Hainrihi's Discoveries: personal

Personal | Hating the Writing Slump---But Not Giving Up

9:34 PM

Hi everyone!

I know it’s been months since I said I’ll be blogging more. Well, guess what? I’m not blogging again and it’s kind of frustrating.

I was so excited to go back, that somehow, I didn’t know where to start at all. I guess after I said I’m done with my hiatus, I never thought about writer’s block/slump. It was hard to write because I didn’t have the motivation. Add to this is I had new responsibilities at work, so I focused on those first. When I get home, I’m so tired that I would rather lie down and browse on my phone than write. My husband told me that it was normal.

But for me, it wasn’t.

I needed to get my groove back and be more active because I was gone from the blogging world for too long. The pressure was in the air.

Then I realized: Maybe the reason I couldn’t write/blog was because of PRESSURE itself. I was so pressured to create blog entries and vlog videos that I became stressed by it. So I avoided it. Does that make sense? I hope it does because that’s how I felt then.

When I realized this, I decided to breathe, take it slow, release my stress, and try to create content without thinking of deadlines and what people would think. And guess what? I was able to create some blog entries and vlog content. No pressure, just write and create---and edit later.

I know some people will think that I could’ve used that much time to post some of my blog entries. But I also realized that if I do more content, I can post them anytime. I have entries lined up that can last for days (or maybe weeks depending on how many times I post in a month). So, again, I don’t want to stress over my writing and just bring out those ideas through blogging and vlogging.

So, to my few followers and readers who still read my blog, I hope you still stay and watch the show. I’ll be posting some content in the next few weeks, I just need to fix some stuff and to keep the writing flame alive.

Some Updates!

Hainrihi’s Discoveries - I’m doing some vlog content as I also plan to do vlogging. Don’t worry, I will still be writing. It’s just that some content can be expressed better in video than in writing.

- There will be some posts on traveling, lifestyle, and geekery, so stay tuned for that.

Artsy Rabbit - This part of my content creating life will be more on vlogging than blogging because arts and crafts, stationary, journaling, planning, and everything related to those are better expressed on video. I already have some content lined up and I’ll be posting the YouTube channel soon (hint: it’s a bit combined with one channel). So stay tuned for that as well.

I’m sorry for the long, personal post. I feel the need to get them out and let you know what I’m going through now. Writer’s block is hard and I’m trying to find ways to unblock it. So far, I’m doing good. I hope I can continue this unblocking because I love creating content not just for myself but for my readers as well.

Thank you for your continued support. ^_^

~Hainrihi

Have you experienced a writer’s block? How were you able to deal with it? Let me know some tips and tricks on how to get out of it in the comments section below. You can also talk to me in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Gearing Towards A Fast and Efficient Government With National Telecommunications Commission

9:11 AM

The Philippines is undergoing chaos now, what with all the issues happening. It’s hard to think that our country can come back up.

But for me, I believe things can change for the better if we start small. Sometimes, it can begin in a small organization that would serve as an inspiration to make things better. And this is the case with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), headed by Commissioner Gamaliel A. Cordova.

When it comes to government agencies, Filipinos think of long lines, getting passed on from one staff to another, “masungit” staff, and waiting for hours just to process one card or document. But, NTC is trying to change that by being orderly and thinking of Filipinos’ times.

An appreciative citizen reported a great customer service that NTC did to him. Sam Florentino, a resident of Metro Manila, took the Radio Operator Examination at the agency. Since he knows how government agencies work, Sam expected the process and everything to be slow. But he was surprised that the moment he got to the NTC seminar/orientation, it started at exactly 8:00 am.

Not only that. After two weeks, he took the exam that also started on time. Then, when he came back for the results, Florentino was given a number and he didn’t need to wait for so long. In other words, everything was so smooth-sailing that he wasn’t so used to it. Florentino actually appreciated everything.

I wouldn’t be surprised about Florentino’s reaction because I would react that way too. In fact, I experienced a rare time of having fast and orderly processes in a certain government agency. I was so surprised that everything was done that I was not even sure. Before I knew it, I already got the document that I needed.

