How are you doing?

I know. It’s been a lifetime since I have written anything on my website. I always prioritize posting on my social media platforms, that I always forget that this is my home.

So, what happened to me?

Well, after my father died in 2021 (I talked about this in one of my podcast episodes and in my 300th contribution), I was in a state where I don’t know where to start. My Copy Geeks Division Head position (to which I am grateful to Karla Singson) gave me routine during those times.

I left Copy Geeks after 1 year and 8 months with gratefulness to the people I was able to work with. The work allowed me to discover that I have leadership in me.

Let me tell the rest of the story by segmenting it into these 3: slipping, starting over, and SB19™.

SLIPPING

I started working for a client after coming from my revenge travel. From what I know, I willbe managing Facebook ads for the client’s agency.

It turned out that I needed to do integrations first before I reached the Facebook ad campaign creation part.

Is there a problem with that? None really.

However, I have low C in my D.I.S.C. profile. I’m not really a fan of doing integration work.

And since I know how I can make “diskarte” on Facebook ads, my mindset about doing the work full-time is something that my whole being rejected.

It reached a point where I was crying every day, convincing myself that there is nothing wrong with the job, and I should get a hold of myself. I got frustrated at myself.

I decided to resign after three weeks. Furthermore, I decided not to get another client until the end of the year.

I never imagined that I would be in this situation.

[Lesson: Always ask questions before accepting any work offer. I know, that is basic. At this point in my virtual professional career, this slip should not be happening to me. Then again, it happened. It’s not the first time it happened to me. Yet every single time, I get up and show up again. I hope you do the same thing.]

I remembered I had a health concern in the first half of the year, then this work slip. So I told myself, “Let me take a rest for a few months. Who knows, I might stumble on something great.”

Which led me to…

STARTING OVER

Nothing happened.

No opening of clouds and then a hand coming down giving me something great.

No big light bulb on top of my head.

I wrote my plans for the next few months, then ended telling myself, “I don’t know if what I will be doing is the right thing to do.”

My daily walks made me realize that 1) I won’t know if what I am doing is correct 2) unless I show up every day.

So I stuck with my plan. I revised this website (does it look good?), read books, enrolled in a course, and yes, I bought more books. LOL

I saw my mindset changed.

I now appreciate the semi-retirement that I am in. I am blessed to experience this now! I need not wait until 65 to experience retirement. The goal is to experience life now.

I thought of many things to do, but I am not going to jump into them right away. This time, I always have the words “strategic” and “intentional” in my mind.

And you know what? Whatever happens, I will never be zero. I was never zero when I started this semi-retirement period. I have skills, I have assets that I can always go back to, and I will always go back to serving clients.

Somehow, it was in this situation that led me to stan…

SB19™

I know what you’re thinking.

“Ann, I thought you’re a solid Backstreet Boys fan?”

“Ann, aren’t you too old for this? The oldest member of SB19™ is 12 years younger than you.” (Oy, nag-Math ako ha.)

I also thought of those things. Made me realize that heck, I am already a tita. So might as well embrace it.

Let’s just say that I got time in my hands, so I was able to give these guys a second look.

Call me crazy, but SB19™ made me remember my own struggles when I was starting my virtual career journey.

When nobody knew them, they were training 9 hours a day, and practicing 1,000 times to get their dance routine perfect.

It made me think, “Ann, you spent midnights trying to pitch in UpWork. You also made 10 tutorial slides for the online tools you chose. Each tutorial had 100 slides because that’s what Jomar Hilario instructed – no more, no less.”

“They are in a different niche or industry. But they are just like you – people who are so fired up about their dreams.”

If they are already on the Billboard lists and generated Grammys buzz, what do you need to do to become even better than you are now?

I was mind blown by my own brain. (The same brain who tells me, “let’s just do this tomorrow” LOL.)

What do you need to do to become better than you are now? That is the question that I ask myself every day. I answer it with what I do every day, too. It’s not perfect, but showing up is the start.

There you have it. My slipping, starting over, and SB19 story.

If you want to continue to learn from me, check out my site, my social media platforms, or better yet, sign up to my E.P.I.C. newsletter. I will do my best to show up. I am kick-starting programs, services, and building a community of business owners (this is a long shot, but it’s worth the fight.

Which means you’ll hear from me more often. (Lord, help me.)

I’ll send you good stuff about Meta marketing (yes, there is still something good here hahaha), business lessons, and life in-between.

Nope, no SB19™-related dance challenges.