Thanks to everyone who tuned in to my tweets! Glad you guys were amused! Haha!

Golden Globes 2012 = Full-on Glamour

The Good:

When it comes to awards style, they are the PROs — red carpet-worthy gowns and rockin’ bodies to boot!

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, satin fabric is unforgiving on any woman and if it’s ill-fitting, it becomes a double whammy! It takes someone like Angeline Jolie and Versace to create a match made in heaven! Perfection!!!

Angelina Jolie in Versace Couture

Charlize loves Dior and Dior loves Charlize! The end.

Charlize Theron in Dior Couture

Reese looks HOTTT in a fire engine red gown! Love her textured hair and light make up!

Reese Witherspoon in Zac Posen

Nicole Kidman is the master of unexpected style! The bejeweled halter number looks amazing on her.

Nicole Kidman in Atelier Versace

Nude + Turquoise = Supermodel style

Heidi Klum in Calvin Klein

The Dark Horses:

I love the dark horses in any competition because they create excitement! In my opinion, the formula for unexpected style is… NONE! It just happens, like magic… fashion magic!

Sexy + Funny + The right gown = Deadly!

Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang

It’s refreshing to see a young actress who takes a fashion risk on the red Carpet. Mara Rooney’s dark elegance is love!

Rooney Mara in Nina Ricci

The right gown on the wrong person. That’s all.

Claire Danes in J. Mendel

Madeline Stowe is rockin’ this season’s peplum style gown. The purple color on her looks elegant!

Madeleine Stowe

Girl’s got her game on! GLEE’s “Mercedes” makes curvy women proud!

Amber Riley

The Original:

They are women who are in a league of their own. Their style is unpredictable and truly their own.

Tilda Swinton by Haider Ackermann

Only Madonna can get away with gloves and gown combo. It may not be your typical Red Carpet choice but Madge is Madge.

Madonna in Reem Acra

The “Dynasty” Girls:

I love the 80′s movie, “Dynasty”! Sparkly gowns are always a Red Carpet favorite and these women wore it in style!

Sparkly evening dress + Tasteful jewelry + Muted makeup = Star style

Kate Beckinsale in Cavalli

Jessica Alba in Gucci

Laura Dern

Diane Lane in Reem Acra

The Bad:

Too much (or too little) of anything is bad.

Too much details, too much skin, too Vegas showgirl style!

Lea Michele in Marchesa

Too much fabric, too much looking like a wedding gown, too much contrast (pale gown, dark hair)

Jessica Biel in Elie Saab

Too adorable… in a bad way. Michelle Williams should have ditched the headband.

Michelle Williams in Jason Wu

Too much red, too much laser cut-outs, too much swans! Too much!!! Haaaay!

GLEE's Dianna Agron in Giles Deacon

Too much of… ewan! Basta di ko bet!

Zooey Deschanel in Prada

The “Yellow”:

Renee Zellweger has already rocked the canary-colored vintage couture gown during the 2001 Academy Awards. It’s hard to top that one again. I can’t help but think of Big Bird whenever I see a yellow gown. Aminin!

Paula Patton

Maria Menounos

Julia Kurbatova

The Boring:

Sometimes, being in the Worst-Dressed list is not the worst, boring is.

I love Prada. In fact, there are so many great Prada moments on the Red Carpet like Uma Thurman’s lavender no. and Jennifer Aniston’s red hot couture, but wearing Prada can also be tricky. I’m sad it did not work for Freida Pinto.:( The color, the style, and her hair and makeup makes me fall asleep.

Freida Pinto in Prada

Mila Kunis just lost her edge. Even in Dior couture, she did not shine.

Mila Kunis in Christian Dior

What is it about this gown that puts me to sleep? I love Natalie Portman’s style and I love fuchsia but there is something blah about this look.

Natalie Portman in Lanvin

The problem about a popular trend is that it also makes the style sooo last season. Slits and one-shoulder gowns are so 2011. Next style please!

