All posts tagged: Featured

A Season of Change: From Lost to Found

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Wow, time flies! We just welcomed the new year; the first quarter is almost over. Three months have passed in a blink—crazy, right? This made me realize how important it is to enjoy every moment. Right now, exactly where you are, is the youngest you’ll ever be. So spend time with your loved ones, do what makes you happy, pursue that career, start that business—whatever it is you’ve been putting off. There’s no such thing as perfect timing. If you keep waiting for the “right moment,” you might miss many opportunities because you don’t feel ready. Lately, I’ve been wanting to document everything. I’ve never been good at keeping planners—I’d always start strong, then leave pages blank. But this time, I want to make it a habit. Even though I have this blog to reflect on, I also want to organize my thoughts and track where life (and God) is leading me. I don’t want to stress too much about the future. Overthinking drains my energy and steals time I could use to celebrate life …

Setbacks to New Beginnings

Published by Kima Rodriguez

The start of the year didn’t go as I had hoped. Life has a way of reminding us that change is the only constant, and part of that reality was facing an unexpected challenge—I got laid off. It was a tough moment, but I believed every obstacle serves a purpose, even if we don’t see it immediately. While January brought bad news, I refused to let it define my year. I reminded myself that setbacks aren’t the enemy but redirections toward something better. And just before February ended, I received some incredible news—a new job offer! This experience has reinforced my faith that everything happens for a reason. Challenges may shake us, but they also pave the way for new opportunities. Here’s to moving forward, embracing change, and trusting the journey ahead!

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. It took a toll on my mental health, especially …

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 …

How will I overcome Impostor Syndrome?

Published by Kima Rodriguez

What is Impostor Syndrome? Impostor Syndrome is a psychological occurrence or a condition of feeling anxious, doubting skills, talents, accomplishments, or not believing in oneself. Challenge Lately, I find myself afraid and anxious about my skills in the company I am now working at. There are times that my confidence are getting low just because I think I am not good and reliable enough to do the job I need to do. I know that these feelings are just in the mind. But still, I want to express it here so it won’t stay in my head. I have no one to share this kind of feeling because I don’t want to bring negative energy to others. Solution The only way I know to address this is by atomically changing my daily habits because it can impact the way neurons work, especially if the habits are repeatedly undergone. In continuing this, I know I will develop a new behavior that can change how I perceive myself.

UXR-niversary!

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Today is an important day for me. I will never forget this day and cherish it for the rest of my life! Backstory I started transitioning my career during the pandemic while managing my family business. I researched and upskilled. My dream is to work in tech. Work from home with your PC/laptop and working. It’s fun and exciting because I came from a working environment that needs to be physically present, shifting, and do over time. At first, I was ok with it, but I knew this was not what I wanted. That’s the reason I pursue my dream job. I know it’s risky because I need to start from scratch again, but it’s ok. I know I can do this! When I was in high school, I was sure that I wanted a computer career. I love computers! That’s my favourite subject and the organization I joined back then. We call our group “Charle’s Babbage Club.” I don’t know. It sounds weird now, but back then, it was awesome, hahaha. Challenges After graduation, …

The Role of Faith in My Job Search Success

Published by Kima Rodriguez

Life is full of unpredictable events and scenarios. I can’t tell why everything happened, but I know it is God’s will. Now I am writing because I have good news. As you can see in the picture, I received my employment ID. EMPLOYMENT ID!! 🤗 I am sharing with you that I have finally been hired and started working at Booky! I didn’t expect this to happen in my life. But with God’s plan and blessing, I knew this was all he wanted for me. When I got laid off, I cried and cried and thought, what if no company would accept me? What if I am unemployed forever? I started hating myself at that time, but things changed. I saw the job posting and wondered whether I should apply or just let it go. Thankfully, I did! Backstory My heart leaped when I received a call from HR about my initial interview schedule. I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness, especially since I was still in a somewhat sorrowful state of mind. During …

This is my keyboard.

I applied and got rejected, and it’s okay.

Published by Kima Rodriguez

My favorite month is about to end; whether I like it or not, I can’t do anything but accept and go with the flow of life. I’ve been surviving 2023 with a growth mindset; however, pressure kills my vibe. Looking back when 2023 just came in, but now the second month of 2023 is about to end, it hit me how time changes so fast. Why so fast? I’m scared that I might end up accomplishing nothing this year. I’m afraid that I won’t finish all my goals. Monthly check I’m starting a monthly check, and it’s the overall achievement and accomplishments I’ve made this month. I want to help myself to stay on track. I believe with this kind of mentality and accountability, I can realign my goals and system. This monthly check is the only way I can help myself by doing my best and becoming consistent in my agendas. Job hunting Since I finished my Google UX Specialization, I started to build up my portfolio using Behance and updated my resume. I …

Why User Experience?

Published by Kima Rodriguez

I’m constantly encountering this question whenever I’m communicating with recruiters during interviews or with colleagues and friends. One of my “common” (because I encounter it all the time) problems is that I don’t know what and where I’m good at. This is also why I look around to find my way. A road that I can turn to keep my engine moving and enjoy my journey. Love at first sight I stumbled upon user experience in the book The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman and vloggers, so I researched more about it, read articles, and attended courses and conferences. The good thing is that I’m enjoying it. At first, I was not fully committed because I was weighing things out. Still, as time went to by, I also realized that this was the kind of work I always dreamed about – working for products, doing research, collecting users’ insights, improving the outcomes and process, designing, and working with a team of creatives. I love that. Am I fit? As someone with a background in …

Something about 28th

Published by Kima Rodriguez

I’m turning 28 in a few days, and here I am, still in the same boat as before. I wonder where this pressure and fear come from, but I do feel that turning 28 in this state is not something that I wish about. I always overthink and ask myself these questions “What happened?”, “Is this the end?”, “Will I still be able to achieve my dreams?” and “Until when will I stay this way?” Turning 28 with no job, savings, or career is something that all people are scared about. I can’t blame anyone, though I know I am the only one responsible for my life. I am still lucky to live in a house with food to eat and water to drink. I’m a failure but a learner I failed in different scenarios in my life. I don’t know where it all starts, but from the very first, I don’t know what I want. When I entered college, I was undecided. I wanted a computer-related course, but then I took Biology because my parents …