BODY SHAMING

Photo credit to @Pinteresst.ph

I'm sure you all have heard people from all around the globe talking about body shaming this days. By the way, what is your stand on the issue? 

We are in 2022 now, and I am one with the group calling for a stop to any form of body shaming. As the world becomes diverse, people should be more open-minded and learn to respect if they cannot appreciate and understand that we all have different needs and characteristics, and so are our physique. 

Recently, I read and heard the news about the actress, singer, and model Alexa Ilacad being compared to a gas tank because apparently, she has no curves. Whoever was this social media user who bashed a very beautiful and intelligent lady inside and out, is truly pitiful. I pity the basher rather than Alexa because what she has done was only a reflection of her personality–shallow. 

Imagine, of the many adjectives you can describe a very talented lady such as Alexa, you opted to look beyond the goodness and zoom in on a tiny negative, if indeed it was a negative trait?

Also, few days ago the world once again witnessed another Hollywood celebrity making a scene before officially receiving his first acting trophy at the Oscars. Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock after the latter made a pitch on Will's wife's hair, who incidentally has been suffering from Alopecia. 

Some may assume that the baldness of @Jada Pinkett Smith may just be one of her fashion trends being in the US entertainment industry. However, Jada's battle with alopecia has been going on since 2018.  According to a 2016 survey in the US about 5,594 black women are experiencing hair loss but refused to seek medical help. 

Thus, as human beings we should all avoid making fun of others because don't know the struggles each one of us is going through. While I do not agree with the violence inflicted by Will Smith but the incident must serve as a wake-up call for everyone to e careful and sensitive. 

Remember, we are all made unique by God so let us learn to respect our differences rather than mock them. And let us advocate peace and harmony rather than building walls and fences. 

Happy 1st Friday of April! 

MANAGING STRESS

(Sharing this article which I have written for the DILG in November 2018. Hope this can help those going through stress)

Stressed?  Happy thoughts Reinforce Positive Emotions

  

Feeling stressed from the quagmire of problems, family situation, work overload, or traffic?

 

Recent studies in the Philippines identified work, financial worries and studies as among the leading causes of stress brought by negative emotions or mental pressure. Stress, however, is not a disease but the human body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response.

 

Cognizant of the needs of assisting 1,000 career service employees, contract of service and job orders, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has been conducting seminars on Stress Management for two consecutive years now for the employees to better cope with their respective work pressures.

 

Atty. Gina V. Wenceslao, Chief Appellate Division of the Legal and Legislative Liaison Service (LLLS) said that stress is not an isolated case.  Instead, it is a common experience in every organization or office, but more so in a workplace where there is “no feedback mechanism and no communication.”

 

In a recently concluded seminar-workshop attended by the LLLS personnel in Mariveles, Bataan, the facilitators explained that stress is part of work and can actually be cultivated from negative to right thinking and feeling.

 

The common signs that can be attributed to stress are frequent headaches, tiredness or exhaustion, problem in sleeping, grinding of teeth, upset stomach, increase or loss of appetite, and muscle tensions in the neck, face or shoulders.

 

Atty. Wenceslao shared her insights from the event saying that when an employee feels that he/she is already stressed, then it’s time to  slow down, focus and internalize positive or good thoughts or happy memories in order to emit and convert positive emotions.

 

“It can be done kahit dito sa opisina na bukas ang ating mga mata. For example, I am here at work and I recognized that I am stress, I can put on an inspirational music to redirect my negative feelings into something positive,” she explained.

 

She also shared her practice of having personal meditation at home because it extinguishes negative energy like stress from surfacing. Having good communication among group or family members is also an effective way of pushing stress away. 

 

Rather than entertaining worry, be optimistic. Instead of saying you cannot, say you can do it. Positive reinforcement can surely make people happy and at peace. 

 

So the next time you are going through some stressful situation, redirect your thoughts to something cheerful and bright. The mind is very powerful and positive thoughts always generate positive feelings. This will surely attract some positivity that will help employees deal and cope with workloads and personal issues easily.  As Poppy from the movie Trolls puts it: ###

MISFIT

Photo credit to @google.com

Before lunchtime earlier today. I took a grammar examination, technically to test my aptitude in English grammar and vocabulary as I am applying for an online writing job.

Surprisingly, I was rated with a B2 or upper intermediate level by www.examenglish.com/leveltest. 

However, last week, another company invited me for a scheduled interview. I did not talk much as the interviewer from the HR who was much younger than me was speaking and providing me an insight into the company. She was using Taglish as she spoke. When she was done, she then asked me if I had questions, I replied, "none yet," as I added saying, "I will first try to pass the exam." She then reminded me to submit a written portfolio which I did after the interview. Sadly, to this day, no word received from the interviewer nor the staff who coordinated my previous dealing with the HR officer. 

As an applicant, I see no point in asking questions when I am not yet officially accepted or being offered a job, as I will have no leverage to use to market my service. ​Obviously, my actions at that time earned a corresponding impression on me. ​Whatever that is, it's okay, it doesn't hurt me anyway. Maybe things are not meant for either party, or they see me unfit for the job as I received no message from them. 

I have two decades of experience that I always carry with me wherever I go, and with whatever I do. I never claimed to know everything, in fact with the advancement of technologies I felt I needed to double my effort to be able to cope with the younger talents.

What's the point of saying this? People can easily judge us whether we speak our minds or refrain from talking. We all have our reasons for not voicing what is on our mind, as I earlier said, I find it useless to speak on something when I needed to pass a series of tests and interviews. Therefore, bias should have not been cast against me, just sharing my one-cent thought. #