The Smitten Wordsmith

20/02/2026

Abu Dhabi, but through a storyteller’s lens. 🇦🇪✨

Part 2 of my UAE travel vlog is live, and this one is all about power, presence, and quiet grandeur.

From walking through presidential halls to sipping 24k gold coffee (because why not?), this trip reminded me that spaces tell stories. Architecture tells stories. Even cities tell stories... if you know how to look.

👑Qasr Al Watan felt like legacy.
🌊The Corniche felt like exhale.
🎡Yas Island felt like momentum.

As creative entrepreneurs, we don’t just travel, we translate experiences into perspective.

If you love travel, cultural depth, and cinematic storytelling, this one’s for you.

🎥 Watch Part 2 now. 👇

Welcome to Part 2 of my Abu Dhabi travel vlog 🇦🇪✨In this video, we explore some of the most iconic and luxurious landmarks in the UAE’s capital, from the b...

02/01/2026

When they say “you’re so lucky”…

But I had a vision board. 🥺❤️

This was my 2025 vision board... and somehow, real life met (and exceeded) it.

✨ I ticked off the UAE from my bucket list (yes, including riding a camel 🐪).
✨ I owned the first year of my 30s without holding back... learned to surf, solo-traveled 3 times, invested anew, and said yes to new experiences.
✨ I got to teach again, this time a specialist course for professionals.
✨ I planned to quietly focus on my own vlog and YouTube… and somehow ended up being featured on Vietnam's national TV, and randomly interviewed at the Dubai Frame as the only Southeast Asian tourist there at the time (still wild to me lol).
✨ I rebranded both The Smitten Wordsmith and my marketing agency, Uniqora Studio.
✨ I got my first speaking engagement as a business owner at the University of the Philippines.
✨ I moved more, worked out more, and kept my bio age 3 years younger than my actual age 💪🏽

And in between all of that, I was able to show up for and support the people I love... something I value just as much as any milestone.

What’s crazy is… I only had three big goals that year:
👩🏽‍🎨 Rebrand
✈ Travel to a dream destination
🧘 Do more meaningful work

I’m grateful that life gave me more than I asked for.

Here’s to a more meaningful, aligned, and fruitful 2026 🤍

Exciting times ahead.

P.S. If you want to learn how to create a vision board like this, I’ll be hosting a free vision board workshop at The Smitten Wordsmith very soon! 🥹✨

30/12/2025

2026 isn’t about doing more for me.

It’s about doing what actually supports my nervous system, my creativity, and the life I’m building.

I’m leaving behind the habits that kept me busy but disconnected.

The need to prove.

The pressure to rush.

The urge to silence myself to stay palatable.

And I’m choosing steadier things instead.

Routines that regulate.

Work that feels aligned, not draining.

Movement, relationships, and visibility that feel safe to grow into.

This isn’t a reinvention.

It’s a return.

To trusting my own voice.

To moving with intention.

To letting “enough” be enough.

Here’s to entering 2026 gently, but decisively. ✨

26/12/2025

Season’s greetings! ✨🎄☃

May this festive season gift you rest, reflection, and the courage to write your next chapter gently. 🧘❣

22/12/2025

Abu Dhabi, in all its calm and quiet beauty 🇦🇪✨

Part 1 of my UAE travel vlog is up... from flying Emirates to slow days around Saadiyat Island, the peaceful stillness of the Louvre, and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in all its glory.

A soft, cinematic look at the soulful side of the city.

Watch here 🤍

Welcome to Part 1 of my Abu Dhabi travel vlog 🇦🇪✨In this video, I take you along my first days in the UAE, from flying with Emirates and arriving in Abu Dh...

24/11/2025

sometimes it’s not the lack of talent…
it’s the pressure, comparison, and perfectionism ❌
the moment I learned to create from presence, not panic, everything opened up. ✨
if you’re entering your soft creativity era, this one’s for you 💕

20/11/2025

Some seasons stretch you…
some seasons shape you.
But every version of you that feels “lost” is really just learning the rhythm of something new.

If it feels hard right now, it’s not a sign to quit...
it’s a sign you’re growing. 🤍

16/11/2025

Healthy hustle ≠ burnout.

Here’s to building empires and nervous system regulation.

Swipe for the rituals that make you magnetic! ➡✨

Because showing up for your dreams starts with showing up for you. 😉

13/11/2025

🎪 Trade shows will test your stamina, and your storytelling.

Last May's PHILSME experience reminded me just how powerful face-to-face marketing still is. You can have the best deck, the sleekest booth, or the boldest brand visuals… but what truly converts is connection.

It’s the way you tell your story.
It’s the clarity of your pitch.
It’s how you make people feel when they walk up to your booth.

That’s where brand meets experience.

As someone who lives and breathes marketing and entrepreneurship, PHILSME has always been a space to learn, network, and spark ideas that turn into opportunities.

And guess what?
✨ It’s PHILSME exhibit season again this November!

If you’re a business owner, creative founder, or marketer, don’t miss the chance to show up, connect, and make your brand unforgettable this year.

👉 Mark your calendars and get your booth (or badge) ready. See you on the floor!

10/10/2025

✨ Burnout doesn’t always arrive loudly.

Sometimes it creeps in quietly through heavy mornings, blurry focus, and a heart that feels a little too tired.

Today, on World Mental Health Day, I’m choosing softness over pressure.
Here are 4 quiet anchors that help me breathe again when burnout tries to sneak in:

💭 Rest isn’t earned.
🫂 Boundaries aren’t selfish.
🤝 Support isn’t weakness.
🌸 Joy isn’t a luxury.

Take care of your mind as tenderly as you chase your dreams.

Because you are the source of your magic. ✨