14 Things I'm thankful for in 2014

Another year is once again on its end today--look how it passed so dramatically to each of us! I bet some of you had the best days while others didn't really had a great time. Some, on the other hand, considered this year as one of the most-challenging in their life experience--I, admittedly, raise my hand and say "I was one of them."

For the past twelve months life had become an endless roller coaster to most of us. At any rate we're still here, standing still. That's why it's important to consider the good vibes that made us who we are now. Here are my list of things that I'm really grateful about this year:

A new career path. From marketing, to graphics design and voice over, God gave me a new door to open--teaching. Eversince I was a child, I had this inner passion about teaching that I overlooked for years. I loved standing up in front, with a chalk on my hand and a blackboard behind me. Finally, an opportunity to teach English was given to my hands. For now, it's online. And I'm loving it!

Working at home. All my life, I had been commuting from my hometown to the city for years! It's exhausting, tedious, and overwhelming. Thanks to my current job, I am able to do more things and save more money, and work at home! Of course, there are still some bad things about being a home bud, but it's more practical than my previous career. 

More international friends. As I carried on with my new job as an online English teacher, I met several students, mostly Japanese and some Korean, who also became my good friends. We shared stories with one another about culture, traveling, and opinions about life.

Working out. Again, thanks to my job that I am able to spend more time  jogging, doing yoga, and other purposeful exercises to strengthen my immune system and improve my figure. I may not have the best body in the world but I begin to appreciate it when I started working out more seriously.

My pink laptop. I bought my second personal laptop last April and I'm so happy with it. It's a simple Acer Aspire V5-473 but it works very much conveniently the way I want it.

Viber, Skype, and Line. These online applications had helped me keep in touch with my greatest friends, both old and new. 

A trip to Japan. I never imagined myself walking in the land of the rising sun--ever! That's what life is. A box of chocolate, as Forrest Gump once quoted. "You'll never know what you'll get!" Thanks to all my students who inspired me to discover their beautiful and unique world. 

Tostitos and salsa. I know it's a little weird to put this in my Thank List, but seriously, I love them and it made me happy everytime I'm stressed during the day! These, and watching Desperate Housewives during my breaktime, are the best moments of my daily life.  

Tai Chi. You might be thinking about the ancient Chinese ritual exercise, but no--it's a brand of a ginger liniment. Haha! Got you there. But really; this (and the Salonpas menthol strips) had helped me ease my terrible scoliosis (a bone disease creating an abnormal "C" or "S" shaped spinal cord) and my body pains after a hard day's work.

I'll be bringing this in Japan with me!

Cooking. I have discovered some interesting recipes on the web, and later this year, I began to put in heart the passion of cooking. For the next year, I plan to make this a new hobby. Perhaps I'll start with Italian and Mexican, and improve my Filipino cooking. And how about Japanese? 

Learning Japanese. After a decade, I returned to studying this language again, most epecially because I'll be needing it to adapt in Japan next year. Thanks to two of the most important people I have recently met, Hideto and Eunmi, who had given their precious time to teach me and inspired me so much.

My family. This year is the longest time I had been with my family. Admittedly, there were bad days being with them too; but hey, it's natural. Nevertheless our ties had become stronger and I learned a lot from them, too.

Life challenges. Problems occur in some seasons of our lives, but if you think about it, they help us grow into better, responsible, and mature individuals. I'm thankful to have them because they wake up my senses and remind me that I can overcome them too--if I have faith in God and believe in my potentials.

Being alive. There's nothing better than staying alive. It is a gift, an opportunity for us to appreciate our environment and learn, grow, and live to the fullest. It is always up to us whether we want to have a disastrous life, or a fruitful future. The path is always in our hands. And I'm thankful to have such an amazing, colorful, and zesty life! 

...and the journey goes on. My eyes are now on the brighter side. So what comes next? Welcome, 2015! Bring it on!