Goodbye, Carlo!

No, Carlo isn’t the name of the boy I’m crushing on. And no, I don’t have any plans of saying goodbye to the boy I’m currently crushing on. But if you belong to my generation, , you probably know this Purefoods TVC that became popular years ago…

I love this commercial because it’s about a happy goodbye, which is what this post is all about. I know I’ve been saying a lot of sad goodbyes lately, but this time, I will celebrate the joyful goodbyes I have made or intend to make in the coming days.

1. Goodbye Sloppy Lifestyle.

It’s not that I drink or smoke, but my lifestyle, nevertheless, leaves much to be desired. For one, I’m so lazy when it comes to staying fit. I do cardio when I’m in the mood for it, and then stop just because. I’m lucky that my heart is perfectly fine despite my semi- sedentary lifestyle.  This entails eating healthy and exercising regularly, which, in turn, means waking up earlier than usual. Goodbye indolent self; hello health conscious one. I must admit, though, that of all my goodbyes, this is the one that will take a lot of getting used to.

2. Goodbye Self-loathing.

For all my apparent confidence, I am, by nature, self-loathing and self-deprecating. But in view of what I have weathered lately, I realized it’s time to put an end to that. I’m 30 with a lot to show for it. I have written decisions that altered the lives of many, I have led a group of women professionals on a regional level, I have loved and been loved, and most importantly, I have loved and been unloved.  In other words, I have lived my life to the fullest extent possible. And yet, I still have a lot to offer. So it’s time to love myself and acknowledge my strengths and weaknesses for what they truly are. No more pity parties, no more self-bashing, no more wishing that I’m someone else. Goodbye poor self esteem; hello confidence and self-assurance.

3.  Goodbye Pessimism

Maybe it’s the piscean in me, but I’ve always believed in Murphy’s Law— if anything can go wrong, it will. But what I’m learning is that as you get older, you realize you can’t possibly operate on that belief forever. So I’m changing my mindset. Henceforth, I’ll be a believer of everything that’s good and beautiful. I’ll start claiming that I , too, will have my turn, and it will be soon. I’ll stop waiting for the other shoe to drop and will start expecting  that things will work out, one way or another. Instead of seeing a half empty glass, I’ll be thankful for a half-filled one, and will do everything in my power to fill it to the brim. Goodbye pessimism; hello great expectations.

4. Goodbye Drama Queen

I think I have lived up to this title more than I should. If there’s cause for sadness, count on me to dissect it so that it becomes sadder still. Well, I’m tired of being sad. I no longer have the patience to listen to myself whine and be tragic all the time, especially since I know that the good things happening in my life far outweigh the bad ones, and it’s simply up to me to appreciate them. So goodbye drama queen; hello cheerful Lorie. It’s time that I live up to my real me.

5. Goodbye Goodbyes.

For as long as I can remember,  I have been attempting to say goodbye to people and things that I’m not yet ready to say goodbye to. Well I’m saying goodbye to that habit now. Because the truth is, goodbyes cannot be rushed. People are not easy to unlove. And my heart isn’t a device that can be programmed to forget someone or something just like that. So I’m saying goodbye to premature goodbyes. Instead, I will give myself enough time to heal, recover, and say goodbye when the time is ripe for it. I owe this to myself as much as I owe it to the people I’m saying goodbye to.

Just like the Purefoods ad, goodbyes can be happy, after all. And since I’ve already referred to that TVC, the other reason why I can resonate with it is because I’ve also been told by a boy from way back the same thing Carlo said to the girl in the commercial. More about that on my next post.