Author Archives: M.A.D. LIGAYA
Race To 100 (Longevity)
As I explore deeper into self-improvement, I came across a lot of literature written on longevity. I got so fascinated by the idea of people not just reaching their full potential as persons but living as long as they could.
Creating a paradigm to capture the relationship between the constructs “reaching one’s full potential” and “longevity” is a little bit tricky. Will the conceptual model show that the latter is an integral part (or the result) of the former? Which of the following questions should be answered – “Is living as long as a person could a part of reaching the maximum physical capability of their body?” or “Is longevity the result of being able to develop fully as a person?”
I think longevity should be viewed as a product of the efforts of people to reach their full potential. To say that living as long as people could is the result of them giving their physical bodies the maximum care only is tantamount to considering a person as a mere physical specimen. A person has, not just a body, but a mind and a spirit. In psychology, an individual is looked at as a physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual being. I believe that only when people are able to strike a perfect harmony among these different aspects of being that they could hope to have a shot at longevity.
The interest that longevity has been drawing from both the scientific community and the general public has seemingly created a new sport which I call “race to 100.” I signed up for the race. I want to celebrate my 100th birthday. It is my desire to be on my feet dancing and probably carrying one of my great-grandchildren (or would it be great great-grandchildren) when that happens. I don’t like to be in a wheelchair struggling to blow out those 100 candles.
Celebrating the 100th birthday is a milestone only a few were able to reach. Those who are lucky to live that long are called centenarians. The United Nation estimated that worldwide there are only more or less 600,000 centenarians. That’s less than 1% of the world’s total population of 8 billion people. Studies have shown that they live in certain locations in some countries which were designated as “blue zones.” Japan has the highest number of centenarians with more than 90,000.
When I told some of my friends about me wanting to be at least 100 years old, they said I am crazy to want to live that long. For them, they would be happy to live a few more years after their retirement. One of the reasons they would not want to go 80 and beyond is the possibility of them becoming weak and sickly and unable to fend for themselves. They are worried that their loved ones might just send them to nursing homes. One of them who happened to have visited an institution for elderly people lately told me that the pitiful physical, mental, and emotional condition of the old people she mingled with seemingly made her dread reaching advanced age.
That’s the most challenging part of the “race to 100” – getting there on your two feet and not aided by a wheelchair. Thus, it should be treated as a serious goal entailing careful planning and execution. It is definitely not a walk in the park. For those intending to join the race, it will help to know the life expectancy in the country where you live. In the whole world, it is currently pegged at 72.98 years. That’s the number of years an earthling can expect to live. Adding 20 or so more years is a tall order.
Genetics and environment play an important role in healthy aging and longevity. Thus, people aspiring to live way beyond their retirement age need to be aware of their family’s health histories for them to know if they have any genetic predisposition that should be addressed as early as possible. They need to ensure as well that they live in a conducive environment that would help them live healthier and longer.
The to-do list for people wanting to live as long as they could is as formidable as it could be. The list includes among other things slowing down aging, avoiding and curing diseases, staying healthy, striking a work-life balance, and keeping a robust wellbeing. All of the said undertakings are not easy to do.
There are procedures and treatments available to slow down aging. Most of them are skin-related. But it’s not only the skin cells that age. The tissues in our muscles, brain, heart, and other bodily organs succumb to the unforgiving hands of time as well. And available are natural and practical ways to slow down (if not reverse) it. What’s on top of the list is not surprising – proper nutrition and regular exercise. Eating the right kinds of foods and staying physically active help us stay healthy. Health experts claim that they contribute also to making us feel and look younger. Activities like getting enough sleep, meditation, and fasting intermittently or fully have been proven to contribute to longevity.
Additionally, it is also important to take a look at one’s lifestyle. Aside from genetics and the environment, how long people live is influenced also by their manner of living. Destructive habits like smoking should be avoided. How many times we have been told that smoking is known to cause illnesses that include heart disease and lung disorders. Scientists also found out that alcohol doesn’t only inflame the liver, it also infuses every cell causing damage to the genes. So, if drinking could not be completely avoided, at least it should be done moderately.
