Here's some personal and spiritual development life lessons from our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Let's apply these life lessons into our life now too as our Prophet (pbuh) is our best teacher and role model! 

...And insha'Allah I shall increase it to 12 months & beyond!

Want in? Open to everyone and yes YOU too.

So, we all have our strengths and weaknesses and my weakness is that I can sometimes get caught up in my own head with my own cute lil story.

I've had 4 decades of mindset challenges where alhamdulilah I have achieved a lot yet I can easily sabotage it with my negative thinking (usually happens when it's lady time and only a lady will understand that one!).

This self-sabotaging can easily mess me up in all areas of my life that I've worked so hard to achieve and most of my negative thinking isn't real anyway at all - it's comfort zone comfort!

For the last two years I've really worked even harder on this and have had a lot of spiritual awakenings as of it too - and accepting who I am even more (highly intuitive soul with psychic abilities for instance - there i came out and said it!).

So, I'm challenging myself - and if you know me by now then you know I really do challenge myself big time - to drop all negative thinking from my system and to re-write my subconscious for goodness and positivity insha'Allah.

This doesn't mean that incidents won't happen - they will - and alhamdulilah I'm blessed to deal with them strongly - but then the negative thought pattern kicks in - i 'suffer' from delayed reactions which means i'm brave in the moment for myself and my loved ones then i run away and cry under the covers where only God can see and hear my tears.

I've been working harder on my mindset since November last year and now I have set myself this challenge and so far alhamdulilah.

Really, I don't have anything to be ungrateful for (and neither do you) and if I'm really going to help all those who need my help and run a successful biz and have a successful life upon then deen then bismillah and let's do this!

You in? I know it's a challenge and we need a lot of self-discipline but I know with God's mercy and help we can do it now!

"Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves." Partial {Qur'an; 13:11}

It's time to get out of our own head and get out of our way and shine our light to become an asset to our Ummah and humanity.

“Verily, Allah has prescribed excellence in all things." Partial; Hadith Muslim

Nadia - Your Spiritual, Creative & Personal Peak Performance Mentor Coach

How do you react when you face a challenge? 

Do you look for solutions or do you quit?

Watch this video now and remember to register to get *F.REE* access to the Masterclass Training to WIN your Ramadan - this training class is only available for free til midnight.

...Today I was going to give up and quit it all - all of it! I cried - a lot. Sometimes it gets really overwhelming and just too much for one soul. I made a dua in the early hours and asked Allah to show me the way. I've never been more serious about quitting than today.

Today is also the Day of Arafah. Millions of people are right now on the plains of Arafah begging for Allah's mercy and forgiveness. A day when many are guaranteed salvation from the Hell-Fire and those who return from Hajj return as a new born - sinless - a Hajj Mabroor.


I remember it clearly - like it was just today.

It was 5th March 2001 - I was on the plains of Arafah with my parents and millions of other Hujjaj.

A childhood dream come true and one of the youngest from my clan to do my Hajj. I was just 20 years old (actually, two weeks after I returned I was to turn 21 and I was in my final semester of my final year of my law degree at University).

So many dreams in the eyes of a young 20 year old.

I'm childhood ambitious. 

I have grand dreams.

Not just for myself though - i'm not that selfish.

I have grand dreams for our Ummah and for the entire humanity.

I have grand dreams which involve YOU - yes YOU reading this now.

I want to see YOU succeed in all areas of your life - in this world and the next.

I walk the talk and expect 150% ExCel Mode from myself. 

That is what I operate at.

You might say i'm too harsh on myself - or that I expect too much of myself.

You're right - I do!

I only have one life here - just one chance to work for that one vision Jannah al-Firdaus.

It all starts here though - right here - in my front room, by the fire.

It all starts in this world.

How else will you and I achieve our ultimate vision of Jannah al-Firdaus if we don't work it here.

Jannah has to be won - it won't be given to us on a plate.

On a day like Arafah when gazillions are begging for Allah's mercy and forgiveness - here I was ready to quit - today 2013.

I'm extremely sensitive.

Only my very close souls know this.

Everyone else see's the confident me.

But my close one's know how deep I am and how sensitive I am and how I take things to heart.

I don't cry in front of anyone - not my family, not my friends.

Just with Allah - and Mano (my cat).

I'm not overly emotional - like I don't burst out crying if you don't like me.

Not me! 

I may have my shy and sensitive girly side - but i'm very much tom-boyish also.

