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Pausing the Scroll, Finding Your Center: #StartWithin for Filipino Women Navigating Modern Life
- Business & Social
- By InLife Sheroes
- Apr 09, 2025
- 0 Comments
Let’s be honest—how many times have you opened your phone to check one notification, only to look up an hour later, feeling drained, low-key anxious, and a little unsure why? That’s not just you. That’s the everyday experience for many Filipino women trying to balance work, family, social lives, and self-worth in a world that rarely stops spinning.
In a culture that’s increasingly online, staying connected can sometimes mean feeling disconnected—from ourselves. This is where the #StartWithin movement comes in: not as another feel-good slogan, but as a necessary reminder that real empowerment doesn’t start with someone else’s post—it starts with your own pause.
The Pressure of the Perfect Feed
Social media isn’t the villain here. It’s a tool that connects us to ideas, people, and opportunities. But for many Filipino women, it’s also become a constant mirror—one that reflects idealized versions of beauty, success, productivity, and happiness.
The result? We measure our value against curated stories. We hustle to stay “relevant.” We compare our daily grind to someone else’s highlight reel. Until slowly, we lose touch with our own voices and rhythms.
There’s a name for that creeping exhaustion: burnout. And more than physical fatigue, it’s an emotional depletion that stems from always being “on.”
The Case for Hitting Pause and Finding Your Center
What the #StartWithin movement encourages a radical shift. Instead of chasing more, it’s about choosing presence. Instead of reacting, it’s about realigning. It’s not about dropping everything and going off the grid (though that’s fine, too). It’s about making small, conscious choices that prioritize your inner life before your online life.
So how do you begin? Here’s where it gets real.
1. Set Boundaries with Your Tech
It’s not about demonizing your phone. It’s about taking back control. Try these:
- Use the “Do Not Disturb” feature during meals or before bed.
- Delete apps that don’t serve your well-being, even temporarily.
- Schedule social media check-ins instead of impulsively scrolling.
The point isn’t to disconnect entirely. It’s to build moments in your day where you can hear your own thoughts without background noise.
2. Replace Scrolling with Solitude
There’s a difference between being alone and being still. One is passive, the other is intentional.
- Start your day with five quiet minutes.
- Journal your thoughts—no need to be poetic, just be real.
- Go on solo walks without music or podcasts.
These are not huge changes, but they rewire your brain to focus inward instead of constantly seeking stimulation.
3. Be Curious About Your Reactions
Every time you feel that familiar pang of insecurity or FOMO while online, pause. Ask:
- Why did that bother me?
- What am I craving right now?
- Is this about them or me?
This practice doesn’t judge you—it just builds self-awareness. The more honest you are, the more you start making choices aligned with your values, not just trends.
4. Find Anchors in Your Day
An anchor is anything that brings you back to yourself. It can be a short prayer, a breathing exercise, a midday stretch, or talking to someone who really sees you. You don’t need to overhaul your lifestyle—you just need to create space for these grounding moments.
5. Redefine What Growth Looks Like
Growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s in saying “no.” Sometimes it’s in logging off. Sometimes it’s in deciding that rest is productive.
Starting within doesn’t look the same for everyone. For one woman, it’s leaving a job that drains her. For another, it’s finally taking a break without guilt. What matters is that it’s your step, in your direction.
Start Within, Stay Real
In a world that rewards performance, it’s powerful to pause. It’s brave to be present. The #StartWithin movement isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being real with yourself, every day.
This is the kind of strength that lasts. The kind that isn’t shaken by algorithms or trends. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
InLife Sheroes is a community of Filipino women who inspire, support, and empower each other through every season. We believe that the most important work we do isn’t just out there—it starts within.
Let’s grow inward. Let’s show up for ourselves. Let’s #StartWithin.
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