SPOTLIGHT - upon LIEZL LIRASAN
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Liezl Lirasan is 31 years of age, having been born in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to parents from the Philippines. She (Liezl) currently works as an Administrative Assistant/Marketing Executive in the UAE for an Event Management firm; however, her qualifications, skills, accomplishments, work experience and personal interests are multi-faceted. She has a B.Sc. (Tourism Management) degree from De La Salle University (in Dasmariñas, Philippines), and prior to her current position, she worked - as a Customer Service Representative for a major airline in the Philippines, as a Tourism Officer for one of the very tourist-friendly regions in the Philippines, as a Customer Service Executive for a Marketing & Advertising firm in the UAE, and as a Secretary in a Dental Laboratory in the UAE. She is also immensely proud of her high school grades/performances in general... among other things, she excelled in a baking contest during those high school days! She has also won awards from the aviation industry and from a local government authority (for her various organizational abilities). Her love of writing/blogging/personal expression led to her recently creating a heartwarming and inspiring website & blog; via her blog posts, you could get to know much more about her vibrant persona, her emotions, her uplifting moments, her challenges, and her strong beliefs... as well as her many interests in life (of which traveling to different countries is a major one!).
THE INTERVIEW
MAIN QUESTIONS
QUESTION: How did you decide on the name (i.e. title) of your blog and the general design of your blog’s website?
LIEZL: When I first joined Instagram, I really wanted to have a User Name that rhymed with my nickname (“Lee”); so, I decided to take “Yours truly” and just change that a bit to turn it into “Yourstrulie”... since then, I’ve been using that (“Yourstrulie”) or some form of it across my Social Media, and I also decided to name my blog's website as “Yourstrulie" - just to keep the continuity.
I decided on the design of my blog's website based on my personal preferences; I wanted it to have a minimalistic and darkish (yet elegant) look… I hope that I have achieved that, though! Black and white are such "versatile" background colors, and I don't have to worry about the pictures being obscured because most pictures look good against black or white backgrounds. As for the font that I usually use on my blog's website - I tried several, but I went with the current one due mainly to its simplicity. The overall layout of my blog's website was created with these in mind - simplicity, ease-on-the-eye, and user-friendliness.
QUESTION: What were the factors that pushed you towards becoming a blogger?
LIEZL: I’m kind of an introvert… I’m outgoing and friendly, yes, but a part of me seems to hold me back whenever I want to say things to certain people in a direct manner. Having this part of me pushed me to blog… I can write whatever I want to say without thinking about whether I’ll be judged for that, or not! I can also convey my deepest feelings through blogging, and now, blogging helps me to embrace some personal fears. I’m also becoming more vocal, nowadays - thanks to my blogging... yay!
QUESTION: How do you hope to develop your blog, and what do you hope to achieve through your blog?
LIEZL: To develop my blog, I still need to learn so much! I think that I’ll be forever developing my blog because I need to learn more from other people’s blogging experiences and expertise, as well as from my own experiences. About specific blog content - there’s still a lot of learning and understanding that I require, especially regarding how to stay positive and motivated when everything seems to be going downhill; but I'm hoping that my blog can spread awareness and can inspire people who are in tough life situations. If you notice, most of my blog posts are about trying to find the good around us and trying to stay positive, even during life’s dark times... I really hope that my blog posts can help people and can make them feel that they are not alone. And, that’s what I want to achieve, most of all.
QUESTION: Which one of your published blog posts gave you the most happiness while composing it, and what was the reason for that?
LIEZL: Well, I feel happy whenever I’m creating content for my blog… but can I give two answers? Ha! One: When I composed “You Deserved It!”, I was really hyped… emotions were flooding in because of what had happened to me across some prior years. I was about to give up and stop writing, but something gave me the energy to continue with that post. It was the blog post that hit me the hardest, and a lot about my adult life experiences are in that post... but it’s also become one of the favorite written pieces that I look back on. Two: When I wrote about my parents’ journey... that blog post made me so happy, and also thankful for the two of them; I cried when I was writing it. It was (and is) my appreciation post for my parents... without them, there would be no Liezl and no “Yourstrulie"!
QUESTION: Could you describe one major highlight and one major lowlight from your professional (i.e. working) life?
LIEZL: The major highlight of my professional life was my work within the Airline industry - that job helped to mold my personality. I discovered some things about myself… like how patient I could be! We all know how stressful airports and airline-related work can be at times… I was cursed at, yelled at, and even almost got hit, but I still managed to stay calm and accommodating. I could easily multi-task, I learnt… I was announcing and paging while also listening to the radio for internal announcements; I could board a fully-booked flight all by myself (no kidding and no exaggerating!) and could continuously stay awake for more than 24 hours. That job also taught me how to properly communicate with people.
