An antidote to burnout: How one community reclaims life over an overwhelming world
Some people can’t stand a fast-paced urban life. This mostly happens to people who used to live a slow life in the provinces. But it isn’t limited to them. Even those who feel like stopping or taking a break from work (who thought taking a break was a sin) also crave solitude—a pause.
The Global Life-Work Balance 2024 report reveals that the Philippines ranked 59th out of 60 countries in achieving a healthy balance between life and work.
What if I told you that it’s possible to slow down time? What if I told you someone is making room for the magic to happen?
Meet Vergel Gregorio, 25, a Bicolano artist based in Manila. The one who founded the Weekend Watercolor Circle–where coffee is warm, every brushstroke is an escape, and company hones connection.
Where it began
It all started on a laid-back Sunday morning when Gregorio asked his friends to hang out, grab coffee, and paint while at it. That’s the moment he knew it was a perfect day to unwind through the magic of art.
“There were only three of us that day, but I shared it online, and people got curious,” Gregorio recounts. “Next thing I knew, more and more people wanted to join, and it grew from there.”
Gregorio held a clear vision for its purpose as the circle organically expanded. He wanted the community to be genuine and free from pressure.
“I wanted it to stay true to what made it special—something to look forward to after a long week,” he shares.
For Gregorio, the community is the perfect haven for those who want to rest productively, meet new faces, and create art free of judgment.
The Community
What’s truly admirable about Gregorio is his consistent trips back to his home province to hold these sessions. And it’s not something he’s pressured into. He shares that he gets messages asking when he’ll be back, which he finds incredibly encouraging.
“I love the idea that people, even outside the city, can have something like this, a space where they can be creative and just breathe,” he fondly shares. “It’s worth the trip every time.”
This is not just a simple dedication, as he makes this haven accessible to those who might feel the pressures of life, wherever they may be.
Even the magician is enchanted by his magic
It’s fascinating how humans chart their course to do what they love or are passionate about despite the demands of a hectic world.
The community’s escape has also become Gregorio’s escape — a shared haven that makes everything soft-sailing for everyone in the circle.
“Between work, school, and everything else, it gets intense. But painting with the group, even just watching others enjoy the process, recharges me. It’s not just art for art’s sake either. Sometimes we talk about bigger things, social issues, and personal stuff, which becomes part of the art. It helps keep things real and grounded for me,” shares Gregorio.
