Year 2017 Reflection

Hello friends, I’m finally back from a long hiatus. I’m actually really thrilled in writing again; although this post may not be about fashion but things like this are very close to my heart. I am the kind of person who values the moment to reflect and talk about life in general. And this post is actually one of them- my reflection for the year 2017.

Growth is probably what describes my 2017 the best. As individuals, we’re constantly changing. We observe, experience, feel – we grow. Growth is inevitable, but it is also difficult. You find yourself in these messy situations, not knowing whether you’re making the right decision or not. Growth is full of self-doubt, confusion, pain even tears. Loads of them, actually.

        This year is full of realizations, adjustments, focusing and refocusing, learning and living all at once. This year, I’ve taken a step closer to figuring out what life really means to me. I adjusted my focus, cleared and redefined my path. This year I took the power over my own life. I made my own decisions and started believing in myself.

In the beginning of the year I was insecure about myself and felt the need of other people liking me. I gave up my individuality and become whatever other people desire me to be. Conformity in its finest, I think it was my form of mechanism to escape from the sense of isolation. When I didn’t go out on the weekends, I constantly felt that I was missing something. When I walked past someone and they stared at me it made me feel uncomfortable and made me asked myself if something was wrong with my outfit, or my face perhaps? Since I was having a severe acne attack on my face that time. I wasn’t confident at all. Year 2017 with all it’s ups and downs showed me that I have to stop living up to the expectations of others and start to live for myself. I don’t exactly know when it happened but at some point this year I stopped caring about what others think and minded my own business. I started doing, saying, wearing whatever I wanted and from that point on I was free. I’ve learned that it’s way more important what I think of myself than what others think of me. So I focused on what’s good for me and what is not. I’ve learned that when I start looking on the positive things in life, there’s no room for the negative. And I realized how lucky I am to be given this beautiful life, family and friends. I also learned the power to say no, it is never (NEVER) easy, it may hurt some feelings and it takes a lot of self-control but the more I say no to things that don't matter, the more I was able to say yes to the things that do.

This year showed me it’s okay to let things flow and I’ve accepted that the world is both beautiful and ugly. Occasionally, someone will be so adamant and so offensive that you’re never going to be able to engage in a civil conversation with them. There are those people who keeps on spreading negativity because they are unhappy and unsatisfied in life. Those close-minded people who never accepts opinions because they kept their egos untouched and those who really love to run their mouths about others according to what they’ve heard. Any ways, gossip dies when it hits a wise person’s ears. Let’s just hope more people are wise enough *winks (are u wise sizt?). But it is really our choice if we want to stay bitter or get better. And of course, let us chose positivity. I am still in the progress on being kind even to those who seem like they don't deserve it, for they deserve it the most. In a society like ours where outer beauty is more important than inner beauty, we need to remember to remain kind even in cruel situations.

In year 2017, I learned to love and know myself. I dug deep down to the deepest corner of my heart for the things that could bring me joy and purpose. I learned to understand myself even more and accept its every flaw and imperfection. I learned how to find peace within myself and enjoyed the comforts of being alone.  It’s important to take a break once in a while and give yourself some credit for how far you’ve come. I’m on this life long journey, practicing self-love, acceptance, forgiveness and kindness. This year I failed quite a lot, been hurt and lost myself but this year, I also realized that all those things that happened was because I took risks, had taken enough chances, had fought with the greatest battles and it made me stronger. They say its okay to fall down and lose your spark. Just make sure that when you get back up, you rise as the whole damn fire. We all have setbacks in our yesterdays but our past doesn’t define our future. I can’t say this is the best year for me, but it is surely a year to be remembered. With a happy heart, I’m leaving this year behind. Here’s to  2018 . Hoping for a great year ahead J Happy New Year guys!

                                                                                                                  Lots of love,Simply Gilian ♥

 

Ultimate Sophistication Tips

It's not very easy to grow up into a woman. We are always taught, almost bombarded, with ideals of what we should be at every age in our lives: "This is what you should wear at age eighteen", "That is what you must act like at age twenty", "this is what you should be doing when you are seventeen." But amidst all the many voices that bark all these orders and set all of these ideals for girls today, there lacks the voice of assurance. I want to be able to say, that there are things admirable for a woman to be, at any age! Whether you’re sixteen or twenty-five it's always wonderful to be elegant, it's always fashionable to have grace, it's always glamorous to be brave, and it's always important to own a delectable scent. Elegance and smartness is the sexiest thing woman can have, not just the flesh. Over the years, I’ve been observing this and came up with the list of tips on how to be classy yet staying simple. Read on and see how you can dress gracefully and glamorously.

