One of the amazing gifts this quarantine gave me is TIME. Time well-spent building or rebuilding relationships with my loved ones, improving my prayer life, doing what I love and lastly learning new skills. For me, it was baking.

I've always dreamed of baking my own cookies because I love cookies! Baking was an achievement unlocked for me and has taught me some of life's important lessons: To keep on trying; To be exact and consistent; and to be resourceful. After three tries, I was able to perfect my Chocolate Chip Cookies which I am now sharing with you.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter at room temperature (you may use a baking margarine)
- 1 cup brown or washed sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla flavor
- 1 cup chocolate chips

Procedure:

1. Mix Butter with sugar in a bowl until creamy.
2. Put egg and add vanilla. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients, flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
4. Slowly pour dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Continue mixing.
5. Pour the chocolate chip cookies.
6. Cover with cling wrap then chill for 2 hours.
7. After chilling, scoop to the size you want and lay on cookie sheets.
8. Preheat oven to 175 degree Celsius.
9. Bake for 15 minutes.
10. Take out the cookies and let it cool.

Enjoy! I never thought that I would achieve this baking momma hat I proudly wore this quarantine. Just like you, I sometimes worry where to get baking ingredients especially if I don't really want to go out. Glad to let you know that you can purchase and pay for them online at these websites.

• Lazada - www.lazada.com.ph
• Landers - www.landers.ph
• Metromart - www.metromart.com
• MyKuya - www.mykuya.com
• Fresh Produce - www.freshproduce.com.ph
• Online Palengke - www.onlinepalengke.com

For my online purchases, I usually use my PayMaya account for safe and convenient cashless transactions. This way, I don’t have to worry about transmitting the virus through cash handling or long exposure to other people.

You can easily do use PayMaya too for your own transactions. Here’s how:

1. After adding items to your cart from your choice of shopping app, proceed to the checkout page.
2. Choose credit card as the payment option.
3. Open your PayMaya app and select ‘My Cards’ then note online payment card number.
4. Go back to the shopping app and choose Online Payment card number
5. Input your card details and confirm your payment
6. An SMS notification will be sent by PayMaya, confirming your transaction

Done! It's easy, convenient, and best of all, safe! All you have to do is wait for the delivery right at your doorstep.

As we smoothly adapt to the new normal, I'm glad PayMaya is here to help us transition to contactless, secure, and cashless payments. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.  To know more, visit: https://www.paymaya.com/quick-guide. Download the app for free today, click this link: https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133 and use my referral code: Igs628.

Remember, don't pay cash, PayMaya!

These days, we’ve all become more careful when it comes to managing our household. At home, moms clean more often than before. We wash clothes almost every day, sanitize everything coming from outside, eat healthy and take our multivitamins to boost our immune system, and educate our kids how to wash hands properly. Most importantly, we stay home as much as possible. And in the instances that we have to go out, we equip ourselves with face masks and alcohol.

We do these things to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from the spread of the coronavirus. This is the new normal and we’ve smoothly adapted to it.

Apart from these safety measures, there’s one area that is often neglected or not prioritized when it comes to safety – transactions and payments. I only have ONE SAFETY TIP – DO CASHLESS or CONTACTLESS transactions. Whether you’re settling bills online or paying for your groceries in supermarkets, don’t pay cash. PayMaya. 



Here are just some of the transactions you can settle safely and conveniently with PayMaya:

1. Pay for online purchases

Shopping online has become a part of the new norm, now that we are being asked to stay at home as much as possible. For online purchases, using cashless options like PayMaya is safer and more convenient than COD. With this, there is no need to scramble for cash when your order arrives. You’re also able to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus through cash-handling.

You can use your 16-digit virtual card number for this, but some merchants also accept payments using only the mobile number linked to your PayMaya account.

2. Pay for groceries or medicines



I still prefer the QR Scan to pay option when paying for my groceries at the supermarket. You don’t need to hand any cash nor card to anyone and returned to you unsure if it carries the uninvited virus we’re all scared about. On top of that, you can also get a cashback of 1%, 10%,  or 100% when you pay via PayMaya QR. Safe and sulit at the same time!  PayMaya QR is available at Landers, Robinsons Supermarket, Rustans Supermarket, Shopwise, Robinsons Easymart, Robinsons Selections, Shopwise, Super8, Wellcome, LCC Supermarket, Metro Gaisano, Citimart Supermarket, WalterMart Supermarket, Budget Mart, South Emerald Supermarket, Prince Hypermart, and many more.

