Habits I adopt to become the best version of myself

Hey everyone, fellow journeyers on the path of self-improvement! Today, I'm spilling the beans on my personal quest for transformation. So grab a seat and get ready, because we're about to dive deep into the habits that are helping me level up into the best version of myself!  

RISE AND SHINE

After rolling out of bed post-subuh prayer, it's all about setting the mood right. I carve out a little me-time to dive into things that make me happy. Whether it's scribbling in my journal to plan out the day, diving into a good book, or simply savoring a cup of coffee, it's my secret recipe to have a slow and peaceful start before getting to work.

HEALTHY HACKS

Cutting down on sugar, guzzling gallons of water to stay hydrated, and throwing in a brisk walk are my daily non-negotiables. Engaging in regular exercise that you enjoy not only improves your physical health but also boosts your mood and reduces stress. And guess what? I've even dipped my toes into the world of horse riding! Sure, it was a rocky start, trying to decode what my coach was rattling on about. But once I saddled up and synced with my noble steed, the thrill was beyond words! I'm now planning to subscribe for a gym membership. 

JOURNALING

Journaling has been my trusty sidekick since forever. It's my go-to practice for keeping my sanity intact. I jot down everything from daily plans and weekly goals to rearranging my schedule when life gets a bit messy up there. One of the things I adore about journaling is that it's just between me, myself and I. No judgment, no filter, just pure, unadulterated honesty. Currently, I keep five journals, each serving a different purpose in keeping my thoughts organized and my mind clear. 

LIKE-MINDED COMMUNITY

Ever feel like you're speaking a different language from your colleagues? Yup, been there, done that! That's why I'm all about surrounding myself with like-minded souls. As my counselor beautifully put it, you're the guardian of a garden. Your friends are the ones helping you tend to it, nurturing those precious blooms. And if someone's out there with a weed whacker instead of a watering can, it's up to you to show them the garden gate! I always make time for heart-to-heart chats and am open to meeting new friends who share my passions. Whether it's bonding over a love for books, geeking out about hobbies, or just vibing on the same wavelength, these connections keep my garden blooming with positivity. Have a folk that gets you? Priceless.

PODCAST THERAPY

You know, there are times in life when we just feel so sluggish. What I usually do is tune in to a podcast while driving. But not just any old podcast. I'm talking about ones that dive right into the same struggles you're dealing with. And let me tell you, there's a real sense of comfort in hearing others hash out those same issues. It's like chatting with a friend who totally gets it, minus any of the awkward pauses. So, next time you're feeling a bit meh, why not give podcast therapy a spin?

SKINCARE RITUAL

So, I'm kinda into the whole skincare scene lately. Still a rookie, but playing around with different products has been a blast! There's something about that morning glow-up that just puts a pep in your step, you know? And it's not just skincare. I've been having fun trying out new makeup looks, too. It's a vibe, really! Currently obsessed with The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner and Illiyoon Ceramide ATO Concentrate Cream – they're total game-changers! 

RECITING QUR'AN

Starting your day with prayer and reciting the Qur'an can truly set the tone for a different kind of day. It keeps you grounded and centered, ready to tackle whatever comes your way. The key is to understand the message by reading the translation. 

BOOKWORM VIBES

Reading has taken a bit of a backseat in my life lately compared to previous years. But I still carve out some precious time each day to dive into a good book. If anything, it's my go-to for finding peace in the chaos. It's like hitting the refresh button on my energy levels, especially after a draining day of socializing. Being the introvert that I am, my battery tends to run low pretty quickly. So, during my breaks at work, you'll often catch me with my nose buried in a book, recharging my batteries for the next round.  

So, there you have it, peeps! My toolkit of habits that are propelling me towards becoming the best version of myself. Who's up for joining me on this epic adventure of self-discovery? Let's dive in and make some magic happen!


Read more →

on Performing Umrah



I went to perform Umrah a couple of months ago. But I have been pretty busy with life, study, exam, work and adamant to not give up on my reading goals so it stays as draft for months. Exam wasn't over yet but here I am dusting off my blog and give it a proper update.

When I first heard about my family’s plan to perform Umrah, I was reluctant to agree. I feel like I was not ready, physically and spiritually. A few months before the trip, my sister and I had a lot of talks over this matter. We both weren’t excited to shop around for Umrah. Not feeling motivated, I packed my 12-day trip three days prior the day.
 
Throughout the trip, Zulkifli Hasan, Yasmin Mogahed, Prince Ghazi, and Dr. Bilal Philips have served me as a great company. Strange how books can change your judgment. I finished the whole book of Islam di Barat Muslim di Timur written by Zulkifli Hassan on the eight-hour flight, where the writer shared his experience of spending Ramadhan in two Holy cities warmed my heart. Allah has invited me, and it was an opportunity that might not happen twice. Why not forsake my stubbornness this time, bite the bullet to rebrand myself, and go all out in performing the ibadah. And I did, on the way to Jeddah, with a new resolution.
 
