Challenge: The "Tingbits" Mindset

A couple of big changes happen mid this year and I still have yet to completely adapt to it. Recently, I stopped contributing to the unemployment rate of this country. At the same time I had to face some internal issues of the mind specifically - dealing with failure (in my own expectations in both mind and heart). Which has been limiting me from blogging here again but I've also been busy not just with work but with my corporate blog at work --to make I'll prolly migrate/share some posts here before the year ends.

But there is also that GOOD that came out of it which is this so called - rediscovery of the the TINGBITAY scenario. And yes, this has been one of the causes of my failure to continue my blog routine.

Tingbits or Tingbitay - it means budget for this month is almost dried out, or dried out; pwede sab ni sha mahimong kapit-os sa wawarts o kwarta o kapit-os sa higayun na mugasto. (My own meaning - don't be hatin')

I am saddened by reality that we need more money but lately I realized that it's not so bad. I think we need more of these days IMO because we live in a world full of overconsumption. An example of which would be the legendary "Black Friday" in the US. But one does not need to copy that in order to say that there is overconsumption. I was commuting going-to-and-from-work to our house when there are weird instances/situation that I noticed. Parents who literally just threw away half filled plastic water bottles, plastic bags, empty cans..etc.. outside the jeepney window. I was totally shocked, to think that we are being already bombarded by the "Green Lifestyle" by our malls and LGUs or the like. To me, those plastic bags can still be recyled, the bottles and cans can be even be re-used into something else or they can be sold for money damnit!!

And this made me realize that my tingbits situation isn't so bad that other people are even wasting money (in the form of plastics or cans or the like) into the streets!

So I decided to declare a "Tingbits" challenge of sorts, it will simply be a challenge to waste less, consume fewer resources, stop looking to shopping to solve our problems (or food T.T)  and make us happy, and instead find simpler ways of finding contentment.

Challenge #1: Make a commitment, a declaration or manifesto (self-Challenge of sorts) - This blog post is it.  Share it in your social networks! CHECK!

Challenge #2: Try to consume /spend less this coming holidays - there will be exceptions of course like pre-budgeted Kris Kringle at the workplace, emergency fund (to buffer the TULIS of my parents to me), some investments, as well as "LOVE Budget" (This is in case there is some sort of divine intervention from the heavens)

Challenge #3: Make room for necessities - please don't starve yourself to death, we simply reducing the WANTS and not the NEEDS!

Challenge #4: There is always a better (insert "Cheaper") way of doing things - Don't just think BUY, but think of an alternative first. Make the BUY a last resort, if something can be borrowed then borrow it! If no money? How about trying to TRADE or BARTER? That worked a long time ago. Or before even considering to buy something, why not make something or do something yourself?

Challenge #5: Celebrate without buying/spending - Short on money? Invite your friends and share the LOAD of spending, have a boodle fight! Other activities can be movie nights, karaoke, indoor games, pillow fight? YES? (It's always good to exercise one's imagination once in a while)

Challenge #6: Reduce - Put a decorative ribbon on your gifts instead of wrapping them; use technology to greet peeps; also use LED Christmas lights to decorate your home (It's green and low energy consumption/cost)

Challenge #7 Reuse - Bring your own shopping bags when doing your holiday shopping; use reusable utensils, plates and cups instead of disposable/plastic ones; use old newspapers, magazines and old boxes to wrap your gifts or other weird yet awesome way of packaging.

Challenge #8: Recycle - Update and repair old Christmas decors or make your own instead of buying new ones; You can even recycle food if you know how (turning a day old chicken into another food masterpiece!)

Challenge #9: GIVE - Donate old items (toys, clothes, books, gadgets) to charitable institutions, instead of throwing them away (GOOD KARMA is always GOOD); it's not necessarily items but TIME can be given as well - VOLUNTEER! 

Challenge #10: Accept that Failure is OKAY - you can stumble or deviate along the way, it's not always a straight road, but you will definitely learn more in failure than in success; Just renew your commitment not to buy anything else after the slip up.

Lez DO DIZ yes? Do it as a tool for contentment, for simplicity. Do it if you're Bored! Do it to reclaim the holidays as a time of connection and love, not of buying and debt. Do it just to see if you can. Do it to impress a girl? Why not? Or are you content with the usual tingbits grind?

I'll be giving away love letters instead of physical gifts this season, hopefully it's gonna be mission accomplished. 

Challenge accepted? (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ ~RAWR!