Viola Davis

Source

Haaaay! Di ko napigilan mag-blog! Haha! Please bare with me as my website is under construction so posting will be minimal… or none. We’ll see.

For now, follow me on Twitter to get daily updates on fashion, food, beauty, gadgets, and everything lifestyle! You can also read my updates on Facebook. Please “Like” my FB page! Thanks!

Shopingera, who’s your top 5 favorites and who’s gown is boring?

Thank you Mia De Lara  of Mobudays for my beautiful logo!

My logo

Thanks Dart and Mia for creating an awesome website! You guys are visionaries — zero headache, more fun! Working on my new site taught me new things and it helped me sharpen my “web” skills. I’m looking forward to a new and improved site!

My website

Thank you Xandra Ramos-Padilla of National Book Store for making my dream come true! This book is the start of a great partnership!

My book

Who knew? I’ve never won a local blog award nor have I been a member of Nuffnang’s ad, so you can imagine my surprise when my blog was nominated. What an honor! Competing with the best of the best bloggers in Asia and winning the Nuffnang Best Lifestyle Blog in Asia-Pacific made it even sweeter! This award has inspired me to improve and expand my website. Thank you Nuffnang! You guys rock!

Nuffnang Blog Awards winner of Best Lifestyle Blog in Asia-Pacific

Working on all those projects while attending to my family and working as a celebrity stylist was definitely a feat for me. I faced so many challenges, and sometimes heartaches, during my journey. It wasn’t easy but I wouldn’t have done it any other way. Life is precious; I make every moment count.

During a dinner party last December, a friend asked me, “With all the things you’ve done and with all your achievements, is there anything else you would like to do? How can you top everything you’ve done this year?” I thought that was a great question. It makes one appreciate life and at the same time makes you think of your next step. Without any hesitation my response to her query was, “Honestly, I feel like I’ve only just begun.”

It’s true. I’ve been working in the fashion industry for more than 10 years and I still feel passionate about everything I do. By staying hungry for my passion and my purpose to help others, it fuels me to continue my vision.

So, how does one “top last year’s projects”? My answer is simple: move forward. My goal is to better myself as a human being and work on projects I believe in. I learned in life that when you do things that you love, everything else (money, recognition, peace of mind) follows.

Here’s something to inspire all of us:

Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005

Sometimes when things don’t go our way or when we are faced with challenges in our lives, it is important to remember that there is always a reason for them not to happen. We might not realize what it is immediately but later on, just like what Steve Jobs said:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well worn path; and that will make all the difference.”

Have faith. Believe in yourself. Be true. Be selfless.

Here’s to connecting the dots, staying hungry, and staying foolish.

Shopingero/shopingera, have you found what you love doing? If not, what steps are you taking to find it?

“hi @jenniepperson I GOT YOUR BOOK! omg! i’m so excited! i also made a youtube video  too. lol ”

Here’s @chippiestweet video:

Dear @chippiestweet,

This is the first time that an amazing reader has done a video for me! I lav et!!!

Kakaaliw all your details about getting my book! I really appreciate all your effort! BRAVO!

Hope you’ll make meals and memories with your family using my book! Enjoy!

J

Dear JENNIration,

Keep your Twitpics/YFrog/Lockerz and videos coming! Will surely post them on my site!

These new programs from School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA) Interior Design couldn’t have come at a better time:

The SoFA Design Institute expands its reach beyond fashion because even your living spaces should be an expression of your creativity and style!

Programs starting January 2012

1) Basic Interior Decoration Course
The knowledge of interior decoration–stripped down to the basic!
Learn to give warmth in an albeit empty space by using the basics of interior decoration. Designed specifically for people who wishes to enhance their interior knowledge, working professionals interested in getting into the craft and suppliers or contractors looking for creative ways to apply decorative finishes.

2) Understanding Color for Interior Spaces
Applying color to your space is a craft–from proper mixing, to combination of color to applying in your palette. A bit of color, as they say, can go a long way–understanding color for interior spaces might just be that added thing needed to improve your empty space!

