My Introductory Post: A Life of Gratitude - Reflecting on my Family's Love and Support

Hello Everyone! My name is Arlene Quitasol or you can call me Ayen. Im 35 years old and currently living in Antipolo City, Philippines. I'm incredibly excited to join the amazing community and thrilled to be finally be a part of this amazing group.

I am currently working from home, helping businesses grow by sharing my ideas, skills and expertise with clients. After 11 incredible years as a sales associate, I made the deliberate choice to transition to remote work. This shift has allowed me to achieved a better work life-balance, spend more time with loved-ones and letting myself explore new things.
Im the type of person who loves being with my family and making them happy. Whether just trying out new recipe or planning our next family trip or just spending quality time together, I cherish every moment with them. I'm also a bit of adventure-seeker and love experimenting new things. I believe that life is too short to stick to routine so we should enjoy every bit of it and not waste a single moment.

To me, my family is everything. Spending quality time with them is not just a priority but a necessity. There's no joy quite like sharing laughter, creating memories and making moments that will last a lifetime with the people who matter most. We love to hang out and eat after strolling around.

As someone who's spent many years dedicated to their career, I've come to realize that life's precious moment are often the simplest ones. I always make sure to celebrate every occassion whether its birthday, christmas, new year, mother's/father's day or even graduation day together. Also, we are always gathered in every family dinner and we always look forward for sunday's for our mandatory family day.

I'm also a kind of person who loves to hang out with my friends. When I'm with them, I'm unapologetically myself, a goofy, joke-cracker and me just being me no need to pretend. I love being around people who bring out the best in me. Whenever I'm with them, it's like being part of a unstoppable squad. No secrets, no judgments, just open hearts and minds. We celebrate each other's win big or small and we're always proud to see each other grow and succeed. With my friends by my side, I know we can conquer anything life throws our way.

As a person of faith, we make sure to attend the Church every sunday. It is a sacred time for me to connect with God. And it is also the time we got to be together with my fellow brothers and sisters. We worship and praise God together, share stories, laughter and support and encourage one another. Sometimes if it is one of our brother or sister's birthday, each one of us will bring food and celebrate the birthday together.

Growing up, I know the ache of longing for love. Raised by my uncle's family, I spent separated from my mother, who worked tirelessly to support my education. Her sacrifices fueled my dreams of having a complete family one day. This desire became my driving force, motivating me to work hard and persevere through life's challenges. I was determined to create a better life, not just for myself, but for my mother who had given up so much for me. Today I'm grateful to say that my dreams have come true. I've built a loving family of my own and my mother is now by my side. The struggles of my past have given way to a brighter more loving present.
Im savoring the fruits of my labor and I'm reminded that every sacrifice, every hardships and every tear was worth it. My story is the testament to the power of love, perseverance and the unwavering support of family.

I'm so grateful to have made it to the end of this first post. I'm still getting started but I'm beyond thrilled to be here in this amazing platform with amazing people. Thankyou so much to Ma'am @Antonette for introducing and guiding me here. Thankyou for taking the time to read my thoughts and share in my journey. I'm honored to be in this community and can't wait to get to know each one of you better. Let's be friends, support and lift each other up. I have so many more exciting stories to share. Wait for that! Thankyou so much!