Doc Gia Sison's words of wisdom: Quotes for your mental wellbeing
Challenges are inevitable, but you're built to overcome them, as the late Dr. Gia Sison would always remind.
Sison passed away on March 21 with her family and friends surrounding her. Local personalities and organizations remembered the late medicine doctor through tributes on social media.
The 53-year-old medical doctor gained recognition in the early 2010s for her discussion of her mental health struggles as a breast cancer patient.
Since then, she became a big advocate, earning a position as national adviser of the Philippines’ Youth for Mental Health Coalition and the head of Makati Medical Center's Women Wellness Center.
On the side, she hosted CNN Philippines' G Talks, co-founded #HealthXPh, and was a podcaster for "Walwal Sesh."
Beyond her advocacy work, Sison was also active on X, where she uplifted her followers with inspiring messages and motivational quotes.
Atty. Chel Diokno even said that her dedication to mental health awareness has "left an indelible mark" and her legacy "will continue to inspire and help many."
If you're looking for support on your mental health path, here are some of Dr. Gia's inspiring words on X that can be a source of strength for you.
On toxic relationships
"It’s okay to distance yourself from toxic relationships, lalo na ngayon. Pahinga, hilom, tapos laban ulit and then repeat."
On breakups
"May mga breakups na nangyayari not because hindi na nila mahal ang isa’t isa but it’s just that they don’t see themselves growing anymore. Together."
On reaching your goals
"Sobrang gasgas na sa motivational talks and quotes ang dreams delayed doesn’t mean dreams denied, pero it hits you in a whole level if it happens IRL na totoo pala, and so we all find that strength from within to even say that we take it one day at a time and that screwed up ang journey called life but in the end where you/we are now is right where we ought to be. Sabi nga, laban lang."
On self-love
"Even if it’s difficult, showing up for yourself can be the step you need to start all over again."
On handling your feelings
"Lahat ng feelings valid, makinig at iwasan yung mga remarks na “lilipas din yan” because in reality hindi ganun kadali."
On failure
"To all those who passed the PLE congratulations, to those who did not (for now) I hope this will not dishearten you from pursuing your goals. Hindi ako nakapasa the first time I took my PLE way back, I then questioned myself if worth it pa ba ang lumaban kasi I did my best naman.
"Umiyak ng mga 1 week, sinabihan ng “kaya mo yan” and all pero di ko talaga kinaya that time and pag “pilitan” pa, until one day I was reminded that hindi madali ang mga worth it sa buhay
"And that hindi naman ako tatanungin ng mga pasyente kung ilang take ako sa board para lang gumamot, most importantly hindi ko binitawan ang pangarap ko and so on my 2nd take I passed.
"I’m not romanticizing failure here, all I’m sharing is my personal experience of growth in my life and that you may not have passed now but it doesn’t make you any less of an individual moreso a future physician (still) kaya laban lang and don’t quit."
On work
"I’ll say this again- no workplace should cause you to suffer in terms of your mental health. A safe workplace produces a healthy workforce."
"To those companies and organizations who request for sessions of mental health in the workplace please ensure you practice it on the ground. It’s just not right that your workplace becomes the source of one’s toxicity and thus affecting one’s mental health. Safe spaces pls."
On family
"Parents, mentors it is quite unfair to compare the struggles of the youth today to the ones before. Of course, life evolves and so our experiences and circumstances. Be the one who understands and enlightens and not one that gaslights them to believe that they are at fault."
Here are more inspirational tweets from Dr. Sison:
