Author: Kima Rodriguez

Welcome 2025 ✨

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Every New Year, I love starting fresh by setting goals, creating systems, and choosing a theme to guide me. For 2025, I’ve decided to call it my “Self-Improvement Year.” This isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. I want to focus on improving every part of myself, step by step. Whether it’s my health, habits, or mindset, this year is all about becoming a better version of me. Of course, everything depends on how consistent I can be. It won’t always be easy, but I’m ready to try, learn, and grow. Here’s to 2025—a year of transformation and growth. The Journey Back to Balance There was a time when I felt more in tune with my body—not too slim, not too heavy, just a version of myself that felt right. Lately, though, I’ve been longing to return to that balance. It’s not just about appearance; it’s about feeling good in my skin again. Body shaming has been a constant sting, coming from places I didn’t expect and sometimes from strangers. It’s exhausting. I’ve carried those words with …

My First Week as a UX Researcher

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc. This question resonated with me because I never got to share my experience of the first day as a UX Researcher, not even during my first job at a tech company. I’ll divide my answer into two parts: first, my experience with my first job at an agency, and second, my most recent and current role at a product company. Qairos Asia My first week as a UX Researcher felt like a dream come true. I was nervous, overwhelmed, and questioning: Did I make it? One of the main reasons I struggle with confidence when socializing is my fear and hesitation to feel comfortable around others again. This started during the pandemic when lockdowns forced us into isolation. At the time, I managed our small family business and did side hustles remotely, with minimal interaction beyond my family. This lack of social engagement significantly impacted my ability to connect with others and took a toll on my mental health, especially …

This photo is Kima Rodriguez new skincare.

My New Skincare

Published by Kima Rodriguez

I’m the kind of woman who can’t resist the allure of the skincare section at the mall. There’s something about browsing through shelves of creams, serums, and masks that fills me with excitement and pure joy. Buying skincare products isn’t just a routine—it’s a little ritual that makes me genuinely happy. Back in high school and college, my skincare routine was as simple as it could get—just using body soap. Sometimes, I had a little extra money. I treated myself to iWhite skincare products from the convenience store during those times. I especially loved those sachet-sized goodies—they were affordable, convenient, and a small luxury at the time. When online shopping platforms like Shopee and Lazada became popular, I finally had access to various affordable face masks. It felt like a dream come true for a skincare enthusiast like me! However, I’ve always been cautious to ensure that I’m purchasing authentic products. Skincare is something I take seriously, and with so many counterfeit items flooding the market, especially online, it can be tricky. I make it …

ALT Mive Style FOlder Flip Phone

Love at First Flip

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Minimalism is about simplifying your life by focusing on what truly matters and letting go of excess stuff. Digital minimalism does the same with technology. It helps you use your devices and apps more mindfully. This approach helps you avoid digital distractions. Both aim to create more space for what’s important. One focuses on physical things. The other focuses on your digital life. Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time on my smartphone. I mostly watch short videos, read comments, and get caught up in content. It’s starting to take a toll on my mental health, and I realize it’s affecting how I feel overall. My screen time is consistently around 7-10 hours a day. I spend most of this time on social media. Somehow, I still managed to get work done during all that time. How do I even juggle both? It’s crazy, lol! I’ve decided to gradually reduce my social media usage, starting with Instagram, X, and TikTok. I can’t promise I’ve completely quit them, but I’ve cut back. Still, there are …

Hello December 2024 ✨

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Reaching the 12th month of the year marks the approach of the year’s end. It is a time for gathering with family and loved ones, exchanging gifts, celebrating Christmas, and preparing for the new year ahead. As I walked through the mall, I couldn’t help but notice the wide variety of planners—each with beautiful designs, well-organized pages, and high-quality covers. Are you one of those people who loves picking up a new planner for the upcoming year? I am, too, but I’ve never been able to consistently stick with it all the way through December. That’s why I’m so impressed by those who manage to record their plans and activities regularly, whether in a traditional notebook or a digital planner. Today marks the first day of December, and it’s also my father’s birthday! Birthdays are always special to me because they remind me to thank God for another year of life, for the gift of time, and for the opportunity to celebrate the person being honored. Life is unpredictable, and we can never truly know …

Do it now

Published by Kima Rodriguez

I don’t know how to describe some recent scenarios in my life, but I want to take a risk and do it. I know I am nervous and scared of doing new things alone and outside of my comfort zone, but I believe in myself. I know I can do it, especially if I am given a chance. Have you ever imagined what your dream job, business, or company would be? These questions always come to mind, and I think about every single detail and ask myself what I really want in life. When I was in high school, I loved using computers. I also blog using Blogspot and Multiply. It’s so fun and engaging for me, especially creating my layout. I also used Friendster to make the layout for my profile, and I really loved that experience. Now, whenever I remember those memories, I’m still excited and happy. I know my dream is to be a web developer, but I recently figured it out. I was so confused back then about what path to …

Embracing Failures

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Today is the last day of June 2024, and I feel like sharing a recent experience just to release and to look forward to in the upcoming months. These past few weeks, I’ve been doing my tasks. As much as possible, I’m trying to give my all to produce quality output. But as a human, I don’t know what will come my way- the so-called unfortunate events. Life is unpredictable and full of surprises. At some point, I knew that I wouldn’t get or achieve everything at once. Some of my plans and goals won’t fall into place as I want them to, but it doesn’t mean I will no longer perceive them. I love receiving feedback for improvements. I’m the type of person who’s open to learning and breakthroughs. I’m not afraid to make mistakes because I believe that failing is an essential step to success. I see failure as a mind opener that I must undergo many times. This experience will wake me up and give me much learning to help me build …

Least Favorite

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Have you experienced being left out or the least favourite in a group? I often experience it from time to time. The feeling of being unwanted and unloved and not being the favourite person makes me feel distant and alone. Sometimes, I think that maybe I’m just sensitive and emotional. But why do I have to feel those specific emotions? Why do I have to be in a group who doesn’t like to be with me? Either way, it’s just a feeling and thought that kept running in my head for a couple of days and will stop and then run again, and the cycle repeats. I know it’s really hard to communicate online, especially as an empathetic who observes behaviors; how can I observe in chat? Hard to tell, and the interpretation will depend on how it is read and understood by a reader like me. So, as much as possible, I’m trying to slow down and understand those who thought in different angles. But reading different books or listening to advices from different …

What gives you direction in life?

Published by Kima Rodriguez

What is life for you? Life is full of surprises. You can not tell what will happen next or if everything will fall according to your plans. It can be fulfilling now, but the next day is full of unfortunate events. Life is a roller coaster ride. I don’t know where my life would be. Where my feet would take me or my dreams would bring me. I’m just enjoying the process and sticking to my goals. Setting a Goal Setting a goal will give you direction. Once you set a goal, you will know where you will go and what you will need. That kind of awareness will create a bridge that will give you direction to reach that goal. I knew from the start that I didn’t know where my life would end up or what career was the best for me. But I didn’t stop looking for the answer. I am still unsure what is best for me, but I am not giving up and am still chasing my dreams. My direction …

Vlogging as an Introvert

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Yesterday, I decided to change my username on YouTube. I want to use kimarodri or kimarodriguez (if not taken) as my username for all my social media platforms. For personal branding, consistency is essential and for other people to easily remember me. As I was about to change, I opened my YouTube account and saw my old videos. I have two shorts and one regular video. This video is like a “vlog” that I uploaded four years ago. Vlogs were very popular at that time. By doing this so-called, Watsons Haul. I was shocked that I did it and joined the trend. I’m an introvert. I know that I am not confident about showing my face, recording, or doing anything. But I find it fun that I managed to experience vlogging. I am forever grateful and happy that I did. At least I have something to look back lol. I shared this with my friends. They all laughed. It seemed like they didn’t expect me to do that, hahaha.