Every time I have stepped into America, I have been asked the same question ‘So, were you born on 9-11?’. I just smile and nod.
On my birthday today, I think this is the best time to make a promise to myself to be a better person. That’s the crux of life. This is what we were sent here for. This is the most important ingredient in a good relationship. If we are not good people, our relationships will eventually fail.
I know I can lose the track and much more than often do things which I know I shouldn’t be doing. But today, I promise to make a resolution to myself to be a better version of myself.
I want to become a better human being, muslim, citizen, wife, daughter, sister, neighbour, employee, Tennis player, cousin, pet owner and friend. I want to be the best version of myself inside out in all my roles in life, now and forever.
1. Eat better
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Dry fruits
- Seeds (flaxseeds, Kalongi etc)
- Yogurt/Milk
- Avoid crisps, cream
- Avoid Oily/Fried foods
- Do not consume more than 1 glass of Coke/Fanta/7-up in a week
2. Sleep better
- Follow routine and not work late at night
- Follow no-gadget hour before sleeping
- Keep my cell phone on Airplane mode an hour before going to sleep
- Read a book before going to sleep
- Only think happy thoughts after 7 pm at night (no gloomy thoughts)
3. Stay focused
- Complete daily to-do list
- Schedule all monthly posts well in advance
- Be punctual
- Don’t procrastinate. Complete work in advance
- Read Quran with translation
- Say all 5 Namaz even if it gets kaza
- Do some social work/charity etc
- Plant trees
- Do not get distracted by social media, phone etc
- Remember what we are here for
4. Invest in relationships
- Continue to pray 5 times a day and read Quran regularly
- Keep Haaris my priority and do things for him everyday
- Keep in touch with important family members & friends
- Make time for them
- At least visit family once a year
- Send monthly audio messages to all best friends
- Schedule Skype calls with family often
5. Exercise
- Continue 2 hours Tennis everyday on weekdays after work
- Continue trekking/walking exercises
- Complete 2 trails every month in summers
6. Be happy
- Don’t criticise or whine
- Be positive
- Crack jokes
- Laugh on myself
- Dance more
- Get away from all negative energy
- Don’t put my remote control for happiness in others hands
- Stay in charge of my own happiness irrespective of circumstances
7. Do what I love
- Continue take out time for my hobbies
- Not procrastinate when it comes to painting/making journals
- Continue petting others kitties/doggies till I get one of my own
- No excuses for not doing things that make me happy
- Plan ahead and make time for things that make me happy
8. Be courteous
- Say Please, Thank you
- Smile more
- Be nice to household staff
- Hold the door open for the person behind me
- Be nice to everyone around me
9. Be patient
- Control my temper
- Breathe deeply, inhale and exhale at stressful times
- Increase patience level by making an effort
- Behave specially in days when everything is going wrong and I am about to lose it
10. Don’t talk rubbish
- When in doubt, throw it out
- Speak less and cut it out
- Try not to backbite or gossip
- Try not to exaggerate
11. Look Better
- Make an even more effort every morning in dressing up before I start the day
- Invest time in face/hair masks/natural remedies
- Quick and efficient make up techniques
- Learn different hair styles
12. Face my fears
- Address all fears one by one
- Discuss with an expert
- Try to overcome the fears to live a more enriched life
- Talk to friends about how they conquered their fears
13. Work on my weaknesses
- We all know our weak points well
- I need to work on how to resolve them
- Procrastinate less
14. Grow as a person
- Learn new things
- See new places
- Expand interests
- Listen to news
- Be open-minded
- Think out of the box
- Get out of my comfort zone
- At parties sit next to people I don’t know
Where’s my birthday wish?
Would love your birthday wishes in the comments section. Have a great day!