That’s how difficult the race to 100 is. As if those undertakings listed on the to-do list of people wanting to celebrate their 100th birthday are not already difficult, they must also observe self-discipline and sacrifice self-gratifying activities (of course only those that are classified as destructive). What makes joining this race a bit more challenging is the fact that it’s not just a matter of making sure that the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of your being are in tip-top shape as you march toward the century mark. It also entails financial stability to ensure that at least your basic needs – food, shelter, clothes, medicine, and what-have-you – are met. Part of the planning in racing to 100 is calculating how much money you’ll need.
If you save more than enough to secure all that you need as you run the race to 100 and you have plenty to spare, consider traveling to places you have never been and enjoy life. Enjoy aging, don’t gripe about it. Age gracefully and gratefully. A study concluded that “those who view growing older positively lived seven years longer than those who griped about it.” So, instead of griping and worrying, just prepare for its coming.
BACK TO “OFFLINE CLASSES”
Finally holding classes face-to-face after more than two years was like a breath of fresh air. It was the break that people in our university – students, teaching and non-teaching personnel, and school administrators – so badly needed after months of being segregated because of Covid-19.
But with the pandemic slowly waning, the campus has gradually gone back to life. The members of the academic community could be seen again walking to and fro inside buildings and pathways. The queues are back in the university’s bakehouse, cafeteria, and coffee shops. The gym is filled with people, young and old, working out. The basketball and tennis courts are once again noisy.
But there’s no better sign of life and reclaimed semblance of normalcy on the campus than in the classrooms where classes are being held. I had mixed emotions after reading the notice that the university is abandoning online classes and teachers are expected to meet the students for face-to-face classes.
I have no problem with either online or offline education because no matter how teachers deliver learning, virtually or inside the classroom, they perform the same pedagogical functions – they prepare a lesson plan, set objectives, motivate students, discuss the lessons, give assignments and seatwork, and evaluate learning. So, with the marching orders given – conduct classes face-to-face – I got ready for it.
The truth is I heaved a sigh of relief when the university decided to go back to offline classes. Why? After 5 semesters of online teaching, I discovered that virtual classes are more difficult to handle. I figured out why – I did my online classes synchronously. Things could have been easier for me had I chosen the asynchronous method where all I needed to do is prepare a video presentation and ask the students to watch it. No offense meant to anybody, but I don’t consider that teaching. I don’t feel like performing my pedagogical functions when all I do is prepare videos of my lessons. I feel like shortchanging my students. With the synchronous method, classes are run in real time and the students are attending together from different locations. This version of online teaching gives the students a chance to participate in the discussions and to ask questions if they want and need to. Teachers could guide them when performing graded activities. There is actual real-time interaction between the students and their teachers, something that cannot be done when teachers teach by just uploading videos. Not actually interacting with the students, even only through online platforms is not giving them enough guidance in the learning process. It is risky to rely on the assumption that students are responsible enough to watch the videos and perform the required activities by themselves.
As I said earlier, I had mixed emotions when our university made it mandatory for English teachers to conduct classes offline. I was excited and at the same time wondering how would it be to conduct face-to-face classes once again. Admittedly, I was a little bit tentative for I have already gotten used to doing online teaching. But as soon as I stood in front of my students and started talking, everything went seemingly autopilot. I was in familiar territory. The teacher in me went to work without missing a beat. Before I knew it, my first class for the Fall Semester of 2022 was completed.
So, it’s face-to-face classes again. Both I and my students are back in the “real classroom.” I expected the usual things. There might be some classroom management issues – students using their cellphones and other gadgets, one or two of them sleeping while I am teaching, or what-have-you. These things I address during the first day of class. I would tell them that I am dealing with young adults, not kids, who know what they should and shouldn’t do. Most of the time, it works. I never stopped teaching just to call the attention of the students using their cell phones or to arouse the students who fell asleep. Rarely those happened anyway.
There are times a student might come late and I need to decide whether to just excuse them or strictly implement the attendance policies of the university. If it’s only one absence, I strike it off the record especially if the student’s explanation as to why they came late I deem acceptable. I am almost certain also that a number of them would ask me to change their grades for one reason or another… something that unfortunately I would never do. I give my students the grades they deserve. I check and double-check their scores before I encode them into the university’s portal.
