“Your future is already in your mind, take the right action and see better results.”

Aljen dela Cruz is 31 years old, from Pangasinan, Philippines, and has been working as a migrant domestic worker in Hong Kong for 7 years. Below, she shares her empowerment journey:

“Every time I feel homesick, I just use my imagination, visualising myself with my family and grandma and having a wonderful time together. Talking to them through video or phone calls helps me feel connected. However, I felt lost about the real reason why I was here. I look forward to a better future, but, when I started to work, I had many apprehensions holding me back from working on my goals. I worked aimlessly, and mis-spent my money.”

Aljen enrolled in Uplifters’ “Dare to Dream” online course to work on herself and her perspectives about life.

“Before, I always procrastinated all of my plans. I felt scared to decide and always relied on other people’s opinions. After taking the course, I learnt to make my own decisions, be specific about what I want and not to be afraid of taking risks. I learned to manage my finances and have become more consistent in following my yearly savings plan.

I am so happy and grateful now that my savings are increasing gradually. When I realised the value of every centavo I spend, I started planning for my dream of having my own house. I finally have my own home and I’m moving on to my next goal of furnishing it. I also support my family and my younger brother with his tuition fees. I am very strict about remitting my money because I am also saving for myself. Being single is not easy but I know I should be responsible for my future.

‘Dare to Dream’ taught me to believe in my capabilities. I became motivated in everyday life. Moreover, it boosts my self-confidence to grow and become a better version of myself. I learned to change my paradigm in order to change my life.

I feel grateful that, even though I have a lot of work, it is not a hindrance to growing myself. I learned to value my time and kept learning. Keeping my mind busy helps me control my emotions and have a better attitude throughout the day. After work, I will read books and search the Internet for self-improvement articles. I study free online courses or webinars about personal development.”

“I am looking forward to a better future now that I have learned to become more specific about what I want. I dream of having a happy and wonderful family, living in my dream house and having my own coffee shop or restaurant business that utilises my talents and abilities in organising events and food catering.”

Aljen is now one of Uplifters’ Diamond Team Leaders, grateful to be part of a community that helped her find her purpose in life, believing that, if she can change, others can too.