3) Illustration for Interior Spaces
Creating floor plans and drawing two-dimensional forms needs not be complicated! Created specifically for people with no prior knowledge in illustration, this course aims to teach the stripped down basic in drawing interior spaces.

4) Study of Interior Finishes & Materials
The use of materials is endless if you know how twist and bend it! This particular course aims to introduce its history, installation and use. Included as well are the techniques on how they can be decorated from its simplest to most avant-garde form.

Contact details: SoFA Design Institute, Ground Floor Enzo Building, Buendia Ave. Makati City. (632) 4784611 admissions@sofamanila.com. Visit their website: www.sofainteriordesign.com

Shopingero/shopingera, enroll now!

Examples:

“I want to be just like you when I get old”; “You’re not as dumb as I thought.”

“You drive well for a woman!”

“Ang ganda mo…pag tulog!”

Winston Churchill was the master of backhanded complements. He had the perfect combination of sarcasm, wit, bittersweet praise, and disdain:

Female MP: “Winston, you’re drunk.”
Churchill: “Madame, you’re ugly. But tomorrow, I shall be sober”

Backhanded complement in other words is: “Laglag”

A long time ago, I used to serve backhanded complements at my former assistants and friends as a joke. None of them ever complained or at least not to my face.

Anyone who’s heard my backhanded remarks in the past can attest that I did it all in the name of fun. I didn’t mean to be mean or insult anyone — it was my kind of “cariño brutal“. I thought I was funny until I got “served” — everyone thought it was funny except me.

You really don’t know what it’s like, until it happens to you. Ever since I was given a backhanded complement, I’ve been more conscious about my own antics. I’m a loving person and I love cracking jokes but not to a point where I might hurt other people’s feelings. I want to remain honest but not tactless.

These days, I’m better at dealing with people who give backhanded complements. I just put my best smile on and say “thank you, that’s so nice of you! How sweet!”. I made the decision to let go. This did not come naturally at first, but I noticed that I felt better. I genuinely don’t care because I know that there are people in my life who genuinely like me and care about me. Those are the ones worth focusing my thoughts on.

You have to know who you are, what you stand for, and what your standards are in terms of what type of people you want in your life.

In case you’ve been a victim of backhanded complements, here’s an article I found on the Net that might help:

How to Deal with Backhanded Compliments
By Faith of “For the Health of It”

Even if you’re a thick-skinned person by nature…certain words sting.

Some of these words are intended to hurt, but most of them are offhanded remarks that simply weren’t thought through before they were spoken. Either way, these blunt comments can be hard to hear.

“She’s got some meat on her bones…but I think it’s sexy.”

“Your article was fantastic, considering it was your first attempt at the assignment.”

“She’s a great player – for a girl!”

Backhanded compliments are almost worse than a simple insult. An insult can instantly make you angry, but a sly remark can eat at you over time. We know better than to take these comments at face value, but as we analyze the remark, we start to question whether they really are true.

Most unintentional insults bring a woman face to face with her insecurities. Even the most confident and secure woman can be sent into a tailspin when her image, intelligence, competence or personality are attacked. Worse yet is when the insult comes on the heels of encouragement, which makes the statement even more personal. The power of words is so much greater than we assume!

Just like with a straight-up insult, resentment can start to brew if you harbor these words. Without properly responding to these thoughtless statements, you can harbor a lot of resentment for the person who tore you down after they built you up. I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to deal with is a hefty dose of negativity floating around in my mind!

So how can you respond to backhanded compliments instead of just dropping your mouth in disbelief of the lack of tact some people seem to possess?

Fight the urge to retaliate. Regardless of how old or mature you are, there’s always going to be a quick impulse to lash out in response. It’s human nature to defend ourselves by deflecting the negativity towards someone else! Even though turning the cattiness around can seem vindicating, it never helped matters in middle school, and it won’t help anything as an adult.

