This year also flew by. Yet, it was beautiful for me. (I completed all my cancer treatment, and have been clean throughout.) I really hope it has been a good year for you too. Somehow, at the end of a year, one becomes rather emotional. It is a time to reflect about one’s self and the fast-moving time. You plan one thing and another thing actually happens for which you weren’t prepared. One just prays for times to remain stable in one’s own life and for one’s country and the world.

There is so much happening which we can’t do anything about, for instance the Ukraine and Russian war. It is heartbreaking to hear about the destruction, famine in Ethopia, earthquakes, floods and crimes that stream our screens all day.  It is upsetting. Pakistan’s volatile political situation which is going bad to worse. Yet you see people flourishing too. Alhamdulillah.

There will always be dichotomy in life.

World we live in

Living in today’s world seems to be harder than ever before. You get instant news of all the horrific things happening in people’s lives. Also, all these diversions keep us out of touch with our own lives where we need to be more focused than ever before. It is important to pay attention to what is going on in one’s own life. Most vital action to do now is to do an analysis of yourself. Ask, ‘where was I on January 2022. In comparison to how I am now, at the end of the year?’

A little exercise of checking oneself out from the physical, spiritual, intellectual, social & emotional as well as financial point of view. It is important to analyze at all levels, as I mentioned in my last post here. Then check out where we fell short, where we excelled, and this exercise will give us the lead on how to spend the next year; to try to achieve all those goals which couldn’t be achieved till now.

Know your direction

Am I clear about ‘where am I going?’ in fact its more important to know, ‘where do I want to be?’ What am I doing about getting where I want to be?

Also to analyze, the diversions we took this year. Were they good ones or we have to retract and realign ourselves towards our original goals.

Know your Why

Why do I want to go in that direction? Yes, I’m reading Simon Sineks’ Why. So, why am I constantly scrolling my phone? Why surfing the channels, what am I searching for? To put a stop at the amount of time that we waste daily on our phones, while missing our prayer timings. In the end, it only gives us a feeling of guilt for something that is quite pointless.

The objective of our lives is important. To remove all hurdles which keep us from our goals. Constant re-alignment with my goals is the essential key.

Check your boundaries

We fail to achieve our objectives due to not having firm boundaries. It needs a lot of discipline to achieve goals. You’ve got to be focused and have a one-track mind. Getting diverted by others into performing on agendas of others is the biggest side-tracker. You need to know that if the other person’s request is in sync with your own life goals, only then agree to a diversion; for instance when I was asked to speak at different forums on cancer, I agreed because it is my aim to spread the breast cancer awareness too.

However, there needs to be a larger perspective here, because I’m doing my bit through my blog posts on the subject anyway, along with the short videos I’ve made for Instagram in Urdu language. I realized that not everyone is fluent in English and many patients of cancer need my input in Urdu. This is the reason why I did my latest Tedx at Institute of Space Technology in Urdu. Let’s hope it comes out well.

Also, I tried to keep it light. It is important to keep one’s perspective clear. Make it all a doable journey when kept light and bearable.

Yet, the whole cancer scenario distracted me from my original goal of publishing my book by Iqbal.

YouTube channel

This medium is one of the most powerful ones, so I plan to work harder on my own channel to interview more interesting personalities to show our audience that there are Pakistanis who work hard here and get their rewards too. I also interviewed a Pakistani who lives in UK and works there. Determination is the key. I’ve got lots of plans for my channel, which didn’t get realized this year, hopefully I’ll be working harder here. Specially to convert these interviews into podcasts.

Message from the East

It is about leaving one’s legacy. So, I’m prepared to dig into my savings more, to bring this dream of Iqbal’s book into a beautiful reality for the Pakistani youth, as well as all others. It has the message that is much needed. More about Self Actualization and Self Realization. We all need to first know ourselves, see where we are going, and get back on track.

Hopefully, it would be published this coming year, exactly a hundred years from its first publication in Persian language, when Iqbal published it in 1923. I really hope and pray it gets done. I know, many people aren’t into reading these days. Yet, those who want to get somewhere in life, do read a lot. Thankfully there are plenty out there who are interested. Especially among my followers.

This is why I had a special session on SARA’s method of Reading.

Do your own thing

Somethings you have to do for your own satisfaction – whether it is well paid or not. I’m sure Iqbal felt that way too, when he wrote his amazing poetry. He also felt very alone in his journey, wondering if people would understand what he is talking about. Why a human being needs to be true to him or herself, because that is what makes you and me authentic. It is more about being answerable to your own self. I’ve got to face myself in the mirror every day with a clear conscience.

Its about making my own legacy

 Isn’t that it? To make our own legacies? This is the only thing which will keep us alive, even after our deaths. Today, Iqbal is as alive, as he was in his lifetime. It is all because of the legacy of his powerful poetry which he left behind. His work is so relatable. That is why we need to work on our legacy.

What sadqa-e-jariya will I want to leave?

Finding ways to leave paintings, books, YouYube channel videos which may be a source of help to others. The charity work that I do, also will need streamlining, so it can continue even after I’m gone. Make it independent of me.

We help people belonging to other faiths too, specially Christians. We have helped in their marriages, medical cases and food for events on Christmas also.

Recently, my daughter Waliya and Faizan (her husband) went for Umra to Makkah. Each of them donated a wheel chair over there. It is so simple. It is just a thought, when it gets into an action it becomes a sadqa-e-jariya.

Clarity of mind

I suppose this is what I want to take with me into the coming year. More focus, and less hocus pocus. (As my mentor Abbas Husain would be saying, ‘hocus pocus without any focus.’) This hocus pocus is what I plan to avoid too.

How about you?

Stay blessed my Reader. ?