Back Where I Started

In November 2018, I bought a one way ticket to Manila. I lived there for about six weeks. My family doctor was living in the country, but in another city. I reached, he invited me to visit, and I’ve been in Cebu City since then. I arrived a couple days after Christmas and stayed in his second bedroom. I soon found my own condo in the same building and lived there for several years.

I awoke in the same unit this morning. Having lived in several places over the last few years, I’m back where I started. It’s similar to a “checkpoint” in some video games. I didn’t have to start over entirely, ut I went back and lost some progress in the game.

Life is not a video game. In life we may lose progress, but we get to keep our experience. I’m back at the last checkpoint. I’m back where it all started in this city. I’m back more than six years of experience. When you return to a checkpoint or restore a saved game, you lose all your experience. Life isn’t a video game, we can return to a checkpoint, but keep our experience.

Years ago, my brother and I had a similar conversation. I was contemplating returning to the Life Insurance business. Having about 15 years of industry experience, my thoughts were the basic things today were seemingly insurmountable challenges when I first started. I may eventually return to the Life Insurance industry, but for now, I am creating.

Later in the week I’ll write about more and more things. I’ll cover a variety of areas and I’ll share some insights and experiences. For today though, this is my first time writing in well over three months. Possibly longer than that and that’s not an issue. I typically write five days a week and have been doing so for years. Occasionally, these writings become mechanical and I’m simply going through the motions. That happened several months ago.

“Successful people keep doing the things that made them successful.” Another one of my favorites is “If you stick with the basics, you never have to go back to the basics.” I mention both of these because lists like this first thing in the morning are the basics. These lists are vital to my success. Yet, for over three months I stopped. In that time I’ve had manic and depressive episodes. I’ve been grumpy and unpleasant to be around. I’ve met, befriended, and also alienated people. Men and women alike have fallen prey to the unhinged, ungrateful version of myself.

Returning to this building, to this unit, to this starting point has already, and will certainly continue to awaken something within. It’s helping me remember my reason for living in the country. It’s begun to help me recall my deep desire to move here initially. It’s also helping me recall that I’m not putting lipstick on a pig and I’m not a failure.

In the years of living here, I’ve published three books, have two others outlined and more than likely will be completed by the end of March. I’ve created two transformative self paced development programs. I’ve also created a podcast, a couple of YouTube channels, an innovative play on educational content delivery, and a couple of other things.

I typically discount my contributions and accomplishments. Not sure why

This is the first part of the entry.