Blog
Focus on one goal at a time(DW #828)
Oct 28, 2020
Remember what we said about being a "metaphysical glutton" and trying to change everything at once?
It seems that Benjamin Franklin realized the wisdom of focusing on one thing at a time in his quest to attain moral perfection.
His process was extremely structured and organized.
Each week, he would focus on one of the thirteen virtues to practice. He would write the virtue on top of his diary page as inspiration and would give himself a passing or failing score every single day.
Once the thirteen weeks were up, he would repeat the entire process again. In this way, he focused on a particular virtue four times during each year in rotation.
Learning to love the journey(DW #810)
Oct 02, 2020
Self-growth, as we have been saying, is a journey rather than a destination. This means that we will never actually reach our highest potential.
It makes sense then, to start enjoying the journey rather than focus only on the destination.
The journey, of course, is not always comfortable.
In fact, our highest or infinite potential exists right OUTSIDE of our comfort zone - in the middle of our DISCOMFORT ZONE. Rather inconvenient!!
However, once we have made peace with this fact, we can stop wasting precious energy in wanting to get rid of the discomfort. And get comfortable in the discomfort zone.
The good news, though, is that we are programmed to only feel a deep, true sense of happiness, meaning and flourishing when we are striving on the journey and in the discomfort zone.
Ancient roots of the concept of excellence and...(DW# 806)
Sep 28, 2020
The quest to live up to human potential has been an aspiration of human beings since time immemorial. Philosophical and spiritual traditions have emphasized the pursuit of living up to our full potential as the central work of human beings.
The Ancient Greeks for example, aspired to live with Arete, meaning excellence in all things. The term Arete also meant "moral virtue". This notion of excellence was also tied to the notion of fulfillment of purposeor function: in other words, living with Aretesignified the act of living up to one's full potential. To live with Aretemeant to strive to achieve your highest human potential: to be the best soldier, scholar, politician or craftsman that you could possibly be.
It is interesting that for the Ancient Greeks, as well as for most other cultures (up to the modern age, that is) the pursuit of excellence was always tied to virtue and morality. Achievement and success were closely linked to good...
Keep the flow going(DW# 805)
Sep 25, 2020
Yesterday, we discussed how the Creator has done Ihsan on the human being by making him in the best of makes, full of potential and it is his work to live up to this potential.
The Quran also reminds us that the obligation extends to include others in the bounties that we have been granted.
In Sura Qassas (the stories), we are reminded:
and do good (to others) as Allah has done good to you [Holy Quran 28:77].
This is part of a longer verse where people are advising Korah, a very wealthy and arrogant man, to not be arrogant, to use his wealth for good and to do act with Ihsantowards others just as God has acted with Ihsantowards him.
The verse reminds us that sometimes Allah gives man some great bounties much beyond his own needs so that he can pass them forward. That the gifts and bounties that we have been freely granted well beyond our own efforts are not to stop with us but in fact to be used in the service of humanity. That we are in fact...
Human potential(DW#804)
Sep 24, 2020
The one who acts with Ihsan is called a muhsin (the one who does excellent things, beautiful things, acts with excellence, virtue and grace).
In the Quran, we are told that He, God is the first Muhsin, that He is Ahsanul Khaliqeen, the best of creators, and that He is the one
Who made good everything that He has created [Holy Quran 32:7]
So God’s doing the beautiful began with creation itself, the crowing glory of creation is the human being, made in God’s most beautiful form.
In Sura Teen [The Fig], the Quran says:
Truly We created man in the most beautiful stature[Holy Quran 95:4]
Scholars remind us that this verse is one of the most emphatic affirmations of humanity’s exalted status, before which the angels were ordered to bow down. God declares in 38: 72:
I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit.
Here man is taken to mean all of humanity, male and female, believer and...