Anyway, all of the NTC’s good efforts did not go unnoticed as Florentino reported their excellent service to the CSC Contact Center ng Bayan (CCB) as a way to say thank you. According to him, “Parang nasanay na ko sa magulong sistema sa mga government office na napupuntahan ko. But this time, I told myself I need to commend these government people for a job well done. We all need such appreciation.”

This is the kind of news that should be spread around because it just shows that government offices can improve in time in their customer service. Florentino congratulates all the government personnel who looked after him during the times he was in NTC. It was very refreshing to see positivity in a government agency and he made sure that everyone knew it.

At times when our country is on the verge of chaos, it’s always great to hear good news--- no matter how big or small. Even if this excellent service came from just one government agency, it can help other offices to improve on their staff and services. It’s high time that both government staff and Filipinos respect each other’s time and effort, so that we can have an efficient and orderly system that will make everyone’s lives easier.

We know it is not easy to change the old, ugly ways of the government offices. But if we just see one agency set an example, at least we can say that the journey to improvement is coming and change can happen. If Filipinos get the same service as what Florentino experienced, then Metro Manila (and soon, our country) can be a better place.

Artsy Rabbit

Personal | Hiatus: Recharging and Wedding

7:16 PM

being healthy

Personal | Five Life Lessons on Taking Care of My Health

12:10 AM

I’m alive! Hahaha. I haven’t written in three months! I guess it can’t be helped, especially when I feel I’m losing my creative jive. Ever since I transferred to a different department and stopped writing at work, it’s like my will to write disappeared. But what really got me down was when my health grew weak and years of not taking care of my body got to me.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I got UTI October of last year. Around January, my toenail was removed because something heavy landed on it. Then, 2 weeks ago, my asthma came back and I had upper respiratory tract infection. What I thought was a normal cough and colds was actually something dangerous for my health.

According to my doctor, my asthma could have been triggered by stress or sleeping very late. I blame it on the latter. For the past months, I slept very late. But, I think it was last March 16 that made my asthma come back :( I slept at 4 in the morning because I was preparing for an event. On March 17, I really didn’t feel well anymore and was not able to go to work on Monday and Tuesday.

To make the long story short, my body started to get weak. And here I thought I have learned my lesson when I had UTI. I’m really such a hard-headed person when it comes to my health.

Because of my respiratory situation, I had to take numerous medicines, drink lots of water, avoid certain food and smells, and rest a lot. Also, because of this, I learned some life lessons regarding my health:

1. Never sleep so late (or at least get 7-8 hours of sleep). Ironically, despite loving sleep, I like to sleep late. This has been my long-time bad habit. I feel that by sleeping late, I can do more things. However, as a result, I get groggy and very sleepy the next day at work. And, as you can see, sleeping late got to me. It’s still hard to sleep a bit early now, but I’m trying.

2. Do not wait until the pain worsens and you can’t take it anymore. This is what happened to me with my UTI and my toenail. Maybe because I was scared of what the doctor will diagnose. Or I really just don’t want to go to the hospital. Or the pain might go away. In other words, I was scared. But, unfortunately, that got me too. I waited long before I had the checkups, thus I needed to endure the pain and go through a toe operation because it was getting ugly. This is the same with UTI and my cough and colds. I advise you: if you feel a slight pain and can’t take it anymore, don’t wait---have it checked by the doctor immediately.

3. Follow the doctor’s orders and drink meds as prescribed. I know it takes a lot of will to drink plenty of medicines, especially if you feel bloated afterward. I’ll be honest with you: I HATE DRINKING MEDICINES. Like really, I don’t like it. Which is also why I don’t want to go to the doctor---because I know I’ll be taking medicines. But I realize that these doctors gave me medicines so my body can heal immediately. Yes, it's so hassling to take a LOT of medicines (which I’m doing now). However, I know that once I’m done with all of them, I’ll feel accomplished and be a step closer to making my body healthier. Besides, medicines won’t be there forever. I’ll stop taking them once the doctor sees improvement in my body.

I kept track of all my medicines by creating this medicine tracker in my health notebook.

