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While growing up in an Asian household, mothers typically hold strong leadership roles. I guess it’s typical to expect that from having an Asian mom, and my mother is definitely no different. Along with the renowned discipline tactics she implemented, there were also many moments with words of wisdom that have stuck with me through the years. I wholeheartedly thought these words were “legit” and “true” to the core, but once I talked to my non-Asian friends, I found out that well… maybe they were just myths? But… I swear they MUST be true… or are they?

My mom was an “expert” on a variety of topics:

1. On digestive health:

“You cannot eat watermelon on an empty stomach or you will get a “cold tummy.”
What exactly is a “cold tummy?” Especially when the Philippines is so hot all the time?

2. On death:

“Don’t sleep when you are full, or you will get bangungot (meaning “nightmares” in Tagalog), and then you will die!”
To this day, I still get so scared of that statement, I hold off on sleeping until 4 hours after I eat!

3. On body hygiene:

“Do not clip your nails at night because it is very bad luck.”
Umm… For some reason, I still have not asked why.

4. On post-surgery / post-injury diet:

“I will cook steamed grouper for you because it is the best kind of food that will heal your body.”
Well, I love a good steamed fish so… Yay! Thank you! But I still don’t understand why…why?

Although there are so many more “words of wisdom” to recount, here’s my ultimate favorite one that she told me:

“Women are evil you know…more evil than men.”
Okayyy… so THIS bold statement can obviously ignite many discussions, but my personal insight on this is for a whole other topic of conversation. Ha!

In the spirit of fondness, or may I say, “tribute” to our moms, I asked friends if they also had any interesting and unforgettable Mom Myths & Mishaps and here’s what they shared…

“Sweeping the floor at night will drive away luck or incoming blessings.”
But what if that’s the ONLY time I’m home and can do chores? ☺

“When you get lost, turn your clothes inside-out, so you can go back.”
I guess the roadmap is inside our clothes?

“Don’t go to sleep with your hair wet or you’ll wake up with a cold.”
I’ve been told this one too! And I think it may hold true because I’m often sick.

“Don’t ever place your handbag/purse on the floor because you will lose money.”
Annnnnd this I will forever hold to be true!

“Boys are easy. They are less DRAMA, but harder to keep alive.”
True, true.

Our moms not only gave us all these nuggets of wisdom, but they could also collectively be featured in a comedy show that never ends… 

“My mom once told me, ‘Mija que te dijo el doctor? Te dijo ‘WOW you have pretty pimples?’  When my doctor had told me ‘Wow, you have pretty dimples!’”
Saying you have pretty pimples is only something a mother would say!

“I smoked pot when I was pregnant with you, and that’s why you’re gay.”
I mean…. I can’t. LOLLLL!!     

“My Hispanic mom used to pronounce avocado = ‘avoCAYdo,’ and salmon = ‘SALLmon’ – when I would correct her, she would say, ‘Why is English so confusing?! Why is not spoken the way it’s spelled?!?’”
We feel you, no one gets the English language.

“You can’t play sports like your sister because you might break your leg and you won’t be able to dance and compete anymore.”
Awww, as if competitive dancing couldn’t possibly break one’s leg…

It’s evident that a mother’s love can be seen as a reflection of God’s love… and humor. I’m sure that our mothers will never run out of advice, words of wisdom, or stories to share with us. What these myths and mishaps prove is how much our moms care for us and have our best interests at heart, and their words have been ingrained in our minds and will stay with us throughout our lives. And for all these words – whether true, funny, weird, questionable, or indifferent, we want to say, “Thank you MOM! We love you!”

As a child and teenager, who really knows what their parents do for a living? Like, what kid is really aware of all the time, energy, and sacrifices their parents make to provide for them?
I can guarantee you, little to none.

Growing up in my formative years, I don’t remember my parents being around a lot. They were always working and traveling while my two older sisters had to take care of the two little brats at home. That’s me… one half of the two little brats at home. Would I have loved for my parents to do normal things like take us to school?

Sure. Would I have loved a cute little packed lunch with cute little notes like my friends had? Absolutely.

But looking back, and knowing now what I didn’t know then, I can’t blame them. I can actually thank them.

My parents were making sacrifices together – starting a company, makin’ big moves, walking in faith, carrying out a mission, and ultimately… building our family’s legacy.

