Ever been worried silly about something that you pulled half your hair out and then everything was suddenly okay?!

That's what worrying can do sometimes - make us half bald!

And no one likes to be bald! 

Well, unless you're a male whose reading this then you might like the baldilocks looks but us females like a head full of hair!
Anyways... 

Worrying about something you have no control over is actually wasting the precious moments we have in life.

We need to start controlling our thoughts - if we control our thoughts we can change our state. 

Its pretty simple but we humans do like to make things difficult for ourselves.

Sometimes we worry about things way in the past like decades ago which have long gone yet we repeat them in our mind again and again. That's self-sabotage (and there's a post already written and dedicated to that - do have a read).

We worry out of fear - fear of the unknown - not knowing the outcome of something.

We may worry about the events in the future. 

Here's a clue - its the future - it hasn't happened yet, so why are you working yourself up for?

This kind of worrying only makes things worse and can have adverse affects on our health. Not to mention that a job you could do well you might end up doing pretty badly just because you built up all that unnecessary worry.

"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength - carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." Corrie ten Boom 

Then there's the immediate type of worry - the hear and now - this moment - something that's just happened. 

But because we've already overloaded our mind with past worries and future worries we can't focus on the issue at hand and we get overly emotional and mess up! (Note: emotions are good if we learn to balance them).

So the question is; 'What are you worrying about?'

Is it the past which you now need to heal and lay to rest or is it the future which you need to prepare for?

Here's another clue - now is when you deal with both.

This moment is when you finally heal the past, lay it to rest and release it. And this moment is where you prepare and plan for the future - write a step by step action point list of what needs to be done (if its an event or something you are organising or working towards completing exams, assignments etc).

Are you still following me right here right in the now?

Good. Alhamdulilah.

Uthman Ibn Affan said: 

"Worrying about this duniya is a darkness in the heart and worrying about the akhirah is a light in the heart."

Would you like some heart therapy right now? Would you like some light to enter your heart right now?

God is Light! :)

*Take a deep breath in - hold - and breathe out. Do this three times - each time relaxing each muscle in your body from head to toe and releasing all worries. Let them fall away from you as leaves fall from the trees now. That's right. Be in the now. Feel your body being relaxed to the core and feel the calmness enter your soul. Allow and give permission for light to enter your heart now.*

Eyes open please. Thank you. (Well if you had your eyes closed that is). What's your favourite dish? Well, mines anything that tastes good, really ;)

Now here's a dua for you to read insha'Allah.

The Prophet (pbuh) said; 'Whoever is afflicted with grief and distress should recite the following dua'; "O Allah, I am your slave, the son of your slave. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your judgment of me is inescapable. Your trial of me is just. I am invoking You by all the names that You call Yourself, that You have taught to anyone in Your creation, that You have mentioned in Your Book, or that You have kept unknown. Let the Qur'an be delight of my heart, the light of my chest, the remover of my sadness and the pacifier of my worries." (Source: Musnad Ahmad # 1/391)

I know what you're thinking; 'Nadia - good stuff - however you don't know me, my life, my struggles, my worries or what I'm going through - easy said than done!'

OK, so I don't know you personally. But guess what? I'm also human who has human issues and human emotions and issues. 

I may not know or feel what you're personally worrying about but I've had my share of past worries, future worries and present worries. And what did they do? Rob me off my time and my 'this moment' and who was responsible for that? Yup, me!

The thing is, if we want to reduce our worries then we need to become responsible for our lives.

That's what I'm all about and that reflects in my work and the message I want to give to everyone.

If we want to make positive changes in our life then we have to take responsibility for our life. We can't go a life through blaming others. Enough is enough! You were created for greatness and you too can live your best life - if you give yourself permission and allow yourself to be you.

Worrying unnecessarily has never helped anyone in life but made things worse.

Are you ready to take action?

Yes? 

Excellent! Read on for today's tips and action points and insha'Allah you'll be soon saying; 'Why worry about it?' :)

(If no then please go back to the top and read this post again!)

"So do not lose heart nor fall into despair; for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith." {Qur'an 3:139)

Time to gain mastery over your life. Grab your journal and pencil/pen. Bismillah.

Tips and Action Points:

1. Identify your worries:

- Are they past, present or future?

- What exactly is it that is worrying you about that specific situation?

- Are these worries for real and have real immediate consequences or just thoughts you've thought up?

- What three steps can you take immediately to reduce and eliminate these worries now?

2. Dua and Visualise:

- Remember the dua and exercise we did five minutes ago (if you've already forgotten scroll up) - do that exercise again and recite that dua frequently and especially after your salah (prayers).

- Never miss your daily Salah, Qur'an, Dhikr, Tasbee (and dua). Don't let any excuse come between you and your ibaadah - your connection with your Creator - never! 

3. Check your Thoughts:

- How are you spending your time daily? (Especially your alone time). What are you thinking? How does it make you feel?

- If you answered in the negative then now is the time to change it into the positive. That's right. Now is the time to gain mastery over your thoughts insha'Allah.

- Get some new hobbies to occupy your free time. Get active in life. Start to journal your thoughts and to see if they actually have any real ground (usually they don't - they are just like weeds growing uncontrollably in your mind) and what steps you need to take to deal with them.

- Realise right now that you HAVE control over your thoughts. Your thoughts will determine your state, mood, body posture, emotions. As soon as you get the worrisome weedy thought snap yourself out of it. Try it now. You can do it. If I can then so can you!

