Thank you for visiting, and welcome to Rat Race Running!

I am Kristoffer Jan Notario, the author of the Rat Race Running Blog.
I am an electronics engineer by profession, a teacher by vocation, and a writer by mission.
I used to work in a Fortune Global 500 company in the Philippines, but it didn’t take long before I realized that life in a corporate setup is like running a race I can’t win — a rat race.
The Rat Race.
The rat race is the never-ending and life-sucking cycle of paychecks and expenses and often the competitive struggle to climb the proverbial corporate ladder.
I finally escaped the corporate rat race in 2019 to pursue a different calling in the academic field. I envision that my actions today will serve as a stepping stone toward obtaining more freedom in the future.
In 2022, after pursuing a career in the academe, I realized that I was again getting sucked into the rat race, this time, the government rat race — so I decided to leave.
I am now a freelance writer, busy finding ways to reach out to more people towards intentional living.
I started this blog in 2017 as an online journal, an open message, and a reminder that there is more to life than work.
I stopped writing for two years before picking up where I left off in 2020 and has been consistent since.
I am a frustrated marathoner, an avid basketball fan, an enthusiastic book lover, a full-time freelance writer and blogger, a professional learner, and a personal finance advocate.
I see myself as an ambivert and a multipotentialite but, most importantly, a sinner saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Start Here.
Here are the articles that best describe the frustrations and challenges that I experienced during the important season of my adult life, which forced me to change and grow to be better.
- Running the Rat Race
- 10 Signs That You’re Going Through Quarter-Life Crisis
- The Life-Changing Journey Through Quarter-Life Crisis
- Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years
- Did I Run From One Rat Race to Another?
- Your Degree (Or Lack of It) Should Not Dictate Your Future
Another recurring theme in this blog is my advocacy for personal finance. I believe people should know how to control their money, not the other way round. You may read these articles for a start.
- Basic Budgeting for Single Young Professionals
- The Hierarchy of a Strong Financial Foundation
- An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to the Stock Market
- What is an emergency fund and why everyone needs one?
- 11 Lessons I Learned From My First Three Years of Investing
- Don’t Get Trapped in Lifestyle Inflation
- Never Invest in something you don’t understand
- 13 Categories In My Monthly Budget
Lastly, I write about my take on “adulting” and personal development.
- 12 Adulting Skills We Need To Learn
- Another 12 Adulting Skills We Need To Learn
- We All Need Mentors, Luckily I Have Five
- The Wonderful Relationship of Shared Stress in the Workplace
- It’s Okay To be The Dumbest Person In The Room
- Turning 30: 30 Lessons from 30 Years
Support the blog:
As you can see, I am currently running ads to maintain the cost of running the blog, including the hosting and the domain name.
However, my long-term goal is to remove the ads, but I will have to replace them with another way to pay for the blog’s operating cost.
For now, you may show your support by sharing my posts on social media or share them with your family and friends, but it would also be helpful if you could donate through Buy Me A Coffee.
You can also send through GCash by scanning this QR Code:

Thank you for your continued support, and I hope I can eventually make this blog ad-free.
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