In the sight of Kaabah, Yasmin Mohaged, through her book, Healing the Emptiness, taught me to move on and let go of the past. One saying that stunned me was that we are too holding on to our past because we’re idolizing our past. I always knew that as humans, our knowledge is limited and that Allah knows better but knowing that we dwell on our past because we’re fantasizing about them gives me a new point of view. Yes, nothing is perfect in this Dunya. The past that we regretted so much that we wished we could change and would choose differently will always be flawed, not as perfect as we imagined, and Allah knows better in everything than we thought we knew well. Every time I looked back on my past, it always hit me how stupid I was and how I wish I had been wiser, but then, nothing consoled me as much as Prophet Muhammad did through his hadith:
 

"... If anything befalls you, do not say, 'if only I had done such and such' rather say 'Qaddara Allahu was sha'a fa'ala ( Allah has decreed and whatever He wills, He does.' For (saying) "If" opens (the door) to the deeds of Satan.'" (Sahih, Sunan Ibn Majah 79)


It is ironic and tragic when we have something, we often focus on the negative parts of it and ignore the positive. Then we lose something, we do the opposite: we fixate on, and exaggerate, the positive aspects. Both habits are unhealthy; the first habit leads to ingratitude and unhappiness when we have something. And the second habit leads to delayed healing when we lose it. - Yasmin Mogahed, Healing the emptiness
 
My favorite moment throughout the trip was spending time at Masjidil Haram & Masjidil Nabawi while waiting for the Subuh prayer. Muazzin’s call was one hour before Subuh to wake the locals, but we woke up one hour and a half before so that we didn’t have to fight for space during Subuh. Battling with my inner self to lift the blanket and get off bed was one of the hardest battles of my life due to our packed schedule and late-night sleep. We were beyond exhausted. I fell sick due to the weather, and the side effects of consuming pills to delay my menstrual made it even worse, but once my foot entered these two holy mosques, those battles felt insignificant, time stopped and it turned out to be one of many magical moments in my life. How I was not interested in anything outside the four walls of that Masjiidil Haram-not my work, not my future, not my past. Everything that worried me became trivial. It just me and Allah. Nothing else matters. And I pondered, everything that I struggled for years became trivial when I spent 12 days in these two holy cities, what more in afterlife. Everything was just serene and I wouldn’t get that elsewhere. The tranquility I longed for every day when I was back in Malaysia. Towards the seventh round of tawaf wida’, I felt the ache that every Jemaah feels at one time or another, to preserve every second, to lock in for all eternity the sight of Kaabah.
 
Dealing with other Jemaah from all different countries wasn’t a pleasant experience. Despite that, choosing to perform Umrah as the first country to visit right after the pandemic is over is the best decision ever. I’m honored to be invited by Allah and visit His two Holy cities, and He never gets tired of my visit. May Allah grants us rizq and His Blessings and choose us to be one of His servants to perform Umrah insyaAllah.

Read more →

What I read in June


Hi there. How are you guys doing? I'm doing okay at the moment, although I've been feeling a bit uninspired and unproductive in the past few months hence why I have been absent from here. I had a lovely break taking time for myself and spending my day reading a good book. I guess it's now time to come out of my slump, open my planner, and start crossing off my overdue to-do list. 

To update on my reading progress, I read ten books in total last month and reached my yearly reading goal six months early. This wrap-up features mostly literature and a few classic and non-fiction.

Wuthering Height by Emily Brontë



You know it is a good book when you lose sleep because of it and finish it in just two days—an immediate five-star. To start, the housekeeper Nelly Dean and Mr. Lockwood as the narrator of the novel did take some time to get used to, but I was glued to it, exploring the multigenerational story of love and revenge between two families in Wuthering Heights revolves around its owner, Heathcliff. The atmosphere is dreadful, the characters awful, and yet there's something strangely beautiful in the madness and the way the new generation corrects their ancestors' pasts. A well-deserved ending ;) 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

The Architect's Apprentice by Elif Shafak 


I love Elif Shafak's non-fiction works. She is one of my favorite writers, and I still can't get over her book How to Stay Sane in the Age of Division. But I don't think her fiction is fit for me. This historical fiction, since I don't know much about the sixteenth century of Istanbul, I was excited to give it a try. It excites me to imagine the colorful setting of life in the court of the Ottoman rulers. However, the story wanders from event to event with no solid plot. Shafak's narration is alluring, so I was willing to keep reading, but to the end of the book, it kept me wondering what the message Shafak is trying to relay throughout this novel. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 

Buy: Kinokuniya

Open Water by Celeb Azumah Nelson 




Two young black artists falling in love and navigating a world filled with racism in London. I appreciate the lyrical and poetic lines. They are beautiful indeed however, the second-person narrative kills the intimacy. Unfortunately, I could not connect with the story. A short book that can easily be devoured in one sitting.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 