Address it. I’ve got a bad habit of withdrawing and getting extremely quiet when I’m hurt. Not speaking up as often as I should has resulted in a lot of silent sulking in the past – and I can’t say that any of it was productive! I’ve learned that I can’t keep quiet and still expect others to understand that they did something that bothered me.

If someone makes a comment – intentional or otherwise – that insults or offends you, speak up! If the words were spoken inadvertently, letting the friend know that their humor was out of line can help them be more mindful of future comments – to you and to others. If the backhanded compliment was intended to be hurtful, you need to make it clear that you don’t tolerate that kind of communication. This can seem difficult if you’re non-confrontational, but setting boundaries and standing up for yourself gets easier with practice!

Refuse to harbor it. It’s so easy to lose precious hours wallowing in the aftermath of a petty comment. I’ve wasted hours working myself up over a ridiculous jab that wasn’t worth a single second of my time. Personal slams can easily make you question whether you’re good enough, and they’re incredibly hard to let go of once you start mulling over the words and trying to put meaning behind them.

Don’t play the words over and over in your head. Don’t entertain the five different connotations the comment might have had. Breathe in, shake it off, breathe out…and refuse to mull over it any further. Growing a thick skin is easier said than done, but deciding that the comment is purely insignificant in the grand scheme of things can help you let it go.

Do something to re-boost your self-esteem. At the end of the day, you are the only one who can make you feel better – or worse – about who you are. No comment – negative OR positive – can permanently change your perception of yourself.

If you’re reeling from a backhanded compliment, throw yourself into a favorite activity that you know makes you feel happy with who you are. Go volunteer at a charity that coincides with your personal passions, bust butt on a great workout or chat up a kind-hearted friend that always makes you smile.

Shopingero/shopingera, you can’t control what other people say or do, but you can control how you react to it. At the end of the day, you are the only person whose opinion matters.

For years, I had fun shopping for clients and family. The only shopping I did for myself was when: a.) I got a chance to travel and b.) when I’d finish shopping for everyone, I would sneak in a purchase for myself. Not bad, but not great either.

Barbara Kruger Untitled (I shop therefore I am) 111" by 113" photographic silkscreen/vinyl 1987

Shopping is such a fun and personal activity. It allows one to be creative especially when you have a budget. Also, having the freedom and means to buy what you like can be quite empowering.

Personally, I can’t live without shopping. Whether it’s doing the grocery, buying books and supplies at the bookstore, or shopping during a sale, I love getting the best buys!

It's the end of season sale in the metro!

During a recent trip to Malaysia, I had a chance to shop for myself. I was excited to say the least! As I entered the first store, like a trained shopping soldier, I was on a mission: spot what I like and go. As my fellow bloggers were my witnesses (Kring, Jhayvee, and Trixie), I was in and out of every store in 15 minutes with a loot to boot! I got great buys, but it felt like I just bought stuff for a client. OMG. Has shopping for myself become a job too? Nooooooo!

Shopping in Malaysia during my Nuffnang Blog Awards trip.

Yes, shopping has become an arduous task. I’ve been used to shopping with a purpose — hunting for what my clients need and going for the kill that I forgot how to slow down and enjoy the experience of shopping!

Me: “Aryanna, can you go with me to the mall? I want to relax and shop!”
Aryanna: “Shop? You mean sprint! Whatever happened to scoping out the stores at a leisurely pace?”

My human shopping cart. LOL! Thanks Aryanna!

I need to relax. Really. What’s the rush? I have no deadlines to meet. It’s just me and my fantastic plastic (read: credit card)! Haha!

Fancy meeting you here! Hahaha!

It’s the end of season sale in the metro, so it’s a great time to shop. I’m going to take advantage and flex my shopping skills once again. This time, I’m not going to rush. I might even trot to the dressing room (I usually just eyeball the outfits) and try an outfit or two… or three… or more!

Sugar = Shop till you drop! CHOZ! Haha!