3. Pay bills and other government -related dues.

You don’t have to brave the growing traffic or risk getting infected outside, just to pay for your bills or government dues. You can easily do it in the safety and comfort of your home with PayMaya. With just a few clicks, you are already able to settle your bills and not worry about incurring additional charges for late payment.


4. Buy load for yourself or others.

You can also purchase load for yourself or your friends and family with your PayMaya app.  These items are also discounted so you know you’re getting more sulit deals by simply staying at home.

5. Add money to your account

To do all these things, you would need to have enough funds in your account. Luckily, adding money to PayMaya is super easy. There are a lot of ways to do this. If you don’t want to go out, you can just transfer money from your bank account to PayMaya via Instapay. You can also add funds to your PayMaya using your credit and debit card. But if you don’t have a bank account or a credit card yet, you can simply head to the Smart Padala agent in your community and add money from there!

Even if the quarantine will be lifted in the future, I’ve well adjusted to this new normal. To be honest, I like it better because so many good things had happened to me. My husband and I are more appreciative of each other. My children are closer than ever. I learned many new things like baking and extending my patience. I’ve fortified my personal relationship with God too. Even if it’s declared safe to go out, I still won’t risk my family’s health and safety. I will still do cashless and contactless transactions like how I am doing now using PayMaya. It’s fast, it’s convenient, it’s practical, and lastly, it’s SAFE. 

To know more about PayMaya visit https://www.paymaya.com/quick-guide. You may download

PayMaya for free on Play Store and Apple Store. Click HERE to download instantly. So remember, to stay safe and have contactless transactions, don’t pay cash. PayMaya! 

Since the ECQ, we’ve seen so many changes and we’ve quickly eased to them calling it our “new normal.”  This includes how masks and hats are now fashionable (when going out), how kids are schooled, how we do our groceries and food marketing, how many of us depended on online shopping and food deliveries.  Online businesses have boomed exponentially – clearly because we all want a contactless way to purchase, to pay, to get our needs, to sell or serve other people’s needs, and generally to get things done safely and conveniently.

Lalo na sa mga business owners na malaki din ang sacrifices and health risks to be able to serve their customers.  We all know that viruses and bacteria are easily passed through money or bills, yung physical na bayad, right?  Buti na lang, there’s PayMaya Negosyo App to help negosyantes have a simple, worry-free, and secure transactions.  Best of all, it enables business owners have a contactless payment channel – one that most customers also prefer!


REGISTRATION 
Ang dali lang mag-register and you get approved with 1-2 days!

1. Download the PayMaya Negosyo App (http://pymy.co/PayMayaNegosyo) via Play Store for Android phones. This will be available soon on iOS. 
2. Enter all the needed details then click next to receive a One-Time-PIN (OTP) to your enrolled cellphone number.  Enter the OTP.
3. Enter the verification code sent to your registered email address.
4. Read and agree to the Terms and Conditions stated.
5. The app will require a copy of your valid ID and also a video selfie.

That’s It!  Your registration will be processed in as fast as 24 hours and you’ll receive an SMS notification about the status of your application.


CONTACTLESS TRANSACTIONS AND MORE!
Why the PayMaya Negosyo App?  PayMaya Negosyo App is a safe, secure, and contactless payment channel you could offer to your customers.  The registration is fast and easy.  As a business owner, tracking your transactions (payments/purchases) is important, PayMaya Negosyo lets you do that!

You could accept payments from PayMaya users via PayMaya QR which can be shared in your social media business pages and chat apps!  What’s great about this is customers can receive 1%, 10%, or even 100% cashback when they use this payment method. The cashback, of course, is shouldered by PayMaya. This is a great promo merchants can offer to their customers!

You can also receive payments from upgraded PayMaya users through the Send Money function of the app. And lastly, you can accept payments from bank and e-wallet accounts via Instapay.
You don’t need to pay any monthly fees, just a 1.5% fee to be deducted on every transaction made via PayMaya QR.  You can receive up to Php 250,000 monthly and even transfer these funds from PayMaya Negosyo to a bank account for free!

Ang galing diba?  If you’re a business owner (product or service) like me, register an account with the PayMaya Negosyo App to help boost your negosyo especially as our customers shift to online payments due to the pandemic.

