Today, I turn 24 years old.

Parang kelan lang naaalala ko pa na naglalaro pa ko na 10-20. Habulan, bahay-bahayan, tumbang preso, agawan base, goma, text, togs, tanzan, jolens, etc. Hehe.

Yes, you heard it right.

Laking probinsya ako kaya lahat ng yun naranasan ko. We have a super simple life back then, we don’t have ipads, smart phone, and  computers during those times, but i enjoyed my childhood so much, and i can’t believe 24 na ko ngayon.

Thanks to God for allowing me to experience that kind of life! 🙂

I choose to celebrate this special day to reflect and share with you my learning’s that somehow molded me as a person, and I pray that you can apply this learning’s in your life too.

I would like to take this opportunity as well to give thanks to “you”- Yes Ikaw! :-), for being part of my journey for almost a year. From the bottom of my heart, “Thank you!”

You’re an inspiration to me that gives me motivation to always move forward.

So let’s start.

Maybe you could relate to this life lessons too.

Life Lessons Version 24.0:

1. Being an entrepreneur is a huge blessing
-We both know that entrepreneurs have greater means to help others if they want to.

I know people, who support churches, provide a home to street children, give scholarships and opportunities to out of school youths, etc. And by simply doing this, they are becoming a blessing to many.

2. There’s no bed of roses ready for you
-In reality, there will always be doubters and people who will never support nor believe in you.

It seems that their main job is to destroy your beliefs, but don’t worry, they will never affect you if you will not allow to.

Remember, you cannot control what other people thinks about you, but you can control your reactions towards them, and that will define who you are.

3. Law of Giving & Receiving
-We know how good it was to hear “thank you!” When we do something good or pleasing to other people, and most of the time we can get by giving something to them.

When I say, “give” I don’t mean material things only. It can be a free service, an advice; a hug, etc. in fact, by just giving to them our full attention when they talk can be a huge impact for them.

4. We can do anything we want if we believe
-I never imagined that one day I will write books, and blog about my learning’s and share it with people, until I reached 22yrs. Old.

I am an introvert person.

I am always shy to talk to strangers unless you will be the one to approach me. And sometimes, up to now, I am still this kind (medyo nabawasan lang :-))

But one day, I said “Yes” to the calling, I told myself, “I will write a book!” And fast forward, I already wrote 3 books and still working on my next book.

I enjoyed writing books even though I know that I don’t have perfect grammar or a born writer. The most important thing for me is for my readers to be blessed thru my simple works, the truth is, kahit isa lang yan masana na ko 🙂  , but God is great & I know it will multiply!:-) .

5. Too much analysis leads to paralysis
-Let’s face this truth: Maybe you are a victim of this situation too.

I have to reveal, sometimes I am :-). We do much planning, research, etc. And we forget that it is not the end of the game. We need to take action towards our plans for them to be achieved.

Stop on too much planning, and start doing.

6. Majority of people think that they are incapable
-I’ve done this before. I limit myself so much. I focused more on qualifications rather than my potentials.

Do you believe that all things can be learned?

Yes!!?

I can say that if a person is willing to learn it can be possible.

When we were babies, I bet that no one of us knows how to talk straightly, walk, write, or read, but as we grow and as we open ourselves to learning’s we learned as the time passes.

The same way in life. Whatever we decided to do, we can be capable of doing it in time. All we need is courage to learn, and perseverance to master it.

7. Having right mentor is essential for you to hit your goals
-There’s a popular saying that goes like this: “If you want to go to a place that you’ve never been, ask a person who’ve been there because surely he knows the way”

Mentors are this person.

Who will help you to go to the destination that you want to go?

It is good that we have mentor in all areas of our life because I am sure that by this, you can move fast towards your goals because you have a person who’ve done that too, and he knows the “not to do’s” that will save a lot of time and money on your side.

8. Giving FREEBIES is good but don’t do it in long term because people usually have less attention to things that are free.
-I would admit that I love freebies too. Things that has value but it’s free :-). But based on my own experience, I put more importance to courses that I really paid a lot, compared to the free that I got.

As a result, I got more rewarding results using my learning’s in paid courses than a free one.

9. Environment helps you a lot to move faster to your desired destination
-Like many people say, “Tell me who you’re friends are, and I will tell you who you are”. Though friends have their own differences, but most probably there are more values, and beliefs that you shared to one another that both parties wants that’s why you became friends with them.

Napansin ko lang when I was in college, dota boys have group, geniuses have their own, fashionista, & dancers too.

Why? Because they have the same language. And if you want to belong to that group, “you have to do what they are doing” and in time, you will see that you are getting the same results that they got.

Choose the environment that you immersed yourself because it will mold you and give you the results that people in that same environment receiving.

10. Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it can be “an instrument” to help and make people happy
-Money can be a good servant, but never a good master.

If you are a person who wanted to use Money for good, I pray that you will prosper even more. But if you’re planning is for revenge or other bad things, I pray for God to change your heart so that your life can be a blessing for many.

Because we have to remember that at the end of the day when we die, we cannot bring anything with us.

11. What you plant, you will reap
-2 weeks ago, I attended a seminar for women, and this is the core message of the talk.
It’s part of the law of universe to produce something according to what we planted.