1. Remember that less is more - Never go over the top with anything you wear.  Try to keep it simple and clean to achieve a look that’s effortlessly stylish. Try not to pile on too many layers of clothes and accessories, let the beauty of each piece shine. Having too much going on in your outfit makes it tacky and confusing. Also, make sure all the pieces go well together. Try to swerve away from pieces that are too racy and revealing. These are tricky to wear and can easily take away the classy look you’re trying to go for.

2. Don’t take trends heavily- I must admit that I hate to wear something that everybody is wearing that is why I personally favor for thrifted clothes since designer clothes are dreadfully expensive. I would rather stick with timeless and classic pieces that I know will flatter my body well instead of going for trends that doesn’t fit me, it’s too daring and gallant. Dressing up for the body that you have is also one of the easiest things you can do to make shopping for clothes a whole lot easier. When you know which styles and designs flatter your body, you’re less likely to wander off in the store for hours not knowing what exactly you’re looking for.

3. Invest in neutrals – Neutral colors are fantastic ways to put the focus on other colors and spice up your look. However, neutrals are also wonderful options if you want to tone down bold, bright pieces that otherwise would be too emphatic on their own. This way you can create stunning outfits for everyday occasions and formal wear as well, which will definitely make you stand out from the crowd. Even when on a limited budget, you can still get the classy by investing in neutral pieces. Neutral colors allow you to mix and match endlessly. You can use it to create a plain and simple outfit that can later on be glammed up with accessories and pops of colors through other pieces.

4. Go for highwaist - No matter what your body type is, a skirt that hits high on the waist is always flattering, like the cullotes what I am wearing. It emphasizes the smallest part of your torso and gives you a sexy hourglass shape. Invest in a simple high-waisted skirt, jeans or cullotes that you can pair with shirts you already own, and enjoy your exceptionally feminine physique.

5.Heels modifies the whole  look- Of course, high heels make any outfit a little fancier, but they do more than that. Your legs look longer and your body slimmer when you wear heels, which also help with upper body posture. Slip on a pair for a few extra inches and a lot of added elegance. Although we know they can be painful, and we know we've been warned they aren't good for our feet, but heels really can take a look that we're bored with and turn it into something we feel awesome about. Oh, the power of heels.

6. Dress for style not for boys - It actually makes getting dressed easier when you're dressing for style, not for boys, and your confidence will shine through because you'll be more comfortable in what you're wearing. If you feel uncomfortable, you probably look uncomfortable. Your confidence is affected by what you're wearing, as sad of a thought as that might be. So if you're feeling self-conscious about your outfit, you're likely to be tugging at it or double-checking that everything is in place all day and night.  

7. Believe in yourself – stand for your outfit and quell your shyness because elegance is generated by confidence. There are so many ways that a girl can project a ladylike image, and so many ways that she can wreck the image quickly too. Think about how you want to look and the image that you want to project and, if you believe it, it will happen.

8. Stay happy and beautiful-Go outside and get some sun on your skin. We're not saying you should be tanning at all, but when you look at the most stunning people in the world, your first thought isn't, "I bet she spends a lot of time in front of a computer." Lather up in SPF but still go outside as often as possible and breathe in some fresh air.  Wear sunglasses too, you only have one set of eyes, so why not protect them in style? Walk with smile and slay it.

                                                                                               Lots of love, Simply Gilian ♥

18 things I learned before turning 18

1. Trust God

 I’ve been through a lot and I can't possibly get up from it and able to write this things if not for Him and His plans for me.

 2. Know yourself

There is a power within your own name, find it and make something good about it. It is important to know your identity to avoid conforming to others. Know what you can do from what you can't, harnessing them will give purpose to your life. Accept who you are completely; the good and the bad – and make changes as you see fit – not because you think someone else wants you to be different. No price is too high to pay from the privilege of owning yourself. Every time we act in harmony with our authentic self and our heart, we earn our respect.

