Short-term slay, long-term stray

Some people spend more time planning their Christmas than their lives.

Weeks before December, the group chats come alive.

Where to celebrate?
What to wear?
Who’s bringing the cake?
What theme the exchange gift should follow?
There’s even a spreadsheet for the menu and a mood board for the party aesthetic.

But ask the same people what their five-year plan looks like, and suddenly the chat goes silent.

We pour energy into short-term happiness because it’s easier. It’s concrete, fun, and fast.
Planning for life feels heavier. It demands reflection, discipline, and patience.
But the truth is, both matter.

It’s not wrong to plan for Christmas. It’s a beautiful season to celebrate.
But don’t forget that the other eleven months deserve the same intention.

Your joy in December will fade by January. Your life’s direction will not.

So go ahead, plan the party, buy the gifts, make it special.
But also plan your growth. Map your goals. Visualize the future you want to wake up to.

Be equally invested in what happens after the lights come down.

Because life isn’t built on one perfect season.
It’s built on what you do with all the days in between.

Don't just point out the traffic jam

We all love a good trip.

But remember how that excitement could disappear the moment you hit standstill traffic?

Imagine this. You’re on your way to Baguio, picturing cool air and fresh pine, when Kennon Road turns into a parking lot. A few minutes later, a friend texts, “Traffic here. Not moving.”
Thanks, but too late. You’re already stuck.

Now imagine getting that message earlier, with details on what caused it and which alternate route to take. You’d feel relief. You’d feel in control again.

That’s the power of Waze. It doesn’t just tell you there’s a problem. It helps you find your way around it.

In life, we need that too.

Some people only point out what’s wrong.
Some explain why it happened.
But the rare ones, the real keepers, the true leaders, are those who help you see a better way through it.

Be that person.
Be the one who guides, not just comments.
The one who listens, understands, and helps someone find direction when they feel lost.

We all get stuck sometimes.
And when we do, it helps to have someone who reminds us there’s always another road. Another way to keep moving.

Be the Waze in someone’s life.
Find the cause. Offer the route. Keep them moving.

Moments over material

We spend so much of our lives chasing what can be bought.

The new iPhone. The next Louis Vuitton. The bigger car.

But here’s the thing: you can own something for years and forget how it felt to get it. Yet you can remember a moment forever.

The first time you saw the sunrise after pulling an all-nighter with friends.
The laughter that made your stomach hurt.
The trip that didn’t go as planned but turned into a story you’ll keep retelling.

Those moments don’t depreciate.
They don’t need upgrades.
They don’t get replaced when the next version comes out.

When you look back one day, you won’t count the shoes you owned or the designers you had.

You’ll remember how you felt when you were fully alive, present, and connected.

So spend on what you’ll remember.

Treat the people who make you laugh.
Taste that trending steak.
Sunbathe in Boracay.
Travel to Tokyo.
Watch that live NBA game.
Sing at that Taylor Swift concert.
Experience that Wicked musical.

Because memories are the only things that become more valuable the older they get.

Day I almost quit teaching

They don’t tell you that teaching will hurt.

That some nights, you’ll stare at a pile of ungraded papers and wonder if it’s even worth it.

That you’ll lose sleep worrying about a kid who stopped showing up.

That you’ll question yourself when some of your students are not submitting their assignments.

They don’t tell you that the job doesn’t end when the bell rings.

Because the truth is, the weight of their stories follows you home.

There was a semester I almost quit.

Pay was low, the noise was high, and the spark that once fueled me had dimmed.

Every class felt heavier than the last. I thought maybe I was done.

Then one afternoon, as I packed my things, I found a small folded note on my desk.

It read: “Sir, thank you for believing in me. No one ever did.”

That line hit harder than any lecture I’d ever given.

It reminded me that teaching isn’t a profession. It’s an act of faith.

You show up even when you’re tired. You plant seeds you might never see grow. You hold space for kids who carry more than they should.

That note saved my fire.

Because I’m not, admittedly, the best professor one can ask for. Maybe at my level, I can at least touch five percent of my students.

If I’m teaching a hundred this semester, changing five lives for the better isn’t that bad, right?

Oh, and sometimes, I’d read notes that say, “Sir, you are my crush.”

 Guess that counts as extra credit. 

Dont judge a clown by its mask

It was a weekend break from my lecturer duties.

I was in a nearby bakery, eating my comfort bread and sipping cold Pepsi Blue, when one of my students suddenly approached me. Feeling close, he asked for a libre.

Slightly annoyed but I obliged. What’s twenty pesos? Choose kindness anyway, right?

This wasn’t a fancy university. No air-conditioned rooms or ergonomic chairs. Just an old state school. Bare walls, wooden desks, and students who showed up anyway.

Back in class, the same student was lively and loud. He recited confidently, made jokes from the back row, and sometimes acted like a class clown. The kind you’d call bibo. Sometimes charming, most of the time distracting.

Fast forward to one afternoon. I was heading home when the same student saw me and asked where I was going. I answered politely. Again, choose kindness, right?

He said he was headed the same way and asked if he could hitch a ride. I let him in, though admittedly still a bit annoyed.

As we passed by a construction site, he asked to get off. I stayed for a few seconds to see where he was going.

Turns out, that same noisy student, the joker of the class, worked there at night. A 17-year-old construction worker.

Admirable how, at such a young age, he carried not just the weight of hollow blocks but the weight of something heavier.

Maybe that’s where his energy in class came from. Maybe he was tired. Maybe he was just trying to stay afloat.

I grew curious about him after that.

He was a boy scout, active in volunteer work, and often defended classmates who were being picked on.

He wasn’t just a class clown. He was someone carrying too much and still finding ways to make others laugh.