To start easily accepting online payments today, simply download the PayMaya Negosyo app (http://pymy.co/PayMayaNegosyo) from the Google Play store today! To know more about PayMaya Negosyo, visit https://www.paymaya.com/negosyo-merchant.

In my last blog post on things we do these days to ensure our family is kept safe and healthy these days, I invited you to tune in to PLDT Home's #StayHomeSeries Stay Healthy Program over at Mommy Mundo's Facebook Page.  The live talks they produced were relevant and timely because moms these days could get anxious about their children's health.

As a mom, have you asked these questions?

• Is it safe to bring my child out for a check up?

• My child has a slight fever and is coughing, should I bring him to ER?

• Is it safe to self-medicate my sick child?

• How do I know if my child is getting the right nutrients, vitamins and minerals he needs for his age?

It's normal for us moms to worry about our children's health especially this time of pandemic.  That's why I didn't miss the chance to watch the two LIVE talks on Mommy Mundo's Page about this popular topic.


Here were my key takeaways that will surely help many moms too:

• A child's FIRST 1000 DAYS nutrition is most crucial.  This starts from conception until the child reaches two yeas of age.  This is critical because nutritional damage that occurs during this time is irreversible.  So make sure that you eat well so your child will eat well too.
• Immunity is the capability of the body to resist harmful microorganisms from entering it.
• There are two types of NUTRIENTS:
• Essential are nutrients required that can't by synthesized by the body and must be obtained from a dietary source.
• Non-essential are nutrients synthesized by the human body so they need not be obtained directly from food.
• 5210 Every Day! - You heard this right!  This means 5 or more fruits and vegetables; 2 hous or less recreational screen time; 1 hour or more of physical activity; and 0 sugary drinks - moe of water and low fat milk.  Some more inputs, canned and frozen fruits/veggies are just as nutritious as fresh.  As parents we should walk the talk.
• Increase Immunity in 2 ways
• Natural - by eating and drinking healthy, sleeping smart, exercising, and laughing a lot.
• Supplements - by getting it from "food supplements" or what moms usually call multivitamins and minerals.  Important vitamins/minerals: Zink, DHA/AHA during first 1000 days, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin D3, Vitamin C, and Probiotics.
• Bacterial and Viral Infections are totally different
• Viruses are smaller than bacteria (smaller than our red blood cells)
• Bacteria has a cell wall Viruses has no cell wall  - both have genetic material
• Bacteria can reproduce itself (moisture and heat).  Viruses need a living organism o host cell.
• Antibiotics are made for bacterial infections.  This just simply means one cannot take just any antibiotics without checking if the illness is caused by bacteria or virus.
• Never self-medicate - there's a correct prescription of the medicines to take depending on the progression of the disease.  
• Strictly practice the following: 
• Proper hand washing - at all times.  This is the most effective way of sanitizing vs applying alcohol or alcogel
• Food safety - wash food for cooking, separate raw from cooked food, etc.
• Avoid close contact when you have cough
• Avoid spitting in public
• Seek medical attention immediately when symptoms show.
• Good nutrition, exercise and breastfeeding - all help in staying fit and healthy.
• Vaccination is the most important and effective weapon against bacterial and viral diseases
• Viral:
• Polio
• Measles
• Rotavirus
• Japanese encephalitis
• Mumps 
• Rubella
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis A
• Bacterial
• Pneumococcal
• Diphtheria
• Pertussis
• Tetanus
• Typhoid

Laundry.  These days I have to do it more often now as before.  I’m sure most of you could relate to this.  Why?  Because I believe all moms are seguristas.  We don’t want newly laundered clothes smelling as if they have been used already.  Kaya minsan inuulit ko.  Hassle diba?  I discovered that bad smelling clothes or amoy kulob is not because of sweat.  Ang bad odor ng clothes are caused by GERMS!  Yes!  That’s true.  Kaya naman my laundry partners play an important role in making sure that my family’s clothes are germ protected.  For this I use Downy Antibac with the power of Safeguard.

As a busy work at home mom of three boys, sa totoo lang, my greatest challenge when it comes to laundry is when they really smell.  Hindi ko ma-take!  I used to repeat washing the clothes that still smell even if I’ve already washed and dried them.  Such a waste of water, time, energy, and resources.  Not practical at all.  Nakaka-disappoint.  When I heard about Downy Antibac, I gave it a try instantly and the results were impressive.

