#CelebratingGRACEfully
How fast does time really go that we’re already in the middle of September? Before we all know it, we’ll be saying goodbye to another year…
Before that happens, I just want to take this moment to thank God for every opportunity He gave me and He planned for me this year to reach out to more homemakers. To those of you who have been with me from the beginning, you know very well how speaking in front of a group of people in an event makes me all nervous… I must say that God responded to that particular fear by giving me more speaking opportunities, a rather beautiful way of Him telling me that I must face the music in order for me to grow, and for this homemaking advocacy to also grow and spread…
The speaking opportunity He gave me last Thursday, September 12, was one for the books. The event was made of pure generosity that participants (that includes me!) profusely expressed our gratitude from our preparation days, to the day of the event, to days after the actual event.
Let me take you to that beautiful afternoon.
I had the honor to share that afternoon with Kimi (@kimilulifecoach) and Grace (@thespoiledmummy) as they held their sixth #CelebratingGRACEfully workshop at Arton, Rockwell. It was a learning-filled afternoon that even when I was given the task to hold a workshop, I felt like I was a participant too based on the lessons I took home with me, both from my fellow speakers and from our participants themselves.
The 3-hour workshop was designed to be interactive and experiential. At the onset, when the participants were asked their intentions for the workshop, many expressed that they chose to be there to learn more about home management and being organized, to get more inspired, to boost their self-worth, to meet people, and yes, to have a break from their everyday routine.
The afternoon turned out to be more than just a break from our lovely homemakers’ daily routine.
In this experiential workshop, participants were divided in three groups of 8 members each. Each group is given time to learn from each of the three speakers.
In all three batches, I delivered the same talk, but the discussions and realizations were notably different. I am surprised and overwhelmed by how the participants were very willing to share a piece of themselves and their homes as they explained their wins and struggles in homemaking. What warmed my heart even more is that they also gave each other encouragement and advice.
With their willingness to share, I learned about a homemaker whose lifestyle is shaped by regularly moving places (every two to three years!), a wife whose husband holds on so much to his possessions, and a mom who desires a good storage room for her kids.
With all these and more, I realized how the huge task of homemaking becomes lighter when a community of homemakers are open and generous. To share one’s struggles is not an easy feat. It always requires a humble heart to be able to do that. To share one’s best practices at home, on the other hand, is a true mark of being generous, because in truth, you reached your best practice by figuring things out through trials and errors, and by not giving up on those moments that you think you failed.
I must admit that the way the participants engaged with me in discussion helped a lot in shaking all my nervousness away.
***
It’s the first time that I sought support for an event, and I was blown away with the generosity of the sponsors. Special thanks go to
Landers (IG @landersph),
Pac and Go,
The Kiddi Company,
Linen and Homes,
Marca Piña,
for giving us their all-out support without thinking twice.
I would also like to thank the following sponsors. Without you, our workshop wouldn’t be as meaningful!
Taste by Grace (IG: @gracehomemanila)
The Arton by Rockwell Showroom (IG: @theartonbyrockwell)
Booths Republic (IG: @boothsrepublic)
Carmen’s Best (IG: @carmensbest
Holly’s Milk (IG: @hollysmilk)
Kurin (@kurinwater)
Coco natura (@ilovecoconatura)
Cascade (IG: @cascade.philippines)
Label Me Yours (IG: @labelmeyoursph)
Easy Cures (IG: @easycures.ph)
Cocoon Studio (IG: @cocoonstudioph)
Food Czar (IG: @foodczar)
***
Of course my sincerest thank you to Grace and Kimi for allowing me to share my advocacy in their Celebrating Gracefully workshop. I am truly honoured to be part of this wonderful gathering of women.
I continue to thank God for the people I meet, those who assisted and helped us with the event, my ever so reliable team, (Hi Ria and Shally, thank you!) the opportunities He gives, and the lessons I learn from each, such as, a little generosity goes a long way.
Stay Neat, everyone!
NEAT OBSESSIONS 