I have long been an editor of newsletter articles and some journals, writing and rewriting manuscripts—from school to now, the corporate realm. Through this experience, I must say that editing requires the strange ability to stand in the place of the readers and the author simultaneously. As an editor, I must understand what the author intends to say without losing track of not just what one individual reader will take away.

So, every time I read a piece, whether it be a story or a journal article, I make sure that the piece will come across to readers with varying experiences and levels of understanding. The outsider’s perspective shows them the weaknesses in the piece, while the insider’s perspective allows them to make suggestions for improvement that are consistent with the author’s intent.

Now is the time, I strongly think and feel, that I should edit my life. No, I can’t rewind what has already happened nor can I turn back the hands of time. What I mean edit is change my perspective on how I view things.

Way back then, people were commending me for innocence. They were much inspired by my optimism. But at the same time, they were also the little devils beside my left ear telling me to quickly open my eyes and see reality.

To me, it’s better to think positive thoughts like those people who believe in immortality on earth than to wallow in negativity. But they say we should be realistic enough to acknowledge that in our attempt to deliver on our commitments, we face huge odds, or realize that equal opportunity does not mean and should never produce equal achievement, painful as this may be to accept personally.

So after college, as I became more exposed to “the real world” where what they call reality is housed, my mind was flawed with skepticism and snippets of pessimism. I saw the other bend in life. Not all things were seen with rose-colored glasses—anymore.

After more than one year of having this “insane acuity,” I should go back to being more of an optimist—instead of a worrywart. I have realized: If you always look on the dark side, just like yourself, no one else, is going to care. Say to yourself, it’s going to get better and with these words, you’ll move right along. When you stay on top of it all, how can you not, become strong?

Valuing simplicity over unnecessary complexity, I’m a minimalist by nature (thus the site layout, colors and design), and I embrace minimalism as a lifestyle. But there are certain objects difficult to let go of. How will I get rid of things that are excessively unimportant? First, I have to remain steadfast to my goals; second, streamline my commitments; and third, know myself more.

We are the dice in the board. God is the player of the game. He makes things around us move and respond, and we act on and witness happenings and learn lessons from them.

With this blog, I commit to sharing how I turn the negative to the positive on sorts of things.

I know there are people in the universe which possibly are in the same plane as I am now. Hello, All. There’s plenty of a world of good to be discovered.

Welcome and join me aboard.

Life is a board game. Let’s roll.

About 

Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.

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26 Responses

  1. Ross Flores Del Rosario

    Indeed we are but dice in the hands of the Lord, and the world is just a board. So we need to make do of what is given or provided to us and turn it into the best thing possible by taking a positive perspective in life.

    Reply
  2. Franc Ramon

    I love the parallelism you make with life. I think one advantage of being young is being idealistic and full of enthusiasm and while people say be realistic because somehow, life does drain some of the optimism in time. It still the idealist in us that will find the passion to get through the tougher times. See the real world but it doesn’t mean you give up on the game because that’s what happens in the real world. We don’t always control the dice but there are a lot more things we can control, one of which is how we react and absorb the things that happens in our life.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Every human being here walks with different stories and ideas every day. Some may claim that they hold their vision but they can’t truly know the number that will result from dropping the dice – or making a decision. All we have to do is carry on and stay with a positive outlook.

      Reply
  3. Wanderer Juan

    Yes it is better to stay positive than negative. A lot of people, especially in the so-called real world, that will want to drag you down to their level. Keeping a positive outlook will keep the child inside you alive while everyone gets old and pessimistic.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Thanks for reminding me that. I guess writing / blogging helps you to reflect on what’s happening now in your life and just be drenched into words. Soak yourself to both optimism and pessimism to find what’s right and what makes sense.

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yes, when you edit, you find where are the lies, where are the faults and then you change it according to your new views, according to what you think is “proper.”

      Reply
  4. jane

    editing our life will will bring to either failure or more good and positive possibility. as you’re already optimistic with everything and what’s happening ot your life i am sure you’ll be a successful one! xx

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Thanks, Jane. I have accepted that one of the most important purposes in life is to learn, to grow, to experience this human experience and make sense of it the best way we can. We don’t need to strive for perfection and you don’t need to give up the idea of perfection…because we are already perfect. So we should all stay positive. 😀

      Reply
  5. Jam

    i remember there has this quote, life is checkered shade and sunshine. yeah, sometimes it is hard to stayt positive when the reality strikes us.. but i believe that being positive means believing in your faith.. that everything will happen in your accordance.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      I guess that’s true. There are several quotations in the Bible that speaks about that…everything will happen at the right time. Still, many people don’t get that, and they don’t experience that value. Only by stopping the fight against what is and stop thinking about limitations that we give ourselves the clarity and power to create what can be.

      Reply
  6. Noks Sosa

    I believe that to enjoy life is to embrace simplicity. I just enjoy my life without wanting too much. I know what I want but keep focusing on the things that I have. Life is simple … and good.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      It’s great that you said that, Noks. This shows that you connect to the fact that every moment in life – even the simplest ones – is worth living for.

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      I think God made us simple and finite for a reason and for which we should be happy and contented as you say. This goes like we only have so much time, energy and patience to give and at the end of any regular day, we are spent. But somehow, we feel fulfilled.

      Reply
  7. Teresa Martinez

    There is something that I discovered in this life and that is worrying incessantly does not really solve anything but rather compounds and builds up negative feelings. I have learned to let go after doing what is humanly possible and trust that God will take care of the rest.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      It’s hard to believe that’s true sometimes – that God will take care of everything we can’t. But that’s a good way to surpass worries and fears. How? Give it all away, love it all away, write it all away. Spend what we are given. When we spend it all, maybe we are reminded that being spent is good and right. It was how we were meant to live.

      Reply
  8. Tess

    life is full if negativity and positivity , it is up to us to choose whether we stay on which side or keep dicing .

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Hi Tess, negativity and positivity are two sides of a person’s perception. We won’t know what’s indeed negative or positive as there is no general or universal truth. Here is what is true: We are limited beings. But God has said that He is new again for us with each morning. So yeah, we’ll just keep dicing and find the positive, as we believe, in our paths.

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      This maintenance entails finding all beauty in the world. It may be in a fruit waiting to be harvested or one that hangs low against a backdrop of nature, a flower fighting to stay in bloom despite cool days and colder nights or a crow landing on the very tiptop of a newly-bare tree, watching. Savor every moment of this glorious simplicity and may you never tire of it.

      Reply
  9. Jay Cruz

    Wow, I am very impressed with how your site is built! It’s already been around 3 years and you are still at it, with thousands of readers for sure. That’s pretty impressive!

    Well, I do hope I can be as successful a food blogger as you are. Keep on being amazing! 🙂

    Reply

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