Day 1: Who are you and What's the Meaning Behind your Blog Name?

Greetings, earthlings!

No, this post is not about me trying to explain why I have started this blog and nonchalantly left it unnoticed for the past couple of months. I must admit that inspiration does not come easy. Thankfully, spending a lot of time on Pinterest (thanks to my job, hahaha) made me see this interesting 30-day blog challenge that I so want to try. This way, I can also make this blog rise up from its dusty grave. :)

So, what is this 30-day blog challenge? It's like a fun way to motivate yourself to write everyday! Pretty ironic for someone who earns as a writer, right? Yep, despite the fact that I earn through writing, I can't seem to find my voice when I stare at the blank page of my blog. Thank all goodness for this challenge, now I feel a renewed sense of motivation.

Every day for 30-days, this little challenge gives you topics to write about. Here's my entry for day 1.

Who are you and What is the Meaning Behind your Blog Name?

My name is Giulia Noelle Guanzon Nobleza-Garcia. I am a stay-at-home writer, a wife to Jared, and a mom-to-be to Baby Eli. I am currently 31 weeks pregnant and eagerly anticipating the arrival of our little soccer player --err-- bundle of joy, rather.

I started this blog as an outlet for my endless thoughts. For the past 3 years, life has introduced me to a whole lot of changes from my surname to my vital statistics (and soon, my sleeping patterns). Nonetheless, I always enjoy what life throws at me whether I welcome them with beaming grins or tearful grimaces. :)

I love to write. I am quite opinionated. I strive to practice gratitude in my life, thus, the blog name. Instead of naming this blog "Living with the Garcias," I decided to go for "Living with Gracias" to remind me every now and then that there is always something good to write about. Needless to say, my husband and I are eternal recipients of the Lord's tender mercies; they are, in fact, numberless in our life. :).

I wish to help readers of my blog understand that, hey, there is something wonderful in our lives despite the constant stresses and occasional frustrations. We are living in God's grace everyday, with Him waiting to shower us with blessings. So for the next entries, I hope that I live up to the name of my blog, Life's changes may knock us a bit sideways, but may we always remember we are"living with gracias."

Day 1 out! :D

5 Things to do When Your Crush Does Not Like You

You cry your heart out and eat a tub of ice cream.

Nah, just kidding. We don't want to add our pain with an onslaught of guilt that comes from the assault of unwanted calories. No girl, you deserve better than that.

But who am I to tell you what to do? Go on, girl. Indulge yourself. Nothing heals a broken heart than a luscious tub of ice cream.

Ahhh, a broken heart. We all have been there. Although our emotional turmoils come in a plethora of shapes and sizes, one cannot simply say he/she cannot understand the feeling of not being liked back by the person he/she adores the most. It seems to me that part of our learning process here on earth involves the painful ordeal of recognizing that we can't always get what we want...and who we want. 

Believe me, I had my fair share of heartbreaks and heartaches that I shamelessly covered with milkshakes and sour-graping. I, too, do understand the frustrations and questions that come with discovering that the one you're head-over-heels with does not really find you interesting enough, and you'll discover these things either through a blatant confrontation or a conclusion (after you see him giving another girl the doe eyes.)

I know, you may question yourself once in a while. My favorite line then was "There must be something wrong with me for them to not like me back." With that line often begins a series of self-evaluation that ultimately results to lower self esteem. Sounds familiar? 

When I was still single, I would repeatedly get rejections from the guys that I like. I will not be ashamed to say I shed a couple of tears for those guys (shhh, don't judge me), However, I found a way for me to be able to smile about it the next day. I remember telling my mother one time "Every time I get a heartbreak , I get so excited!" She then gave me a curios stare that asked "Why?"

Why? Well, I have learned that to easily feel better after being dumped comes in 5 steps. Let me share to you what I do.

1.) Remember your worth!

You are not your crush's opinion. Do not think that just because the guy you are crushing with does not find you interesting, you'll already make up your mind that you're bland and boring. Sometimes, you'll go and check the other girl's social media account and then proceed with self-loathing. Remember the saying that "Every flower is beautiful"? Well, it's no cliche. You have something to offer. You are interesting! You have talents and quirks that make men wonder. Maybe that heartthrob you fell for just isn't into your type but that doesn't mean you are no one's type. Don't ever lose your confidence because you're more than your crush's opinion. You are a special person based on your DNA alone. You are a wonderful creature and don't you ever forget that. Face the mirror and flip that hair, lady. Your day will come!

and while waiting for it...

2.) Do something that will make you MORE interesting.

During my single days, whenever I get heartbreaks, I would divert my attention into something else. There was one time I tried tshirt printing. The other one, I enrolled in the gym for six months and I loved it. There was a time when Jared was still courting me, that he did not text me for two days. He was such a busy bee that he never bothered to text. So, being the typical girl that I am, my brain made the impulsive conclusion that he does not like me anymore. Instead of moping around, I bought miself a set of acrylic paint and painted all day long. When he texted me again (he got some good lecture), I showed him my outputs. His reaction? "You made me fall for you more!" Oh ha? 

