Tell us something about yourself!
Hey there, I'm Justine – I believe in the power of authenticity and a life embellished with art and positivity. I want to be seen as a growing woman who embraces her genuine self and encourages others to do the same. As an architecture student, I know to heart that authenticity is at the core of everything I do and create.
Through my journey of self-discovery, I genuinely hope to encourage others to shed their own inhibitions through inspiration and authenticity.
Do you follow a ritual?
My ritual is to be productive before 12 PM. I actually owe this routine to my mom. She would always wake up early in the morning and read, have a healthy breakfast, and meditate. It was something I didn’t understand until I actually tried it for myself. My mornings kick off with purpose and a goal. I’ve honed in on a routine that's all about productivity and achieving my daily goals by the stroke of noon. There's something incredibly empowering about starting my day with a clear focus on what needs to be accomplished. When I have these mornings, it gives me the time to relax and enjoy my day because I’ve already accomplished my goals by 12 PM.
Armed with a well-structured plan, I'm not just working efficiently – I'm working intelligently. As each task gets checked off my list, I can't help but feel a surge of motivation that propels me forward.
How do you incorporate or plan to incorporate happiness into your ritual?
Productivity has become my gateway to happiness. This process fuels my motivation and confidence, shaping a positive outlook on life. What's intriguing is how productivity doesn't steal time but creates it. Another source of happiness of mine comes from exploring new art and architecture. The play of forms and textures creates a source of inspiration for what I want to be surrounded with when I see myself happy in the future.
What’s one thing you always look forward to when it comes to:
Day-to-day life.
As much as I indulge in productivity before noon, I genuinely look forward to the surprises in life. As a college student, you’d always hear invitations to go out at night. But I surround myself with people who surprise me with movie dates, cafe dates, book dates or even working out dates. And every single day, I look forward to having fun after the productivity of my morning.
Weekly or monthly commitments.
I’ve always had a love for skincare, and as I grew up, my skin struggles were getting a bit more complicated. Now and then, especially after finals, I treat myself to a massage and a date at Simply Skin. Every two to three weeks, I really look forward to going to Simply Skin in BGC to get my Clear + Lift Ritual for a relaxing day for my face.
Yearly traditions.
Yearly traditions are a need for me. It’s sacred for a person who always has goals to keep up with. My favorite yearly tradition, other than goal-setting, is having vacations at our summer home in Boracay. It’s more of a place to go back to especially when one of us in the family is tired and needs a reset. I love staying in relaxing places that feel like home, especially when it involves nature.
What patterns or habits are you working on letting go of to get one step further toward progress?
I have a bad habit of not spending on material things that make me happy. I was taught that needs were the only things that were essential to life, and to only buy the things you want when you deserve it. But that was a mindset that was used at a time when I wasn’t capable of buying those wants for myself. I’m trying to practice mindful rewards, wherein I don’t have to think if I “deserve” it or not because the truth is, we deserve everything that life has to offer. I’m not promoting excessive retail therapy, but mindful rewards! I think there’s a huge difference between them.
If you were to make a manifesto, what would you choose over perfection?
I definitely choose productivity over perfection. I’m not sure if that makes sense to people, but I don’t aim for perfection, instead I aim for my small goals to conclude that I did enough for the day, week, or month.
Learn more about the skin ritual Justine is taking on her journey to embrace happiness over perfection — The Clear + Lift Ritual.