It's officially Leo season! So we're here to give you some life and love lessons you might need to know from one of our fave Leo celebrities—none other than, Marian Rivera-Dantes.
She's long been one of the household names in our entertainment industry, but some people may not know the graceful and humble woman that she is right now. Her attitude stemmed from her humble life before becoming one of the most sought-after actresses in the industry.
The Best Life Lessons We Learned From Marian Rivera
Set your priorities.
Her successful acting career was neither the top priority nor the ultimate dream as well.For Marian, having a family of her own is the ultimate dream. Her career only comes second in her list of priorities.
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"Bilang artista dapat alam mo 'yung priorities mo. 'Pag alam mo 'yung number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 na priorities mo, hindi ka mara-rattle, hindi ka mahihirapan i-manage 'yung time mo," Marian said in a 2022 interview with Cosmopolitan Philippines.
Even during her 20s, Marian set her focus on providing her family with a bright future. "Noong mga panahon na 'yan (20s), naka-focus talaga ako sa pag-aaral ko. Kailangan makatapos ako ng pag-aaral ko kasi 'pag nakatapos ako makakahanap ako ng magandang trabaho," the actress said.
It seems that the universe had greater plans for Marian as she entered showbiz instead of pursuing a career in psychology. She finished college at the De La Salle University-Dasmariñas.
Do what makes you happy.
With family as her top priority, she has come to a conclusion that their happiness is her happiness. Marian revealed that the pandemic made her realize that being a good wife to Dingdong Dantes and a loving mother to her kids would be her biggest achievements in life.
She said this knowing the fact that she had already reached the peak of her career. And although there are so much more that can be done as an actress—for Marian, nothing beats just experiencing a good life with her family.
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“To be honest, gusto ko mas i-achieve yung maging good mother sa mga anak ko at good wife sa husband ko. Gusto kong irurok yung pagiging the best of the best for them, kasi nitong pandemic, na-realize ko na para sa akin, walang mahalaga kung hindi sila. Sila talaga yung kayamanan ko at gusto kong i-achieve na maging mabuting ina para sa kanila, hanggang kaya kong ibigay kung ano yung para sa kanila," Marian declared.
The A-lister actress firmly believes that dreams are ought to be pursued. She is a woman of determination. She won't sit and wait for her dreams to materialize. “Gawan mo ng paraan para makuha mo [yung gusto mo], gawan mo lahat,” she said. Basically, if it makes you happy, then go for it.
Even in her purchases, Marian seems to follow this rule of hers. She revealed that when she wants to buy something, she thinks about it overnight. If she still wants it the next morning, that's when she'll definitely buy it. "Deserve nating maging masaya. Kung anong makakapagpasaya sayo get it, grab it. Kaya mo 'yan. Buy nang buy," Marian told Preview.ph.
Love and respect yourself first.
Marian and Dingdong are known to have that growing and blooming love story even before their marriage. The two met as co-stars in the teleserye that catapulted Marian's career, Marimar. But their love story started when they worked together in the teleserye, Dyesebel.
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Eight years ago, the two got engaged. Dingdong popped the question during Marian's primetime evening show back then. In front of the whole country, on national television, Marian said yes to forever.
Now, they are proud parents to their two kids—Zia and Sixto. But is there a secret to their successful relationship? Marian said the (open) secrets to a happy relationship are putting yourself first and giving your 100 percent.
Marian emphasizes that giving your 100 percent commitment in relationships does not mean forgetting about yourself. "Alagaan at respetuhin mo ang sarili mo, para mahiya naman siya kung siya hindi ka niya kayang i-respeto," Marian told Cosmopolitan in 2014.
Contrary to popular belief that we need to leave a little for ourselves—Marian gives her all. She asserts that for a relationship to be strong and long-lasting, she has to always make her partner happy—without holding back anything, without regrets. "Just give your relationship your all," said the actress.
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With that, Marian shared that she never asked Dingdong to stop his hobbies when they started their relationship. “Lahat ng mga bagay na ginagawa niya nung binata siya, never ko yan pinakialaman,” she said.
Dingdong is a proud motorcycle-lover and he does some riding sessions from time to time. Since it's not the safest hobby in the world, what Marian does is to remind his husband to always be safe when he's out having his own me-time.
You can never please everyone.
It may seem harsh to hear, but it's a reality that Marian never forgets. Despite being always on top of the game, it's not always roses for the actress. She said that there will always be people who won't like her. But there's nothing she can do about it. The best thing to do is to ignore them according to Marian.
"Hindi lahat ng tao magugustuhan ka. Siguro ang magma-matter na lang sa’yo ay yung mga taong sinusuportahan ka at yung mga taong mahal ka. Doon ako magtutuon ng pansin,” Marian professed in an interview with Preview.ph.
Focusing on the people who support and love her translates to genuine happiness for her. And this happiness is what she's able to share to her loved ones, too.
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Being open with your feelings is important.
Marian knows that not everyone can handle negativities in their lives—and most of the time it affects one's mental health. She reminds everyone to feel your feelings. It's never wrong and won't make you less of a better person when you seek help. "Openness about your feelings is very important, and so is seeking help kapag pakiramdam mo hindi mo na kaya," Marian said.
The actress adds, "Serious matter yan. Parati kong sinasabi kapag iyan ang topic, ‘never, ever compare yourself to other people. You are special, you are unique, and you are loved."
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This principle of Marian reflects at home. When asked about her parenting style, she admits that she is the disciplinarian but she highly encourages her children to always be honest about their thoughts and feelings. "Honest kami sa kanya. Lahat ng pakiramdam niya pwede niyang ibato sa’min. Hindi namin siya huhusgahan," said Marian.
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So now, we'll conclude by saying Marian's answer when asked about how to maintain a blooming persona amid our stressful daily lives: "Stay in love"—in love with yourself, with your work, with life.