Remember no one else is responsible for the weeds that grow in our mind except us.

No one said it would be easy and it won't be easy at the start. You may start and stop and even feel like giving up. The key is to never give up and to never lose hope in Allah's mercy and help.

Take action now and get rid off those worries insha'Allah.

Comment below and let me know your 'thoughts' on this post. Let's become an active community who helps each other. You never know who you might inspire and motivate with your words! :)

Can you fly with a broken wing?

What if both wings are broken?

Would you give up?

Of course you wouldn't - you're a WBI'er and WBI'ers NEVER give up! :)

For those with broken wings - (ask a bird or a plane, they would tell you if they could speak ) - they know how difficult it is to maintain a balance.

Similarly (by the way, I have issues saying this word) in life we need two wings to keep us balanced and steadfast.

What are these two wings that can keep us balanced?

They are; 'Hope' and 'Action'.

Today I will talk about the importance of both hope and action and how they are two wings which make our flight in life easier.

We can have a smooth landing each time insha'Allah :)

Hope and Action - are two wings to 'achieving' or 'doing something'.

However most the time we think we're doing or achieving but in fact we are 'wishful hoping'.

See, wishful hoping (and thinking) won't get the job done - and unfortunately most the time all we are doing is wishful hoping and thinking; 'I would like to lose weight', 'I would like to start a business or enterprise', 'I would like to travel'.

And what are the results? You got it! Nada! Nothing happens. Its like magically we say it and it'll happen.

But 'hope' couple with firm faith/belief will ignite the fire inside of us and bring 'action' - which brings change - which brings results.

(Read that paragraph again. Now memorise it.)

Faith and belief in what?

Faith and belief firstly in God Almighty - the Creator of the heavens and the earth - and the Creator of you and I - that when He (swt) says 'Be' it will!

Nothing can happen without the will of Allah.

The pen has been lifted and the ink has run dry. So it was written so it shall be done. What is meant to come our way by destiny will reach us no matter what and what isn't meant to be for us won't come for us (trust me you'll be happy when it didn't because God was saving you from something not good).

"And never give up hope of Allah's soothing Mercy: Truly no one despairs of Allah's soothing Mercy except those who have no faith." {12:87}

When you have firm faith and belief in Allah (swt) you'll always be hopeful no matter what. You'll always find a way. Even if you cry for a couple of days, scream or shout, you'll eventually find a way. Why? Because your faith in your Rabb is strong. You just know deep inside that it'll be ok.

And when your faith and belief in your Rabb is strong you'll have faith and belief in yourself. You'll believe that you can achieve and you'll be hopeful of it. You'll find ways of making it happen. Even if the whole world turns against you, you know you can do it because you know God has faith in you! :)

These are internal states. Or one set of the wings.

But the next set of wings is external - 'action'.

Once we have firm faith and belief and are hopeful we can achieve we have to get up and 'Just Do It!'.

Its really as simple as that, because as I said earlier its not magically gona happen.

Because your internal state is so strong and your wing is flapping away its only inevitable that the next wing will get into motion. Its caused a reaction. You'll do what you physically have to do to get it done (whatever it is that you need to get done).

What if you had all the action - you did, did and did - but you weren't hopeful that you'd achieve?

Well you'd lose passion and patience, you'd lose momentum and you'd give up.

You would feel that you've done so much but you're not seeing or feeling the results so what's the point?!

Any of you ever been there?

What if we have hope and don't act? I mean we just hope for the best...hope it will happen...hope we will pass an exam...but we don't actually prepare for the exam? Its not gona happen!

Anas (radi Allahu anhu) reported that a person asked Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam), "Should I tie my camel and have Tawakkul (trust in Allah for her protection) or should I leave her untied and have Tawakkul." Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) replied, "Tie her and have Tawakkul." [Hadith At-Tirmidhi]

And what if we don't have hope and don't act? We're the living dead then! What a waste!

So the question is are your wings broken? Or just rusty? Or working just fine? 

"The only recognisable feature of hope is action." Grace Paley 

Today's tips and action points will help you polish those wings up and mend them if they are broken insha'Allah :)


Tips and Action Points:

1. Read two rakahs just before you're about to do the exercise. Really focus and connect with Allah. Tell Him everything. Make dua for guidance and help. Set the intention insha'Allah.

2. Get Clarity - what is it that you want to achieve - whether that's in your ibaadah (worship) or your studies/work/biz/life/health - really get down to it - grab a pen and paper and write your heart out - what do YOU want?

3. Now when you've got what you want (written down) - what options do you have? What resources are available to you to do what you said you wanted to do (or achieve)? 

4. What are the three things you will do NOW? List those three things in bright colours and Just Do Them - NOW! :)

If you have an ibaadah or life goal you want to achieve and you're looking for greater clarity and need a sounding board for your ideas then now is your time to hop on board for our next intake of the 6 week one2one intensive 'Coaching, Mentoring and Healing' package.

As a 'Spiritual and Creative Mentor/Coach' I help and guide you through your ibaadah and business (or life) goals, clear any blockages (such as fear, low confidence etc) and help you create a strategic workable plan to make your dreams a reality insha'Allah.

To apply for our April 2013 packages click here 
http://www.webeinspired.com/coaching-mentoring--energy-healing.html 

Remember if you want to achieve your dreams - both deen and duniya - then you need to polish up both wings and make sure they are working in unison - Hope and Action! :)