Can you remember those times you chose a new vision and passion? Can you remember the FIRE? The DRIVE? The HAPPINESS? I feel alive again— like a girl inside Tiffany’s! Haha!

Breakfast at Tiffany's Holly Golightly: "Did I tell you how divinely and utterly happy I am?"

Guilt-free shopping tips:

Here are some ways to keep your shopping — and your bills — under control:

• Make a list. Buy only what’s on your list or according to how much your budget is. If you don’t know exactly what you want, write a general idea of what you need in your wardrobe.

I suggest that you buy the classics: LBD, men’s white shirt, jeans, jacket/blazer, pumps

• Give yourself a financial reality check. This is the most important thing to consider before you go out for the kill.

• If you’re looking for that shopping high without the sticker shock, there’s always window shopping. I do this often. It’s good training to become a more responsible and happy shopper.

To avoid overspending, walk away from the item, sleep on it, and return the next day if you really want it.

In other news, here’s a little teaser of exciting things to happen on my website:

Year of the Dragon + Color of the year = Lucky color!

Tangerine Tango is the color of 2012, “Year of the Dragon”.

I want to attract more luck this year so inubos ko lang ang Tangerine Tango sa mall! Haha!

On my nails: Orly “Orange Sorbet”

Orly "Orange Sorbet"

On my lips: YSL Rouge Pur Couture “Le Orange”

Thanks for this photo, Nins!

With my former assistant (now, Philippine Tatler's Fashion Editor), Nina during my book launch.

For my client… friend:

KC Concepcion has always loved coral-colored ensembles. This time, I figured, to attract more luck in life and ehem, love, tinodo ko lang ang Tangerine Tango sa kanya! LOL

Last Sunday, I styled her for two shows:

KC at ASAP

Spotted: Lola lusting over KC's indigo YSL sandals! NKKLK!

The ASAP crew with KC in a Tangerine Tango cotton beaded dress, gold serpent belt, and gold YSL sandals.

Pati hikaw, walang patawad!

Tassle + Tangerine = TODO!

KC with Boy Abunda on her last day as host on The Buzz.

I got KC a maxi dress in Tangerine Tango as her “farewell” frock:

“Pussycat” and “Kitty”

Good luck Kace on your new show, “X Factor”! I know you’ll rock it! \m/

Taga n’yo sa bato, “ponkan” colors will be at a shop near you!

The color of ponkan is lucky this year!

Shopingero/shopingera, ubusan ng Tangerine Tango sa mall! Haha!

Unfortunately, I had work that day so I was not able to make it. I heard that the conference was inspiring.

So eto na pala ang ganap:

Wala munang kukontra para #itsmorefuninthePhilippines! Haha!

The Department of Tourism’s (DOT) new slogan is truly… PAK na PAK! So many of our friends overseas are missing us now because of this viral madness! NKKLK magpasabog ang DOT… #1 Trending worldwide? 10am pa lang, ha! Intense!

Loving this campaign:

It IS more fun in the Philippines! We are and have always been a culture and a people that overflows with positivity and joy. San ka pa… Everyday there’s a party to go to! Every island is a different adventure and culture! Every karaoke song is memorized! O, di ba?

While this is a great celebration of our “fun-dation” as a nation (naks! Please credit me for that. LOL), let’s all remember, WE are what makes it and what keeps it fun. We should desire, plan, and take action to keep our country as awesome as it is. Support environment campaigns, cooperate with government efforts to make our country more tourism friendly, and in our own little way, make the effort to spread the good vibes. Offer to tour a balikbayan friend (Carlos Celdran’s tour is a must), read up on our country’s hidden gems, or just smile more at everyone! A little bit of positivity goes a long long long way, bhoys, ghels, and gheys!

Believe me, I’m not totally carried away by this “fun” hype because the truth is there are so many things that need to be done, but I am all for spreading fun and positivity to jumpstart DOT’s plans! Go ako jan!

So I urge you to spread the word: BAWAL DITO ANG KILLJOY! Haha! Let’s all work to make a difference and create a better Philippines! If we do it all for “Juan”, we’ll have even more fun!