I'd like to call this trick the "Increase Your Fair Market Value" technique. Let a guy's rejection be your motivation to increase your "likeability" factor. The more you try to develop some positive attributes, the bigger the percentage of those who will be attracted to you. Who knows, you'd attract better men this time? :) Take every heartbreak as a chance to improve yourself. Pain is a good motivator. I would know because I lost 18 pounds because my crush didn't like me back. Haha.

3.) List down the reasons for your pain. And make peace with yourself. Try asking help from others.

Those closest to me would remember these lines from me: "I do not cry because I love him that much. I cry because my pride's hurt!"

I know the wave of different emotions that come with disappointed love. You're angry, you deny that you're angry, then you're hurt, then you deny once again that your heart is aching, and the cycle continues.

List down the reasons why you're hurt, then make peace with them. I owe my parents a lot for all their help as I get over crushes. I would talk to them, pour my whole heart to them, and they would listen oh so intently. Just being able to spill some of my hurt helped a lot.

If you're not that comfortable sharing your personal dramas with your parents, find a trusted friend whom you can share some of those bitterness. :). Being able to make peace with the load helps you accept the present and move on towards an exciting future.

4.) Write down the qualities of the guy you want to be with and work on those qualities.

Sure, the guy that you've been stalking on Facebook likes someone else now but the world ain't ending there; this actually gives you more reasons to be excited about! I learned this lesson from my own heartbreaking experience when the guy I liked told me he was still in love with his past. Ouch, Not letting that blur my vision of a great love story in the near future, I wiped my tears and listed down some of the qualities I want my future husband to have. I must have listed all the dreamy traits I could ever think of during that time. Doing that made me so excited to meet this man of my dreams and helped me get over a busted/faux love story.

I did not know it then but when we got married, Jared introduced to me "The Law of Attraction" where I would have to list down all the things that I want and if I really believe I would get it, I'd get it. Hhmm, seems like the Law of Attraction worked for me when I got him. So, girl, list them attributes down and work on those qualities that you want your future Prince Charming to have and say buh bye to the heartache!

5.) Lastly, turn to the Person who loves you the most!

Some of my heartbreak nights included me and my bestfriend, Mr. Headphones. Ahhh, the luxury of drowning yourself with melancholic love songs and just letting all them bitter tears go . I know, it's easy to cry yourself to sleep; praying seems to be a struggle, you just don't have time for that, right?

But no, praying, as cliche as it may sound, is the best remedy of all; you get to talk to the Father who love you the most and who wants what's best for you. There was one time when I was praying that a thought came to me: "I'm talking to Heavenly Father who only wants to give me the best man there is out there. Why would I cry over someone who just takes me for granted?" You can say that Father and I had this teamwork when it came to finding the guy who will take special notice of me. I trusted Him to lead me to the guy who will love me A LOT and alas, Jared came. (hi, honeypie. Wuvyu!)

Trust Heavenly Father. This Father of ours who knows the beginning and end, sees everything in between in your life. Trust Him to lead you to that special guy. The more you put your confidence to the Lord when it comes to your love life, the more you will at peace. Trust me, I know. :)



I keep telling my husband that now that I am married, I always love to see the "courtship game" between two young adults. At times, I miss the mystery, the thrill, the suspense that comes with having a crush. I have started to figure out that perhaps the reason why I had such a lame dating record is for me to be able to empathize more. I know being ignored and rejected hurts like heck, but hey! That very heartbreak could bring you closer to the one meant for you.

I am grateful for all those guys who turned me down, implicitly and explicitly. Without their disinterest towards me, I wouldn't have been led to this amazing guy named Jared.

Who, by the way, can also ignore me sometimes especially when there's Stephen Curry.

But he would still be my eternal crush, who, fortunately and finally, likes me back. :)

A Reason to Press Forward with Faith

Hola, 2016!

It seems like my obsession for clean slate blogs has not yet stopped with the year 2015. Generally, I would consider it an obsession with writing; just yesterday, I bought 2 notebooks despite their overflowing amount here in my room. Writing is my happy place, if it can be considered a place. i love how it refreshes me and makes my perspective anew.

Erica (my dear, dear friend) and I talked while we were doing our respective tasks at work (we work at the same virtual company) and I asked her when was the last time she last read a new book. She said it's been a while; before mission, even. I came to realize my preoccupation with finding and doing work has deprived me of pursuing things that I truly love. My blogging has been put on hold due to my review and wife duties (some, self-indulging wife activities) and I have never felt good with that. Thus, the creation of a new blog.

However, unlike my old blogs which were created during my single days, this would mainly focus on my new life as a wife and would-be mom (halt! nope, not yet, but soon). Married life is both exciting and challenging, and offers a whole gamut of new experiences that I just can't help myself but write it all down. I hope that you would enjoy this journey with me. :)

So, where do we start? Oh, let's start fresh! It's the new year, right? Remember how we used to make sure our intermediate papers were clean because Ma'am will ask us to write down our New Year's Resolution? I had to make sure mine was stellar; I should have the best New Year's Resolution. Unfortunately by March, I would already forget what I aimed for. Ha!

