Just before the pandemic struck, Sarah Geronimo-Guidicelli had just begun a new chapter of her life as a newly married woman. She had also just completed a Valentines concert, and was looking forward to more exciting projects for 2020. However, the pandemic put a pause to many of her plans. She saw herself constantly worrying about the health and safety of her loved ones. She kept playing out different scenarios in her head, which caused her much worry.
“Naapektuhan ako ng uncertainty ng panahon, lalo na at may kinakalaban tayo na virus. It was a constant battle in my mind,” said the pop superstar and Manulife brand ambassador.
However, it was this same concern for her loved ones and her determination to take care of them that gave her the strength to pull herself together.
She found that learning new skills can be an effective way to boost one’s mental and emotional well-being, not just because it distracts her from her fears, but also because it gave her a sense of accomplishment and helped her grow as a person.
“Nag-start ako by learning how to bake bread. Noong una, hindi siya okay,” she admitted with a laugh. In fact, when she asked her husband to judge, “niluwa niya po” because it was too hard. But the award-winning singer did not let this discourage her and she kept practicing. “I eventually learned to bake other things, like cakes!” she proudly shared.
She also honed her cooking skills, taking on recipes for her favorite dishes like kare-kare and pinakbet. Even though she has been indulging in food, she still tries her best to make them healthy.
She also tries to be more committed to being physically active. With the influence of her husband, she has taken up running. While she’s not yet running as often as she feels she should, she is committed to do better. “Plano kong gawing regularly ang occasionally!” she said.
Now that she is heading her own household and looking to eventually build her own family, she has also been learning how to better handle money. “Nagpapasalamat ako sa mommy ko dahil tinutulungan niya ako to manage my finances noong nagsisimula pa lang ako sa aking career. Ngayon, I’m happy to be working together with my husband and partners like Manulife to help us with our finances and plan our future as a family.”
