My Instagram’s Best Nine of 2020 is something I posted just few days ago. There weren’t as much likes gained compared to the past years, because I wasn’t really that active in the social media platform. I am still enjoying Instagram, it’s just that I don’t spend that much time in it anymore. It is something I’d like to get back to, though — actively participate in the photo challenges on Instagram.
This Best Nine of 2020 is something I recently shared on IG to express how each one of us influences another person – even without us knowing. Famous or ordinary people, places and events influences our choices and life decisions. Just like how Covid-19 pandemic affected our way of living, our life, in fact.
Here’s a little bit of a backstory of decisions I took. These aren’t everything, but just an example how people and events influence us.
Back To The Corporate World
In 2015, I received a job offer from the previous BPO company I worked with for 6 years. It was when our younger daughter started schooling and we were a little financially challenged. With so much courage and faith, I accepted the offer and kept doing the existing jobs I have from my freelancing gig. Again, nothing can stop a persevering mom, right?
Imagine how hard it was to balance the demands of the BPO job, my 3 part time clients in the (WFH) work from home setup and still be a hands-on wife & mom. It came to a point that I feel like I have so much in my plate and was only dragging my feet to go to work. The job requirement wasn’t new to me, but somehow I felt like it was requiring so much from me…or it could be me overthinking and being emotional. That somehow stressed me out. After 4 months in the company, I decided to resign. Gladly, around the same time, my Australian client gave additional hours of work that compensated enough what I had to give up (call center job).
A cousin invited me too, in 2017, to try and become a Life Insurance & Financial Advisor. Again, I took the opportunity, passed the trainings and got my licensure. This time around, I made sure to learn how to properly manage our finances and got myself, the husband and my elder daughter our life insurances. Variable Universal Life Insurance is that type of life insurance that comes with investments, it builds cash value, that’s what we availed. 
That same year, I was able to help friends and a few relatives be insured too. But because the advisor’s demand to be out most of the time, I encountered issues with time management. There were weeks I failed to complete the number of hours required for my WFH client. There were times that I failed to attend a school program which Roey participated on. The mom in me was really concerned about the quality time I have for my kids, so I decided to not renew my license anymore and focus on my existing jobs as virtual assistant.
The decisions I make always favors time for and with my kids. I guess, no one should ever question or judge that.
Best Nine of 2020 IG caption:
“Here’s a collage of the 9 most liked photos I have for 2020. It was a challenging year for the world, but there are many beautiful things to be thankful for. Thanks for all your likes, everyone.
You see, we may have a basic and simple lifestyle as a family, but I believe that everything each one of us say, do, dream and pray for influences the people around us – and those who follow us in socmed.
Actually, it is one of the reasons why I started blogging and why I joined Intellifluence. I was born with the desire to share…and my heart hopes for you to do the same. This is me thinking out loud, as an #influencer. Yes, I am one, and so are you.”
Back when I was still actively participating in Fatmumslim’s Photo-a-Day Challenge, I gained a number of Instagram followers that I share the same interests. It was fun. I felt that somehow, they inspire me, and at the same time, I influence them too. I still participate in the photo challenge from time to time, and visit those IG friends I gained in the past years. One day, when I get to have a great camera to use for photography, I would surely get back to that challenge – on a daily basis!