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I have been married for 17 years. My husband and I had our share of quarrels over the small stuff, finances, and parenting beliefs. We likewise had our moments of happiness over intimacy, laughter, and building our dreams.

I am no expert on love or relationships. I only know what I know through my experiences as we live husband and wife. Armed with these experiences, I would like to share what I consider as essentials in finding a lifetime partner.

Find the yin to your yang

In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang is a concept of dualism. It describes how seemingly contradicting forces may complement each other.

I may say I have found that in my husband just like how he found that in me. Knowing his strength is my weakness and vice versa, we create a complementing balance and a natural split of responsibilities.

My husband has the physical strength and charisma to push a workforce to work. He uses that to put food on the table as he delegates me to prepare that food for our family.

One person in the house is enough to work for a living, and it has become the husband’s responsibility. I, on the other hand, has been in charge of the home management and child rearing, areas wherein husband sometimes struggle.

Throw out ideas of perfection and change

I used to be a perfectionist. When I was in high school, I used to tear down the pages of my notebook and rewrite everything when I find my notes too messy. Now, sharing the small house with a man and five boys, the idea of perfection seems too difficult to attain. Whenever any of them can’t keep up with the tidiness of the house, I only end up frustrated, and if not controlled, angry.

To live in harmony with the men in my life, I learn to throw out the idea of perfect. I, too, don’t anymore expect them to change and to morph into a neatnik like me. I have to accept them for who they are and only guide them to tidy living until they can adapt it themselves.

Love and like at the same time

I live in a small house with three teenage boys, two toddlers, and a middle-aged man. There are times that I feel left out, so exhausted, and not valued. But every time I feel down, my husband would always be there to remind me –

[tweetshare tweet=”Do things that move you to love and everything follows.” username=”SPk3(ad*e(5d4@pEwem@tnlADFb9ZZc8:1:1″]

Indeed true. With love, everything becomes clear again. But when love seems to fade, that’s when you anchor on like. I always believe that when you genuinely like the person, you’re more likely to keep investing in the relationship. You will try hard, harder, and hardest to make things work out. Thus, in living with a family, love and like always save you from your doubts and uncertainty.

Grow with your goal

Husband and I don’t talk about our goals anymore. Not that we were disillusioned. We laid down our goals the moment we tied the knot. We envision our five boys successful in their own meaning of success, while we retire in a farmhouse, tend to our plants, and grow our food.

We also share the same attitudes toward spirituality. We may have our differences in personal finance practices, splurge purchases, and time management, but we get to resolve our issues. We give each other personal space when needed and again, live by our goal – successful kids and happy retirement for us. And to achieve our goal, we need to be partners lifting each other up.

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Embodying lifetime partnership

How to Find Your Lifetime Partner

The same sentiments celebrities Piolo Pascual, Inigo Pascual, Enchong Dee, Matteo Guldicelli, and Charo Santos Concio shared as they reveal who their lifetime partners are. In a deeply personal campaign they co-created with Sun Life Financial dubbed ‘Kaakbay: Stories of Lifetime Partnerships,” these Sun Life ambassadors shared through their individual videos how their lives were made brighter with the help of their respective life partners. They said that these lifetime partners are the ones who inspire, support, and believe in them.

Through the stories of lifetime partnerships shared by Piolo, Inigo, Enchong, Matteo, and Charo, Sun Life hopes to encourage Filipinos to find that partner who will help them shine to their full potential. Their stories of lifetime partnerships exemplify the kind of partner Sun Life aims to be for every Filipino pursuing his financial journey. And I could attest to that.

Sun Life as Your Lifetime Partner

I always feel that Sun Life is committed to helping every Filipino make life brighter. And with the Kaakbay campaign, Sun Life reassures to us their commitment to becoming the Filipinos’ lifetime financial partner. Its purpose, since they introduced life insurance 124 years ago remains the same – providing Filipinos with lifetime financial security. Truly, they are our kaakbay, always innovating and improving to serve us better.

The ‘Kaakbay” videos will be posted on Sun Life’s Youtube channel, @SunLifePH, with a new one premiering every week beginning July 13. Anyone can get the chance to win a trip for two to Singapore. Just watch the video and share your own story of lifetime partnership on @SunLifePH on Youtube or Facebook. Consolation prizes are also at stake. The full mechanics are available on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the soundtrack for the campaign, also entitled “Kaakbay‘ is written and performed by Inigo himself. The song will soon be hitting airwaves nationwide.

How to Find Your Lifetime Partner

How to Find Your Lifetime Partner

I guess, the whole purpose of the Kaakbay campaign is to again encourage Filipinos to find that partner who will help them shine to their full potential. That through the stories of Piolo, Inigo, Enchong, Matteo, and Charo, you may also pursue financial security and live healthier lives with Sun Life as your lifetime partner. We just did. Now is your turn to find a kaakbay in Sun Life.

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