Grabe ‘tong slogan na to! Nakaka inpire magrhyme! Haha!

Spread the word, spread the love, spread the fun! #1forfun #itsmorefuninthephilippines

To the Department of Tourism and DOT Secretary Mon Jimenez, congratulations! Also, please keep in mind: Dream + Plan + Act = Fun!

 Shopingero/shopingera, visit http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com!

I came across another helpful article from Tina Su. I couldn’t have read this at a better time! I’ve got so much on my plate this month that I need to prioritize.

Here’s a sample of the “Life Category List” what I’ve done:

Eto na naman po ang mahiwagang list!

This is dedicated to all the multitaskers, parents, and anyone who juggles life.

How to Organize Mental Clutter
By Tina Su

Do you ever feel like you have a hundred things to get done and not enough time to do half of them? We are all busy people, but sometimes we get so caught up with ‘catching all the falling plates’ that we sacrifice doing the things we really want to be doing, the things that align with our desires and contribute most to our personal well-being.

We sometimes make the mistake in thinking that we are ‘super human’ and will be able to juggle it all with great success. “No need to write it down. I can handle it!” As more tasks get piled on, soon we become bombarded by the thoughts of tasks yet to be completed. And this added pressure will distract us in ways that are counterproductive to our goals.

Not writing these tasks down is just part of the problem; even if we wrote it all down, what if several tasks are equally important or dependent on one another? How do we prioritize conflicting to-do’s? After all, we only have so many hours in a day.

How do we break out of this cycle helplessness caused by an overwhelming number of priorities waiting to get done? How can we better manage and execute the activities that matter to us, such that we feel empowered and in control?

Backgrounds: A Personal Story

The past few months have been a period of adjustment for me, as several changes in my life took place simultaneously – I left my day job, ended a relationship, moved into a new living arrangement, got a second dog, and traveled to remote western China. Marching through the jungle that has become my house, with the new puppy circling around my feet (biting everything in sight) and with many things still packed in boxes, I can’t help but to feel a little irritable, unsettling and unwell as I notice all the clutter covering every possible surface.

“It will take days, if not weeks to get this all sorted out and organized.” I would say to myself, each time I’m reminded that I really should be cleaning and de-cluttering my living space.

What I really want to focus on is my writing, that and potty-training the new dog. But, I feel conflicted. On one hand, it’s tough to focus on writing (or anything else) if my environment is cluttered. On the other hand, since cleaning and organizing will take ‘forever’, I’d rather spend the time writing first. And thirdly, I have another list of pending responsibilities and promises that needs to be fulfilled.

As a result, I do a little of everything that tugs at my attention, not getting very much accomplished. Observing myself, I felt bothered and a little helpless. Last week, I came to a breaking point, “I’ve had it!!” I said to myself, and proceeded to spend the next 3 hours with my nose buried in a notepad, pen scribbling at accelerated speeds – as I collected and re-arranged my thoughts on paper.

As a result, I came up with an organized solution to solve my problem. I felt instantly relieved and no longer helpless, because now… I had a plan!

Let me share it with you.

A Closer Look

Before diving into the solution which worked for me, let’s highlight some observations.

1. Behavioral Pattern

In my scenario above, my exterior clutter was preventing me from focusing on my passion. I felt hesitant to proceed, because I was unsure which to focus on first, they both seemed important to me. Not making significant progress with either priority left me feeling unbalanced and uneasy.

Another possible scenario of a similar pattern is: the long hours I need to put into work are preventing me from focusing on my health and building an exercise routine. I feel hesitant to start my exercise routine, because I don’t feel like I have enough time in the day. Yet, conflictingly, if I incorporated exercise in my day, I would have more energy and wouldn’t need as many hours at work.

It is not a matter of procrastination. It is the mental pressure of knowing that we need to do something which makes us hesitant to proceed, yet failing to proceed prevents us from doing something else that is a priority to us.

