2020 was a giant hurdle for everyone due to the pandemic. No one expected how much it will change the lives we have always known.
With the strong current of change in the world, there were moments when we need to simply flow with it. Some of us became victims of the tsunami caused by COVID-19 and we lose power, control and confidence.
Yet, at the end of the day, it is our choice as to how we will respond to this new normal!

Create your Life

Blessed with a new year, 2021, we, the youth of Fondacio Asia thought of sharing a tool we call PDP or Personal Development Plan; A tool we have used year-by-year to help guide us make the most of a new year.
For the first time, we decided to do this process online and open it for all our friends around the world to join (really, it is one of the blessings from our current situation). On January 30-31, we held the “Kickstart 2021” with more than 50 participants from 8 different countries (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam). It was also a wonderful experience to meet new friends from around Asia.
But more than things to do or goals to accomplish, it is a way to clarify who we are called to become. That is to go back to what really matters and not on the externalities and to savour the journey and not to be attached on to the “destination.”
Before we work on envisioning and planning our future, we always start with reviewing our past. WE believe that God speaks to us in different ways throughout our lives. And with the noise of the world, it is easy to miss them sometimes, so we need to listen even more attentively.
We also reminded ourselves that our lives are not ours alone, but also for others. We also took the time to remember the things that matters to us specially to listen to God’s guidance in our lives.
Here are some sharings from our participants on their experience during the Kickstart 2021 event and how it is helping them until today:
My small-group! It was truly God-ordained. It was not the group I was supposed to be in but I felt we were all meant to be with one another in those short but meaningful moments.
Having learned the art of using helpful tools such as the life timeline, vision board, and PDP during my year of formation, I didn’t always have the discipline to use all of it faithfully on a yearly basis. This year, Kickstart was an opportunity to not only revive the need but understand it anew too. Definitely gonna make this a habit!
Amanda, Malaysia
 
“…I can learn how to really manage and spend my time well as I have to complete the mission that I set during the event. Before this, I have this kind of thing having the schedule on track every time and it’s unmanageable. But after I join the event, I realized that if you keep your goals on track then there’s something that you can get as a reward after doing the mission. Like for example, in my PDP, I have to lose some weight during the year 2021 and it’s kinda work. I started to work out and exercise more often even sometimes especially during this crucial time when everything is shutdown even can’t go out for a exercise so most of the time I do my training session at home or my friend’s house. After 3 months of workout, I lose about 12kg of my actual weight! I’m totally impressed on my performance. Hopefully, I can get my ideal body shape after this😎. Haha🤣!
Deep, Malaysia

Kickstart was really amazing! I love PDP activity ‘coz it helps me to be clearer on my plan for this year. And it really feels good to know that there are people who is journeying with me to achieve my goals.
Rose Ann, Philippines

It was an opportunity to relearn and learn about myself.
– Anna, Malaysia

My best experience during kickstart was creating my 3 year vision board. Putting my vision makes me feel that I am close to my goals.
-Aleona, Philippines

I enjoyed the company of organizing team, who are very youthful, enthusiastic, innovative, daring, and open to share their gifts without holding back.
I also appreciated the participants who are open and willing to participate in the process, to discover themselves, to grow and to bloom. I also sensed the thirst for more in them.
– Mary An, Vietnam

The kickstart event was really good because it lets me know more clearly my goal. So, when I get lost I can refer back to what I really want.
– Agnes, Malaysia

I love how friendly everyone is, many times of laughter and fun games, despite being online. The activity on looking back at my past helped me see the significant moments in my life and how it has led me where I am today.
I also loved the sharing we had in my small group. It is affirming when my groupmates listened and encouraged me in my dream about an actor. Today, I’ve been venturing and exploring this path. I feel that the Kickstart really helped me launch myself towards this dream.
Jason, Philippines

One good experience I had from the kickstart workshop is that I had a chance to really think of what is important what are the goals I want to achieve in this year and what are those steps I need to take in order to achieve those goals. Then I needed to share all of those with others who also had the particular goals to achieve. It made me feel encouraged to start, then keep moving.
-Catherine, Vietnam

Journeying with others

This is just the beginning, and there is no certainty to what our lives will become. That is why it is important that we keep following through with our set goals and visions.
More importantly, we need other people who will journey with us as we take each step. To support us, encourage us, to celebrate with us and to remind us of God’s presence in this wonderful adventure. We are thankful to all our participants who kick-started this journey with us.
In fact, on July 10, 2021, we will be meeting again to share how has our 6 months been and to review our PDPs and Vision boards. This is to both celebrate our successes, big or humble and make the most of the remaining months of the year. So see you very soon. 😊