There may be times in our lives when we face intriguing hurdles that keep us glum, sullen and shackled with assumptions on how to pave our way to some better destiny. If you are a wise Muslim, with alert conscious and shrewd intuition, you should heed at such moments that the path being pursued is no more suitable and accept the fact that time for a drastic change Has Come.
Also logic dictates that when it gets dim, one should seek light and let it guide him/her. It’s when intuition, once silenced, needs to take the lead and direct you to what your true being is striving for.
Seek guidance from the prime source of guidance, Allah Almighty.
Islam has provided humanity with a vital source of guidance for all fields of life, a living manual and an eternal source of light, that is the Holy Qur’an:
” This is the Book (Qur’an), there is no doubt about it, a guidance to the pious” — Qur’an (2:2)
Relationships, career life, friendship, family, and all other areas of human commitments, fulfillment and possible sources of joy, at some point in our lives can turn to be sources of despondency or at least a reason why we cannot carry on…
Times of difficulties or call them calamities if you wish, can be a positive alert to revive your bond with your Creator, Almighty Allah. Lack of such remembrance, verbally or in deeds, can be core reason of depression and confusion.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“ But whosoever turns away from My remembrance, he shall surely have a straitened life…” —Quran (20:124)
Similarly, God has provided the cure; engaging in continuous remembrance of Allah can indeed cure your heart of any ache.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Indeed in the remembrance of God the heart finds serenity” — Qur’an (13:28)
Such abrupt realization, when heeded carefully you’ll come to grasp that it’s anything but a dead end, anything but your life reaching a deadlock, as a matter of fact it’s an invitation to start all over again, what seems to be a blockage and source of agitation is rather an alarm that we should seek new beginnings.
And do not forget the great virtue of Tawakkol, having faith in God’s aid, and depending on him to handle matters that surpasses your capacity or your borders of control.
Now having had the trigger of a new start spurred and on the ball, know that a brand new life prospect is ahead of you, a new beginning, a new sensation, and definitely a new you.
It’s generally acknowledged that a problem is half solved once identified… so here commences the hard work of your mind.
A curt move is not recommended… What you need to do is to sit, rethink your life, try and detect where the blockage lies and pinpoint the core of your aches.
Step One; try to comprehend what’s standing in your way of feeling content and satisfied, is it a sense of guilt, is it absence of love, career failure, unsatisfying relationship, family hurdles… Is it an unresolved conflict with yourself, a bad memory of an incident that took place in a particular phase of your life and you cannot get over it, or is it any other issue or more than one of daily life concerns?
This is one task you have to fulfill before you get to move on- i.e. Identifying the source of your discomfort…
Then comes a true intention to change this state of distress supported by an intent desire to please yourself and live a better life like God has ordained, a recovered type of life that’s turning over an unpleasant chapter in the book of your life history.
You should get yourself commit to your desire to abandon your comfort zone, let it be a non-fulfilling career, weight problems, an abusive relationship, a silly routine or whatever, and just Jump off the Cliff, and have faith that God is beckoning your steps towards fulfillment, God likes seeing us happy and moving on the straight path.
This may not be as easy as it sounds, because it requires a true sense of being, keenness to pour some happiness into your life, and above all it needs you to love yourself, otherwise any effort you’re braced for may prove futile.
To start a new chapter of your book of life you’ve got to put a closure to the chapter preceding it, get over its impacts, memory and unfinished or lose ends. Crack unresolved conflicts, face up to any snag that kept burdening a weak you, simply because you never gathered the courage to confront it.
So never downplay your power, the power to seek and find. And Faith Faith Faith is your pungent mean.
Having fulfilled the two steps mentioned above, let’s go to step number three…
Jot down the areas of enhancement in your life, but make sure you group your troubles into main general headlines covering them according to their relevance, such as Work, Family, Love, Relationships… etc
Putting a lengthy list of troubles won’t help but may itself be depressing and hamper any possible chance for change.
Having relaxed, boosted your self-confidence, and belief in a possible better life has already watered down any remnants of negativity you’ve been feeding yourself, which will help you tap into a more creative mind of you that will definitely identify solutions of unresolved past and living tensions.
You might be living an existing problem… This shouldn’t hinder your will to change, think back to those times when you once lived bad moments and remind yourself of how such memories passed and faded away, think of the present problem you’re living as a cloud that will pass away after a while, probably after you’ve heeded the lesson meant for you to learn.
At this stage you may pause for a while before proceeding with the process of rising up from where you are, ascending your way up the leader of self actualization that’s dependant on enacting a change you sought and are intend to fulfill.
Why pause?
For one to save your mental energy for fulfilling your premium goal of enacting the change you’ve planned for. Also to use the time in supporting your intention and that positive energy channeling you the minute you decided to go for a new start…
Remind yourself of things you should be grateful for, health, mental ability, or at least the privilege of reaching such moment of truth of facing your need for a new start.
Given the undoubted power of visual impact, try to visualize yourself in this new state your working to implement, such as a more fit you if you suffer weight problems, having your dream job or being with the person you love, this is not passive wishful thinking but rather a positive way of seeing yourself where you want to be, this will get you commit and put up with the difficulties that you might face in order to fulfill the change you’re eyeing.
Likewise, forgiveness… Forgiveness is a major powerful tool that sets your heart free of any contaminating qualities that burdens your free soul and keeps you from seeking new horizons.
Also you should read self-help books, they’re influential guides filled with knowledge.
Give yourself a good treat, let it be a few visits to spas or a heath club, cozy trip, dinner with a close friend or whatever that rejuvenates your sense of existence and reconnects you with your inner self and the fragile being inside you that’s your soul.
Place yourself among people who pour out positivity instead of sucking your own share of positive energy by constant complaints, criticism, backbiting, worries and the like of various sorts of infectious mental and spiritual ills.
Also doing some meditation or yoga would be a great help to calm down and delve deeply into more positive calls inside yourself.
Now that you’ve faced the true sources of mental, spiritual, and social aches, in all of their forms, magnitude and circumstances, accepted your need for a change and to put an end to living with half spirit, boosted your intent to embark on an journey of change, and equipped yourself with the needed relaxation, knowledge and energy well-needed for your mission, you’re absolutely ready for Implementation.
Last but not least, have an upper goal in life, a reason for living, some higher end you seek to reach, this will pull you up whenever faced by a setback.
Now start over Fresh and Light and let the New Year Eve, a date not a reason for endorsing a brand new You and a brand new Life.
Muslims are blessed with a manual to success, actually two, the Qur’an and following the example of Prophet Muhammad, two sources if used wisely and meticulously, one should lead a happy balanced life and courageously face and act upon whatever hurdles he/may face.
A Muslim should never fall victim to depression.
Wassalaam
Maha Youssuf