It really felt great seeing the students again in the classroom. But while we may have reverted back to face-to-face mode of delivering education, I wouldn’t say that I went back to the traditional way of delivering my pedagogical functions. If there is one great thing the pandemic taught me it is optimizing the use of computer and information technology in everything that I do as a teacher. Even before the pandemic, I relied heavily on computer-aided instruction. I used PPT for my lectures and instead of using chalk or board marker when needing to write something in addition to what I have on my presentation, I would use a blank slide.
I have gone completely paperless for the assessment and evaluation of my students’ performance. I am using the Google form for all my tests, quizzes, assignments, and graded exercises. It is through the university’s portal that I send my students link to those Google forms. They take them using their cell phones, tablets, or laptops. The Google form has features that could be used to prevent and discourage students from sharing answers.
Even the submission of course requirements (projects, homework, etc.) should be done virtually as well. I created an electronic portfolio for each student using the Google Drive folder where they can drag and drop (upload) whatever they need to submit. I also created a common class folder (through Google Drive) where I upload lectures, reviewers, and other documents and files related to the course).
Except for the “paperless” assessment and evaluation of students’ performance, all of the foregoing are things I have been doing before the pandemic. I just figured that as a 21st century teacher teaching 21st century skills, knowledge, and values to 21st century students, it is my obligation to embrace computer and information technology so I could be more efficient in the performance of my duties and obligations as a teacher.
Can Anyone Teach? (The Extra Mile Teachers Walk)
Search any site on the internet for the highest-paid professions in the world and you will not find “teachers” in the top 30. Expand your search and look for the list of professions in different countries where the practitioners receive the best compensation packages and you will find out that teaching is not among them. You will not find a country where teachers are ranked among the highest money earners.
Teaching not classified among the highest paying jobs, of course, is not surprising. That has been the case since time immemorial and it is most likely not to change anytime soon. One possible reason teaching as a profession is not getting the recognition it should get is because of the pervading notion that “anyone can teach.” You cannot say the same for law and medicine… not just anyone can practice those professions. But how true is it that just anyone can be a teacher?
But even if teachers do not get the recognition and sufficient remuneration they deserve, they wholeheartedly perform the role they have embraced. Indifference and poor salary are included among the thorny steps in the extra mile that teachers need to walk when they have accepted that teaching is not merely a profession but a vocation. It is not merely a job to perform but an obligation to carry out.
Acknowledging that teaching is not merely a job but a duty to fulfill is what makes teachers go the extra mile, to do what is more than required in the performance of their tasks, including sacrificing personal resources and sometimes even happiness. Teachers understand and fully grasp the nature of the responsibility that they agreed to fulfill when they signed up for the job. They know it’s not easy. How in the world would one consider it easy to be responsible for the education of other people, especially the young ones? When did it become easy to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and values and the development of skills of your fellow human beings?
Teachers would be one of the highest-paid professionals if only pay would be commensurate to how significant is one’s job in the enlightenment of the soul, the preservation and enhancement of the fabric of society, and the socio-economic development of a nation. Teaching would certainly be at top of the list of the highest-paid professions in the world.
But it is what it is. Teaching is not a profitable profession. If it is material wealth one would like to accumulate, teaching is not the profession to have. The realities confronting the teachers in the academe could really make them say a lot of things in the “present unreal conditional” form. There are times that they couldn’t also help but make a “wish statement” like “I wish that I were a health care professional.”
And why?
Healthcare professionals like physicians, surgeons, and dentists, consistently round out the top 10 in the lists of highest-paid professionals.
What they (the medical practitioners and their fellow health workers) do, maintenance and restoration of good health are very important. For that, they deserve the pay they get, most especially during the time that the coronavirus pandemic was raging. But nurturing the human spirit…helping a person achieve holistic development is as equally important, if not more important. What professional endeavor could be more meaningful than helping your fellow men achieve their full potential for them to become responsible human beings and productive members of society?
And not only are the teachers not getting the pay commensurate to the importance of the work they do and the effort they need to exert when doing their job, but they also don’t get the recognition they deserve.
