Author: larswrites

A frugal wanderer. Agriculturist. Lover of life and people. Adventure seeker. A typical human being who tries to live a healthy life and is occasionally lost in time and space.

December 28: vision (what am I imagining for myself this 2024?)

Yesterday, I gave in to my brain wanting comfort. I procrastinated for my urgent tasks and I did not write the day’s blog entry in my full free will. And, I am not proud of that because early this year, I envisioned myself as a more productive person with an unbreakable routine.

It was frustrating but then I realized I made a significant progress on that routine I am building. I was on my 200-day Duolingo streak. I made it to reading the Stoics one page a day up until this writing. I got to go back journaling from day 1 to this day.

Three habits I managed to incorporate on my daily life for 365 days. Not as much as what I imagined when I got to the first day of 2023.

For 2024, what I am imaging for myself would be more good habits in my routine and a more fruitful use of every second of my life. To face the challenges and not run away from it through any retail therapy or mindless social media scrolling. To be healthier as by getting better food options and moving my body more. To become more mindful by focusing and giving full attention to something and being contented in the silence of the surrounding listening to the task at hand. I envision a better me in the next 365 days.

Ask yourself, what am I imagining for the new version of myself this 2024 before you begin your New Year’s resolution.

December 27: Reflect (before the year ends-welcoming 2024)

Spend 30 minutes of your day before 2023 ends. How did you spend the last 12 months? Did most of your time put into waste by aimless scrolling to your social media accounts?

Reevaluate what you’d done. Are those something you’re proud of? Or hours you regret losing?

A lot of people aim for more money to get things that can only give us instant gratification that are often short-lived. These things may be expensive but the most expensive one would be time. This resource is non-renewable and non-refillable. It is too precious. Once lost, it is lost forever.

So, before the year ends, ask yourself, how did you use your 365 days as a free person with full capacity to function your 101%? Let’s try to be mindful how we will utilize the next seconds of your life.

2022 Top 3 exported crops in the Philippines

Philippines may be small in terms of land area for crop production but we can be great at other agricultural commodity. Here are the top 3 crops that we are exporting:

1. Pineapple

I was also surprised to know that Philippines is the 3rd top producing country in the world that produces pineapple. So, I guess Spongebob may prolly be living in one of our seas. 😛

2. Banana

Na na na ba ba na na. Yup, banana is also one of the top crops that we produce and export. Large plantations can be seen in the Southern regions of the country.

3. Coconut (oil and other products)

This did not surprise that much. Actually, before (if I am not mistaken) we export coconut itself. What surprised me was that nowadays it was the oil and other products of coconuts that we export the most.

Although land areas for agriculture are declining, I still have high hopes for our agricultural sector. With proper handling and management we can produce other crops that can boost our economy.

December 26: plan (what are you aiming this coming 2024?)

I am a spontaneous person. I do things whenever I like. I am not a kind of person that makes plans. But, I realize that not having a plan is messing up my life goals.

This coming new year my aim is to be more organized through everyday intentional planning. Your goals will come around when you have plans that is carefully thought. These plans may never come into life prolly because the universe has a better plan for you, still try to have one and a plan B.

It gets me frustrated because I start making plans for three consecutive days and then I get back to my old habit of not having a plan and end stressed out. I want to better on this aspect of my life so I will be less anxious and worried in the day.

I must be a better person this year. I must be the person I imagined that my future self will be proud of.

December 25: 4 easy things (to start before 2024 that will create change in you)

It is 7 days before the start of a new year. We always have our list of New Year’s resolution but as the year unfolds, think about the list you made starting this year. Have you checked any of those? Most likely not unless you made a big change in your life. It is easy to write your goals but hard to be committed and have the discipline. Committing and having the discipline both needs creation of routine. The three things I am listing today are a must to include in your list. Start making it a routine 7 days before the year ends, do not skip even a day until January 1st.

1. 5-minute meditation after getting up and before going to bed

It will nourish your soul. This will also create better focus and attention. Try not to open any app in your phone after opening your eyes in the morning and move your phone farther from your bed before sleeping then meditate for 5 minutes. Focus on your breathing and relax.

2. 10-minute exercise in the morning and in the afternoon

It will nourish your body. Whichever exercise you get fun doing, allocate at least 10 minutes in the morning and afternoon to move your body.

3. 15-minute journaling

It will nourish your heart. Write down things you are grateful. Your emotions. What made you happy or stressed. Think about how you will start your day and contemplate on how you will gonna end it.

4. 20-minute reading

It will nourish your mind. Fictional, self-help, scientific article or news. Make it a habit to read without distractions for 20 minutes. Seeing different perspectives will create a new way of you looking at life.

Easy to make Pinoy dessert – maja blanca (coconut pudding)

After Christmas, we are going to prepare for the New Year’s dinner. In the Philippines, we call it media noche. Now that I live outside my home country, I usually want to bring something Filipino in gatherings like Christmas or New Year’s eve dinner. However, I often struggle what to make that is easy to make but will still tastes good and ingredients are available in the nearest grocery. And it dawned me – why not make maja blanca.

Maja blanca is like pudding but you do not need to bake it! It is a Filipino dessert or snack mainly made of coconut milk. Below it the ingredients and how to make it:

Ingredients:

400-ml coconut milk

350-ml evaporated milk

400-ml condensed milk

1/2-tsp salt

1/2-cup granulated white sugar

1 1/2-cup corn starch

1 1/2-cup water

1-cup whole kernel corn

Preparation time: 25-30 minutes

Procedure:

1. Combine coconut milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk in a pot. Put the pot in a stove under medium heat. Mix it well until there is no curds.

2. Add the sugar and salt in the mixture and mix.

3. Dissolve well the corn starch in the water. Make sure there is no corn starch curds in the water and the mixture is homogenous. Add this to the simmering pot of milk mixture.

4. Continuously mix until it begins thickening and then add the corn. Make sure to add the corn when the mixture is not very thin but before it gets very thick.

5. Mix very well until all the corn kernels are evenly distributed and the mixture gets thick.

6. To make it very Pinoy, put it in a bilao. But, if bilao is not available, the baking pan will work fine.

7. Cool and serve with cheese (optional)

December 24: Christmas eve (just be grateful)

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you are having a heart full of gratefulness tonight as you eat with your loved ones. And let us not forget the reason of the season.

December 22: endure (cos you have to try until you get it)

most of the time we think things as impossible.

but they are not.

we just have to try.

then try again.

and again.

and again.

do not give up on yourself.

keep trying.

December 21: imagine (that in the end we will all become ashes)

Have you been in a constant state of worrying the past days because you think you are a failure or destined to fail?

These emotions are valid. Acknowledge it.

But, try to calm yourself and remember that you have to live your life the way the universe engineered you. You are destined to flourish. Give your best and see where the waves will take you.

Switch perspective. Imagine that in the end we will all die and our anxieties and worries will be pointless. Enjoy life!