Rule #106: Lower your expectations of others, and raise your expectations of yourself.

Trapped by my own laziness, I keep talking to myself about discovery, travel, and death. Yes, especially death… It’s been on my mind with all that’s happening around the world. Sometimes I blow it off thinking that my mind is playing with me because I’ve been seeing it everywhere, but I’ve come to realise how ignorant I’ve been for the past years of my life. I don’t think I can truly say that it scared me although it did leave me unnerved with the fact that there really is no certainty to our existence.

Everything in this world comes with a timeline. In a good way, I know that I’m never stagnant. Time is indeed limited yet I do nothing much to cherish it. Ain’t that a shame. Guess I’m simply am not ready to cease existing. Perhaps it’s attachment to the people and things in this world. There are just far too many things I’m itching to do and so many things I should have done that sometimes I tend to forget the true purpose of Life- which is to worship Allah and Him alone- and that Paradise is way better than everything else here.

I was taught that each individual has full control of their life. God has His plans and our fate has already been written but that is not an excuse to just wait around to be awestruck. We are given choices to do what’s right and wrong. We control our thoughts, our thoughts influence our attitudes, and our attitudes determine how we will go about our lives. Life gets difficult for everyone and sometimes there isn’t anything we can do to prevent life from doing its worst. The only thing we can truly control is how we react to what’s thrown at us. There’s a verse in the Qur’an I read earlier today which says: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.” (2:155)

This post is a way of me reminding myself. It’s a way to reassert my faith and beliefs so that I will always remember. All I have is now. I really have to get out of this rut; this continuous mundane routine that I’ve so comfortably settled into. I am a flawed being and so are you, admitting that should only propel us forward not pull us back. So here’s to less talking and more actions...

♡ ♡ ♡
Nadiah Latiff