The major lowlight of my professional life was being blindsided by the salary package and job description at one company that I worked for – a position that I initially accepted before regretting my decision, later. At first, it was OK… I still had people around me and still had properly designated work. However, when I got back from some emergency leave, the company director asked me to create Termination Letters for people who I was really close to at work - 3 people in a span of just 1 week! That was the start of several stressful and depressing months for me. I was actually the Secretary, but I also became the Accountant (a position for which I really didn’t have the background or experience!) and the Receptionist, plus - an HR Officer, a Customer Service Representative, the Inventory Clerk, and the Collection Officer. I was working more than 12 hours per day with just 1 day off (each week), not to mention - monitoring all cases that came in and went out. My salary was routinely delayed, and I didn’t have Health Insurance. I finally plucked up the courage to fight the company in the local Labor office.
QUESTION: Could you describe one major highlight and one major lowlight from your student life?
LIEZL: A major highlight during my student life was winning competitions at around the same time in diverse things like - Baking, Swimming and Chess. Such contests taught me how to become a true competitor, and also how to work within a team while not upsetting the unity.
My lowlight as a student was not being able to take certain midterm exams due to one person (who our family had trusted and thus lent money that was meant for my tuition fees) not returning the money back to us in time for me to pay my fees; so, I got depressed and was worried about my future while the fees were not paid and my exams were not completed. However, we eventually managed to pay the university and I got the chance to sit for the special exams, later.
QUESTION: How has traveling to various countries benefited you? What is the best travel-related advice that someone has ever given you?
LIEZL: Traveling to different countries has given me the chance to learn about different cultures, eat different national delicacies, and make new friends. Traveling has also helped me to gather new knowledge about the histories of various countries.
The best travel-related advice that someone has given me is a classic - travel outward light, come back heavy (with souvenirs and legally-permitted food!), and go for a budget hotel that’s clean (as I prefer to be out of the hotel - most of the time - and I also really like to save money for future travels!).
QUESTION: What is your advice, regarding how to best deal with stressful situations? Can you share a past example from your own life to support your advice?
LIEZL: Just don’t take anything too seriously! If you hear something ugly, try to let it bounce off of your ears. Don’t panic and stay cool… that will help you to have a clear mind, so that you can better handle a tough situation. Try to just laugh it away, and don’t ever let your stress ruin you! If it’s work-related stress, leave it at the workplace; if it’s home-related stress, leave it at home. Don’t combine those two… that will make you go nuts! And, just sip a coffee or have an ice-cream (a small quantity, only!)... those usually help me in a big way! When I was working for an airline, dealing with delayed and cancelled flights was really stressful because I needed to handle the stress of the passengers and also keep them (and myself) cool. So, whatever I heard, I didn’t take it too seriously… I know myself better than anyone else knows me!
I can share a story, too... When former US President Barack Obama’s flight was about to leave from my base airport, all flights in the airport were delayed (since no aircraft can take off or land when a Head Of State is in the process of leaving the airport - for security reasons). The situation was super stressful for me… I was alone at a departure gate desk, and my colleagues were a bit away from me because it was very congested around our gate and they didn’t want to deal with so many inconvenienced passengers; I didn’t want to do it, either, but I had no choice. I had no manager/supervisor with me. One guy (passenger) approached me and asked about his flight, even though I’d been regularly announcing about his flight’s status; I answered him in a friendly and polite manner… then, after some time, he again approached me and asked the same question. I asked him to wait for a moment while I refreshed my system... and (ta-dah!) the aircraft for his departing flight had just landed at that very moment; I was so happy and smiling when I informed him about that. But, for some reason, he then hit my desk with his water bottle and cursed me and asked if I wanted him to hit me! I was super stressed, tired, hungry, and sleepy… but I still didn’t let him get to me. I politely told him that it would be up to him (about whether to hit me or not)… it’s a free country; but I wouldn’t just sit back and cry, and I’d file a case with the police. Then, other passengers got involved and persuaded him to not fight with me, anymore.
RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS
QUESTION: What is your favorite song to listen to (title and artist)?
LIEZL: I actually have two joint favorites... (a) “Told You So” by Little Mix; (b) “Spring” by Park Bom featuring Sandara Park.
QUESTION: What is your favorite book (title and author)?
LIEZL: I actually have two joint favorites… (a) “Angels & Demons” by Dan Brown; (b) “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown.
QUESTION: What is your favorite movie?
