Welcome to my little corner of the internet.
It’s my online tambayan, my virtual refuge, my healing space. Here, I can joyfully waste time whittling away sentences on a keyboard in my favorite pambahay.
This place allows me to be me – naked, pensive, bold yet vulnerable. I love getting lost in this world writing about snippets of my life: the good, the bad, the hard and everything in between.
Thanks for being here, I appreciate you.
By day, I long for the things that are thousands of miles away - the sands between my toes, the sweet smell of mangoes, the annoying sounds of jeepneys, and the taste of my own sticky sweat under the hot, humid summer sun.
By midnight, I write them all down here.
JOMAY AMORA-DUECK
ABOUT JOMAY
Jomay is a storyteller, creative entrepreneur, cycle breaker and mental health advocate. In 2007, she reluctantly packed her bags and left the Philippines to work abroad as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW).
Jomay is currently focused on the most important chapter of her life: healing and thriving. Her goal is to strive for less in most areas except five – joy, kindness, growth, experiences, and afternoon naps.
Maya Angelou
Growing beyond the past with self-love, compassion and hard conversations
“It ends with me.”
ON BREAKING CYCLES
I consider myself to be a cycle breaker.
A cycle breaker is an individual within a family unit who decides that it’s time to put a stop to the harmful family pattern, and they realize that they have the power to end the cycle.
Being the one to break the cycles is a really big undertaking. It’s a hard job and one that can feel lonely and relentless.
But, breaking free is healing, and it is all worth it.
“I show my scars so that others know they can heal.”
ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS
An abusive parent. A narcissistic partner. A sexual assault. A life-altering event. Whether they happened just yesterday or several years ago, these all represent different types of traumatic events. Any combination of traumatic experiences can result in a range of physical and emotional symptoms that can seriously impact your health and well-being.
For the last few years, I’ve had my fair share of health struggles and I do believe that my traumatic past is one of the reasons why I am struggling with health problems.
Healing takes time, and the journey may be long, but I promise myself that sunshine is just on the other side.
“Today, I choose to love you with my very best self.”
ON LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS
The biggest mistake that we make is that we constantly look outside of ourselves for love since that is how we found love and stability as kids. We tend to ignore our own needs and well-being to please others thinking that in doing so, we will receive the love we crave so much. But the truth is, the greatest love we’re looking for can only come from within.
Creating this blog serves as a constant reminder for me to love myself first so I can love others by giving them my very best self. Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a world where we all stepped into our own authentic self, love it dearly, and spread this incredible energy around like sunshine?
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
ON GROWTH AND CREATIVITY
I consider myself an infinite learner.
Creativity has helped me think outside the box, come up with innovative ideas, and deal with life’s difficult challenges.
Allowing space for creativity and growth is a crucial part of my healing journey. It promotes self-expression, boosts mental health, and enhances personal and professional development, making it a valuable asset in various areas of my life.
“What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.”
ON MENTAL HEALTH
I have struggled with my mental health for most of my life.
For the longest time I suffered from anxiety, depression, loss of identity, regret and other physical manifestations of trauma (and I didn’t realize that until recently when I decided to embark on this healing journey).
As someone who grew up in poverty and experienced difficult childhood, I was/am constantly feeling unhappy, exhausted and resentful. I unknowingly deprived myself of self-love, compassion and healthy boundaries. I didn’t have the support, the information, the confidence, the courage and the language to talk about it until recently. Now I share about these things and more to help people know they are not alone and they are worthy of love and care.
If you’re in immediate danger or need urgent medical support, call 911.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call Talk Suicide Canada at 1-833-456-4566. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For residents of Quebec, call 1-866-277-3553 or visit suicide.ca.
Visit Talk Suicide Canada for the distress centres and crisis organizations nearest you. If you’re experiencing gender-based violence, you can access a crisis line in your province or territory.
For more information, visit Government of Canada’s mental health support page here.
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