Fresh-smelling clothes.
When clothes smell good, it says a lot about a person’s hygiene right?  That’s what I teach my kids.  This is one area where Downy Antibac helps me.  It makes sure that my family’s clothes smell fresh with every cycle!  Not only that!  Even if it stays long in the closet, the fresh scent lasts for weeks!  Hindi amoy aparador!


More Hugs.
Because clothes not only smell fresh but are soft to touch, my kids always say ang sarap naman i-hug ni Mommy!  Hindi nila alam mas masarap silang i-hug at masarap sa pakiramdam nating mga mommy ang nahu-hug!  Thanks to Downy’s effective fabric softener technology.  I get lots of tight hugs!

More Time.
Because I work at home, time management is really important for me.  It’s really a waste whenever I repeat a chore like laundry just because it wasn’t done well the first time.  Dito ako hindi binigo ni Downy.  With just one cycle, clothes smell really fresh.  The odor caused by germs – gone!  Hindi ko na kailangang umulit ng paglalaba.  This means, more time for other important things such as play time, teaching time, and time for doing online work.


Germ-Protektado.
These days, moms worry a lot about their family’s health and welfare.  We prioritize cleanliness, hygiene, and thus having the power of Safeguard in a fabric conditioner gives me peace of mind.  Knowing that our clothes will get the maximum protection it needs in every wash, ang lakas makapanatag ng loob ko.  When I learned that it kills 99.9% of germs that causes malodor in clothes, I didn’t think twice.  Sabi ko ito na talaga ang choice of fabric conditioner ko for my family.

I want to share with you the product test I did using Downy Antibac with the Power of Safeguard.  Watch til the end to see my usual laundry challenges, how Downy helped me with these, and if it really is effective.
So mga busy and mindful mommies, if you want fresh-smelling clothes, more hugs, more time, and germ-protected clothes for your family, try Downy Antibac with the power of Safeguard.  It’s a practical and highly effective laundry partner that will give you the peace of mind you deserve knowing that it kills 99.9% germs causing malodor in clothes.

Downy Antibac with the power of Safeguard is available online via Lazada, Shopee, also in leading supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide.  For more information, follow @DownyPhilippines onFacebook and Instagram.

It's been more than two months since we've been on quarantine and gladly forced to stay home because of the pandemic.  It's normal for many moms to prepare and get worried for the future, the safety and health of her loved ones, and how to keep everyone busy and adapt to the situation.

Since then I noticed that all of us have heavily relied on online learning, online gaming, online entertainment, online teaching, and even I upgrade my skills and do meetings online.  I guess this is the new normal for many - to do a lot of things virtually.  And not to my surprise, it's doable!  But we've got to have a faster and reliable internet connection right mommies?

There are two things that's on top of my worry list: my kids' health (vaccines, what if they get sick or had an accident, etc) and education.  Since we now get many information. entertainment, and inspiration from resources online, I get some peace of mind  knowing there are doctors doing online consultations whether on social media and even through Viber.

For my personal welfare, I do self-caring and I always encourage other moms to do so.  I wrote 100 Things To Do At Home on my blog for moms who get anxious thinking "oh my, what am I going to do next?" I personally also refer to that list, it's like a personal list which I made into a blog post.  I'm also happy I'm part of Mommy Mundo's community that helps me keep my sanity with their weekly themed mindfulness activities and live talks.  They also invite experts to talk about what moms like me worry mostly about, kids and health.  They are coming up with another one which will be helpful in answering most of medical related questions from worried moms.

Mommy Mundo will have an e-health consultation series powered by PLDT Home.  Join the #StayHealthy Moms! Facebook Live on their Facebook Page www.facebook.com/mommymundo.  Here's the schedule:

May 26, Tuesday (11 am - 12nn)
Natural Nutrition vs. Supplements in Boosting a Child's Immune System
Dr. Gellina Maala with Mikaela Lagdameo 

May 28, Thursday (11am - 12nn)
Decoding the Germ Code: Understanding the Difference between viral and bacterial diseases.
Dr. Andrea Carag with Riki Flo

I'm thankful that a lot of organizations, brands, and communities such as Mommy Mundo are offering free webinars, consultations, and talks that make mom lives a little bit easier.  Thanks also to PLDT Home's #StayHomeSeries for understanding us moms and answering to the call for trusted resources that we could all listen to and believe.  Spread the word momma! :)

The coronavirus pandemic is constantly reshaping the world as we know it. Many of us at home are practicing self-isolation and social distancing to flatten the curve; but we’re also looking for other ways to help out frontliners and those affected by the crisis.

