Hi friends,

A colleague of mine asked me last week when Ramadan was going to start, and I told her I would begin fasting on Saturday.

“I’m so sorry,” she said to me while digging through a ball of oatmeal on her desk.

A few years ago, I would have turned that conversation into a teaching moment. I would have told her that observing Ramadan isn’t a terminal illness, and I probably would have gone on a rant about how my productivity, mental focus, and priorities are better while fasting (of course, I would have excluded the occasional migraines, lack of sleep, and overall loss of appetite).

This time, I just smiled and asked if she had received my email about the recording session we were planning for the following week.

Observing Ramadan isn’t hard, but it’s also not easy. However, what matters more than anything is our perspective. Some people see it as an opportunity to cleanse their body and soul from the baggage they’ve built up all year.

Others see it as a struggle, with time passing sluggishly while their stomach growls at every food ad or reel they come across. And the migraines—oh, the unexpected, unplanned, sudden migraines.

Both perspectives are valid, and both are a choice we make—about Ramadan and everything else in life. Our perspective shapes our experience, and our experiences, in turn, reinforce our perspective.

Choose wisely!

Ramadan Mubarak!

💎 New From Me

Most of us start a writing a story full of excitement, then halfway through, it falls apart. The plot gets messy, the characters lose direction, and you abandon it. I share what’s helped me finish the short stories I start.

🔖 Quote I’m pondering

"You are never too young to wonder “Why am I still doing this?” You need to have an excellent answer."

— Kevin Kelly

Source: Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier

📸 Through My Lens

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Thank you for reading!

Mohamed