Tag: Mental Health

Mental Health Break: A Day at Tagaytay and Nasugbu

It ain’t new that the demands of the work from home setup plus the pressure have caused many of us to experience both physical and emotional exhaustion. Everyone definitely needs time to pause, breathe and take a step back to reflect. Certainly, taking a mental health break is needed for stress relief and burnout prevention.

In support of the De La Salle Lipa Inc. employee wellness, the institution scheduled a week of Mental Health Break. Definitely, this is a great opportunity for the students and Lasallian partners to pause, reset, and come back with greater levels of energy and a fresh, less-stressed perspective indeed.

And as for me and my colleagues, we spend a day of self-care and compassion by taking a trip to Tagaytay and Nasugbu — an opportunity for us to rest our minds from the day-to-day routine of work-related tasks.

Napa Valley feels at Tagaytay Crosswinds. 🍃
Ma’am Donna and Ma’am Nelia here with me for today’s blog. 😂
NAPA is a new ride destination with great food and great ambiance. Alfresco dining with a nature view. 🌲

The good thing about NAPA at Crosswinds is that they have open seats to accommodate groups of visitors unless it’s peak season. You can choose to sit and chill inside or vice-versa while having to enjoy the California-feels ambiance and sceneries outside. I must say that every corner is Instagrammable and picture-worthy to flood your connections feeds and showcase your OOTD.

It takes us to a different experience with an ambiance captured from a different side of the world. 🍄
Everyone wants to see this new hip spot, it gets crowded easily, but not in today’s case. 🌫
Bringing to life a beautiful place that will give me fond memories with my closest colleagues. 💗

This cabin-themed look is inspired by rustic houses in Napa Valley, California. It took an hour-drive from Tanauan City to Talisay Sungay Road also dubbed as “bituka ng manok” by locals, the very steep road is full of hairpin turns, which can make driving challenging and dangerous to NAPA at Crosswinds Tagaytay.

A new protocol has been mandated to pay a parking fee which costs PHP 100.00 and a PHP 400.00 consumable to any café of your choice. Here’s a sample ticket to be bought inside and presented stub upon exit.
This strawberry frappé has been becoming my go-to quencher lately. This costs PHP 250.00 at NAPA.
It’s definitely worth the visit, you’ll lose count of the nice views outside because there are just too many to choose from.
This short trip to NAPA deserves a good groupie shot. 📸
Surely, spending time in green spaces or bringing nature can benefit both our mental and physical wellbeing. 🌾

The views and the ambiance here are spectacular, but to tell you honestly, the foods are overpriced and quite underwhelming, tho. But the experience of chillin’ and peace of mind setting it’s the best.

Here, we decided to take our lunch, it’s 26 mins drive from NAPA at Crosswinds.
Just facing Bulalo Point, we bought the best buko pie in Tagaytay. The buko pies are freshly made and always served warm and have the freshest and most tender coconut meat. This costs PHP 325.00. 🌴

It has been quite a good visit to Tagaytay since we’ve been given very good weather to stroll with. A 30-minute drive, we headed to Caleruega Church also known as the Transfiguration Chapel located at Bgry. Caylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas.

An entrance fee of PHP 30.00 and a PHP 40.00 parking fee are being collected at the entrance.
This church and grounds have a spiritual feel. It looks like an aged edifice from Spanish influence.
Signage to know what other spots inside are to be explored.
“Close to Nature, Close to God“ The fountain compass is the first thing you will see when you arrive at Calereuga.
Here are some plant souvenirs available. They also sell seedlings.🌼🌻
Hanging Bridge heading to the Tent Chapel.
After hundreds of steps, we reached the Tent Chapel.
Here’s a view from the top of the chapel.
Here you can attend mass, meditate, or engage in other religious activities. 

Caleruega has lush surroundings, a perfect place for relaxation and time with friends, colleagues, family, or your special someone. This place provides greenery that will let you reflect on life and refresh your thoughts.

Ma’am Donna still can strut a pose after the long walk and hike. 😂
Jed looking tired and so is her mom. But it’s worth it after 2 years of lockdown with no long walks. 😂

This week of Mental Health Break is a special gift to oneself to have the time to do self-care, self-improvement, and be engaged in things that will make oneself happy and relaxed.  And for us on this trip, it’s definitely worth it that once in a while we take breaks and travel to places we don’t visit often. God is good, all the time!

Even if you don’t have the option to step away from your job, you can still set boundaries that support your mental wellbeing.

Care to share some of your trips away from work or activities during mental health break? Let me know. If you love this blog, pin it!

A Weekend in Lobo, Batangas

The semester’s finally over, even if it’s distance learning where we’re not physically present at school, and it involves online education thus far, we also needed this quick escape. I know, by having this, both our physical and mental health and well-being as a whole will gain a profound effect and that is why we look forward to this time away!

