A celebration of Grace
MANILA, Philippines - There is beauty in being grateful for life’s simple pleasures and celebrating them to inspire others.
Grace Barbers-Baja started the thespoiledmummy blog initially to just share photos and moments with her family and friends. It has eventually become her outlet to bring together things that she is passionate about — family, food and travel to name a few — and share them to a wider audience.
“A few months after starting my blog in 2012, I got heartwarming feedback. I felt like I was touching people’s lives and inspiring people somehow,” says Grace, who strongly believes in the importance of women empowering themselves. Grace also uses her blog as a platform in helping women, especially hardworking moms, to feel good by taking care of themselves and embracing their role as a mother.
“I always tell moms not to feel guilty when they sometimes pamper themselves. Even if they are busy raising a family and taking care of their kids, they should also have time to take care of themselves,” relates Grace, wife of finance executive Lauro Baja III, and a self-confessed “spoiled” mommy to Andres, 12; Emilio, seven; and Alessi, four. “Spoiling yourself is not always about the material things. It’s not just about the expensive brands around you. Spoiling yourself is actually about knowing that you are loved by your husband and your children.”
As a wife, Grace shares that even though she and her husband have totally different careers, they stay supportive of each other. “My husband is very supportive of what I do. He’s there when I need him and I always get advice from him for everything. To our kids, he is the good cop and I’m more of the disciplinarian. I believe it’s good to have a balance like that.
“I’m very strict. I set a schedule for my kids when it’s schooldays. But during the weekends and holidays, I loosen up a bit. I’m not strict with their grades and I don’t tutor them. I was raised that way. As long as I know that they are studying and learning. It is also important that my kids know I am still their best friend at the end of the day,” shares Grace, a graduate of the De La Salle University with a degree in Marketing. She received the Philippine Marketing Association’s TOMAS-TOSMA Award (Top 10 Marketing students of the Philippines).
Tirelessly living an inspired life, Grace recently ventured into retail. Her refined taste in things that have beautiful meanings inspired “Grace Home,” the retail side of her blog. One can find Grace’s favorite products in her blog site like room fragrances, stationery and candles, her star product. “I’ve always been entrepreneurial ever since I was a kid. When I started Grace Home, I wanted to see what I was capable of. I chose home products because my home is my life. My family is my life.”
It is indeed home that is important for Grace. That’s why she values her relationship with Rockwell, a community that embraced her budding family in the early 2000s. Now that she and her family live a couple of minutes away from Rockwell, they still enjoy the lifestyle the community provides. “I consider it home. It’s an oasis. Everything we need is already here. It is a very family-oriented community,” says Grace, a member at The Rockwell Club. “We’re here at The Rockwell Club three or four times a week. I get my massages here, I go to the gym, too. My kids do their sports here. The quality of service the club provides matches the needs of its members. Even going beyond what’s expected.”
The charm of sharing one’s passion, one blog post at a time, is creating ripples of positivity that can serve as inspiration for others. For Grace, it is also sticking to one’s principles that can make a one stand out. “Honesty, integrity and being real are all important to me. In my blog, and now my home line, I just want to inspire. To be honest, I’m still learning the ropes but what’s important right now is I’m enjoying the ride,” Grace concludes. Photography by RITA MARIE • Creative direction and overall styling by Luis Espiritu Jr. • Shot on location at THE ROCKWELL CLUB