When I see our kits, observe our company’s culture,
and think about my own personal experience here at TRI, I think of all the years of hard work and sacrifice my parents and family put in to get here. Talk about “hustle culture”… sheesh! Because of the vision God gave my parents, not only do I see what my family has built, but now I know why it was built. I’ve witnessed firsthand the miracles God has made in people’s lives, in our business situations, the faith and trust that we’ve put in Him, and the progress we’ve made over the years.

So, I felt inclined to gather other employees’ thoughts on how our company and ministry have made an impact on their lives and what our work here means to them.

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Not gonna lie, while growing up, I used to shudder at the thought of doing a massive spring cleaning of my room. I knew it would take more than a day with lots of sweat and tears, and having to let go of things that I’m emotionally attached to… I‘m sure a lot of people can relate.

Now, as a real-life adult doing “adult things,” I look forward to spring cleaning – or as I would call it… my different phases of cleansing. It’s not just limited to the physical state of my place, but also how my body feels on the inside, and how it looks on the outside. Don’t get me wrong, this is not just a reflection of whether I’ve gained weight or not, it has more to do with how I feel my body is doing from the inside out. Who else has this intuitive feeling of being attuned to your body?

Here are my 5 different phases of cleansing:

Phase 1: In the middle of last year, I did a thorough overhaul of my room and all of its contents – which included discarding clothes and all of the things that no longer serve me. I bought and rearranged new furniture in order to accommodate my new aesthetic and align with my new purpose. Of course, I got more plants, rugs, art, and proper lighting. All of which I believe are very necessary! In this process, I’ve learned the harsh realization that part of the fun was assembling all the new furniture alone! Yaaaay me. This was MY “Welcome to America” moment.

Phase 2: My internal health phase – in which I promised that I would dedicate myself to getting stronger and healthier. So, I did a ton of research, scheduled doctor consultations, and got lab tests – all of which led me to purchase the right vitamins and supplements, and how to eat proper foods that will be good for my hormones (considering that I’m a 40-year-old woman who had thyroid and PCOS issues, THIS has been an ongoing challenge for me). Getting the correct balance is definitely a work in progress, but I’m feeling better and learning so much!

Phase 3: MY SKIN. I am now obsessed with the state of my skin. I do know that aging is a gift, and I would also love to approach that with grace… and youthful skin! I even started having my partner join in on my skincare routine – which makes it more fun! The benefits of his skin looking good definitely wouldn’t hurt. I was mortified when I found out that he’s been using Irish Spring on his body and face for yearssss. The horror!!

Phase 4: Sleeping and resting habits. I now acknowledge the value of good and restful sleep. I’m also very conscious of not using my mobile phone at night to make sure I’m ready to sleep by a certain time. REST – how common it’s become for us to deprive ourselves of rest. The worldly concept of thinking that if we’re not actively doing something, we are labeled “lazy” – that is ludicrous. For me, being fatigued has been a big hill that I needed to surpass, especially after complaining to my sister. I told her I felt fatigued and sick all the time, and she told me, “You need to allow and give yourself rest – it’s okay. IT’S OKAY.” Lesson: let’s all please stop the glorification of busyness and “hustle culture.”

Phase 5: CHOOSING ME. Choosing myself has always been a continuous process of learning and unlearning… can you relate? By clearing my life of people, situations, and thoughts that do me no good has helped me so much. It made me realize that so much time and energy is wasted on things that could have been redirected towards something rewarding and fruitful. I do believe that we all probably learn these lessons the hard way. In the end, the lessons we walk away with are always worth the tears and disappointment in order to get to where we are today.

For me, these 5 phases of cleansing are not linear, are in no particular order, and one is not more important than the other. They ebb and flow throughout my day-to-day routines and rituals. Each phase tackles different aspects that lean towards what I feel is important to me at the moment. Now that spring has sprung, I felt a calling to share pieces of my process of growth and rebirth.  It’s called “spring cleaning” because spring represents living a better quality of life, and welcomes us into something more vivid and vibrant. What I want for my journey is to achieve my purpose and flow in and out of seasons by opening myself up to all the possibilities life has to offer.

When you think about it, love means almost everything and almost nothing at the same time.

What does love mean to you? What makes you feel loved?

I don’t know about y’all, but I love to love those I love. I’m very selective with who I choose to love, who I choose to invest my time and energy into, and who I choose to genuinely connect with and show up for. Because my energy is precious and love is a choice, not an obligation. Ya feel me?

