The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Stumbling, falling, and having embarrassing pancake moments, creates a history, uniquely tied to me. Ha! I think how amusing my mistakes are to my Creator. And I know I am just a creation, so ultimately I'm flawed and perfectly imperfect. And yet, I am only now becoming acutely self-aware of myself and how unique I am. How my work, thinking, and actions impact others. I didn't realize nor understand that power. All these years I brushed it aside and took myself for granted and honestly thought everyone else can and is doing it. The thing is, we all are unique and have a power that is unlike the other. It's just that some are more self-aware of that power and use it for greatness, to help others and to create more impact. What I am getting here is, I have been underselling myself for years. And I am asking you, not that you are, to not do what I have been doing. Go and become the best version of yourself because those around you need you to be you.
To get there though, you will need to work hard in peeling back the onion of bad habits, self-loathing and I-am-not-good-enough attitude. This is, unfortunately, a painful and cringingly uncomfortable process but it is this work that allows yourself to become you. I know, because it is helping me become the leader that I have always been. I have been driving myself crazy getting here. But it's this drive, this yearning to learn, to hone my craft as a strategist, marketer, technologist, and coach that I now realize, is the key to where I am today. It's the constant stretching myself into doing things, experiencing things, connecting with those outside my own self has prepared me for what's to come.
So, what's to come? I honestly don't know. But I do know that it is something exciting and delicious. Do you want to come with me on my journey?
I have made a conscious decision to write a short post of what I learned and what I'd like to do differently tomorrow. I am using a couple of prompts and nudges from books such as the Holy Quran by Allah SWT, Essentialism by Greg McKeown, Say What You Mean – a mindful approach to nonviolent communication by Oren Jay Sofer, The Productive Muslim by Mohammad Faris, The Coaching Habit and The Advice Trap by Michael Bungay Stanier. These are a lot of resources and many of them I have read before getting on here to “lay it all out”. These books are meant to help me reflect and learn. The Holy Quran is my guiding light and the other books are excellent people based sources of those who have traveled this path already.
Truth is. I am scared of this commitment. I am by no means a writer. I am a novice at putting my thoughts to paper but, I am committed to growth that helps me fulfill my potential as a human and in turn have the capacity to help others grow.
It's Isha. I'll see you all tomorrow.
Wassallam (Peace and blessings) Gemi