When we plant apple seed, it is inevitable that it will produce apple fruits

In other words, if we planted good things, we will reap good fruits too, and on the other hand, if we do the opposite, we will harvest bad things too.

12. Be the change that you want others to be
-How many times did we want other people to change for us? They irritate us, and don’t agree with us, etc.

But what can we do to change other people? Nothing!

But being the change yourself can be a good start.

13. Don’t expect something to be given, if you don’t ask
-This is proven and tested. People around us don’t know exactly our needs and wants unless we tell it to them. Ask and you will receive an answer.

14. To add value to other people brings fulfillment inside
-When you see even “one person” grow, because somehow in one area of his/her life you helped him/her- the joy and fulfillment will be greater on your side. And that person will never forget that too.

I have those down moments of my life, and I will never forget those people who added value to me as a person.

15. Dream big because you have a Big God
-Most of us are trained to have small dreams, something achievable and just normal to other people.

If we do the opposite, people might laugh at us and persecute us for having dreams what they called “Unbelievable”, but if you really want to experience greater things compared to what you have right now, start aiming big because in time you will see it will step by step come true.

16. Being thankful in small things open up greater things

-It’s part of my daily routine to write things that I am thankful “Today”.

I write even though it is just a small blessing. And most of the time, I already give thanks for the blessing that I didn’t receive yet.

Like being in the Temple of Solomon.

1 year ago, I am just praying for it, and every day I am declaring that this year, I will go there even though I don’t have any means to be there.

1 year after, I found myself in that same place that I just prayed for, and I give thanks to God for that.

17. We are uniquely made by God, and that makes us special

I do believe that all of us have unique gifts/talents that were given by God. We don’t need to compare ourselves to anyone else, and by no means to copy what they are doing. Just be yourself and do what you love to do, most importantly if it will become a blessing to many. Go ahead & always move forward.

18. No pain, No gain

-Challenges make us stronger.

Most of the times, when we get hurt or feel broken, those moments become our turning points that we are starting to think to change for better.

This way, we learn & grow.

19.  Gifts are not given to hide

-What would you feel if you give a gift to your love one wherein you give time and effort to think and buy just to give a present to him/ her, but he/she didn’t give importance to it, hide it and don’t use it?

Would you feel happy or upset?

Upset!  right?

Because it just means that all your efforts are in vain.

But on the other hand, if the receiver is a cheerful one, you would always want to give because you know that he/she would appreciate it.

This can be compared to the gifts that God gave us. If we don’t use it, we are saying to God that it’s not important to us, but if we happily accepted it, and nurturing it, for sure he will entrust to us even more.

20. You don’t need to be super successful to help others

-“Who am I to help? I am not that successful yet. Yes, I have my savings, investments, I don’t have debts, I have my business but I am not yet millionaire to give an advice and to help anyone? Am I really worthy to help them?” This is one of the sentiments that I asked to one of my mentor before, and she told me one line that I will never forget. She said, “Mafe, If there are 10 steps to success, and you successfully pass the first 3 steps you don’t need to wait to complete the remaining steps to help. There are people that are still in the 1^st to 3^rd step who needed your help, and for sure they will appreciate it a lot.

That time, I was assured that I am capable of helping.

21. Being financially literate is essential to avoid being broke

-No one wanted to be broke. That’s the reason why we are working so hard to have a good life and hoping that we will never lack anything.

But it will be so hard if we don’t know how to manage our money right.

I made an article before for ready to be rich blog owned by one of my mentor in Finance, Fitz Villafuerte, entitled: How to Avoid Being Broke in Your 20’s. Click this link to read more.

22. To have a pause is important too
-A few months ago; I decided to have a pause. I didn’t use many social media, I didn’t work, I just enjoyed my whole week in Brazil! 🙂

What an unforgettable experience for me.

It was literally far from my life and daily routine.

That’s the best time for me to open myself to the new culture, new surroundings, people, food, etc.

And by that, I become refreshed and gained new strength to make better goals and achieve greater heights that I believe God has prepared for me. All I need is to get it.

23. There’s always a higher purpose for our goals
-I remember when I was a child that I do has a lot of “wishes”, most importantly during my birthdays. I often asked for something without knowing the deeper importance of it to my life.

I remember that in one of my birthdays, I asked my Mom if she could buy a bike for me as her birthday gift for me, and thankfully she approved and bought me one.

I can’t explain how excited and happy I am when I first saw it my bike. They made it so special for me because, in front of it, it has my name, “Marife”

But it just left many scars for me, but the most important thing is I learned how to ride my own bike.

In our life, it is important to ask ourselves, aside from asking thinking about material things that we want- it is important to ask as well the deeper reason behind your desires.

Why do you want to achieve those things?

Are you willing to endure the scars (difficulties, challenges, persecutions, etc.) just to achieve your goals?

24. Without God, all things will be good for nothing
-I know that all things that I have now are from God. All blessings whether it is small or huge, He is the source of it.

During my ups and most importantly down moments He never left me. He always lifts me up when I find no strength.

Thank you, Lord, for everything!

Want to give a birthday present? Click the link below and be part of ever growing infopreneurs that are willing to take action in their lives. I’ve written E-book Course for you.

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Praying for your Success and Happiness,

Founder of Christian Infopreneurs Academy
Author/Infopreneur/Financial Advocate