TVC Pick-me-uppers

CEBU, Philippines - Just as the contrabida of my favorite telerserye is about to open the pandora’s box that would blow the heroine’s world into oblivion, the program’s ID shows up and ushers a gazillion commercials that, altogether, last longer than the entire program. Sometimes, commercial breaks do nothing but get on my nerve and I sometimes wish my teleserye nights were commercial-free. Besides, it’s not like I’m really interested to know about that new bar of soap or anti-dandruff shampoo that promises the kind of hair that realistically, only Php 7000 and a salon treatment can accomplish.

But commercials, like your annoying little brother, are inevitable and although I hate to admit it, these 30-seconders aren’t such a waste of time after all. Honestly, having bummed around for a few months before landing in a great company, I’ve done my share of hugging the couch and the telly. Apart from the commercials that you can easily store in the no-brainer box, there are those worth remembering. And really, commercials are quite an odd place to pick out life lessons that really sell—more than their products do.

Here are the top three lessons I’ve gleaned out of commercials and ads while flicking over channels and flipping through magazine pages. Believe me, during my moments of utter joblessness, these have served as my instant pick-me-uppers.

Break Mo, Kagatin Mo. Opportunities are not enough to make it big in life. Many of the most successful people today prepared for years to be ready to grab that perfect opportunity. I’ll never forget it when Robin Padilla said in his commercial that he needed that big break for his career to really take off. All of us need our big breaks because these are our life’s tipping points—that one opportunity, that one moment that could change the way we live forever. Big breaks aren’t enough in themselves though, you have to grab them—bite them—the moment they pop out because if you don’t, sweetie, you may not find these opportunities again.

Love the Skin You’re In. Ladies (and gents), fair skin isn’t the epitome of beautiful because honestly, it doesn’t suit everyone in the population. I’ve had some school mates who were gorgeous morenas but who needlessly wasted money in the vain pursuit of a fairer complexion. Unless we accept the skin we were born in, we’ll never feel and look as beautiful as we want to be. When people say that this particular person is beautiful, it’s not so much about how that person looks but the confident aura that he or she exudes. When you’re comfortable with the skin you’re born in, you’ll beat insecurity ten times over.

Dare to Start With Zero. I was scared to leave school because at that point in my life, I felt like I was on top of the world. But graduation is inevitable and all of us have to leave the nest soon. Finding a job, standing on my own feet, meeting new people, creating a new comfort zone—I had to start from scratch. That was my greatest fear, to tell you frankly. But unless we take that first big step and lay down that first block from ground zero, we’re never really going to move forward. After all, zero, is always the first step to hero.