A Wonderful World of Amazing

“You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey

Approximately 350 guests had the most delightful evening of enchantment and glamour at Astoria World Manor, host venue for red carpet event, themed “Fashion Night Party,” just last Saturday on March 14 at 8 pm. The banquet hall in its glorious magnificence featured state-of-the-art ostentatious chandeliers, delicately adorned with hundreds of splendid Swarovski crystals, with every cascading teardrop glistening in star-like sheer elegance, reflecting stunning dazzles of rainbow hues.

Thanks to the genius collaborative forces of C. Ayroso Productions, AbcdEntertainment and VYNZ-NY Entertainment, it was a whole world of amazing and perfect luxury.

Not just because of the attentive servers, amazing dj and organizers, or the delicious food, and the excellent open-bar service which everybody loved, but also because of the impressive socially diverse niche where creativity and talent were celebrated and performed for everyone to see. It was indeed an honor to be a part of this rare opportunity, to feel proud of my fellow Filipinos whenever they thrived in their craft.

The sultry voice of world-class balladeer, Geo Ed Rebucas, filled the night with magic and romance.

The dancers pulsating with exhilarating movements, dynamic rhythm and powerful emotions captivated the audience, leaving them in awe. As I watched completely mesmerized by the silent poetry that their bodies spoke, I remembered this beautiful quote:

While I dance I can not judge, I can not hate, I can not separate myself from life. I can only be joyful and whole. This is why I dance. – Hans Bos

Dennis Sy and Mae Lozada

Jungie Zamora and Sheena Daminar

Cecil Go and Edna Ledesma locked in a passionate Tango embrace

John Derick Co and Edna Ledesma

Christopher Corro and Hanna Diluvio

Jerswin Poloyapoy and Anne Poloyapoy

“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.”
― Osho

With all this beauty and creativity, the guests were definitely left with new found inspiration and motivation.

Ending with a special note from yours truly…

Special Acknowledgment to YetBo/Loverita Photography and Michael Reyes for capturing the beautiful moments of the evening.

The Glass Ceiling Is Not The Limit!

I echo the resounding voice of Maya Hu-Chan by saying that the “glass ceiling” still exists. It existed long before the Age of Google. This concept was originally introduced by Katherine Lawrence and Marianne Schreiber of Hewlett Packard in July 1979. Later on in the 90’s, Lynne Morley Martin, well known for the establishment of a Glass Ceiling Commission, defined this term as “those artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organizational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their organization into management-level positions.” Without the insightful contributions of our wonderful predecessors, in actively promoting awareness and creating initiatives to counter the undermining social stigma that hinders productivity, any millennial of today regardless of race, ethnicity or gender, would not have the privilege of enjoying a widely supportive niche of empowerment.

We can all learn that one’s success should not be undermined by attitudinal or organizational bias, and more importantly we can all choose to rise above it by recognizing that the required changes will involve personal re-evaluations.

Alan C. Fox, author of People Tools for Business, points out that while it is important to remain aware of the glass ceiling, we should also start thinking about the “glass staircase.” He introduces a refreshing and encouraging approach that empowers one to succeed. Fox says that there are five stairs to the top: 1) Confidence; 2) Home; 3) Education; 4) Assertiveness; and 5) Passion. Each step is significantly related to our identities and adds value to a person. Not only are these embedded in our core beliefs, but these five stairs redefine our way of thinking.

Alternatively, you can have a fabulous mentor. Sherry Strothers, famously known as The Lipstick Leader, is an amazing training and development consultant whom I recently discovered through CNN iReport in an article written by the #brethdavid duo. There is nothing more incredible than a powerful woman to mentor other women to prepare them for the realities of corporate life. She has 25 years of leadership development experience and she is one of 30 international coaches selected to co-author: “How to Break the Glass Ceiling without a Hammer – Career Strategies for Women.”

“Mind Tools – Essential Tools For An Excellent Career” is also an excellent source of information for breaking the glass ceiling. This article encourages us to evaluate the key competencies within the organization. These are “the common skills and attributes of the people in your company’s upper levels.” The article states that understanding what sets the leaders apart from the rest, will help you position yourself in a leadership role. It also talks about important factors such as setting objectives to align your competencies with top management, building network, building your reputation and knowing your rights.

Hopefully, the three sources above helped. I’ve certainly learned that the glass ceiling is not the limit.

A Note from Savvy Filipina

Hello Readers!

I am Savvy Filipina. I am from the Philippines. I will do my best as a first time blogger to keep this site current and up to date. Please be patient with me as wordpress.com is also an on-going learning process for me.

Moving forward, I am excited and pleased to have my first blog site which I’ve entitled “Savvy.” I selected this title for two reasons. The first reason is that I have chosen to write about real life “Savvy” people. My intention is to share their experiences: their road to success, the obstacles that they faced and how they overcame these obstacles. My goal is to positively empower and inspire you all through the success stories and testimonials of real life “Savvy” individuals.

The second reason is that, its meaning perfectly describes the wonderful inspirational people that I intend to write about. According to http://www.urbandictionary.com, savvy technically means, “well-informed, perceptive, or shrewd.” This word may often describe one with the acumen and expertise in a particular trade or describe one who is knowledgeable in the realities of life.

Without further ado, fly away with me on this new and exciting blog journey!