Grow Where You are Planted

Filipino Community Abroad:
My flatmate and I moved to a new apartment when we got back from our holiday from the Philippines last month. (The move was due to housing regulations here in Jersey). We got friends who visited and invited themselves at our new place during lunch since ours is convenient to most of our work places. Earlier today, we also volunteer to host our choir practice for this Sunday's mass. We also took this time for the "house warming". I am glad that our new place became a venue to provide shelter and bless our friends.

In the middle of singing and catching up with my "new family" here since I started working abroad, I am grateful that the Filipino choir members became instruments for me to stay rooted in service for the Great Guy above.

Reflection: Show what gifts the Great Guy above has showered upon you and used these gifts to bless others, anywhere you maybe in the world. Grow where you are planted.

Work/Career:
I am given a new project at work involving non-audit related stuffs. I have done this for 3 years in a row now during my slack/non-audit season months, just like during this time. I remembered that I used to complain about this kind of projects because I feel being deprived of technical learnings which I could have learned if the company has given me other projects. But I realised that this became blessing in disguise - because I was able to enhance my network, build client rapports and able to "diversify" my learnings on other field of expertise.

Earlier today, I manage to submit the reports using the client's new system, eventhough I was only on this project for a week. The superior was happy with the work - and I am glad too that I have no overload work to think of for the weekend. Fresh start on Monday!

Reflection: Instead of complaining about working so hard, why not be thankful for the blessing of having a work and earning an income? Work is an oppprtunity for us to show our expertise/God-given talents to our colleagues and subordinates. Grow where you are planted.

Relationships:
I had a two-year old relationship when I went abroad and the long-distance relationship tore me apart because it was difficult to manage given the time difference, change in priorities and different environments that  surround us. The LDR continued for another 2 years and eventually, we both decided to put an end to it.

I was heart-broken. All my dreams and hopes for our almost 4-year old relationship came crashing down. At that time, all I ever wanted was to go back home to the Philippines to start anew and find for the "right Filipino guy" for me. During that time, I never ever ever eveeeer consider having a relationship with a different race/culture other than a Filipino. I was firm on this decision, and ready to pack my bags and go home for good... until "the honey" came. And he showed me that love accepts different culture/race - it is the decision of a couple to make the relationship work out despite the differences.

And since Day 1 until as of this writing, he continues to pursue and court me. Every single day, I feel so special. He has never missed a day of showing his love (may it be through a call, text, flowers, or sending me a cartoon image). I love cartoons!:) Nad he cooks! (Yahoooo!) He knew that my love language is quality time and affirmation - and he makes sure he achieves them no matter how busy he is at work (on a side note: we are thankful for the answered prayer for his promotion!). For the more than 365 days we have been together, I have learned that he is happy and feels more loved whenever we spend time talking and laughing together (I never thought that speaking English can be this spontaneous.) We are blessed to celebrate our anniversary just last month.

Reflection: Finding the Mr. Right takes awhile - you have to work on to being the Miss Right first.

Grow wherever you are planted.

Love Lots,
Lyn-Lyn \(",)/
03 Oct 2014

PS: The photo was taken during our house warming.

Job well done and another blessing.

It’s the slack season for audit now (whoooopie!!!).  Honestly, I’m not really doing anything at the office, except for doing virtual trainings and updating myself with standards (and doing sideline reading on my favorite business and investing websites. hehehe…) =)

Anyway, a week ago, I forwarded one of my reports to our director for his review, which he was able to finish just after lunch this day.  He went to my desk, with my reports, and told me: “Ros, job well done! I only had few review points which are only on formatting, but the overall content is great.” Whooooaw!!!! :))  And when I checked on our electronic files to check on his virtual review points, there are indeed only a few, like I can just count them using my fingers! (Normally, review points from executive directors ran over all your fingers and toes, and more..haha!)

The Dream Job

I randomly spotted this picture and it gave me a good laugh. ^_^ 

Keep learning and keep on moving forward!

Cheers,
Lyn-Lyn _(“,)/

The Two Skills I Need to Develop

I just need to burst this out before I doze off to sleep.

At work, we are already near the end of the 1st quarter of the year, and it means “interim evaluation” of individual’s performance.  To be honest, I love and hate this stage of the year at the same time.  I love it because you will be constructively evaluated based on your performance – and having the feedbacks of your colleagues will help you develop your work ethics/technical expertise and learn more about how you will be able to provide efficient and effective work output.  At the same time, you will be graded based on this evaluation. 

On the other hand, I hate it because it really requires lots of deeeeep reflection and s-p-e-c-i-f-i-c evaluation of a person and of yourself.  (w/c means English, English and English!) waaaah! [now that’s the immature side of me who’s talking. hehe!]

Here are the two skills that I need to develop:

• Managing people
• Effective business language communication

My performance manager wants me to add “technical skills/expertise” – but I guess it’s not really something to dwell too much on.  Technical skills can just be easily learned by spending hours and hours reading books and cases.  Though having the ready answer in a few seconds is quite impressive to the executive directors and other client’s officers, I do not have a goal to be a “walking Accounting Standards dictionary”. [hehe!] 

Just Take Charge!

A few months ago, I had a great conversation with one of my dearest friends here abroad.  I asked her this question, “How can I be an effective in-charge to my client engagement and my team members?”  This was the time when I was soooo frustrated about my workloads, complains about my job assignments and people I work with, feels so inferior of my responsibility (feels that I’m too young and inexperienced for my job role) and the nature of the clients I dealt with.  I am not a reklamador, so when I make ‘reklamo’, it means I’m really on my *dark side*.

My friend answered, “Do what your role tells you.  You are referred to as the ‘in-charge’, so… gurl, just take charge!!!” (I just have to add those 3 exclamation points, because I really feel she was shouting at me when she said that.)

 

I Will Graduate from Being an Employee Soon

W-o-r-k...

Right now, this is my bread and butter.

This puts food on my table, pays for my rent, provides for my “luho”, and puts money on my savings and investments.  \(",)/

Soon, I will get out from this employee stage and move to being a full-time businesswoman and investor.

Source: http://victoriarenwick.wordpress.com

Yet for now, I have to deal with all these deadlines. :P




Keep learning and keep moving forward!


Cheers,
Lyn-Lyn \(",)/