I have zero-tolerance on women and men who just cry over tiny things!

I'm the; 'Yes we can! Let's do it now' type.

So, for me to even be sharing a piece of my heart with the entire universe is deep.

This is the vulnerable me - one which you might not see again - or might see on a very rare occasion - like today.

I'm willing to give you a glimpse into my heart and soul - and be vulnerable like this whilst I have tears in my eyes.

I share with you as you may be going through your own journey, trying to find who you are and what you want to be or supposed to be doing.

You may feel lost and confused.

You're trying and trying and yet nothing is working.

No one is supporting you - like you thought they would!

Just like me you may be ready to give up.

I went to sleep crying with my dua of guidance.

 And then I woke up to a message from a sister who made dua for me and said; 

"...jazakAllahu khair for your posts they really are inspiring and I just wanted to say never give up what your doing mashaAllah. May Allah grant you a long and productive life sis and remove all your sins ameen. Don't let others negativity affect you. I know its hard but you touch more hearts than u know inshaAllah. Allah chose u for this - I don't see anyone else doing what u do and that is your calling so keep close to Allah and don't get knocked backed wen the road is so tough. Ur work is inspiring and an encouragement to others". 

I think I'm gona cry again!

This one message has taught me so much instantaneously and touched my core.

And the weird part is that this sister had no idea what i was feeling.

She is someone i met a year ago and we have the usual facebook and whatsapp contact.

This was deep.

Read her message again - it's from me to you now.

I'm ready to redirect my intention and focus.

I'm here til Allah decides my time is up.

For now - i'm staying :)


Bismillah-ExCel!

"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." Albert Einstein

I'm a bit like AE; 'Passionately Curious'. But you and I would agree that AE was talented indeed!

You know, we're ALL talented and God has blessed us all with unique gifts.

When we were little we believed in ourselves. We believed we were superheroes, created to save the world - here to make a difference - we believed we could fly and would prove it by jumping off the sofa, arms spread like wings and in our minds we were flying over mountains and hills and even tall buildings.

We had hopes and wishes and dreams.

'What will you be when you grow up?' Would ask the adults and we would never hesitate to say 'An Astronaut' or 'A Teacher' or ['Insert what you said here'].

And this was all when we were age 10 and under.

So, what happened?

How did our imagination suddenly go into early retirement and when did we start not believing in our dreams?

I believe this starts happening when we start secondary school at age 11 (UK system) and we get focused on school studies. Play is only at gym time and its pretty controlled. I mean you can't run around the gym hall pretending you're a superhero and that you can fly - you'd instantaneously be outcasted and declared the official class weirdo!

But I like weird - and I think I'm pretty weird and NO I didn't run around gym hall thinking I was a superhero! I went to school too AND I guess I was conditioned in the whole schooling system to stop believing in my dreams.

By the way - this post is NOT to undermine our schooling system - I shall leave that for some academic paper lol!

What happens when we stop believing in ourselves?

We don't achieve and start to live a mediocre life.

But you know something - if you've hit a certain stage and age in life (late 20's onwards) then I would strongly suggest that NOW is the time to stop and quit the excuses and to start believing again.

And believe me - I had to do that again! It was PAINFUL!

And if you're in your early years then please DO NOT give up on your dreams!

The thing is - Islam teaches us to have faith and hope and believe in ourselves. 

I mean Allah (swt) does say in the Qur'an that He most certainly will help us IF we take that all important step in helping ourselves.

You know, our pious predecessors achieved so much with so little and today you and I have so much but we waste it all - and usually on social media! (Yeah facebook).

They believed and had hope and faith! And guess what? They achieved!

The thing is we are all talk and no action and our actions are little and we believe we can't achieve.

When a fellow being believes and tries to achieve, we call them arrogant - not realising that in fact they are actually being assertive AND proactive.

We don't support each other!

We need to change that right now - you and I and start to believe again.

Yes, there will be the down days - I have them too - but we have to pull ourselves out of that rut.

I Am!

This is your new mantra from today onwards.

I Am!

And with that add all the positive things you are and want to be.

Even if it sounds fake - do it now - its just your subconscious which is trying to keep you stuck in a rut - and trust me - you don't gotta be in that rut no more.

By declaring 'I Am!' You are being assertive - not arrogant nor haughty. No, you are simply claiming back your rights of being positive again and believing in your dreams again.

Just the way we believe and have hope in God - we need to believe and have hope in all the skills, abilities and talents He (swt) has blessed us with.

