Recently, I heard someone say, “We are one decision away from a totally different life.”

It made me stop in my tracks, reflect on all the most important decisions in my life and reexamine where these decisions have taken me.

If I didn’t decide to go to GISRSMNHS instead of Mayamot National High School, where most of my grade school friends and classmates went, I probably wouldn’t have experienced my first friendship heartbreak.

Without this heartbreak, I wouldn’t have become a little cautious in selecting my circle. I probably wouldn’t have known, early in life, what’s more important in this world. When all I had was God and my family, I realized that I had to stop doing what people expected of me and start looking for the purpose that is intended for me.

Because of this heartbreak, I got to focus more on my studies— and after that, in my career. I had no interest on casually going out or dating too, which led me to being content on my own.

As a result of my extreme introversion in college, I got too much into manga and decided to work as a quality controller of mangafox.com. I never thought that by doing this, it would lead met to meet some of the most special ladies from all over the world who will start ALICE DREAMS scanlation team with me. Although that team didn’t last long, our friendship remains, and I still get to meet some of them when I travel to the country they are currently in. We grew up, but when we talk and our old otaku self comes out, we can expect no judgment— only pure understanding.

If I didn’t decide to resign from my first job as a travel consultant to work in the BPO industry in order to help my family in our financial issues, I probably would have never met my mean girls, Ching and Thine (and our other friends). Being the youngest of our group (since I just graduated when we met at work), it has its perks too whenever we meet. I don’t have to act all mature and grown-up when I’m with them. I can be the “young” me that was forced to grow up early because of some life difficulties.

If I didn’t work in the BPO industry, I probably would have stayed timid in public speaking. Working there for two years helped me a lot in improving my self-confidence. Being a resolution specialist in customer service also helped me hone my leadership skills and (let’s face it) improve my temper.

It also helped me and my sister get enough savings to have our first international travel in Thailand and Cambodia— which of course, led to more travels in the future.

If I didn’t decide to work there, we probably wouldn’t have been able to pay off our family’s house in the span of a few years.

If I didn’t work there, I probably wouldn’t have felt so lost after I decided to resign (only when the loans were paid in full). ... Read more »