 3. Never be afraid of failures

  Can't wash my hands off from this, I’ve done mistakes a countless times and here I am still learning from it. I have been criticize once for committing such mistake and made me feel very terrible in front of many trusted people I have. From then I was very depressed, I just wished to sleep all day long and never get out of bed. It took me awhile to fight the depression I have alone and struggled a lot to rebuild myself. Years passed, here I am reflecting that I am never this person who felt what it is to be washed by big waves yet staying and standing strong. I am even grateful now that I have done mistakes before because it helped me grow into a mature person with broader perspective of life. Yes I fall but I get up, brush myself off and get on the saddle again. Success in life often comes from not giving up despite mistakes and failure. It comes from being persistent.

4. Go out and explore

You're made for bigger things than your place you're living in. Appreciate the things which you have no control; the colors of the sky when sun rises and sets, the sound of the waves, the view of nature. Travel while you can, there is more to life than just staying home.

5. Confidence will change your life / insecurities too

Believing in yourself that you can do it is the key. Stepping out of your comfort zone leads to something better. So go out from your shell now and flaunt your own wings. But be careful, jealousy is a hideous trait. Never compare yourself to others, we have our own chapters. Your chapter 2 is different from someone else’s chapter 10. The ego wants to compare. It wants to find reasons for you to feel good about yourself .But by doing that it also becomes very hard to not compare yourself to others who have more than you. And so you don’t feel so good about yourself once again. If you compare yourself to others you let the world around control how you feel about yourself. It always becomes a rollercoaster of emotions. A more useful way is to compare yourself to yourself. To look at how far you have come, what you have accomplished and how you have grown.

 6. Be you and never force yourself to fit somewhere you don’t fit in

Scream your voice, never be afraid to speak for yourself for what you believe in, and stand for it. Own your identity and authenticate it. We have different perception with beauty, some find it with modesty, and some find it with brilliance, some with nature and some with the hearts. Respect everyone for what they believe in. You have a place in this world. You may not know where it is right now, but just like a puzzle, you should make sure that other pieces don’t fit somewhere before you try to force yourself in where you don’t belong.

7.Find your passion

                Do something you love not someone else's opinion for you, don't fake yourself just to be loved by others. Don’t worry about what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive. The enemy of passion is frustration. If you constantly struggle with something, you’ll never become passionate about it. Think back on your life, and remember things you wanted to be, the habits you developed naturally, the games you played, the books you read, and see how they may apply to your life and career today. You might be surprised by the connection points that have been right under your nose all along.

8.Do something from what you want

  Even if it is very difficult, little by little making a step on it is better than nothing at all. Time is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of your life and do what you want.

 9. Batching

 One good way to get these things done quickly is to batch them. This means that you do them all in row. You can do things quicker than you think. By following the Parkinson’s Law that says that a task will expand in time and seeming complexity depending on the time you set aside for it. For instance, if you say to yourself that you’ll make your assignment later then the problem will seem to grow more difficult and you’ll spend more and more time trying to do it the next morning in school.  You will be able to do them quicker because there are less start-up time compared to if you spread them out. And when you are batching you become fully engaged in the tasks and more focused.

 10. Its okay not to be ready because nobody really is ready

Do not pressure yourself to grow up and be ready. We mature through time and experiences. I even have my own expectations for myself when I reach 18 but guess what I am not yet ready, but I’ll get through to it. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight”, a verse I am rooting in my life. The truth is that we don’t need to be ready for everything. Our own preparedness is not the point. We will face many things in life, and we will be ready for very few of them—but we don’t need to be. When we trust in God instead of ourselves, He will guide our paths. Certainly, we will still face things we never saw coming, but He will be with us every step of the way.

11. Love yourself

It is as much as important as doing things and loving with other people. When you love yourself more then things simply become lighter and easier. You won’t beat yourself up or drag yourself down over mistakes or temporary setbacks. We only have one body, nothing but one. Abusing your body is not helping you. Never wait to say it’s too late when you're already having sickness. Health is our own wealth, a line that we always hear but it is true. Do yourself favor sometime by giving your own space. You find peace in silence, the best out of it is you got to write something which you can reflect the next day and precisely at 1:59am I am writing this.

12. Learn to wait

  If it’s not happening now doesn't mean it is never going to happen. Just wait, He has better plans for you and just trust Him. In the right light, at the right time everything is extraordinary. Happy is the person who learn to wait for God’s time is the best time.

