Hope y'all got the chance to grab a copy of Chalk Magazine's anniversary issue where I am featured as one of the 3 bright young stylists who interpreted the latest trends (mine was quirky ala Gucci) and made them wearable by us, millennials on a budget!
Thanks heaps to Miss Kate and Miss Elaine for making this feature possible! This shoot came during the time when I was so down and depressed cause of my career but being noticed by a magazine you've been personally collecting since childhood and being part of it was really the icing on top of the cake for me! Miss Elaine and Miss Kate, you two are sincerely the nicest and I can't thank you guys enough for believing in my talent! That gave me the extra boost to fight and and continue chasing my dreams as a fashion stylist!
After what felt like a thousand NOsss, I'm somehow slowly getting the YESsss I've been waiting for all my life. During the past months, I've been blessed with a lot of YESsss from people and brands who took a chance with me and believed in my capabilities! This year, aside from styling and blogging, I was able to venture on different fields of my career such as being a media/event correspondent! After my guesting on CNN's Real Talk early this year, a boss with a good heart named Nelson Capulso gave me what I consider my biggest career break by assigning me to cover Jason Derulo's Manila concert last May! It was followed by my recent coverage of Selena Gomez' concert and the recently concluded Asiapop Comicon 2016! I can't thank you enough, Sarge for saying YES and giving me all these opportunities! I swear I will make you proud!
Also earlier this year I have launched my very own clothing line, the "YANNITA BANANA" collection as part of my special collaboration with the brand Jean+Paul! Words cannot express how much I am grateful to the good people behind this brand for appreciating my talent and supporting what I do. It's not everyday that you get to choose styles and have a collection of clothes named after you! I am forever thankful, @jeanandpaulph! Much love to Jesse Siason and the whole team for this one-of-a-kind experience! It is truly an honor for me! One for the books! Check out the YANNITA BANANA collection by visiting jeanandpaul.com!
Endorsements and sponsorships also came this year and things I have only been wishing for before are now right in front of my eyes.
I am also honored to be tapped as one of Lazada's ambassadors for their latest "Humans of Lazada" campaign. Been an affiliate of the brand since before and being given the chance to be part of their exciting new campaign is really something I am proud of! Thank you for the opportunity, Mico Castaneda!
The year has not yet ended and I'm excited to see more of what God has in store for me! I am ready and I surrender everything to him! All of these is to glorify his name! I am nothing without our Lord and I want to give back by inspiring people to never sleep on their dreams! I know I am not in the position to give inspirational advices or tips since I haven't proven anything yet and I'm still struggling to make my mark in the industry, but I want you let you all know that I am a proof that you can be anyone you wanna be despite your past. Believe it, claim it, work hard for it and surrender everything to our Lord and you'll be surprised what he has instore for you! 💕
I have been called so many names, people told me to stop and I will get nowhere. "Di ka bagay na blogger, wala magbabasa ng blog mo kasi panget ka" or "masyado kang ambisyosa, social climber" etc. But I didn't listen to them. I believe I deserve a better life that's why I work hard every day. Also experienced lots of failures and downfalls this year such as taped episodes of a cable tv show I'm supposed to host! I thought it would be my biggest break but the said show was shelved by the producers. I honestly didn't know what to feel and how I should react, I just kept on crying and prayed to God to help me understand his plans. There were also promises of big styling projects that never happened, and it breaks my heart everytime whenever they say they gave it to someone better or more famous. I have always been doubted, disregarded and never prioritized and it's okay, I'm just here waiting for my time. There are also some friends you meet and lose along the way but I've learned to accept that everything is part of a bigger plan and God is always in control. I strongly believe that the sound of my dreams is louder than the voices telling me to stop or I can't make it.
What if I don't make it? What if my career won't take off? What if nothing happens in the end? To be honest, I can say it's okay! The thing is, not everyone is given a chance to live their dream and experience extraordinary things like what I'm experiencing right now! So even if nothing happens in the end, at least I have lived for the moment and experienced all of these! Meeting so many friends along the way and being able to work with such amazing and talented people in the industry is something no amount of money or level of fame can top off!
That's why you, my dear followers, I encourage you to take baby steps and do something that will get you closer to whatever your dream is! If you have a dream, chase it and work hard for it! No one said it's easy, sometimes you will lose your mind or even your own self along the way! But in the end, trust me, as long as your faith isn't shattered and you are living fair, it will all be worth it!
