Loren’s Top 10 pieces of advice for millennials

I met Sen. Loren Legarda back in 1981 during a trip to Europe. While I was with my late sister Lupe, Loren was by herself. 

During the trip, Loren and I got along really well and on our free time, we would explore the city together. There was one moment during our trip, while my sister wanted to rest, Loren asked me to join her on a walking tour around Paris. We enjoyed the walk so much until it got dark and we couldn’t find our way back to the hotel. We both didn’t speak French and there were no cellphones at the time. I must admit I got so scared being in a foreign place but Loren kept her cool, patiently asking people, going around trying to figure out how we could find our way back.

This may have been a simple incident but the manner in which she handled the situation, and the many more situations we shared  ever since I met her, showed me how good she would be as a leader.

With the youth of her home province of Antique.

As Loren ends her three terms as senator, she leaves us with many pieces of legislation she has authored and sponsored that aim to improve the lives of our countrymen and promote inclusive, sustainable and resilient development.

Read on as Sen. Loren Legarda shares with us her Top 10 pieces of advice for millennials.

1. Find your passion. With many things you see on social media, it could be a struggle to find what you want in life. Do not be persuaded by fad. Find out what you are passionate about because passion will fuel you to work hard.

2. Have a “can-do” attitude. I have always believed that there is no such thing as “it can’t be done.” If you haven’t achieved your goal yet, then you haven’t done enough. It is also important to always have a positive outlook. Do not entertain negative thoughts because these will drag you down.

3. Learn from your mistakes. Life is full of mistakes, even failure. Mistakes should make you wiser if you learn from them, failures should make you stronger if you rise above them.

During a Senate session.

4. Follow your parents. The saying “mothers know best” is a cliché because it is true. Your parents know what’s good for you. Listen to them and always seek their advice.

5. Trace your roots. There is nothing wrong with admiring other people, but it certainly gives you pride when you find out that you had a great grandfather who was a war veteran, or a great granduncle who was a mayor or governor, or a great grandmother who was a notable artist of her time. It certainly is Instagram-worthy, but what is more important is that it will help solidify your identity.

6. Be eco-friendly. We are all stewards of the earth. We are all responsible in taking good care of nature. We are supposed to leave it better for the future generations, so do your part by living sustainably. You can start by using reusable water bottles and utensils so you won’t need to use the disposable cups and utensils next time you eat at your favorite restaurant. I also encourage everyone to plant and grow a tree.

Loren encourages everyone, especially the youth, to plant and grow a tree.

7. Enjoy life because it’s short.

8. Be grateful. There’s so much to be thankful for and we should never forget to thank the people around us and the God who provides.

9. Love. When your heart is full of love, it is easy to share, be kind, be forgiving and be happy. Let us nurture love instead of instigating hate.

10. Pray. Not only when you’re troubled, but more so when you’re blessed.

With Sama and Tausug weavers and embroiderers at the National Museum. It has been Legarda’s advocacy to showcase the exceptional skills and world-class work of weavers and indigenous artisans through various programs with government agencies such as the National Museum, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Department of Trade and Industry. Photos courtesy of Sen. Loren Legarda

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