LIEZL: “The Little Mermaid” – 1989.
QUESTION: What is your favorite sport (to watch)?
LIEZL: Basketball.
QUESTION: What is your favorite edible item (either a dish or a snack)?
LIEZL: Sinigang na Bangus (Filipino Milkfish in Tamarind Broth) – a traditional dish in the Philippines.
QUESTION: What is your favorite quote/proverb?
LIEZL: “Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable” - Emily Guay.
QUESTION: Which animal do you most relate to?
LIEZL: Dog.
QUESTION: Which city/town would you most like to visit (either again or for the first time)?
LIEZL: Santorini in Greece.
QUESTION: Which historical event has left the biggest impression on you?
LIEZL: Panay Landing, which took place on March 18, 1945 (that is - Panay Liberation Day, in the Philippines).
QUESTION: Which celebrity (past or present) do you most admire?
LIEZL: Sandara Park (South Korean singer, actress, and TV presenter).
QUESTION: How many hours (out of the 24 in a day) would you ideally like to set aside for sleep?
LIEZL: 8 hours (I never really feel sleep-deprived, and I generally prefer to use any additional available time to do things other than sleeping).
QUESTION: How many separate vacations (each lasting 2 weeks or more) would you like to have in each year?
LIEZL: 2 or 3 (I believe that I first need to work hard, so that I can feel satisfied enough with myself to award myself any vacations).
QUESTION: How old would you have to be before you could start to think of yourself as an “elderly person”?
LIEZL: 70 years old, I guess (but I think that I’ll be forever young at heart!).
QUESTION: How many hours in a week (on average) do you set aside for “beauty” (i.e. hair-care, skincare, nail-care, and makeup in general)?
LIEZL: 10.5 hours per week (however, I’m not much of a “make-up person”… it all depends on my mood and on my schedule for the day, anyway).
QUESTION: Women’s hair – shoulder-length, mid-back-length, waist-length… which is the nicest of those three, in your opinion?
LIEZL: Mid-back-length (as that’s easiest to fix, based on my own experience).
QUESTION: Lipstick, eye-shadow, nail polish… which is the most essential of those three, in your opinion?
LIEZL: Lipstick.
QUESTION: High heels being compulsory for women in many workplaces… do you approve, disapprove, or have no specific opinion?
LIEZL: Approve (high heels can make a woman look more sophisticated; however, high heels should not be totally compulsory when a lot of walking/running is required in the workplace).
QUESTION: Designer clothing brands are worthy of having expensive price tags… do you agree, disagree, or have no specific opinion?
LIEZL: Disagree (pricey “brand name” items can help to create class divisions among people, and you can often buy very similar items at much cheaper prices without compromising on quality - despite the items not being from well-known companies).
QUESTION: How did you decide on the name (i.e. title) of your blog and the general design of your blog’s website?
LIEZL: When I first joined Instagram, I really wanted to have a User Name that rhymed with my nickname (“Lee”); so, I decided to take “Yours truly” and just change that a bit to turn it into “Yourstrulie”... since then, I’ve been using that (“Yourstrulie”) or some form of it across my Social Media, and I also decided to name my blog's website as “Yourstrulie" - just to keep the continuity.
I decided on the design of my blog's website based on my personal preferences; I wanted it to have a minimalistic and darkish (yet elegant) look… I hope that I have achieved that, though! Black and white are such "versatile" background colors, and I don't have to worry about the pictures being obscured because most pictures look good against black or white backgrounds. As for the font that I usually use on my blog's website - I tried several, but I went with the current one due mainly to its simplicity. The overall layout of my blog's website was created with these in mind - simplicity, ease-on-the-eye, and user-friendliness.
QUESTION: What were the factors that pushed you towards becoming a blogger?
LIEZL: I’m kind of an introvert… I’m outgoing and friendly, yes, but a part of me seems to hold me back whenever I want to say things to certain people in a direct manner. Having this part of me pushed me to blog… I can write whatever I want to say without thinking about whether I’ll be judged for that, or not! I can also convey my deepest feelings through blogging, and now, blogging helps me to embrace some personal fears. I’m also becoming more vocal, nowadays - thanks to my blogging... yay!
QUESTION: How do you hope to develop your blog, and what do you hope to achieve through your blog?
LIEZL: To develop my blog, I still need to learn so much! I think that I’ll be forever developing my blog because I need to learn more from other people’s blogging experiences and expertise, as well as from my own experiences. About specific blog content - there’s still a lot of learning and understanding that I require, especially regarding how to stay positive and motivated when everything seems to be going downhill; but I'm hoping that my blog can spread awareness and can inspire people who are in tough life situations. If you notice, most of my blog posts are about trying to find the good around us and trying to stay positive, even during life’s dark times... I really hope that my blog posts can help people and can make them feel that they are not alone. And, that’s what I want to achieve, most of all.
