I think one of the most heartfelt experiences in life is discovering that someone genuinely enjoys your presence. Not what you provide, Not your accomplishments. Just you, your thoughts, your energy, your existence.
When you travel, your brain is forced out of autopilot. New streets, languages, food, faces — the nervous system can't rely on old scripts.
This creates what scientists call a
"plastic window," when decisions are rewritten faster. One woman said: "After two weeks abroad, I realized I was living someone else's life." That realization didn't come from analysis, but from contrast.
You need boredom. A lot of it. Start by going on walks without music. No stimulation. No distractions of any kind. If you learn to sit with your own thoughts, for long enough, in time they will start serving you. You'll start having ideas once again. You'll start developing an extreme sense of clarity that will shift you into the next stage of your life. All by being bored, which is pretty insane.
the art of keeping in touch:
> please please ALWAYS feel free to reach out to your friends that you've lost touch with. it will be the most welcome surprise
> if you're insecure why you lost touch; it happens and it's a normal part of life. that doesn't make your memories together any less special
> old friends are next level comfort. it’s history, past, and context that doesn’t need to be explained since they lived it right beside you
> there are life seasons - people move, change jobs, start school, start dating, breakup, get sick, grieve - all of these can impact how easy it might be to stay in touch and it's generally never personal
> make it a habit: whenever someone comes to mind, text them immediately. don't overthink it! this helps to maintain a lot of relationships at once
"hey, was just thinking about you! how you been?"
"just remembered the time we <funny memory together> it made me smile"
"saw <thing that reminds me of you> and thought of you"
> getting this type of message will likely make their day and bring back good memories for the both of you
> from there you can: have a back-and-forth texting convo, send voice memos, hop on a call, or figure out when you'll be in the same city again and make plans (woohoo!!)
> just as you're changing over time, your old friends are changing too. they're growing up right alongside you. even if you don't connect in the exact same way you did before, the shared context and memories are wonderful and irreplaceable
don't wait for the 'perfect moment' to reconnect - that perfect moment is now 🤍
Underrated life advice: Make yourself easy to root for. Be kind. Be reliable. Celebrate other people’s wins. Work hard without complaining. Carry good energy into rooms. You'll be shocked by how many doors open for you by making life better for others.
Jadilah suami yang qawwam.
Qawwam bukan bermaksud berkuasa sesuka hati, tetapi memimpin dengan hikmah, menjaga dengan kasih sayang, menyediakan nafkah yang halal serta membimbing keluarga menuju reda Allah.
#UWAKongsi#SuamiQawwam#KeluargaSakinah