We all have different scenarios and things that when left uncompleted make us feel unwell. Maybe clutter doesn’t bother you. What is it for you? What, when left undone, affects your emotional wellbeing?

2. ‘Action Alone is Not Enough’

We may be moving about in the act of living a balanced life, yet we can still feel mentally cluttered. This is because, when we have many pending to-dos, it is important to dump them out of our heads, and to track them with a system we regularly review.

Planning is more important than just taking blind action.

3. ‘We’ll Never Have Enough Time’

When we’re busy and engaged in one area of our life, we tend to think that “we’ll have time someday” to do those things that really matter to us. But someday will never come if we do not consciously plan to integrate those things into our daily life. It quickly becomes just another excuse to prolong us from doing those things.

“Conditions are never perfect.
‘Someday’ is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you.
If it’s important to you and you want to do it ‘eventually’,
just do it and correct the course along the way.”
~ Tim Ferriss, 6 Step Solution to Manage Mental Clutter

It was really just a matter of dumping all the information I had lingering in my mental space, and organizing that dumped information in a cohesive fashion. Here we go!

Step 1: Brain Dump

List out all the tasks you need to do, which are running through your head right now. Write the list down (or type it out) as it comes to you. We don’t need to be complete with this step. This list just gives us an idea of the types of things that have been bothering us. The act of writing this list down also serves as a mental relief.

Step 2: Brainstorm Life Categories

Looking at the above list, come up with a list of categories or life areas that are important to us. The categories will encapsulate the items from the list and future tasks not yet on the list. Additionally, if we ignored any of the life areas, we would be left feeling unbalanced or unwell. For me, the life areas important to me right now are:

•Work – sample activities: Writing, emails, interview questions, etc.
•Personal Wellbeing – sample activities: meditation, reviewing goals/schedules/plans, reading something inspirational, exercise, etc.
•Household – sample activities: cleaning, organizing, training dogs, grocery shopping, paying bills, running errands, etc.
•Personal Projects – sample activities: working on my personal blog, sorting travel pictures, learning hobbies (salsa dancing, language skills), budget & financial planning, etc.

Step 3: Understanding Each Category

For each life area, use a new sheet of paper.

•At the top of the page, write “Life Area: “, where is the name of the life area.
•Title the first half of the page “General Tasks“
•Title the second half of the page “Pending Task List“
•In the first section, General Tasks, list in bullet points all the possible activities that would fall into this category. For example, for my Life Area: Work, some activities include:
•Answering emails
•Creating new articles
•Advertising inquires
•Site improvement and updates
•Accounting
•Reviewing and Setting Monthly Goals

In the second section, Pending Task List, list in bullet points all the current to-do tasks that you can think of that would fall into this category. Take this opportunity to move the mental reminders out of your head and onto paper. For example, my Life Area: Work, includes some of the following:

•Complete interview question for person X
•Get back to Y company with the requested Bio and Picture
•Complete the article on topic Z which I started last week

Do this for each life area from step 2. Feel free to use more paper if you run out of room. Keep the list as visually organized as possible. The point of this exercise is three fold:

•To clear up mental clutter, by moving all the self reminder thoughts onto paper.
•It’s easier to track and manage tasks when it’s all laid out in front of us.
•To see which life area has the most pending to-dos, thus requiring more time and attention.