13. Never expect; life is unpredictable

Life never goes with what you plan. Life loves to take us by surprise, and we like to tell ourselves that we can handle it on our own. Far too often, though, we find that we can’t. You got to face hard times in an unexpected ways, fall if you will but rise you must. Remember that there comes light after darkness.

14. Focus for the things that matter and learn to say no

I learned about the organs and the inner workings of the body in class but nobody told me about the reticular activation system. And that’s a shame, because this is one of the most powerful things you can learn about. This R.A.S, in your mind allows you to see in your surroundings what you focus your thoughts on. It pretty much always helps you to find what you are looking for. So you really need to focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want. And keep that focus steady. You'll discover your life's vision and the most important roles and responsibilities you have. Meaningful productivity means consistently giving your time and attention to the things which are most important. Saying yes to happiness means learning to say no to things and people that stress you out.

 15. Be vulnerable

Be honest with yourself; say what you feel life is too short to keep it with yourself. What I have learned? It is better to say something than nothing at all. Its okay to get hurt and cry, you cry doesn't mean you’re weak, you cry because you've been too strong. Learn to swallow your hubris, it doesn’t mean you are giving up, it’s growing up. Life is too dumpy to hold grudges and petty bullshit.

 16. Don’t let toxic people get in you

It’s you who knows who you are and what you're doing, accept their criticisms, and just continue living life. It’s your life that matters not their judgments. When you know what you're doing, nothing will stop you.

 17. Never be ashamed to be a 21st century learner

Don’t feel guilty about our generation; all of these are happening not solely because of us but every one of us even the previous generation. Don’t let the older generation make you feel guilty about being positive about the technical revolution. The selfies with filters, catching life with snapchat, basking hours at YouTube, and even being picky with the photos to post in instagram to fit your desired theme. Don't let older generations make you feel strange about this. It is happening and it is our outlet to show our creativity, our life experiences and to learn something from it. Just be wise with them and sort things which are good and bad.

18. Always crave to learn

Walking with knowledge is better than walking without one. Talk to people, you will learn something about you from them even from the unexpected ones, the people you met from the internet, from a restaurant, a mall, in school- everywhere. Engage yourself not just academically but holistically. Never stop learning because life is never stops teaching. Learning never ends and the list of things I learned so far are far way longer than just 18 points.

It would be fair enough to share these learning of mine to you.  Some of it may sound cliché but instead of brushing it off try to consider it because all words of wisdom are true. Hoping you learn something from my realizations in life. God bless to our future endeavors.

                                                                                           Lots of love, Simply Gilian ♥

   

90s FASHION

 90s fashion are currently experiencing a huge revival on the fashion scene in 2016. Is there a better feeling than the look you love coming back in style? I personally love the 90s fashion vibes.  You finally pull the items your oversized shirts, jeans,sweater-and-legging combos, your Doc Martens, and more  back of your closet and feel a rush of euphoria. You know the feeling you got with reuniting with an old friend. Designers, celebrities and in general the fashion world are all embracing the revival and reworking classic 90s pieces in to their modern looks. So I took the urge to recreate one.

                                                                                              Lots of love, Simply Gilian ♥

LOOKBOOK: Black x Denim

It's been awhile my friends, I don't want to rant about all the stuffs that will excuse me for being MIA. Let's just focus on positive things that will make us  happy in life. There really is no joy, and nothing ever good is going to come from negativity. Care less from criticisms, treat everyone with respect and dignity. This stops you from cynicism and negativity.

Let us  spread positivity instead, it will open the door to hope and in turn to happiness. Helen Keller once said, "The best & most beautiful things in life cannot be seen, not touched, but are felt in the heart."  So why should we settle for less when we can have the best in life? In fact, happiness is available to all. Bottom line here is:  it is really upon us, happiness lies in our own hands. So wag na sad besh, It will only make us look losyang, chaka na. I'm not saying we are not capable of feeling sad. Human as we are, are vulnerable. Sometimes we have to get knocked down lower than we've ever been, to stand up taller than we ever were. Challenges are what make life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. So kill problems in life with kindness, shema lng. Let us embrace our imperfection in life and accept them warmly. For God will not give us problems that we can't solve. Kaya rajod nato, tiwala lng :)

Moving on, here is my casual outfit perfect to unwind after our midterms exam. I just throw on a black dress layered it with a light washed denim polo paired with my favorite slip-ons.

