Halu !

Just this morning I totally messed up my morning coffee ritual. 

As a person living in Batangas, I'm spoiled. I really prefer brewing my own coffee. (Hu u kayong mga 3-in-1 lol)

So yun na nga, I was getting ready to make a fresh cup of Joe, when I realized I ran out of coffee beans na pala. Oh no!!

Buti na lang, I found some instant coffee hiding in the back of the kitchen cabinet.

Not my proudest moment, but it got me thinking about how we often overcomplicate what it means to "show up" consistently.

We think we need this perfect setup, the right motivation, or some magical alignment of the stars. Kalorkey. 

Let me share 5 tricks I've learned that make showing up feel effortless (promise, this works even for recovering procrastinators like me):

1. Make it Ridiculously Easy

Let me share something real with you - I'm currently on a 475-day streak with Duolingo. Four hundred and seventy five days. that's 110 days + a year.

I know right, I can hardly believe it myself. hehe

But you know how it started? Just one 2-minute lesson a day. That's it!

Natawa nga si Julian noon kasi super basic lang ng first few lessons. "Dad, that's too easy!"

I'm happy that he's also starting to take up the habit of learning languages, yehey!

Too easy...

Exactly. That's the point!

2. Give Yourself Permission to Have Bad Days

May mga araw talaga na wala sa mood.

Back to Duolingo. There were nights after long drives or events when I could barely keep my eyes open.

Times after trips when jet lag hit so hard, I had to use my streak freeze just to keep going.

But you know what? That's totally okay! The goal isn't perfection - it's progress.

Nakaka-miss talaga ako ng day every once in a while but I still choose to get back to it agad.

3. Track Your Wins (kahit maliit)

I learned this from Matthew Dicks in his book "Someday is Today" - keep a wins file! 

I have a simple Google doc where I list down small victories. Hindi lang yung mga malaking achievements ha. It's usually from people who send thank you notes or appreciation notes for even the smallest things.

Basta anything na pampa-good vibes.

4. Stack Those Habits

I've written about habit stacking before, and this is my favorite trick! Attach new habits to stuff you already do.

After brushing my teeth at night? Put phone away and don't bring it to bed.

After making coffee? Read one page.

After opening my laptop first thing in the work day? Send one prospecting message.

Simple lang, but so effective.

5. Change Your Story

Here's the real game-changer - stop saying "I want to be consistent" and start saying "I'm someone who shows up for my business everyday."

See the difference? 

The magic happens when showing up isn't something you force yourself to do - it becomes who you are.

So here's my challenge for you: Pick ONE tiny action you'll do tomorrow. Something so small, it feels almost stupid. 

Could be:

- One sentence for your portfolio

- One message to a potential client

- One minute of skill-building

Reply and tell me what you choose. Let's make this showing up thing a party! 🎉

Let's celebrate your progress,

Shoden "Tara Kape" San

P.S. Pano mo ba gustong i-level up ang freelancing mo this year? I'm curious! Hit reply, I actually read and respond to emails (yes, even with instant coffee in hand 😅).

🎉 Pst. Don't Keep Me A Secret. refer this newsletter to your freelancer friends. This REALLY REALLY helps me a lot, thanks!