With limitations brought about by the enhanced community quarantine, people have turned to social media to proactively look for organizations and support their causes. A group of volunteers saw the need to house all the information in one place and in response, created a microsite to readily connect people at home with those who are on the frontline.


Volunteers behind HFH have expertise in community organizing, operations, government relations, and communications, making the platform a reliable source of information to help mobilize resources in support of COVID19-related projects. To date, HFH has verified more than 100 initiatives since their launch last March 25, 2020. These organizations aim to provide frontliners and families at risk with all forms of support — protective gear, food, transportation, financial aid, and more.
More than just consolidating the efforts of various organizations, the HFH volunteers also employ an extensive verification process to validate and ensure that each organization is legitimate. Part of the requirements which they review include the institution's background, digital assets, fundraising history, and proof of delivery. These details are critical to help website visitors make informed and data-driven decisions about how and where to make donations.

But aside from presenting the supply side, the HFH website also features a real-time and needs-based list and map to showcase the demands needed nationwide.In collaboration with By Implication, Switchboard PH, and Vector, HFH developed a tool that presents hospital needs and how much of these needs have been fulfilled. The list uses color and progress bars, while the map uses both color and the size of the circle to denote quantity needed. This tool can be used by individuals and organizations alike to more strategically provide and distribute supplies. HFH is also currently working on featuring demands from vulnerable sectors, and identifying them by municipality and by barangay.
HFH continues to update its database and system to accommodate a growing list of partner organizations and monitor the status of donation drives as well. The group plans to reach out to more initiatives, communicate efforts being done in far-flung communities, and collaborate with like-minded brands and institutions with shared goals.

The call to help from home continues to inspire action. For more information on supporting frontliners and communities at risk, visit their website https://helpfromhome.ph/ 

I’ll be honest enough to say that this ECQ has not been easy for me and many other moms. In a previous blog post, I shared tips on how to stay positive during quarantine. It is not easy and we struggled a lot. We still are struggling but with the end goal of keeping our immunity strong and our family healthy, the challenges seem to be worth it. Our new normal is one that will probably determine the way we will live forever and I don’t really mind. As we make wellness a new way of life, you can count on Watsons to be with you every step of the way.
Here are a few recommendations from Watsons on keeping your immunity strong and your family healthy.

Tea - great source of antioxidants
We need to make sure our immunity is boosted during these times.  Exercise should be part of your activities as a family.  I've done that a few times and admittedly I should be doing it more often. Exercising literally shakes up things. It makes us happy, it strengthens our immunity and improves the body’s flexibility. If we lose some weight along the way, then that’s a bonus, right?

Healthy foods like vegetables and fruits are the best sources of nutrients.  But, with very limited movements and resources, these aren't always accessible.  But drinking tea could help also as source of antioxidants our bodies need.  I get Nutrabliss by Watsons and drink a cup or two every day.
Multivitamins, Vitamin C, and Supplements 
As a busy mom who sleeps the latest and wakes up early in the morning, sometimes I feel weak and overworked.  Again mommies, sleep is very important in healing our bodies, keeping us alert, and improving our moods.  But for times I lack some sleeping hours, I feel as if I'm going to have flu.  That's why I make sure apart from eating well, my husband and I take multi-vitamins to supplement the amount of nutrients we need each day, which we don't get from food sometimes.  Here are some from Watsons that you may want to also try:

• Watsons Generics Ascorbic Acid which we take every day.  
• Conzace Soft Gel, which is rich in Zinc, Vit. A, C and E to help boost immunity and promotes healthy hair and skin. 
• Myra E 400IU is also rich in Vitamin E that helps fight cell damage. 
• Growee Syrup and Cherifer PGM with Zinc capsules to support height growth and help the body become stronger.
• MET Tathione, NU Essence Collagen and Organique Acai Juice and those that harness the power of natural ingredients such as MX3 capsules and Watsons Generics Malunggay + Mangosteen.  These protect our skin and body from the harmful environmental factors that may cause damage.

Watsons continues to provide your family's health essentials in any of its stores nationwide. You can also order online at watsons.com.ph or call selected branches to have your orders delivered. For contact details of branches near you, you can check out this list: https://bit.ly/2W9oVWi.