Again, we’re here at Ma’am Nelia’s (my colleague) hometown in Sitio Paho Biga, Lobo, Batangas. This has been planned for almost 3 weeks now, and finally we made it. 🤩

I’ve been here last April 2021 and was able to share how to get here in A Day in Biga, Lobo, Batangas blog. So we arrived 8:00 AM, and we’ve been invited for a breakfast before we head on to our whereabouts.

This way to the sea. I noticed that there were only few people reside here, and the place is quiet and peaceful. It is really different from our place — the trees and mountain here are just few steps away from us, that’s why my amusement is still like the first time. 😍

This getaway and pleasure trip is attainable for people from almost all walks of life. My colleagues and I are some of the lucky few to have the precious time to savor an escape and to be together — out of the pressure, and somehow running away from responsibilities for a while.

We went boating and whizzing around, seeing beautiful sights in a distant while it’s raining. I was shivering because it’s cold, but I enjoyed it. I believe there’s a next time for this and go island hopping the moment I’ll have the chance, so. 😉

We’ve been looking forward to seeing and doing something new and different. We learned bits and pieces about sort of origin of the place thus, enriching and stimulating our intellect about it whilst enabling to nurture our friendship tie, create lasting memories, and deepen personal connections with each other.

Keep yourselves busy! Enjoy guys, though this trip will leave us all renewed and rested, on Monday back to the daily grind as if we were never away at all. 🤣

It’s been a blessing in disguise as the rain poured on this day for us to spend more time in the water without having to think that we might get a sunburn. Although, I wasn’t able to capture more of what we did and eye-catching views it’s indeed an apparent misfortune I must say that eventually lead us to enjoy the moments more. It is our minds and our hearts that clearly captured what we truly felt on these special moments — somehow it was everything.

And we’re heading back. We found ourselves stuck in situations we don’t normally experience in our daily lives, so we’re here breaking free from the norm. 😄

Moments like these are something on a much deeper level that will surely keep us coming back for more, and to push ourselves to see more and learn more. Here is where I definitely find the best in myself and to others. Little did I know, I become the person that I had hoped I would become as a child: a wanderer and a learner of things.

We were all exhausted and tired from the quite adventure we’ve just had, but it’s all worth it. Thank God for these people, for the precious time and energy you gave us. Until our next. ღ

“Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.”

Izaak Walton

A Day in Biga, Lobo, Batangas

Being stuck in our homes with all of these happenings in the world, all are craving for a much-needed break and so do I. It’s evident that everyone’s mental balance has been greatly affected that we all need to have an ample breather.

For the past months of 2021, I feel so overwhelmed all of a sudden about the happenings in our country, our current situation, well, my situation too — things that are way exhausting. So, I and two of my colleagues went to a quick escape. A trip which we called as an investment and a therapy.

I’m not your typical travel blogger. I just want to keep everything documented and written.

Due to travel restrictions that have been imposed by the local government units this trip was moved and delayed so, we waited for the right time until it finally happened, yay!


This is just a one-day trip so, as early as 4AM we set forth.

Biga is located in Lobo, Batangas, just one hop away from Laiya, San Juan.  If you’re traveling by car or by bus from Metro Manila, getting here usually takes about 3-4 hours (depending on the traffic). 

Yasss, we’re finally here in Sitio Paho (my colleague’s hometown)

I don’t have much things to carry with me. I just needed to bring myself and my mind with me for at the end of the day I want to feel renewed and restored

A time to pause for a while and appreciate life


This run is a complete reset in my mental physique as this year challenged my wits’ end. I’ve realized that rest is essential, a simple thing that reminds me to never measure my worth based on what I am doing or how preoccupied I am.

The sea helps me to get back to me


Looking up at the cerulean blue sky and the sea, its view makes everything better, with nowhere to go and nowhere to be, a day at a place like this amidst the current situation is what I need.

Somehow, it feels like a low-key escape

The view of the sea feels like a never-ending line that meets the sky on its entirety. The sound of the waves, the fresh salty air, are relaxing. Somehow, it makes me calm and forget things for a while, never mind the heat of the sun since I’m on SPF 50, lol.

An escape from the rush of everyday life


Just being surrounded by the bountiful nature, helps me revive and get inspired. Peace of mind and a pause are sometimes found in a haven like this.

It isn’t always found in the big gestures, it’s often just the small moments


This much-needed break wouldn’t be possible without the constant people who would always say to me that I need to invest in things like this that offers serenity and solitude. We all feel renewed, restored and healed — body and soul.

And today, I choose to escape for life not to escape on me.


I stopped today to admire these things, I took some picture perfect views and myself, I ran, chased the waves and got sun-kissed. I spent hours walking, felt the wind and smell the brine of the sea. Above all, I made memories and felt alive.

It’s a day out from the civilization and was also able to meditate, away from the pressure and social media. God is good all the time. He provided us not just the financial needs but also the strength and the precious time. And I know He is with us, wherever we go.

Till our next. ♡