QUESTION: Which one of your published blog posts gave you the most happiness while composing it, and what was the reason for that?
LIEZL: Well, I feel happy whenever I’m creating content for my blog… but can I give two answers? Ha! One: When I composed “You Deserved It!”, I was really hyped… emotions were flooding in because of what had happened to me across some prior years. I was about to give up and stop writing, but something gave me the energy to continue with that post. It was the blog post that hit me the hardest, and a lot about my adult life experiences are in that post... but it’s also become one of the favorite written pieces that I look back on. Two: When I wrote about my parents’ journey... that blog post made me so happy, and also thankful for the two of them; I cried when I was writing it. It was (and is) my appreciation post for my parents... without them, there would be no Liezl and no “Yourstrulie"!
QUESTION: Could you describe one major highlight and one major lowlight from your professional (i.e. working) life?
LIEZL: The major highlight of my professional life was my work within the Airline industry - that job helped to mold my personality. I discovered some things about myself… like how patient I could be! We all know how stressful airports and airline-related work can be at times… I was cursed at, yelled at, and even almost got hit, but I still managed to stay calm and accommodating. I could easily multi-task, I learnt… I was announcing and paging while also listening to the radio for internal announcements; I could board a fully-booked flight all by myself (no kidding and no exaggerating!) and could continuously stay awake for more than 24 hours. That job also taught me how to properly communicate with people.
The major lowlight of my professional life was being blindsided by the salary package and job description at one company that I worked for – a position that I initially accepted before regretting my decision, later. At first, it was OK… I still had people around me and still had properly designated work. However, when I got back from some emergency leave, the company director asked me to create Termination Letters for people who I was really close to at work - 3 people in a span of just 1 week! That was the start of several stressful and depressing months for me. I was actually the Secretary, but I also became the Accountant (a position for which I really didn’t have the background or experience!) and the Receptionist, plus - an HR Officer, a Customer Service Representative, the Inventory Clerk, and the Collection Officer. I was working more than 12 hours per day with just 1 day off (each week), not to mention - monitoring all cases that came in and went out. My salary was routinely delayed, and I didn’t have Health Insurance. I finally plucked up the courage to fight the company in the local Labor office.
QUESTION: Could you describe one major highlight and one major lowlight from your student life?
LIEZL: A major highlight during my student life was winning competitions at around the same time in diverse things like - Baking, Swimming and Chess. Such contests taught me how to become a true competitor, and also how to work within a team while not upsetting the unity.
My lowlight as a student was not being able to take certain midterm exams due to one person (who our family had trusted and thus lent money that was meant for my tuition fees) not returning the money back to us in time for me to pay my fees; so, I got depressed and was worried about my future while the fees were not paid and my exams were not completed. However, we eventually managed to pay the university and I got the chance to sit for the special exams, later.
QUESTION: How has traveling to various countries benefited you? What is the best travel-related advice that someone has ever given you?
LIEZL: Traveling to different countries has given me the chance to learn about different cultures, eat different national delicacies, and make new friends. Traveling has also helped me to gather new knowledge about the histories of various countries.
The best travel-related advice that someone has given me is a classic - travel outward light, come back heavy (with souvenirs and legally-permitted food!), and go for a budget hotel that’s clean (as I prefer to be out of the hotel - most of the time - and I also really like to save money for future travels!).
QUESTION: What is your advice, regarding how to best deal with stressful situations? Can you share a past example from your own life to support your advice?
LIEZL: Just don’t take anything too seriously! If you hear something ugly, try to let it bounce off of your ears. Don’t panic and stay cool… that will help you to have a clear mind, so that you can better handle a tough situation. Try to just laugh it away, and don’t ever let your stress ruin you! If it’s work-related stress, leave it at the workplace; if it’s home-related stress, leave it at home. Don’t combine those two… that will make you go nuts! And, just sip a coffee or have an ice-cream (a small quantity, only!)... those usually help me in a big way! When I was working for an airline, dealing with delayed and cancelled flights was really stressful because I needed to handle the stress of the passengers and also keep them (and myself) cool. So, whatever I heard, I didn’t take it too seriously… I know myself better than anyone else knows me!