A study concluded that American society does not generally view teachers in the same way, as they view other professionals; the belief that “anyone can teach” is not found in other professions. For example, not just anyone can play professional baseball, be an accountant or engineer, or practice law or medicine.
Such is the indifference teachers, as professionals are getting.
But how true is the contention that “anyone can teach?” Those who know what it takes to become a teacher would say that it is a fallacy. That “anyone can teach” is an erroneous assumption.
Education is not just a matter of whether you can teach or not but also whether or not you can make the students learn. Even if a person is an expert in a particular field, it is not a guarantee that they can teach what they know. Knowing something is different from knowing how to teach it.
Hiring just anyone to become a teacher is doing a disservice to the teaching profession. Hiring somebody to teach a language just because they could speak that language is a mistake. Not because somebody is good at math that they should be allowed to teach math. It takes a lot to become a teacher. Teachers undergo rigid training for them to hone their pedagogical skills. They read a lot knowing that teaching and learning are both grounded in Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, and other related fields. They understand that they need to be familiar not only with their field of expertise or chosen subject area but with different principles and strategies to effectively deliver learning and teaching. They know that when they are done teaching in the classroom, their work is not done yet. There are other things to be done – checking graded activities and preparing a new lesson plan. The preparation of a lesson plan, in itself, is a tedious process.
The list of the things that teachers need to know and do is long. At the end of that long list are two characteristics that teachers need to develop if they wish to succeed in the profession. Those are PASSION for their work and COMPASSION for their students.
With all the aforementioned, what would anybody assume that just “anyone can teach?”
Be that as it may, teaching will forever be a NOBLE PROFESSION! Nothing can diminish its intrinsic value.
One thing is for sure, all successful professionals in the world – business executives, lawyers, architects, engineers, surgeons, physicians, dentists, nurses, brokers, and what-have-you – know that their teachers, who did not mind walking the extra mile contributed a thing or two or more into whatever they have become.
What Makes You Happy?
A lot has already been written about happiness. Much has been said about how to achieve it and where to find it. It is my hope that the things I shared in this video would give you additional insights on the topic.
The Self-improvement Paradigm
According to Jim Rohn, “Success is not to be pursued, it is to be attracted by the person you become.” Imagine success as the fruit of a tree. A tree has to grow and mature. It will reach a certain stage of maturity that allows it to bear fruits. Imagine yourself as that tree. You have to grow and mature. The person you see at the end of the process of growing and maturing is what Jim Rohn refers to as the person you become. The fruits you bear or the success you achieve depends on the kind of tree you would turn into. And you have to become the best version of yourself. That’s the kind of tree you should be. You need to reach your full potential so you would bear the best fruits.
Self-improvement is the key to becoming the best version of yourself. If you succeed in getting to the end of the road to self-improvement, you reach your full potential.
But self-improvement is a complicated process. It is easier said than done. It requires the possession of certain beliefs, attitudes, and characteristics that will make up your value system. It requires also the acquisition of certain skills and abilities and the development of certain practices and habits.
The right beliefs, attitudes, characteristics, skills, abilities, practices, and habits, together, are the catalysts of self-improvement. However, having them is not enough. Something else is needed in order to make them work. Without it any attempt to reach one’s full potential is bound to fail. What is it? It’s self-discipline.
Self-improvement is not as simple as just being able to think positively. Positive thinking is but a tip of a huge iceberg called personal growth and development.
Self-improvement is a tedious process. Its ultimate goal is becoming the “best self” or achieving one’s full potential. As previously mentioned, certain beliefs, attitudes, characteristics, skills, abilities, practices, and habits are required. But possessing the said requirements is not enough. Consistency is needed in their pursuit. Thus, self-discipline is also needed.
In thes book that I am currently working on (A Paradigm for Self-Imrovement), I will encapsulate the interrelationships among these categories and self-discipline into a paradigm, illustrating how their synergy yields an effective process of self-improvement that leads to the attainment of one’s full potential.
The paradigm is divided into three sections: left, middle, and right. The middle section comprises three parts: the dimensions of self-improvement, the self-improvement process, and the concept of full potential, also known as the best self. The dimensions of self-improvement in this book are generally categorized as the attitudes & beliefs (value system), skills & abilities (competence framework), and practices & activities (habit scheme) that a person pursuing personal growth and development should acquire, possess, or develop. These elements come together through the self-improvement process, forming the second part of this section. This process aims to help one become one’s best self—not as attaining perfection but as unlocking one’s full potential.