That day humbled me.

Back in college, I knew a lot of privileged students. It was a school for the elite after all, with a few exceptions like myself.

This was different. This was new to me.

It reminded me why I teach. Why I choose to give back.

Ultimately, we all carry weights the world doesn’t see.

So don’t judge a jester by its makeup.

Justice League, assemble

Fellow millennials might not know Voltes V, that classic anime from the late 70s where five skilled pilots each commanded a powerful machine.

On their own, they were strong. But when they volted in, joining forces to form one super robot, they became unstoppable.

You see this truth echoed everywhere.

In Justice League, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman could only save the world together.

In The Avengers, heroes with different powers and personalities found their strength in one call: Avengers, assemble!

The message is timeless. Real strength begins when we stop working alone.

Each of us has our own battles, talents, and pride. But life’s biggest wins rarely happen solo. We need others to fill the gaps we can’t, to lift us when we’re tired, to see what we don’t.

Whether at home, at work, or in your community, collaboration isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.

We rise faster, stand taller, and last longer when we lift each other.

Tell me who your friends are

Who you associate with is who you become.

It’s crucial to have people who challenge you to grow. 

A role model who will raise your standards.

A mentor who will not let you get complacent.

If you hang around three confident people, you’ll be the fourth.
If you hang around three intelligent people, you’ll be the fourth.
If you hang around three millionaires, you’ll be the fourth.
If you hang around three fools, you’ll be the fourth.

It’s inevitable.

Such a simple concept, but what a difference it can make in your performance and your life.

There’s no faster way to advance into the top five percent of your industry than this.

Find those people.

The ones who make you better just by being around them. Because you become a lot like the people you spend the most time with.

Their mindset, beliefs, and energy are contagious.

Once you elevate your circle, your standards will follow.

Maybe it's not what you think

We’re quick to assume.
Quick to label.
Quick to judge.

Someone replies late. Must be ignoring you.
Friend cancels plans. Must be losing interest.
Colleague sounds off in a meeting. Must be rude.

But what if not?

Maybe that message was drafted and forgotten in exhaustion.
Maybe that friend is just trying to hold it together.
Maybe that colleague is carrying something heavy you can’t see.

Giving the benefit of the doubt doesn’t mean being naive. It means choosing empathy over ego.

It’s deciding to believe that people are more than their worst moment.

The world runs better when we slow down our conclusions.

Next time you’re tempted to react, pause.
Ask, “What else could be true?”

Because behind every delay, mistake, or misstep, there might just be a reason.

...and a person trying their best.

Business writing tip

One of my students once asked me during my weekend lecture,
“So, Prof… any business writing tips?”

I said, “Don’t do business writing.” 

Don’t hide behind stiff formatting and lifeless jargon. Don’t drown your message in buzzwords that mean nothing.

No one talks like this in real life:
“Effective January 1, 2012, we are ceasing operations at this location due to the end of the world. Apologies for the inconvenience. For queries, you may reach out to xxx@kianthology.com.”

You’d just say,
“We’re closing this store. Sorry for the hassle. Please call us at +63XXX-XXXXXXX if you have any questions.”

See the difference?

Write like you talk instead.

The best business writing sounds human, clear, natural, and sincere.
It’s not about sounding smart. It’s about being understood.

People don’t respond to templates.
They respond to tone, authenticity, and intent.

So, if you wouldn’t say it that way in person, don’t write it that way on paper.

Utterly

Ever come across a word that adds nothing to what you’re saying?

Something that literally takes up space but carries no meaning at all?

We write them to sound polished.
We say them to sound smart.
But they do neither.

Some words have been doing this job for years.

Actually,
Basically,
Literally, 
Very,
Totally,
Really

Guess what? They’re "really" pointless.

Every word you use should earn its place.
If it doesn’t, cut it.

Because once you let go of the pointless words, your message becomes more on point.

Unposted happiness

Valentine’s is coming.

Heart emojis, couple selfies, matching captions. I love it!

There’s nothing wrong with posting photos of your partner once in a while. But when every moment turns into a public display of affection, it starts to feel less about love and more about validation.

There’s nothing wrong with announcing an engagement, sharing wedding photos, or capturing a special trip together. Those are milestones worth celebrating.

But endlessly documenting the daily grind of romance is different. People who are truly enjoying each other’s company don’t usually pause to frame it.

I once knew a couple who seemed perfect online, always smiling, always in love. But behind the posts were arguments and tears. When they broke up, everyone was surprised. Those who knew them weren’t.

Real happiness doesn’t need proof.

Bliss doesn’t need Facebook likes.

Contentment doesn’t need shares.

 And the rest of us don’t need to know about #DateNight.

Caution

Driving in Metro Manila during the holidays can test anyone’s patience.
Entitled drivers. Impatient motorists. Motorcycles cutting through every gap.
Road rage waiting to happen.

Then there's this car ahead of me moving slowly.
On its rear window was a small sign that said, “Caution: New Driver.”

Just like that, my irritation softened.
I gave her space. I gave her patience. I gave her understanding.

That tiny sign changed how I saw her.

And it made me wonder: would I have been just as patient if the sign hadn’t been there? I can almost definitely say no.

We don’t know what someone is going through. We don’t wear signs that illustrate our personal struggles.

You don’t see signs taped to people’s shirts that say:
Going through a separation.
Feeling depressed.
Diagnosed with cancer.
Tired but trying live.

Perhaps if we could read visually what those around us are going through, then we would have definitely be nicer. 

But we shouldn’t have to see signs and have reasons to treat strangers with kindness. We should do it anyway, whether we know what is going on or not. Whether they deserve it or not, let’s give everyone an extra dose of patience.