Later decided to put my hair into a bun because it was really hot.

 Lots of love, Simply Gilian ♥

OSMEÑA PEAK traverse KAWASAN FALLS

( Yes i am sooooo back you guys. Gotta work my ass off to post in here, make it up to you  and do a lot of catching up of my back blogs that were not posted because of my laziness, opps. Any way my summer has already started and I am back with this exciting adventure I had with my close friends last weekend- trek through valleys,jungles,experience nature and breathtaking views. )

When was the last time you went on an adventure? Or took a leap of faith?  I had this realization that we create our bonds, our restraints and our own captivity. Freedom is a state of mind. Take that leap. In today's world, everything moves so fast. I've found that people are more inclined to disengage from real life situations just to look for instant gratification in technology and online. I've been really working on being present lately. Look up from your screen. Build quality relationships. Actually see things, appreciate its beauty and not just experience them through someone's lens.

Last week, we explored south - Osmeña Peak and Kawasan Falls to fill our souls with adventure. I actually cannot tell you how much I loved those places and what it meant for me to spend time up there. Like any plans, we started our trip in the morning but here comes our filipino time we ended up riding the 12:30noon bus trip going to Mantalungon. At exactly 2:30pm we arrived there and funny news came to us. We got the wrong info instead of going to Mantalungon, Dalaguete we stopped at the Mantalungon, Barili which was the other way around. We didn't new that there was also Mantalungon.Barili and Mantalungon,Dalaguete (perks of being a traveler). To get back right in track, the concerned people from Mantalungon,Barili told us how to get to Dalaguete. So we took a bus going back to Carcar and from there we opt to rode a tricycle since the bus going to Dalaguete were always loaded. The tricycle driver dropped us while on the way to the foot of the peak because his tricycle can no longer climb up. Luckily we found this good man who offered us lower price than that most  of the habal-habal drivers there. They said that Mantalungon Public Market to the foot of the peak takes about 18 km that's why  most of the habal-habal drivers will charged you 100 pesos each in going up.

From the tricky trip we're still lucky the sky is clear while we climbed and when we reached the peak. Upon arriving, a lot of people from there will ask you if you want to be guided in order to reach the peak but we chose not to and decided just to follow the path where many people were taking. It took us about 20 minutes to reach the peak and a breathtaking view welcomed us. It was already around 5 in the afternoon when we get to the peak. We're really in awe of the view while we witnessed the sunset.

        

 We stayed there for the night because we planned to trek the Kawasan Falls by morning. Just brought bottles of water and goods to fed up our tummies since there was no store near there. The temperature at night was beyond my expectation, I was literally freezing surrounded by fogs. It just reminds me of riding the plane for the first time and you get to see the aircraft’s wings slice through the clouds but this time I did actually slice it through with my bare hands. Lesson learned, if you wanna camp there and stay for a night better bring thick blankets, socks, beanies, hoodie to keep you warm since making bonfire is not allowed there (for preservation).

we enjoyed the night by playing cards and sharing our stories

          We woke up very early to catch the sun rise and climbed up to the peak again to see the view when the sun is out. To watch the dawn emerge from the night undoubtedly gives a heavenly feeling! The fresh sun rays entwine with the dark horizon and peep out of the creek with tranquil grin.

    

 

             Since we are planning to trek to Kawasan, we need to pay for a tour guide. Mostly tour guides will ask for 1,000- 1,400. At exactly 8:30am, we started our trekking down to Kawasan Falls, Badian. While on the way, our tour guide kuya Mhark taught us about the place, about the mountaineers, his life and more. He is also very kind to be our photographer.

Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you.

A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.

we stopped at this small house and enjoyed our buko

After 4 hours of trekking, finally we reached Kawasan Falls. It was really tiring but the end point is worth all the pain. To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.

with our tour guide, kuya Mhark

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Looking at beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind.Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen. According to Pavese traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it. The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover as what Mark Twain said.

 ( *If you have any plans to go trekking or canyoneering, I can refer you to Kuya Mhark to get discount. Any questions about this whole trip will be entertained, just message me on any of my accounts.  )

                                                                                                          Lots of love, Simply Gilian ♥