The left section of the paradigm highlights a crucial requirement for self-improvement: self-discipline. The paradigm illustrates how self-discipline continuously influences the process; even after one has achieved one’s full potential and become one’s best self, self-discipline remains essential. Self-discipline bolsters personal growth and development, forming the foundation for consistent progress and sustained fulfillment.
The right section of the paradigm illustrates the outcome of the self-improvement journey—fulfillment, marked by health, success, and happiness. This fulfillment represents not only the achievement of personal goals but also a deep sense of completeness and satisfaction that comes from living in alignment with one’s true potential. It is the reward for the dedication and discipline invested in becoming the best version of oneself.
Through self-improvement, individuals develop attitudes and beliefs, acquire skills and abilities, and engage in practices and activities to navigate life’s complexities with confidence and purpose. This transformation empowers them to achieve personal success, sustain a healthy state of being, and experience genuine happiness.
Those who achieve their full potential and become their best selves succeed in personal and professional endeavors. They become healthy, successful, and happy. Throughout this book, I refer to them interchangeably as winners, achievers, champions, high performers, and successful people.
I will divide the book into three major parts. In Part 1, I will explore the nature of dreams, ambitions, and potential; in Part 2, I will examine the foundations of holistic self-improvement; and in Part 3, I will delve into the connection between self-discipline and self-improvement and how their synergy leads to fulfillment.
Part 1 lays the groundwork by helping readers understand the importance of having dreams and ambitions, the deeper reasons that drive them, and the role of self-improvement in unlocking one’s full potential. This section encourages reflection on personal goals and provides the motivational foundation needed to begin the journey toward growth and fulfillment.
Among the three major parts of the book, Part 2 is the core of the holistic framework, presenting the key components that support lasting personal growth and development. Part 2 is subdivided into three sections—Value System, Competence Framework, and Habit Scheme.
The Value System section presents the attitudes and beliefs essential for personal growth. Topics such as the power of strong self-belief, the importance of seizing control over one’s life, and the role of personal accountability in staying grounded are discussed. You will also discover how maintaining the proper perspective, cultivating an adaptive mindset, thinking positively, and living with purpose can propel you forward.
The Competence Framework section focuses on the skills and abilities needed to succeed in one’s pursuits. From mastering time management and sharpening focus to practicing sound thinking, making purposeful decisions, and communicating effectively, this section equips readers with the tools to translate dreams into reality. It also addresses achieving work-life balance and overcoming self-doubt.
The Habit Scheme section emphasizes the practices and activities that transform self-improvement from a concept into a daily way of living. This part explores goal setting and planning, visualization, continuous learning, the pursuit of well-being and longevity, and the development of a consistent daily routine—elements that form the foundation of a fulfilling and productive life.
Part 3 brings the framework together by highlighting the vital role of self-discipline in sustaining self-improvement efforts and achieving fulfillment. It emphasizes that while knowledge and skills are essential, consistent action and commitment are what ultimately turn growth into lasting success.
For clarity, let me emphasize that being healthy, as articulated throughout this book, is a holistic state of well-being, encompassing not only physical, mental, and emotional well-being but also all dimensions of well-being.
If your current personal growth and development model is not helping you attain your desired self-improvement goals, you might need to make a paradigm shift. Try this one.
In this book, I will collectively refer to attitudes and beliefs, skills and abilities, practices and activities, and self-discipline as dimensions of self-improvement.
At the beginning of each chapter, I will include essential questions about the construct being discussed. These questions are designed to prompt reflection and prepare you for the discussion. Your answers will help you gauge your familiarity with the aspect of self-improvement being presented. May I suggest you keep a journal to record your answers and any other insights you gain from reading this book.
I will create and adopt action exercises (from related literature and studies) and put them at the end of each chapter. They are designed to encourage active participation in incorporating the discussed concepts into one’s daily routine.