I can share a story, too... When former US President Barack Obama’s flight was about to leave from my base airport, all flights in the airport were delayed (since no aircraft can take off or land when a Head Of State is in the process of leaving the airport - for security reasons). The situation was super stressful for me… I was alone at a departure gate desk, and my colleagues were a bit away from me because it was very congested around our gate and they didn’t want to deal with so many inconvenienced passengers; I didn’t want to do it, either, but I had no choice. I had no manager/supervisor with me. One guy (passenger) approached me and asked about his flight, even though I’d been regularly announcing about his flight’s status; I answered him in a friendly and polite manner… then, after some time, he again approached me and asked the same question. I asked him to wait for a moment while I refreshed my system... and (ta-dah!) the aircraft for his departing flight had just landed at that very moment; I was so happy and smiling when I informed him about that. But, for some reason, he then hit my desk with his water bottle and cursed me and asked if I wanted him to hit me! I was super stressed, tired, hungry, and sleepy… but I still didn’t let him get to me. I politely told him that it would be up to him (about whether to hit me or not)… it’s a free country; but I wouldn’t just sit back and cry, and I’d file a case with the police. Then, other passengers got involved and persuaded him to not fight with me, anymore.
RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS
QUESTION: What is your favorite song to listen to (title and artist)?
LIEZL: I actually have two joint favorites... (a) “Told You So” by Little Mix; (b) “Spring” by Park Bom featuring Sandara Park.
QUESTION: What is your favorite book (title and author)?
LIEZL: I actually have two joint favorites… (a) “Angels & Demons” by Dan Brown; (b) “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown.
QUESTION: What is your favorite movie?
LIEZL: “The Little Mermaid” – 1989.
QUESTION: What is your favorite sport (to watch)?
LIEZL: Basketball.
QUESTION: What is your favorite edible item (either a dish or a snack)?
LIEZL: Sinigang na Bangus (Filipino Milkfish in Tamarind Broth) – a traditional dish in the Philippines.
QUESTION: What is your favorite quote/proverb?
LIEZL: “Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable” - Emily Guay.
QUESTION: Which animal do you most relate to?
LIEZL: Dog.
QUESTION: Which city/town would you most like to visit (either again or for the first time)?
LIEZL: Santorini in Greece.
QUESTION: Which historical event has left the biggest impression on you?
LIEZL: Panay Landing, which took place on March 18, 1945 (that is - Panay Liberation Day, in the Philippines).
QUESTION: Which celebrity (past or present) do you most admire?
LIEZL: Sandara Park (South Korean singer, actress, and TV presenter).
QUESTION: How many hours (out of the 24 in a day) would you ideally like to set aside for sleep?
LIEZL: 8 hours (I never really feel sleep-deprived, and I generally prefer to use any additional available time to do things other than sleeping).
QUESTION: How many separate vacations (each lasting 2 weeks or more) would you like to have in each year?
LIEZL: 2 or 3 (I believe that I first need to work hard, so that I can feel satisfied enough with myself to award myself any vacations).
QUESTION: How old would you have to be before you could start to think of yourself as an “elderly person”?
LIEZL: 70 years old, I guess (but I think that I’ll be forever young at heart!).
QUESTION: How many hours in a week (on average) do you set aside for “beauty” (i.e. hair-care, skincare, nail-care, and makeup in general)?
LIEZL: 10.5 hours per week (however, I’m not much of a “make-up person”… it all depends on my mood and on my schedule for the day, anyway).
QUESTION: Women’s hair – shoulder-length, mid-back-length, waist-length… which is the nicest of those three, in your opinion?
LIEZL: Mid-back-length (as that’s easiest to fix, based on my own experience).
QUESTION: Lipstick, eye-shadow, nail polish… which is the most essential of those three, in your opinion?
LIEZL: Lipstick.
QUESTION: High heels being compulsory for women in many workplaces… do you approve, disapprove, or have no specific opinion?
LIEZL: Approve (high heels can make a woman look more sophisticated; however, high heels should not be totally compulsory when a lot of walking/running is required in the workplace).
QUESTION: Designer clothing brands are worthy of having expensive price tags… do you agree, disagree, or have no specific opinion?
LIEZL: Disagree (pricey “brand name” items can help to create class divisions among people, and you can often buy very similar items at much cheaper prices without compromising on quality - despite the items not being from well-known companies).
SOME LINKS
WEBSITE/BLOG: yourstruliehome.wordpress.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/yourstruliesblog
TWITTER: twitter.com/yourstrulie1806
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/yourstrulie1806
PINTEREST: pinterest.ph/yourstrulie1806
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/yourstruliesblog
TWITTER: twitter.com/yourstrulie1806
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/yourstrulie1806
PINTEREST: pinterest.ph/yourstrulie1806