When you shop, use your Watsons Card to earn points and get a chance to win a UV Care Deluxe Germ Terminator, Super Power UV Vacuum or Smart Robot UV Vacuum with a minimum purchase of Php500 on select health items. Promo runs until June 24, 2020.

For more updates, you can also follow us on our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram at @watsonsph. Stay safe and healthy!

So mommies, the most important thing is to really just stay home during these days.  Only go out when absolutely needed like replenishing food, groceries, and medicines.  Good thing Watsons products may be ordered online.  Remember to always keep safe and to prioritize your family's health with the help from Watsons.

I am sure you’ve heard about “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”  We hope that we won’t say this in the future with regards to our WATER supply.  One of the easiest solutions to our water situation is – CONSERVE.

Source

Metro Manila and nearby provinces experienced water shortage beginning last year due to El Nino.  Personally, our barangay experienced daily water interruptions (which I shared in my previous post) beginning 4pm.  This experience taught me and my kids a lot about appreciating water and conserving it. 

I’m sharing some tips which you could also do at home and teach your kids.

1. Check for leaks and have it repaired.  Every drop counts.  Make sure you check your pipes or loose faucets that may contribute to water wastage.  This will also save you heaps of pesos on your water bill.
2. Use dipper when bathing instead of shower.  Using a dipper or “tabo” is a sure way you use just enough water you need.  The sprinkling water coming from shower sometimes isn’t aimed at you, so you end up showering longer, hence wasting more water.  Just in case you have a bathtub at home, it’s best not to use it at the moment.
3. Catch the water you used for rinsing and repurpose it for flushing toilet or cleaning garage.
4. Turn off faucet when not in use (especially in between washing plates, brushing teeth, washing hands, etc.)
• Toothbrushing – Use water for gargling in a glass instead of running water from the faucet.
• Washing hands – Rinse with water in a basin or dipper instead of running water.  Especially during this season when handwashing is very important and should be done more frequently than ever.
• Dishwashing - Instead of using running water to rinse soaped plates and utensils, rinse them in a basin filled with clean water.  You may still repurpose the used water in the basin afterwards for cleaning outdoor surfaces.
5. Schedule your laundry day.  It’s more practical to wash clothes by schedule than daily.

These are some of the basic water conservation tips we usually do at home.  But actually, there are many other ways you could do to repurpose used water in order to conserve it.  This way, we don’t contribute to the continual depletion of clean water supplied by Maynilad which all come from the main source, Angat Dam. 

Always look at the bright side.

The water interruptions we are experiencing may be an inconvenience to many, but personally, it has taught me and my family important things. 

I’ve already shared it in my previous post, I am sharing it again:

• We learned to appreciate our water supply. Thus, we make extra efforts to conserve it. 
• It created good water usage habits - working on a schedule or routine teaches discipline.  Kids ensure their used lunch kits are washed before the water supply gets cut off.  People in the household ensure they do their major water-dependent activities on time. 
• It taught us thoughtfulness and compassion.  Everyone in the family is now more mindful in making sure bins or pails are always filled so there may be clean water for others not yet at home to use even when water supply is already cut.

As I always say, always start and end the day with gratitude.  I am thankful that I was able to join the educational trip to Maynilad’s water facilities and treatment plant.  It made me appreciate our nature, our water supply, and it made me become more mindful in its usage. 

Water conservation starts at home.  Let’s not always put the blame on others.  May we all do our parts as concerned citizens to love, appreciate, and conserve water. 

For more tips, check out Maynilad Water Services on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MayniladWater/

Kamusta mga mommies?  What are you feeling right now?  Bored?  Worried?  Anxious?  Sad?  Confused?  Fearful?  Depressed?  Desperate?

Whatever you are feeling right now, let me assure you that all of your feelings are valid.  It's okay not to be okay.  We are human, we have feelings and we can be weak.  Take time to relax and recognize all your feelings, accept it, and feel it.  But tell yourself that you need to do something about it.

Source

With the global pandemic and extended enhance community quarantine we have all been either struggling or easing our ways to adapt to the new normal.  Not everyone welcomes this with open arms especially those who are on "No Work. No Pay" status.  It's a difficult time.  This is why we need to really try our best to stay positive during the quarantine period.

WHY?

