LOH Contest #201: Taking A Breather With Coffee ☕️☕️☕️

"Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind and your spirit. Then get back to work."
—Ralph Marston

When the odds aren't on my favor, oftentimes, my default was to find a peaceful place and grab a coffee. As much as possible, if I could still handle it, I would be staying at home and brew it myself but when things go south and stress burdens me, I tend to go somewhere else. I remember last semester when my Final Exams, projects and Practicum requirements came at the same time to test my patience and tolerance. It's not just something that could be dealt with a cup of coffee at home or some fresh air around the local area, but to unwind through a new adventure. It was why when Adamada and Wittyzell invited me to go to Cebu for meetup, I tried all I could to submit all the documents that I needed on time, then said yes.

The next following days, I went there as planned not knowing anything to do there or any place to go. All I knew was to take a breather somewhere else without thinking about any deadlines, exams and projects.

Today's world is full of stress, deadlines, and way to much to do! What is your number one stress reliever that you depend on to make it through?

This question brings back memories, and specifically, those moments I've had at Cebu City with my fellow Filipino Hivers. But as I've said earlier, everytime that I'm stressed, my default is to find a peaceful place and grab a coffee, either at home or somewhere else.

Let me tell you why by sharing glimpses of what we did there.

When I was already there, they have even asked me if there was something that I wanted to do or a place that I wanted to visit. My weary brain couldn't think of anything else but to say that all I ever wanted was to breath, but in Cebu. Of course, to have just some air in Cebu was a joke, but truly and deeply, to just relax was all I need.

Since it's a whole different environment and I was a clueless tourist over there, I just went whenever they wanted to go and I don't care wherever it was, as long as I could relax and have a coffee, I was all good. Then, there was times that we have to go to the grocery to buy some things for the AirBnB, so we went to Ayala Mall. We bought coffee on the way back. There's Adam buying one for me and I'm very grateful for that cup and everything.

Sometimes, on the way back from dinner, we also grab a cup of coffee at Pickup Coffee. We didn't actually have an itinerary for that trip. The whole week of staying in Cebu was entirely spontaneous. Mostly, what we have done there was to dine out and have some coffee, but those things were revitalizing to my weary mind and body. I swear, when I came back after that trip, I was full of positivity once again. All thanks to these amazing guys for including me to the trip.

It doesn't need to be in Cebu, but that's how I cope with stress everytime. Seeing new places either locally or in another island it maybe with a cup of coffee in my hand, I'll be okay then.

Thanks to this prompt, I was able to recall those fun memories. Also, thanks for reading!