4. Don’t be hard-headed. Hahaha, believe it or not, this is me. Ask Marc. There are times when I’m too stubborn to take my meds, to sleep early, and to even eat my meals. When you realize that your body is not as strong as before, you get frustrated and depressed and don’t want to do anything anymore. It’s hard to accept that our bodies are getting weaker. As a result, we lash out or get stubborn, making our bodies suffer more. I realized that what happened to me should serve as a motivation to take care of my body more. So, if you are experiencing what I experienced, don’t be hard-headed. Just eat your meals or take your meds. I promise it will make you feel better---especially when you see the improvements.

5. Watch out for your health more afterward. Taking care of your health doesn’t stop when the medicines are done or the pain disappears. You still have to do it even after everything. I don’t want to call it maintenance, but I guess that’s way of putting it. Start exercising, think of your diet, drink lots of water, and lessen the unhealthy habits. This is what I plan to do even after all the medicines and the pain is gone. It will be hard, but I have to be patient and determined in taking care of my health. I know it’s a lot of work, but I feel it’s worth it when I become healthier and better.

Photo by Skeeze

Getting sick or having a mini operation is not easy. I admit, it really made me feel so down---which, I think, is normal. But once I got over it, I realize it’s time to step up and make my body better.

For my readers, take my advice: don’t wait until your body gets weak or the pain gets worse. Take care of your health now and, if possible, do some frequent checkups. It never hurts to go to the doctor and ask if there’s something wrong with the little pain that you have or ask if you can have some tests. Do it as early as now so you won’t regret it in the future.

~Hainrihi

2017

Personal | Life Lately and New Year Post

10:01 PM

For the past months, I’ve been finding my jive and creative inspiration. In case you didn’t notice, I haven’t written anything personal or related to my niche and most of my entries are press releases (which I’m really disappointed at). This started in September when I got sick due to Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and everything went downhill from there. I was stuck in a creative rut, I didn’t have any inspiration or motivation to write, I stopped journaling, I didn’t think of doing any arts and crafts projects, and I hated going to work.

After I got well, I still didn’t have any motivation to do anything. I felt like a robot: waking up, going to work, going home, social media, laptop, sleep. Repeat that every day for five times a week. On weekends, it’s either we go out or I just want to sleep. So I didn’t do anything out of the routine and, to be honest, I really, really missed it. :(

For the past months, I’ve been trying to get out of the creative rut by reading books, watching inspirational videos, journaling, and talking to friends. I’ve been through a lot emotionally, physically, and mentally. I’m grateful for the people who have helped me directly and indirectly. Even as simple as seeing an inspirational tweet or quote was enough to make me perk up and realize that I have a lot to look forward to.

I may not have written any birthday, personal, geeky, and even Christmas posts. But it’s okay because I felt I was taking a break from it all. From the pressures, the drama, the emotional roller coaster, the life of an employee, and everything that an adult experience. What I did was read a simple book, take a vacation out of town, attend my best friend’s wedding, relax with friends, watch TV series and movies, and---just breathe.

It took awhile but, as I look back, I’m okay now than before. I still think I’m in a creative rut. But I’m slowly starting to be motivated in doing anything I want. Right now, I’m excited for 2018 to come, so I can try new things and start a new journey and reach for my dreams. I realized that there’s no need to hurry, as long as I enjoy everything that I do without getting too stressed haha.

Being a creative person is hard because I just want to keep on going and going in doing the things I love. But never fret. For those who are experiencing a creative rut, I suggest that you breathe, explore, and get out more often. Don’t be scared to get out of the house or office. You can just walk alone while observing your surroundings. Pet the neighborhood dogs or office cats. Read books. Draw anything you want every day or every other day. It’s all up to you. The important thing is to not get stressed and not be in a hurry. Before you know it, you’re slowly getting out of that rut and doing creative stuff again.

To my readers and followers, thank you for being there with me this 2017. I know you’re not a lot, but I truly appreciate all of you. Every time I do future blog posts, I always think what you want to read. I’m sorry I haven’t done that recently, but will do my best to do so in 2018.