Tag: new year resolution

CULTIVATING PATIENCE, WISDOM AND HARMONY

January 1st, 2025
Daily writing prompt
What are your biggest challenges?
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Once you set a goal in life, that’s when you’ll face a mountain of challenges. The Quran says:
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Do people think that after they say, "We believe," they will be left untested?
(QS. Al-'Ankabut Verse 2)
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I have set a goal to live a peaceful and meaningful life. But at the same time, I asked myself, could I achieve it if my husband was not on the same path as me? When work life was so busy, and I was surrounded by ambitious and cunning people, could I maintain the peace I strive for? Or, when my economic situation was not good, could I pretend there were no problems?

Of course, my mind is disturbed when all of that happens.

But if I lived alone, far away at the foot of a mountain, and had everything to support my daily needs, would it be easier to achieve peace and a meaningful life? I doubt it. I might miss the hustle and bustle of the urban and the dynamic life in the working world.

Whether my life is peaceful or not lies in my mind. I should exercise the soft skills to regulate myself, what I should think about and resolve, and what I should let go of. I have not been able to set boundaries between the two areas. There are qualities that I have not fulfilled, including patience, wisdom, and physical and spiritual balance.

I am often tempted to act drastically, changing my lifestyle instantly. Finally, I am tired, bored, and restless again.

So, what is the biggest challenge in my life right now? Cultivating patience, wisdom, and the ability to balance the various aspects of my life.

This will be a long-term challenge, and I will take it slowly but mindfully.
WHEN NEGATIVE THOUGHTS ARE SPOKEN OUT LOUD

December 31st, 2024

I wonder where this writing habit will lead. Will it just be a hobby, a diversion in my life?

I have long dreamed of writing my own book with passion and love. A book that evokes memories, new thoughts, or freshness in the reader. It’s not too heavy but quite a good book.

Is that too ambitious for a beginner?

However, I asked mine; will readers like the book? How can I build my career as a writer if only a few people appreciate what I put into it?

If I followed those negative feelings, I would immediately stop writing. I then would spend more time scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, etc. I would feel tired and not get anything positive. In the long run, I might lose the skills I have acquired.

I have tried to keep writing on this blog in the last two months. At the same time, I continue to reject the negative thoughts that say out loud that I will not be able to become a professional writer. This is a struggle that I experience almost every day. I wonder if all aspiring writers feel this way? How many of them emerge victorious?

I still don’t know where this writing habit will lead. Will I be able to realize my dream of writing my own book? Or will this be a hobby, just a diversion in my life?

Although it’s not easy, I’m determined to do it in the new year 2025, writing my thoughts and life experiences into a book.

If I didn’t start, I wouldn’t get there, would I?
Life Is Not Entirely Yours

December 17th, 2024

Daily writing prompt
Is your life today what you pictured a year ago?
View all responses

I remembered the words of the Prophet Muhammad that motivated me to achieve good things in my life.

Whoever is in a state where the quality of his life today is better than before days, is a fortunate one.

Before December ends, I usually construct plans for the coming year. I divide these plans or resolutions into two groups: spiritual and non-spiritual. Balance in life is essential; the spiritual and non-spiritual aspects cannot be separated since both support each other to build one’s personal qualities.

Currently, I focus on how to increase my family’s faith. This is a personal issue from a liberal perspective, but not for me. I hold Islamic values. According to Islamic values, parents should educate their children to be pious. The greatest happiness for a Muslim is to have pious children. If you have one or two pious children, that will be the best legacy you leave to the world.

It is not a simple task since my children are growing up. Yet, I keep trying. I remind them about the importance of doing good, being close to Allah, and being afraid of committing injustice.

I also made considerable progress in other aspects of my life, including preparing for retirement time. I admit that there are some targets that I failed to achieve, but I made a lot of progress. Not everything is under my control.

Tag: new year resolution

CULTIVATING PATIENCE, WISDOM AND HARMONY

WHEN NEGATIVE THOUGHTS ARE SPOKEN OUT LOUD

Life Is Not Entirely Yours