UGC Studio by Glow Dojo

1. I keep my circle small because I’ve been hurt before, and trust isn’t something I give easily anymore.
2. I want to reinvent myself and build something new, but sometimes I wonder if it’s worth pursuing at this age.
3. I love sleep, but it’s becoming optional. My mind is so wired that I go to bed at 2 AM. Maybe we really do need less sleep as we age. But I’m not ready to accept that I’m getting older.
4. I struggle to balance work and family. Sometimes, focusing on one makes me feel like I’m neglecting the other.
5. I get impatient with myself. If I don’t see results after a week of changing my eating habits, I question why I started.
6. I was so afraid of being judged for creating content that I made a separate account so friends and family wouldn’t find me.
7. My kids are growing up, and sometimes I have to coax them to come home or even join us for dinner.
8. People think I’m an extrovert, but social gatherings drain me. Give me a quiet meal with a couple of close friends any day.
9. I left my dad and my two siblings in the Philippines 27 years ago to start a new life in America. They said life would never be the same. They were right. I said I’d return if I didn’t like it here. But I stayed. Sometimes, I still wonder where I belong.
10. Ella is 10, and the thought of losing her someday terrifies me. I don’t know how I’ll pick up the pieces of my broken heart when that day comes.

I’m not striving for perfection. I just want to keep growing and build a life that feels right for this season.

If you’re figuring things out, too, welcome to our corner.

Which one resonates with you? Or what would you add? I’d love to hear your story.

Sometimes, you see something so beautiful that you wish you could bottle up the feeling and take it with you.

So you film it. And hope that someday, watching it again will take you right back to that moment.

I wasn’t looking for a job. I was building my next chapter.

Yesterday, I was contacted through LinkedIn about a contractual consultant opportunity. I interviewed yesterday, and today I was hired as an AI Trainer for the Tagalog language.

I can’t share the details of the work, but I can share the lesson:

Don’t underestimate the power of your professional profile.

Especially if you’re a SAHM, returning to the workforce, changing careers, or simply looking for a way to earn on your own terms.

You may think you have to start over, but you’re bringing years of experience, skills, knowledge, and life experience with you.

I updated my LinkedIn profile and bio, and someone saw something in my background that made me a fit for an opportunity I wasn’t even looking for.

And now, this experience gives me another layer of credibility as I pitch tech brands, apps, and SaaS companies for UGC work.

Your next opportunity may not come from applying to 100 jobs.

It might come from making sure the right people can actually find you.

So update the bio. Refresh the profile. Polish the portfolio.

Because you truly never know who’s looking.

Send this to a Gen X woman or SAHM who needs to hear that it’s not too late to create a career on her own terms.

LinkedIn

I think a lot of moms will understand this.

When my kids were younger, there were times I was on my phone because I was working. I used to handle VIPs, and sometimes that meant being on the phone with them even after my shift had ended.

So yes, there were moments when my kids were talking to me and I was distracted. Moments when I should have put the phone down and just listened.

And now, years later, the phone looks different.

It’s editing.
It’s pitching brands.
It’s answering emails.
It’s creating content.
It’s always feeling like there’s something else I should be doing.

The temptation to be physically present but mentally somewhere else doesn’t necessarily disappear when your kids get older.

What has changed is that I’m much more aware of it.

I can’t go back and redo those moments. But I can be more intentional with the ones I have now.

Because motherhood was never about getting it all right.

It was about loving them, learning as I went, and hopefully becoming a little more present along the way.

If this resonates with you, repost it or send it to a mom you care about. She might need the reminder that she’s doing better than she thinks.

Apparently, I was once the unofficial Manila bathroom police.

Because there was a time when I couldn’t walk into a public restroom without wanting to announce, “ONE LINE LANG!” 😂

I’ve actually noticed things have gotten better. Some malls and even the airport now have attendants reminding women to form one line.

But it still makes me wonder… kailangan ba talaga?

Do we really need someone to remind us to think about the person behind us?

This series isn’t about bashing the Philippines or pointing fingers. I love my country, and I love the Filipino values of generosity, hospitality, and caring for others.

That’s exactly why I think these little things are worth talking about.

Because the beautiful parts of our culture are worth carrying forward to the next generation.

And maybe sometimes, being gracious is as simple as looking around and thinking, “How can I make this fair for everyone?”

So tell me… why do you think we do this back home?

And if you know someone who needs this reminder, send it to her. Follow along for the next episode.

UGCCreators

Ok Monday, now we’re talking🎉✨ ugc job platform

I used to care way too much about what people would think.

What would they say if I posted this?
Would they think I was trying too hard?
Would someone I know think it was embarrassing?

And then, somewhere along the way, I realized…

I’m not here to live my life based on everyone else’s opinion of me.

So yes, I still care deeply.
I just don’t care nearly as much about being judged for it.

Maybe that’s what getting older gives you:
the freedom to finally be yourself without needing everyone to understand it.

Apparently, October 1st is the day I keep a promise to myself.

I fell hard off the health wagon after summer vacation. Work took over, movement disappeared, my nutrition got off track, and yes… I gained some weight.

But I’m done with the all-or-nothing approach.

I don’t need every step to come from a workout. My 6K can come from walking on the pad, walking Ella, doing chores, cooking dinner (which actually gets me moving quite a bit), or taking the stairs a few extra times while putting away laundry.

The goal right now is simply to move more and be consistent. Then I’ll build from there.

Because in our 50s, taking care of ourselves is about more than a number on the scale. I want strong bones, good mobility, energy, and enough healthy years ahead to travel, have adventures, and hopefully run after grandkids someday.

So here’s my October 1 accountability post.

I’ll check back in next week and see how I did.

If you’re getting yourself back on track too, follow along. Let’s keep each other accountable.