Step 4: Budget Time for Each Category

•Daily Estimate – Look at your daily habits and schedule, how many hours a day will you have in total to devote to all of these areas? Example, my productive day generally goes from 10am to 8pm, which gives me 10 hours a day devoted to the life areas. The remaining 14 hours is for other activities such as sleeping, commuting, eating, watching TV, doing nothing.
•Weekly Estimate – 10 hours x 7 days = 70 hours a week to divide up between the four areas of my life that’s important to me.
•Budget Workable Hours – Review each of the life areas and its pending tasks from step 3. •Estimate how much time to give it, on a weekly basis. From looking at my own lists, I know that the area of Household has priority, since there’s a lot that needs to be done and not doing them affects my sense of wellbeing and my work; thus I should give it more time. My weekly budget at the moment looks something like this for each of my four life areas:
•Household – 20 hours
•Work – 25 hours
•Personal Projects – 15 hours
•Personal Wellbeing – 10 hours
•Daily Breakdown – Roughly estimate how many hours a day to give each life area on a daily basis. It helps to draw out a table, with days of the week along the top row and life area names along the left column. My estimate looks something like this:
•Weekdays: Work 5 hours, Household 2 hours, P. Project 2 hours, P.Wellbeing 1 hour.
•Weekends: Household 5 hours, P.Project and P.Wellbeing 2-3 hours each.

Step 5: Doing

As we are going about our day working on each of the life areas, flip to the page for that life area and pick the item under Pending Task List that has the highest priority to do first.

When working on one task. Focus completely on that task. If more to-do reminders come to mind, add them instantly into the Pending Task List for the appropriate life area.

Step 6: Tracking

Refer to your time budget several times throughout the day. Remember to be flexible. Nothing is set in stone. The time budget is there to help us as a guide, not as an unbreakable schedule. Take note how much time you are spending in each life area, and adjust appropriately.

Remember to be gentle with yourself. Notice all the improvements you’ve made and how much better you feel.

As we change, so will our priorities. Make sure to revisit our time budgets regularly and update time devoted to each of the life areas, as our life situation changes.

Source

Dreams do come true when you list them down, make a plan, and act on it!

Standee ko talaga ang parting shot??? Hahaha! Thank you Tim Yap for this kyoot idea!

Shopingero/shopingera, stop spinning your wheels and start living your dreams!

Will post more slow cooker recipes soon!

Here are some of my amazing readers who are the Best in “Luto-lutuan” (dahil walang involve na pagluluto, haha!):

From @Egarivera:

“@JenniEpperson Cooked roast beef again using your recipe! Patok sa family! Thank you! http://twitpic.com/7q7nqg”

Dear @Egarivera,

Panalo! Keep on making meals and memories with your family!
My slow cooker: roast beef recipe here: http://www.jenniepperson.com/food/slow-cooker-roast-beef/

Slow cooker: roast beef

From @ka_chewy:

“Beef bourguignon when left it in the slow cooker last night. Inspired by @jenniepperson’s recipe. yfrog.com/kh5wgrbj“

Dear @Ka_chewy,
Mabilis ka pa sa alas quatro! Haha! As in, kakablog ko pa lang, handa na ang beef buorguignon mo! Love it! LOL! Thank you for the photos!

s

@ka_chewy: Beef bourguignon after 8hrs! It’s kinda light-colored, maybe bec I used Rose wine. @jenniepperson yfrog.com/obf7eucj

@ka_chewy: "flavor's not too strong as when using red wine (tried w/ red wine dati). Pero ok naman. thanks for sharing your recipe. "

Dear @ka_chewy,

Bawal ang pasaway. Haha! Yan na nga ang sinansabi ko, use red wine… wag rosé. Pero dahil I’m all for saving, OK na rin yan! Next time, use red wine, OK?:D

From @ohhthatbytin:

She blogged: Healthy food naman. A talk with an organic farm owner gave a ‘lil health scare on me. I’m now reviewing our grocery list & menu board. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to do the switch & go full organic since it’ll put more than a dent on our grocery budget! Anyway, for starters I did a veggie pasta inspired by Jenni’s Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese (click for recipe). Super easy & delicious! Plus, I’m sort of cleaning our ref narin so I needed to chop them all before due date hehehe.. It’s also my first time na mag-tadtad (Tagalog for “to chop finely”), ohh how I miss our maids! (Joke! Carry lang naman…) I love pasta nights!

Vegetarian Bolognese

Dear @ohhthatbytin,

Thank you for blogging about my recipe!

It was a good idea to also use the spiral pasta to scoop up all the sauce! Bravo!