constant communication.

That concludes it. How about you? Know that these ways may work for me but not for others. Just in case you're wondering, I've been married for 5 years but still have no kids so we may be a special case I believe. Anyhow, thanks for visiting my blog. Have a good day ahead guys. Take care and choose to love with all of your heart.

--- Belle

Money Matters : Diversify your Money + House Tour

Money as we all know is one main ingredient to survive especially if we're living in the big city. That means by having money, people have the power and responsibility comes alongside with that. But then again, there's this what we call inflation and the rising prices of daily goods. Let's start early and protect the value of our money. Let's diversify our money so we have some fallback on in case something unexpected happens. I have here 5 ways.

Five Ways to Diversify Our Money and Start Earning More Outside our Job

1. Have a part-time job.

Yes to this. If you have spare time, then why not do it, right? You can start by establishing good set of relationships and friends. Look within you and assess what you're good at. If you have the chance, go for it. You can be a part-time tutor for students, be a proofreader and teach something online to name a few.

2. Invest in Real Estate.

If you have the resources, then try this. One thing to take note is you have to have enough knowledge, do your research and attend seminars  about this to widen your horizon. It really doesn't need to be big time and start small. What I mean is if you have some extra room / space that you don't use, then you can have it rented. That still counts for sure.

3. Invest in stock market.

It may seem scary and confusing at first but it does make a lot of difference. Once again, let's take baby steps here. Join some groups on Facebook about this stock investment, make friends with them and attend meetings and seminars religiously. You can start small with you capital and let it grow through the years. It really pays to know your money is growing in your stocks portfolio than seeing it later in the bank that it's still the same amount after a number of years. This method of investing protects your money from inflation and at the same time it can also be a good preparation for your retirement funds.

4. Passive Income without doing anything

Yes, this is the easiest and safest than the others listed here. As they say, if you have the financial resources, then let it work alone according to your favor. I'll enumerate the ways how to do this.

1. You can start writing a blog and make some Youtube videos. Starting small but doing that regularly will surely bring you somewhere.   
2. You can also sell and resell online like on Carousell and Shopee to name a few. 
3. If you have extra funds, talk to your bank and your insurance agent. They are the best people to give you sensible pieces of advice. You can try time deposit in banks, mutual funds, bonds, and the one in PAG-IBIG savings that earn dividends every year. 

5. Don't forget your DAY JOB.

This day job I refer to as your main source of income. Truth be told, the first four ways all sound so nice and interesting. However, maintaining your day job gives you this security that whatever happens, this will remain constant. Plus, nothing beats that feeling that you have this steady income that gives you peace of mind and at the same time you also venture and try new things and still earn. A win-win situation indeed.

Also, I have included here a short clip of our family vacation house. Who knows in the future this house and lot will also upraise its value. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

That's it for me. Always remember guys, we don't to always look for a part-time job. We can also focus on our own potentials, sharpen them and learn continuously so you can ask for a raise and other job benefits. It's always a give and take situation.  Take care and good luck.

--- Belle

Random Video : Playing with CATS

Good day everyone! How is it going so far? Well, I have here a random video of myself playing with cats. These cats are pets of my sister-in-law. I saw them when I visited their place for a day. Oh boy, I'm surprised how interesting and fun it is to be with them and literally running after them. 

My Random Video

Three Benefits Of Playing With Cats

1. It's a good  alternative way to exercise.

Yes it is. The more you chase after them, the more they run away. It's just  like a domino effect. You don't actually notice it but time flies so quickly and you also move with them. Better  than being a couch potato all day long.

2. It reduces stress.

True. Why? Cats have this cute and sweet aura and by that you just want to hang out with them, feed them, cuddle and play tricks with them. At that time, your focus is just these adorable animals and that is somehow a good escape of not caring whatever is around you.

3. Cats give you that sense of companionship

Given the fact that cats are affectionate and sweet, you surely fall in love with them. Why? The more you hang out with them, the more your feel loved and appreciated. Interestingly, cats give you a positive effect internally. What I mean is if you show kindness and goodness to them, they reciprocate that kind of love and sometimes even greater than that. Now, that is what I call an adorable REWARD.

There you have it. If you have the time and resources, I do suggest of getting a pet cat. There are cute by nature and will give a different kind of happiness that only cats can offer.

How about you guys? Do you also take care of pets? Let me know and share your experiences. Till next time. 

--- Belle

Things I've Learned from My Cute Niece + A Video of Her Birthday Shoot

Hello everyone. Recently, my niece just turned one and it was actually a happy event. A milestone for the family indeed. She's grown a lot, laughed genuinely and can do so many things already. Sometimes she acts like a little lady wonderfully. Friends, let me introduce her. She's Zsofia and she's a happy 1-year-old baby.

A Video of Her Birthday Shoot

Some Photos of her birthday shoot

5 Things I've Learned From My Niece 

1. A baby's brain is amazing.

True indeed. Her brains just basically absorbs everything she hears and sees. Strangely, she remember those new information the next time also. Plus, babies sometimes utter some expressions suddenly if the situation demands them too. How amazing.

2. There's joy in every single thing.

Every little thing is always interesting and fun for babies. It can be just with your laughter, the sound of animals, making faces and all those instances. Babies easily feel happy in almost every little moment. This reminder is sometimes being forgotten by adults sadly. Let's find joy and happiness in whatever we do / pursue in life.

3. Never give up.

Yes it may sound easy but actually difficult to do for adults. Just take for instance, observe  baby who just starts walking. It is actually a struggle at first but then again, they may fall and stumble but still try and until they do it successfully. In addition, they do cry but still after a few minutes, they try doing it again. No complaints whatsoever. It's just pure willingness that we see in them.

4. Explore and don't be afraid.

The world in the eyes of a small baby is full of wonders and beautiful things. Everything is new, colorful and just vibrant. Babies really are aggressive and hungry to explore every single thing and every chance you give them, they get it. That curiosity in them is a big force that teaches their hearts to just go and experience life as it is.

5. Smile and take no revenge.

Smile and the world smiles back at you. It's a simple as that. No pretending. No doubts. No suspicions. Just pure smile and innocence. How I wish the world is still like that. Well, at least in the mind of a child, it still is. Smile. Spread kindness. Forgive. Enjoy life because we only live once.

There you have it my friends. I'm happy to share this personal milestone of my niece. Hope you learned something from it also. Let's all smile and face life with a positive heart and a determined spirit to just go and pursue our dreams. Live well and always be happy.

---Belle