They say, what we feel, think, affects how our body’s immune system.  Just like food is to the stomach, our thoughts and feelings are to the mind and heart.  You become what you eat, what you think, what you feel.  Feed it well, you’ll be well.  Feed it negatively, you get sick and that's the last thing we want these days right?  Ayaw natin magkasakit.

From the individual recovery sessions I attended in the past, I learned that out of everything that’s happening around us, 90% are uncontrollable (such as Covid-19 outbreak, loss of projects or jobs,  accidents, and even how other people relate to you or treat you).  You can only control 10% of your life which is basically the following:

• How you accept and feel about people and things.
• How you respond to what’s happening around you.

Given this, I believe that you are the master of your thoughts and emotions.  You have the power to succeed or fail, the power to be joyful or grumble, the power to be content or complain, and the power to feel at peace or worry.

Here are some proven and tested things you could do to stay positive during the quarantine

FEED YOURSELF WELL.
Choose healthy food to nourish yourself and help boost immune systems.  This also is applicable to the news and articles you read on your Facebook or IG or Twitter feed.  Learn how to FILTER what you absorb your minds and hearts.  Usually, these don’t help in keeping you calm or stay positive.  You may check in every now and then, but try not to overthink or over-analyze because you’ll only panic, worry, and be anxious.  Feed yourself with positive and inspiring content that will either make you laugh, inspire you to do good things or be busy, and move you care for yourself and your loved ones more.  It helps also if you have something daily to read such a devotion book or app.  I use YouVersion Bible App.

MAKE A THANK YOU LIST.

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Write down all things you are thankful for.  This ECQ made spending more time with our families possible and it’s healing our mother earth from all the pollution we give her.  More than what you wish you have, think about everything that you have right now and write them all down.  Write down what you’re thankful for each day.  Start and end your day with a grateful heart by creating this habit.

BE BUSY.
To keep your minds from wandering and getting too affected due to the number of rising positive COVID-19 cases in ou country and even globally or to simply kill boredom, look for things to do in the house.  This extended ECQ brought anxieties to many, that's why it's important to keep yourselves busy.  Apart from usual chores, you could do activities with kids, finish the scrapbook you started 5 years ago, make a new skincare routine, master the art of lining your eyebrows (because kilay is life!), learn something new, organize your closet, or you can binge watch KDramas.  Do something you love or at least something that interests you.  I’ve written about 100 Things To Do At Home during quarantine.  Check it out.

HELP OTHERS.

I had the opportunity to volunteer to cook for our frontliners through BrandbuzzPH

If you can and able or if you have extra funds or savings, support and help fundraising causes organized by different private sectors.  One example is Brandbuzz Helps.  it's a community of mommy bloggers and social media influencers headed by Gie Ramos, that pools funds and even donations in kinds from individual or group donors and brands, to support as many frontliners as it can.  I donated and also volunteered to cook breakfast for ou frontliners through this wonderful community.  It really felt good and fulfilling to be able to help others.  Science says, doing acts of kindness such as helping others in any way you can, produces Oxytocin.  It is also called the love hormone that helps lower blood pressure and improves heart-health.  Helping others also increases self-esteem and optimism, which are all extra helpful in managing anxiety.


PRAY.
Cast your burdens and worries to our waymaker, miracle worker, promise-keeper and our light in the darkness - our God Almighty!  Let’s recognize that God is in control and that He alone can heal and stop this pandemic.  Sharing with you my favorite Bible verses that comfort me in time of worry.  In Matthew 21: 22 it says “You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”  Lastly, He said, “Fear not, I am with you, I am your GOD.  I will strengthen you, and help you, I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10. 

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This ECQ has made me realize a lot of things such as what is really important in my life.  That not wealth (which I don't really have), fame (I also don't have), success, achievement, position or profession, and connections could save me should I be infected with the virus.  I will not call upon anything and anyone to protect me and my family or to heal me - but God's name alone.  I will only call upon the Lord to take my wheel and steer it according to His will.

We are not really sure when this will all end.  Not unless a proven and tested vaccine or medicine will be available to everyone globally that we could attain peace of mind that we could all be safe to go back to the "normal" we were used to.  But for now, let's do all we can to abide by our laws.  Let's stay home and pray for our government to make the right decisions for our country.  While our ECQ has been extended and I believe will still be extended until end of the year, let's do our best to stay positive as we all stay home.