What is Ihsan(DW# 802)
Sep 22, 2020
Yesterday we started our discussion on verse 16:90 of the Quran where it says:
Indeed Allah enjoins justice (Adl) and kindness (Ihsan) and generosity towards relatives, and He forbids indecency, wrong, and aggression. He advises you, so that you may take admonition.
Yesterday we talked about the first injunction in this verse, which was that of Adlor justice, a foundation of a healthy family and society.
Today, let us explore second injunction of the verse, that of Ihsan.
The Arabic word Ihsanis rather challenging to translate into English. It is derived from the root word h-s-n which appears almost 200 times in the Quran in many derived forms. Some of these are ahsana ("does good"), ahsanu ("is best"), husnan ("good") and al muhsineen ("the good doers").
The word Ihsanis a verb which means to do or to establish what is good and beautiful. It is often translated as virtue or excellence but one...
Do you feel guilty about negative feelings?(DW#732 )
Apr 07, 2020
Over the last few days I have been hearing some version of the following over and over again:
"I shouldn’t complain. I have it so much better than so many other people". "I am missing this and that. But really I should not feel bad about it. So much bigger stuff going on in the world".
This is true. Alhamdullilah. We certainly have it better than many many people in the world who are suffering so much. And it is very good to remind ourselves of that from time to time especially when we go down a negative thought spiral.
But here’s the thing: it is also okay to feel sad about something small that meant something to you. Disappointment over something that you were looking forward to that got cancelled. That you cannot invite anyone over for a barbeque even though the weather is getting better. That your favourite restaurant has closed its doors for ever. That you cannot run out and get something from the store.
That single mom who is also a...
Recognize and act within your circle of control (DW#727 )
Mar 31, 2020
One of the most important things we can do to cultivate resilience is to recognize our sense of agency.
Agency is simply a fancy word for how empowered you feel or how much control or power you feel over your own life. This is where your energy and strength come from.
The truth is that there are many many things outside our control. There always have been and always will be. The present world situation has simply brought these into sharp focus.
And the truth is also that some things always were and still remain with our control. (Can you see that?)
Now, when we focus our attention to things that are outside our control, we give up our sense of agency. We feel powerless and therefore hopeless.
The way out of this feeling of helplessness and the panic that ensues is to become more mindful of where we are focusing our attention.
Is it focused on things that are outside our control or those that we have control or power over?
When going...
Simple tools for growing resilience (DW#726)
Mar 30, 2020
We will begin a series titled Simple Tools for Growing Resilience and I hope that these simple reminders and practices will inspire us and motivate us to keep going, focus on what we can control, rise up to the challenges and keep doing our best.
Let us first define what we mean by resilience:
Resilience is the ability to face adversity, to go through challenges without being overwhelmed by them. It is defined as the the capacity to manage challenge and to recover from adversity.
Simply put, it is the ability to face adversity and to "bounce back" after we have been knocked down by life.
Simply put, it is the ability to face adversity and to "bounce back" after we have been knocked down by life.
In other words, resilience helps us:
1) Face challenges without being overwhelmed by them AND
2) If we are overwhelmed or ‘knocked down’, it helps us get back on our feet quickly.
Resilience, then, helps us survive the worst day of our life AND it also helps us thrive every day of our life.
...
Iām going on a sabbatical and you...(DW#725)
Jan 03, 2020
As we mentioned yesterday, a sabbatical is different from a vacation. It is a longer period away from work (anywhere from a month to a year or more) to step away from your regular job and focus on other meaningful activities.
Taking sabbaticals does require intentionality, some adjustment in your thinking, and of course planning and financial resources to see you through your time off.
The benefits of taking sabbaticals are really worth the effort, though.
Taking time off to switch gears, do some long range thinking, learn something new, or pursue other interests can rejuvenate you, not only personally, but also give your career a boost because you return with renewed energy and motivation. People who are about to take a sabbatical often find that they work harder and more effectively, knowing that a sabbatical is just around the corner.
I am going on sabbatical from Daily Wisdom until February to work on other projects and discover ways to serve you...