But I am turning 25 this year and I can't take goals for granted lest I want to succumb to the quarter-age syndrome. :) Sometimes, I do feel its grasps on me, but I do my best to overcome. I always try to press forward with faith.

Being an adult these days is both exciting and depressing. Exciting in a way that there are a huge reservoir of opportunities you can indulge in. You can be whoever you want to be! It can be quite depressing when competition enters in. You know, when you look at your life and then you see the daily activities of your friends on FaceBook and you feel like "Aww, she has a wonderful married life now", "Oh, he travels every week!" "Aww, they got a new car!" You look at your life and you feel that whatever you do, you are just not enough.

I remember one conversation I had with a good friend of mine. We had the usual inquiries about how we're doing, what keeps us busy, what makes life new, the likes. It was all good and normal when out of the blue he asked me "Don't you think you're smart enough to just be a stay-at-home wife?" of course, I love being a wife so I had to tell him over again why I love being at home and how I have already decided to dedicate my time being a homemaker. He said he was impress with my decision and I'm glad he was. However, that question still haunted me until the night time. It was Christmas eve and Jared and I were set to spend the evening with my brother-in-law and his wife. While we were at the van, I kept thinking "Did I really give up opportunities by being a wife and desiring to be a mother?"

I was praying in my heart that Heavenly Father would assure me once more that the choice I made pleased Him and it was right. With tearful eyes, I decided to open the Gospel Library App and browsed through General Conference talks with the hope of finding even just an excerpt that will comfort me and set my perspective straight. It was like instinct when I chose to read Sister Neill Marriot's talk "Yielding our Hearts to God". While I was reading it, an overwhelming feeling enveloped me. One particular line that I loved the most:

"I have struggled to banish the mortal desire to have things my way, eventually realizing that my way is oh so lacking, limited, and inferior to the way of Jesus Christ. “His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.”⁸ Can we love Jesus Christ and His way more than we love ourselves and our own agenda?" - Sister Neill F. Marriot

After reading those words, I had an urge to cry but you can't simply do that in a crowded Public Van. I diverted my gaze from the person in front of me, I looked outside, and offered a prayer of gratitude to the Lord. It was a clear evidence that my Heavenly Father saw the struggles of my heart. He knew that the desires to work outside home that I thought I have already fastened still will stubbornly bug me in some days. It is the Lord's desire for me to choose home rather than an enviable income. I was reminded once more of what is important. His will over mine always.

"His will over mine" is somewhat easy to say but veryyyy difficult to do. Major sacrifices are often required of us. Sometimes, we have to give up things and dreams that we love the most for us to be able to abide by His will. But you know what, all those sacrifices are worth it. There will always be tender mercies provided by the Lord to help you and fortify you along the way.

In that Christmas eve, I looked back to my past, I looked back to what I could have been had I chosen not to marry and pursue my own earthly wants. In that moment, I was like Lot's wife; I looked back with longing to the what if's of my life. Perhaps the reason why I was transformed into a bitter gourd (lol). I lacked faith on the future, and in a way doubted my husband's capacity to provide for me and our future family. Jared's a wonderful man and a very responsible Priesthood holder who wishes the best for me all the time. I felt so sorry for not having enough faith in this great man I married.

Jared's a wonderful man and a very responsible Priesthood holder who wishes the best for me all the time. I felt so sorry for not having enough faith in this great man I married.

After that awful moment of antagonizing myself for my choices, I realized that I missed counting some of the blessings that came with my choice to be a wife. I have a husband who constantly provides me with love and support; who encourages me to be my best and who provides me ways to be the very best I can be. I now have a best friend who'll stick with my positive traits and annoying idiosyncrasies. :) My desire to just stay at home provided me with an opportunity to pursue the career I love without compromising family time. I am a stay-at-home wife and a stay-at-home employee at the same time. For that, I am grateful.

A favorite scripture of mine says urges men to "press forward with steadfastness in Christ" and to have "a perfect brightness of hope". I pondered one day that these two are not individual requirements; they go together! When we are steadfast in our belief in Christ, it is always possible to have a perfect brightness of hope. When we have a perfect brightness of hope, our faith in Christ increases. Our faith towards our Savior and Heavenly Father will continue to increase despite all the heartaches, losses, and major sacrifices.

I am grateful for New Year's and new opportunities to revert our old ways to new, productive ways. I'm grateful for the Gospel that puts my perspective ON POINT (love that phrase). I love the fact that despite all the competition in social media, I am constantly reminded of what is important, essential and pleasing to His eye. We have the Lord in our side wherever and whatever we are. He loves us and He has great faith in us. He is our Father and as our Father, He desires what's best for us. Now, isn't that enough to make us press forward with faith everyday? :)

Giulz