Finish Strong: 2020 doesn’t need to be a waste.
I don’t know about you but I am guilty of pressing pause on my life. I suppose it is a sort of denial (This will all blow over and things life will go back to “normal”) A defense mechanism (if ever there was one). A way of coping with the surreal almost science fiction like events of 2020.
Except life does not stop for anyone ‘pandemic’ be damn*d.
The sun rises and sets; babies are born; people get married; people die- business as usual.
Of course nothing is quite the same anywhere anymore so perhaps my attitude and mindset needs changing as well. I can finish strong.
No doubt it has been a bizarre year; one filled with confusion, misinformation and fear. It has been especially trying for those with mental health challenges and yet it all seems normal anyway because they live with anxiety everyday C-19 or no.
But things are looking up; life has gone back or is getting to normal. As much as normal can be defined as such.
It might seem like a lifetime ago when you took a look at your list of desired outcomes that you would love to see happen in your life.
You look at your plans: your financial status, the status of your relationships and whichever aspect you had hoped to improve by the Grace of Allah. You are so far behind from where you thought you would be.
But here is the good news. You are still here, you are still alive by the grace of Allah.
Yes, it is still 2020.
I know many of us can’t wait to see the back end of it but I am sure we can find at least three or four (or ten!) good things that came out of these last few months.
Whether on a personal, local or global level there is something good or even great that happened.
Your life has changed and for the better- you only need to look for the evidence with an unbiased eye.
There are about eight weeks or so left before 2020 ends. And that is a chance to do better; an opportunity to finish strong.
You know how race horses run faster on the last lap of the race? The horse who wins is usually the one who, at the last few meters, speeds up (rather than slows down) the pace. He is the one who goes on to victory- by accelerating his speed when he is in the homestretch.
Well, we are on the homestretch. We are at the finish line almost. We pray 2021 brings more pleasant things with it.
But for now, no matter how our year went we still can make up and do better.
We can dust off that goals journal. Look through them- who knows? Maybe some of them aren’t even relevant now. Maybe you have realised you need to focus on other completely different things.
It is never too late to take action. There is no reason why not. There is no reason why some things on that list can not be seen through to fruition.
We can’t let horses be smarter than us.
Let us believe in our resilience and that we can finish through. We can put on some gloves, get some good old elbow grease and get working on what we believe in.
Being alive is enough of a reason to live with purpose and go after whatever it is we so excitedly wanted to pursue when the year started.
By the grace of Allah, there is so much that we can accomplish till January 1st.
Why dismiss one day of your life leave alone a whole year?
All is not lost even though at times it has seemed that way.
I know it is exhausting to hear the news, see the masks, listen to the talk. It can be so overwhelming.
But it is best just to focus on what is in our locus of control.
Let us not use this time as an excuse to slack off or to press pause.
We don’t have to give away our power.
Time is ticking so let us use it as best as the present circumstances will allow.
So go ahead. Say bismillahi and move forward.
We owe it to ourselves to finish strong.
Hassan Kassim
You’d make a great speaker. Your writing is always a breathe of fresh air and always manages to find me at the right time. Great pieces as always ma shaa Allah.
najma
Thank you, Hassan. I am glad it resonates with you. BaarakaAllah feek.
Mohamed
good stuff as always 😊👍
najma
Shukran jazakaAllah khayr, Mohammed!