The exercises are valuable for helping you turn ideas into behaviors that support your personal development. Spend time with each task, consider your answers, and incorporate the steps into your daily schedule. Remember, these activities are meant to help you feel comfortable going through them at your own speed and let them lead you on your path. There is no rush. Take as much time as you need.
There are empty areas at the end of the chapters that you can use for your notes.
I will also create and adapt questionnaires for each self-improvement construct comprising 10 items. Suppose the readers want to assess their understanding of the concepts discussed in personal growth and development. In that case, I will encourage readers to take a few moments to complete the relevant assessment before reading each chapter. It is also okay if they decide to answer them when you are finished reading the whole book. Either way works.
These questionnaires are intended as informal self-assessment tools rather than formal research instruments. Their purpose is to provide personal insight, encourage reflection, and guide you in identifying areas for improvement as you progress through the book.
This book will be more than just a guide—it is an invitation for the readers to take control of theirfuture, be their best and strongest selves by unlocking their full potential, pursue their dreams and ambitions, and live the life you they always envisioned.
This book will cover many concepts, not to mention the related essential questions, the action exercises, and the questionnaires. I hope none of these will overwhelm the readers. I needed to include all the constructs presented as the self-improvement paradigm, which I propose is inherently inclusive, seeking to provide a comprehensive framework that addresses the many dimensions of personal growth and development.
Tuwing Bubuhos Ang Ulan (Audiobook)
I tried to see if I could create an audiobook. I just did. I created an audiobook out of one of my short novels written in Filipino. It’s a tragic love story. It’s not perfect but I gave it my best shot. One thing that I realized when I finished it is that I should have asked a lady friend or two to read the lines delivered by the female characters in my story. I undertook this project just to make good use of my free time here in South Korea. Doing creative work is the best way to overcome boredom.
HOLIER-THAN-THOU
The accounts of a friend about her encounters with certain individuals in her former church remind me of one word – HYPOCRISY.
I once worked in an institution run by a religious congregation and the stories she told me made me recall my own encounters with people wearing the “habit.” Those many years that I spent with them made me realize one thing – church leaders and personalities (in any religion) and those they assign or employ to assist them in running church affairs are as human as churchgoers. It is my humble opinion that none of them is infallible. They commit mistakes. There are times that their judgment is clouded by their biases and prejudices… and God forbid, by their personal interests, whims, and fancies. I just don’t know if they are also as sinful as I am.
It is unfortunate that I don’t have any way of determining the veracity of my friend’s stories. But I know her to be very intelligent and level-headed and would never resort to concocting lies. She was just trying to vent her grievances because she was then on the verge of leaving the church. Eventually, she did. She had enough of their leaders acting and talking in a manner unbecoming of a Christian. She bewailed the failure of their leaders to observe decorum and protocol.
The personalities involved in the things my friend told me conjured up the image of somebody who is holier-than-thou. How convenient it is for some church leaders and workers to hide under the skirts of God’s words to justify what they say and do. Some of them would advance their selfish motives and interests using the gospel as their façade. What I know is that “even the devil can cite the Scripture for his purpose.” The devil, for example, quoted Psalm 91:11-12 when he tried to tempt Jesus.
My friend refuted the idea that leaving that church was a case of her putting faith in people instead of in God. Her getting offended by what she perceived as inappropriate and indecorous behavior of their leaders could (and should) not be construed as losing faith in God. Finding such behavior as unacceptable doesn’t diminish her Christianity. It was, in my opinion, actually applying the Christian norms and standards that she thought those in the church leadership positions ought to adhere to. Apparently, they didn’t.
Leaving that church means turning her back, not to her Creator, but to HYPOCRISY… of church leaders rendering lip service… of not walking their talk. Not that she did not do anything about it. She did. She tried to make her grievances known. But she was a voice crying in the wilderness.
We need to bestow reverence on those anointed by God to serve as the mediator between Him and us. But that doesn’t mean turning a blind eye when those leading us in the churches where we are attending are abusing their authority. While not each of us may have received the gift of discernment described in 1 Corinthians 12:10, all we need is common sense to determine whether or not our church leaders and workers deserve the reverence we give them and whether or not they are worthy of our obedience.
Do not forget St. Paul’s warning, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).”