When given the challenge to write about 7 days of love, my mind automatically went into overtime, over thinking about how I was going to show people love for the next 7 days. Feeling like I was going to have to go above and beyond what I would normally do because I didn’t feel like I show love every day of my life, let alone 7 days in a row. But this assignment was actually a perfect fit and very timely for me, as I’m currently on my journey towards healing and self-love. And let me tell you, it’s been an interesting and tumultuous 5-year journey, but I finally feel like I’m starting to break through. So naturally, this made me deep dive into thinking about love languages and all the ways I give and receive love.

Day 1: Food for the Soul

Anyone that knows me knows that you can love on me with food all day, errrday. Like I will literally work for food. A few years ago, I did a small freelance job for some homemade banana pudding and cinnamon rolls. Call me easy, it’s fine – I’m totally okay with it.

So, I have 2 older sisters who I love and adore – even though they hated me when we were younger – but we’ll save those stories for another day. Well, they loved me with food today. It was a rainy day, so my sis G asked if I wanted ramen and I’m like “DUH.” We ate our ramen together and it was cute. And my sis D, who always shows her love by cooking, made these delicious little moist yellow cakes with chocolate ganache frosting. After I basically inhaled the one she gave me, I asked if she had more because I low key have gluttonous tendencies. The thought of them going out of their way to think of me just made me feel special and well, loved. And they probably don’t even know it. Then all this food stuff made me think of my parents who got the flu because of me. So, I checked in on them – told them I loved and appreciated them, and offered to Postmates them food. But they left me on read and never replied, so yeah. They hate me.

I also sprankled myself with some love. You know those days when you feel like you radiate love and self-care, with your soul and skin on the glow up? Well, that was me on this day. Felt extra cute – great hair day, great vintage wrap sweater that makes my waist look snatched, great boots, blah blah blah. I even posted a selfie on my IG story – which is a super-duper rare sighting. It was a whole “felt cute, might delete later” kinda vibe with no actual intentions of deleting later.

When I got home from work, I was really missing my husband. I had gotten the flu really bad 2 weeks before, then he got it right after me. So, we basically spent a few weeks apart so as not to keep spreading it. I felt so alone and depressed and sick. And alone. I was craving his love and affection, but he was still sick. So physically, I was missing him very much. We’d been texting each other from separate rooms, so I decided to put on this cute little nightgown he bought me and sent him selfies. But you know, contagious people things, so no real action ensued. I just wanted to tell him that I missed him, his affection, and just his presence. And remind him how sexy I am… Felt cute, not deleting later. ; )

Looking back, I can remember these days so vividly. And I know I remember them because I was mindful, taking both literal and mental notes, and just fully present.

So, with this challenge, a few things I’m asking myself are:
1. What do I want to achieve?
2. Why do I want to achieve it?
3. What do I expect to gain from this?

Can’t wait to explore this journey with you and share what’s next…. Until next time, byeee!

Hi, I’m KIT and I know, I know…it’s a pleasure to meet me after all these years. LOL. “Who dis?” you ask? Well, I am a brand personified. I am Be Smart Get Prepared and Be Smart Get Prepared is me. But don’t get me wrong. I’m not just some logo or catch phrase, but more of a statement. A message, an invitation to a lifestyle. And guess what?? She is celebrating her birthday this month!! She is me – I’m she. On May 5, 1991, a star was born. That’s me, I’m the star! Cinco de Mayo ain’t got nothin’ on me. Born in ‘91 and 32 years later, here I am, thriving! Living my best life, carrying on a legacy, and really just getting started.

You may have seen me in stores, online, or perhaps even TV shows or movies. Word on the street is, I’m cuuute. Aesthetically pleasing, fiercely competitive, and dare I even say… the whole package. All that and a bag of kits (yes, I said kits, not chips). There are many moving parts to my story, so let me break it down for you.

The juicy part is… In the last 32 years, TRI has become one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of First Aid Kits and Emergency Preparedness solutions. As Be Smart Get Prepared, I span across multiple retail categories like Home, Outdoors, Auto and Emergency Survival – because you know, I’m versatile like that. I am full of innovation, insight, and style and can be found in stores or online. I’m designed with you, the consumer, in mind. We’re just a cute, curated selection of First Aid Kits made just for you. And not to brag or anything, but I’ve been living in the world’s largest retailers for 25+ years now. Catch me at Sam’s Club, Walmart, Amazon, O’Reilly, Kroger, Ralph’s, Food 4 Less, Walgreens, CVS, and so much more. My resume is long y’all, but I’m just giving you the juicy bits.

As much as I’d love to spill all the tea right here and now, I won’t. There’s so much more to my story, OUR story. Sooo BRB, stay tuned for next month’s schpeel about an immigrant with a dream, his wife, and the love of his life.