Creatures of Habit

I am a creature of habit. I’ve not drastically changed my hairstyle in the past 15 or so years. I’ve not colored, re-bonded, nor permed my hair despite the stylist’s best efforts to convince me. I have my hair trimmed regularly so it manages to stay within the same length, more or less. I’ve not changed my cellphone number since I first got it in college – more than 15 years ago. And in that span of time, I’ve only owned 5 pairs of phones, most of them hand-me-downs.

 I wonder sometimes if this is a personality quirk or if I’ve just grown older and “set in my ways.” My biggest fear is that I’ll get so used to the way things are and have always been, that at some point in the future I’ll become obsolete. But when I look back at my life I realize that while change is good, too much change can be paralyzing.

 I used to really hate wearing uniforms as a kid. I would whine why I couldn’t dress up like I wanted to every day like the American kids on TV. But when I went to college and had the freedom of dressing the way I wanted, I soon got tired of it. Of course I enjoyed dressing up and thinking about what to wear but doing so when I was already late was so stressful. These days, I’m grateful for having a job that requires me to wear a uniform. Then I can spend more time thinking of other things.

I’ve found that not having to make certain choices daily leaves me with more time to think about the changes that matter to me. Not always having to think about what sort of pen to buy or which hairstyle to sport, gives me more time to come up with something creative for work. Not worrying about whether to get the latest gadget or buy the latest fashion allows me to use my money for other things – such as travel or books – that will change my perspective and not just my look. And not worrying about having to constantly adapt, gives me more room to think about and pray over the life patterns and habits that I want change consciously.

The world would have us think that unless we’re always willing to try something new or to gamble on the next big thrill, we’re not really making the most of our lives and choices. To a certain extent, that’s true. Which means that to a certain extent, it isn’t. Being a creature of habit can be both limiting and freeing. The key to navigating our lives is to find the balance between the two and to realize whether it’s routine or change that can make us better human beings.

TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2014

TripAdvisor®, the world’s most influential travel site, has recently awarded its Certificate of Excellence for 2014. The award is given yearly to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on the travel site. To qualify for the Certificate of Excellence, a business establishment must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five. Additional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months.

For the second year in a row, the award goes to Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu, which also got the same award last year. According to Mövenpick general manager Knuth Kiefer, “Winning the TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence is a true source of pride for our entire team [as] it represents an important recognition of a good combination of the company being passionately Swiss, and our associates’ hard work and dedication to maintain high levels of quality in service.” He also thanks their guests for the positive feedback on the TripAdvisor® website, citing that guests’ comments help the hotel to improve every day.

Comments from Mövenpick guests include “Beyond my expectations,” “Strongly recommended for the stylish, cool and hip crowd!” and “Beautiful!” Guests invariably remarked on the exceptional care given to them by the hotel staff, and the remarkable level of extra attention they have received.

The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is only one of many distinctions that Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu has earned. The hotel currently holds various other awards in the hospitality industry such as TripAdvisor’s  Traveller’s Choice Award 2014, Luxury Category; Green Globe’s Sustainability Leadership Award 2014; an  international Green Globe Certification, the first hotel to receive this recognition in The Philippines; Google’s 2nd most searched destination in the Philippines for 2013; and the Eco Award for Water Innovations given by Crown Prince Willem Alexander of Netherland; aside from the TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2013.

Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu may be contacted by email: [email protected]; or by phone:  632 799 1111.