Even pop superstar Sarah Geronimo-Guidicelli found herself anxious and worried because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just before the pandemic struck, she had just begun a new chapter of her life as a newly married woman. She had also just completed a Valentine’s 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 admitted to 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,” shared Geronimo-Guidicelli.
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 realized, “Mas maaalagaan mo sila kapag inaalagaan mo rin sarili mo.”
To cope with mental and emotional stress, the singer and actress chose to redirect her anxieties to learning new skills, which, she said, did not only help distract her but also gave her a sense of accomplishment.
“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 she did not let this discourage her and she instead kept practicing. “I eventually learned how to bake other things, like cakes!” she proudly shared.
Geronimo-Guidicelli also honed her cooking skills, making her favorite dishes like kare-kare and pinakbet. Even though she has been indulging in food, she still does her best to make them healthy.
She tries to be more committed to being physically active. With the influence of her triathlete 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 beamed.
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 tinulungan 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.”
Geronimo-Guidicelli shared that she has been putting her hard-earned money into different investment opportunities. Now more than ever, she has also developed a deeper understanding of how insurance protection can help one face the future—and even gain peace of mind in the present.
“Dahil ang daming uncertainties, one of the best things you can do is to secure your health and your future by having insurance protection. Mahalaga rin na you are financially prepared para kahit ano ang mangyari, mayroon kang mapapagkuhanan ng suporta.”
Manulife’s HealthFlex is the first and only life and health insurance product in the market that provides customers the flexibility to select the critical illness plan that’s right for their needs, and allows them to add optional benefits of their choice.
Photo from Sarah Geronimo/Facebook
She recognizes that people may be at different stages of their personal journeys. Wherever they may be in life, she hopes her fans and supporters can cultivate self-compassion and take time to appreciate where they are and how much they have grown.
“Huwag nating kakalimutan to not be too hard on ourselves. Enjoy the fruits of your labor,” she encouraged.
