Daily TribuneMany of the best things that happened to me came not because I was the smartest, most talented, or most qualified person, but because I was simply willing to show up.
Beginnings
I started in 1989. I was addicted to fashion magazines and longed to be in their pages. While on lunch break from SGV & Co. where I worked as a computer programmer, I planted myself in the 22 B.C. boutique in Malate waiting to be discovered. I had seen models promoting a fashion show for the store on a TV show called Discorama and thought it would be a good idea to be visible in a place where something might happen. As “luck” would have it, after two hours of nothing, a model agent from Faces Asia (owned by fashion show director Ogee Atos) serendipitously walked in, spotted me and said, “Excuse me, are you a model?”
That year, I also joined Elite Models’ Look of the Year and the Professional Models Association of the Philippines. What began as a side hustle turned into seven years of modeling, including stints in Singapore and Hong Kong, where I was based for three years.
When I returned to the Philippines in 1994, I rekindled my childhood passion for writing and was tapped by The Philippine Star lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil for a weekly fashion column. The following year, I joined Preview magazine as its founding fashion editor upon the recommendation of its first creative director Raymond Lontok.
That opened the door to a 25-year publishing career that led me to become editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Spot.ph, FemaleNetwork.com and editorial director of Summit Media.
Challenges
The biggest challenge has always been overcoming my own self-doubt. Despite modeling internationally and eventually leading major media brands, impostor syndrome still shows up from time to time. The difference is that I’ve learned the tools I need to address it, which I help others do, too. Another recurring challenge in my career was being misunderstood. I was painfully shy growing up, and combined with my RBF (Resting Bitch Face), people sometimes mistook me for being aloof, intimidating, or snobbish. It followed me from my modeling days into my years in media. Over time, I learned that talent and good intentions aren’t always enough. People can only respond to what they see, so learning how to connect, communicate and make others feel at ease became just as important as doing the work well. The silver lining is that once I made a conscious effort to become more approachable, it eventually became one of my greatest strengths. Today, much of my work as an executive coach, speaker, and content creator revolves around helping people feel seen, heard, understood, and encouraged.
Where I am now
Today, I work as an executive and confidence coach, speaker, content creator and host of the podcast You Can Do This!, where I interview experts and inspiring individuals about personal growth, confidence, career development, and achieving big goals. After retiring from corporate life at Summit Media at the end of 2019, I’m back there as Editor-at-Large, mentoring and coaching the new generation of editors and leaders. I’m almost finished with my first book, Join Lang Nang Join: How to Create the Extraordinary Life You Deserve, so I’ll be working on two other books, another self-help book based on the best of You Can Do This! and my first collection of short fiction, No.64 and Other Stories. In many ways, my work today combines everything I’ve learned from fashion, media, leadership, storytelling and personal development.
Wisdom
None of my careers were part of a grand plan. Most of the biggest opportunities in my life came from living by the mantra I learned in the modeling world, “Join lang nang join,” which urges you to be open-minded, stop overthinking and try new and daunting things even if you think you’re not ready or qualified — just join: Join the contest, go to the casting, apply for the opening, take the class, attend the event, connect with a person or group. For me, whether it was modeling, magazines, writing, speaking, podcasting, or coaching, almost every breakthrough started with me (often blindly!) daring to raise my hand and giving something a shot. You never know which conversation, community, opportunity or friendship will change the course of your life. Many of the best things that happened to me came not because I was the smartest, most talented or most qualified person, but because I was simply willing to show up. This motto changed my life so many times that I've written a book about it. The message is simple: If you want an extraordinary life, you can't spend it waiting on the sidelines to be discovered.