Look what the Qur'an tells us and what we need to aspire towards.

"The truthful men and the truthful women, the patient men and the patient women, the humble men and the humble women, the charitable men and the charitable women, the fasting men and the fasting women, the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard their chastity, the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember Allah much - for all these Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward." {Qur'an 33:35}

Subhan'Allah! Amazing or what?!

And before you say; 'Oh but...'

No Buts!!! We are a working progress and each day we work towards achieving and becoming this female or male.

You can be a King or Queen and still be spiritual and upon the deen. Its all about balance. You're a King and Queen of your world, of your families, of your lives. You're worth it! God created you for greatness, so isn't it time YOU stepped into YOUR greatness?

I mean, didn't you grow up looking up to your parents and believing that they were your superheroes? And didn't you secretly wish you could be just like them when you grew up?

And what if you have younger siblings or children? Don't you want to set the best example for them? Is it going to be you they look up to or the next teen pop sensation?

Exactly! You decide right now.

Abdullah bin Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Every one of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. The leader of the people is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects: a man is the guardian of his family and is responsible for his subjects, a woman is the guardian of her husband's home and of his children and is responsible for them, and the slave of a man is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it. Surely, everyone of you is a shepherd and responsible for his flock."

[Bukhari & Muslim]

But I also have a feeling deep within that you did want positive role models in your life and you do want to be a role model for someone else in your life.

So, right now, I invite you to give yourself permission to be the best role model for yourself. Become the better version of you. Learn from your mistakes. In fact our mistakes are life lessons for us, full of wisdom. Say; 'I Am!'

Take this verse as an inspiration and motivation to act now.

"The servants of the Beneficent (Allah) are those who walk on the earth in humility." {Qur'an; partial; 25:63}

You too can walk on this Earth in humility and excel in your field.

You are created for greatness.

You too can dream and achieve.

Check out today's tips and action points on how to 'Unleash the I Am within YOU!'

Tips and Action Points:

1. Grab pen and paper and write all your achievements to date. I don't care how long ago it was or what it was write it down right now.

- Reflect on your achievements, give shukr to Allah as He (swt) helped you achieve and think of what you want to achieve now insha'Allah. Make a plan.

2. Create a 'Dream Team!'

- This is your own personal team of all A* players ie supporters - who will support you in your dreams and ambitions.

- Become part of someone else's active 'Dream Team' and support them to achieve.

3. Forward this post to at least one person in your life right now - trust me, this one act will have a ripple effect and you might just save a soul today! :)

And finally, here's some inspiration for you to help you believe in you again. Leave me a comment and let me know how YOU will 'Unleash the 'I Am!' within YOU!' :)

George Bernard Shaw was asked on his deathbed "What would you do if you could live your life again?"

He reflected and replied with a deep sigh "I'd be the person I could have been but never was."

Success is personal and everyone has their own definition of it. And that's cool.

Some would define success as academic achievements, some as moving up the career ladder or promotion, some as being the best parent/child/spouse, some as been able to pray night pray every night and few pages of Qur'an every single day and some would define it as a combination of all.

Again, that's cool, because each one of us is different and each one of us has different dreams and hopes and wishes to achieve.

All successful people - in whatever they are successful in - have daily routines and habits that they have established.

The western personal development gurus swear by them and are always teaching and drilling these routines and habits into their students.

Obviously they got it from Islam! :D

For instance we are taught by Rasool Allah that he would make the following dua; He said: "O Allah, bless my Ummah in its early hours."

The early hours are the best. Praying night prayer in the last third of the night. Then praying Fajr and then reading some Qur'an. Its also one of the best times to read Qur'an as it's witnessed and recorded by the angels. And then follow this with quiet contemplation or in other words dhikr-Allah. Recite some tasbee, focus on the meaning. It will help quieten the mind of useless chatter and help us focus better.

There's a reason why many meditate and do yoga in the early hours and that's one of the reasons they can have laser focus and achieve so much!

So, we need to develop some positive habits and routines.

If you haven't already then master the morning prayer routine and then add your mantras to it.

What are these mantras?

They are like statements - positive statements - repeated often which get us into a positive mindset and help us focus on the task at hand or our long term goals.

What is YOUR mantra? 

Would you like to succeed and continuously have that energy switch which gets you into top form as and when you need it? 

Then it's time to create YOUR 'Unique Success Mantra' (if you haven't already). 

