MANILA, Philippines - It may be an embarrassing admission, but I am on social media a lot. And when you’re on social media more often than you go outside, you come across a lot of interesting hashtags. My current favorite hashtag is #babyhampaslupa but no other hashtag has affected (seriously, affected) the way I thought about myself more than #GGSS, which beautifully stands for Gandang Ganda Sa Sarili. We always think the things we find on the Internet are new, but GGSS was already a thing for the girls (all kinds of girls) that you would see around. With a little alcohol and a lot of overthinking, you can start to see that #GGSS is everywhere. It’s in what you post, what your friends post and even how your friends speak about themselves. Is that a bad thing? No. It is great and we should all relish in the air (and not ere) of #GGSS.
You may not have the confidence to #GGSS outwardly right now but there are always some great icons that personify #GGSS that you can spiritually hashtag to your self-esteem. Here are some noted notables that you can look up to and channel on your #GGSS journey. Think of it as choosing your own #GGSS adventure.
Beyoncé
We can debate all day about the artistic merits of Beyoncé’s recent, self-titled, self-indulged recent album, “Beyoncé.” Sure, the songs, the beats, and the videos that came with it aren’t as great as “4” or “I Am Sasha Fierce.” No album in recent times has made me feel more like the Bench I was wearing was Balmain. And, let’s be real. “I woke up like this”? This statement makes you forget that the crust in your eyes when you wake up isn’t Swarovski crystals.
Kanye West
In my personal journey towards #GGSS, my spiritual guide has always been Kanye West, so much so that I have a big ode to Kanye and his effect on my road to #GGSS tattooed on my arm. You see, Kanye West’s first album is less #GGSS and more “GGSS?” He knew he was bound to be great but there were some parts of himself where he wasn’t so sure and that’s how it is for a lot of us. He wore a lot of Ralph Lauren when he really knew he was meant for bigger things. Sometimes, it does rub people the wrong way but at the end of the day he knows he did his own thing and his soul sleeps soundly — most likely in Lanvin.
Kim Kardashian
How can I write a #GGSS article without including the queen of #GGSS? The girl who at a recently unearthed video of her eighth grade graduation, declared that she was “The dopest not the ropest” (whatever that means). The girl who decided the best gift to give her husband was a collated book of a thousand selfies. The girl who didn’t care if you thought she was self-centered and had a video game made of herself and her life that you probably played (and made $34 million out of it). She is #GGSS queen.
You’re probably much like me. Your biological age is anywhere between 18-35 but your mind and heart will always be 21. You’ve lived in the Philippines most of your life and you understand that apart from parties, beaches, food and the supposed hospitality in Filipino culture, self-deprecation, and ironic, passive-aggressive compliments are also more fun in the Philippines. We live in the country that is the shared compliment capital of the world. We hear “ang ganda naman natin” from our elders more than we hear “ang ganda mo diyan.” I’ve also always been uncomfortable with the way Filipinos respond to sentiments of self-praise. I dislike “Naks” and “Ikaw Na” for their subtle yet forgivably (and most often unconsciously) passive-aggressive, backhanded tone. Now, this can be a completely subjective experience to myself but there’s something to these phrases that just makes me feel like, “Wow, do we really have to share my lane?”
At the end of the day, it all really doesn’t matter. Like all the people I’ve written about above, they’ve probably had some struggles and some very non-GGSS days. But, If your #GGSS is strong, the passive-aggression in the Naks and Kaw Nas aren’t subtle swipes at your self-esteem, they’re just confirmation.