Read it, memorize it and switch into 'Excel-Mode' as and when you need.

But before we begin - we need to clear the clutter and have a soulful therapy moment. 

We need to get rid of the trash from our soul and know that 'things will happen' - yes they will - that's the nature of our lives - even if you're the happiest care-free soul, it doesn't mean you won't be put into compromising situations - even if its not to do with you directly, then a loved one, friends, colleagues - and some being intimate and close relations - how do you deal with their issue(s) successfully, help them through it and then switch back into your own 'Excel Mode', back on track? 

Its about recognising and appreciating the importance of 'each' moment, which ties into the core of your existence - your life - which is limited and being time-bound, we have to get the best and enough done in the 'time' we have and so that means working on our 'focus'. 

We need to keep in mind the above and work on a step by step method on regaining our focus. 

Well, how do we do that? 

Here's how;

a) Appreciating your life as 'Limited, Time-Bound and Precious'

b) Your goals and ambitions are all time-bound - we have to achieve them in a specific time.

c) What is precious is cared for and looked after (like a small child/animal). So what is precious to you? Is your life precious?

d) Know that there is someone who you call on 24/7, 365 days without an appointment and without waiting in a queue and who will help you - who? Allah

e) Supplicate (make dua) to Him and ask Him to help you

f) Know that you're a means by which Allah wants goodness for your loved one - He put you there to help them - He gives you the strength to help them

g) Know that you can only help those who want to be helped - in the end its between them and God

h) Be polite, assertive, direct and confident when helping your loved ones - because you need to get back to your work/life/study - and there's only so much you can do for someone

i) Always leave them in a happy, positive state - leave them with duas, ayahs and ahaadith - leave them hopeful - and insha'Allah they will soon see the light

j) After you've helped them go back to your 'Success Mantra' (which we will create in a minute) and point #a above

k) Eat healthy food, fruit, vegs, plenty of water, light exercise daily, walk daily, be in nature, parks, trees, flowers and listen to some Qur'an. Take a tech-break - no phones, tv, net, social media etc

l) If the issues are seriously intense - then do the above point #k at least three times (different things from the list insha'Allah to add variety) and read your 'success' mantra again and point #a above again - and you'll soon be back on track and you'll have regained your focus insha'Allah!

As I pointed out above we need to fix the issues of our soul first and you know things will creep up but you have to create awareness and be ready to deal with them.

"Richness does not lie in the abundance of (worldly) goods but richness is the richness of the soul." Sahih Muslim Book 005: Hadith 2287

So now we have regained our focus - its time to create our success mantra insha'Allah.

I'm going to share mine with you. Use it as a template or be inspired to jot your own down. In fact, mine is not even a one word statement or one line sentence. Its a whole paragraph and was inspired by a personal development book I read. Its pretty personal to me as I add the things that apply directly to me so you can add your own and personalise it insha'Allah.

Its helped me to create laser focus and to get things done - alhamdulilah. And I read it daily!


Bismillah

***From this moment on I will do what I need to do in order to excel in my deen, my ibaadah, my spirituality, my studies, my work, my businesses, my health, my wealth, my relationships and my life! I will operate in '150% EXCEL MODE turBo flow' from now on in every aspect of my life and be the best. I'm tired of being second best. I will Excel. I choose to be Extremely Successful insha'Allah, ameen!*** :)


So, there you have it. My success mantra.

By the way success is allowed in Islam - its how we deal with it and how we use it.

Remember we have 'One Life and One Chance' to do all the good and right things and we should all have that 'One Vision' - Jannah al-Firdaus and to get there we have to pass the tests from this life. And Allah (swt) grants success to whom He wills - this world and the next!

"Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)" [al-Nahl 16:97]

Ready to write YOUR 'Success Mantra?'

Just before you create yours and read it I want you to do a quick exercise. This involves you getting into a peak state. Think of a time when you were really happy with your achievement (whatever it is). I want you to feel that moment throughout your body. I want you to smell all the smells associated with it. What things were going through your mind at that time? What were you feeling? Feel it. Use all your five senses. Increase the feeling. Make it very bright and visual. Make it into 3D. And when you're at that peak state (or a halaal happy high) write your mantra and start repeating it.

Say Bismillah and just go do it!

Hope that helped y'all! :)

Leave a comment below to inspire all our WBI'ers and email me if you need help with writing your success mantra or to go through those steps to trash that junk insha'Allah!