Buy: Kinokuniya


The book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki 


This book is about a mother and her son struggling to find solace after the father's death, and each went through the grieving phase in their own way. Ozeki touched few issues on capitalism, global warming, woman empowerment as well as mental health and grieving as the central theme of the books. I have mixed feelings about both characters, as much as I want to empathize with their situation, I'm constantly frustrated by them. It is so satisfying when Anabelle finally makes up her mind to declutter her home for real at the end of the book. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 

Buy: Kinokuniya


Norwegian Woods by Haruki Murakami


My first exposure to Haruki Murakami, I'm glad I don't hate it. He portrayed the coming-of-age dilemma, pain, and loneliness so well throughout the book. It upsets me to learn his closest friend all died from suicide, but it says a lot knowing that Japan has high record of suicide. There were quite a lot of graphic scenes which I didn't particularly enjoy, but other than that, I love it. Murakami leaves an open-ended ending to prepare us with the kind of closure we think deem suitable for the whole story. The lack of imagination in me googled the ending interpretation, and it amused me to read other readers' interpretations from different angles of view. 

Trigger Warnings: depression, sex (explicit), sexual harassment, rape, suicide 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

Buy: Kinokuniya


Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell 


Gladwell challenges the traditional theory that outliers are disciplined, self-made successful people and believes that the environment, support system, and other factors contribute to their success. The story of the Flom family resonates with me very well. It taught me to be a better parent and create 'the opportunity' for the next generations. And a reminder if you are competent to open the chances/opportunity to others, because who knows maybe you'll be creating the next world genius. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/ 5


The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern 



This book has so much potential. It started very well but ended up with huge disappointment. I especially love her thoughts about the two bluebottles. However, was it really necessary to turn one of the characters into evil at the end of the book? A magic diary that predicts the future sounds awesome, but it doesn't add any value and ends up with the main character doing those things just like the diary says. I don't know. Everything is just a waste. 


My rating: ⭐⭐/5 


Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo 


The translation to me is a bit hard to get into, but I do get the messages the writer is trying to convey. It brings out misogyny and sexism issues that women in Korea experienced. Kim's having difficulty landing any job for just being a woman resonates with me as well. Pregnancy is the primary reason that ended a woman's career, plenty of them bounce back to fight after childbirth but hardly land a job that fits their academic qualification. It is also heartbreaking knowing that we are now living in 21th-century, but employers with 20th mindsets still exist. One or two facts which I do find quite an exaggeration. Towards the end of the book, I could not be more frustrated with the psychiatrist as the narrator. While treating Kim's depression, he is sympathetic, of course, but so is Kim's husband. Yet neither of them chooses to treat their respective wives differently. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 


The Secret History by Donna Tartt 


This is your sign to read the summary first and not set any expectations when picking up books recommended by the Booktok. I have so many expectations, unfortunately, I am utterly disappointed with this book. It threw me off in so many ways, and I kept putting this off. I could not stand every character. Each character with a distorted concept of right or wrong is obsessed with ancient Greek culture. Julian, the professor, believes it is better to learn one book intimately rather than having a great diversion of teachers. This ultimate philosophy of the professor led his pupil to fall into obsessions and death, yet he could not take responsibility for the consequences. I don't know; everything is so mess up. I have so many questions going through this novel.

My rating: ⭐/5
 

Buy: Kinokuniya


Transit by Rachel Cusk 


As mentioned in the previous post, I read Rachel Cusk's trilogy backward. I love Kudos, and Transit gave me the same impression, so very different and so similar. I enjoy her series of interactions and meaningful conversations with different people in the main character's life, and I look forward to her first book to see where it takes her. If I had to pick books to define my taste, it wouldn't be a stretch to include Outline Trilogy as one of them. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5  



How about you? What did you read in June?
Read more →

What I read in May


May was a slow reading month for me, partly due to Eid. For a while, I have been reading at least ten books a month, but this month I read seven which is still a good number. I also realize I spent around 500 ringgit on books every month and opted for thrift books. Anyway, I enjoyed every single book I put together in May, so it is still a win.  

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithir 


Can you imagine when you are so close to becoming a renowned neurosurgeon after ten years of hard work, but one day, you are diagnosed with cancer and only have a few months to live? Because I can't. I envy Paul's efforts to stay optimistic and ensure he spent his remaining time to the fullest between the diagnosis and his final breath, and it inspires me to reflect upon the shortness of my own life. Loaded with theories and medical terminology, he did not fail to impress me. Unfortunately, his work is incomplete due to his illness and finished by his widow, who documented Paul's last days and hours. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 


This book is phenomenal. It took me a while to figure out who the narrator was. This book is set during the Holocaust and tells the story of Liesel Meminger, who stole books and found comfort in them. Her foster family took pity on a Jewish man and hid him in the family basement. I love the writing style of this book. The plot is incredibly slow with a series of anecdotes, poetic lines, and likable characters. It is beautiful in so many ways. If you are thinking of reading this next, let me warn you, better prepare a tissue box next to you. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

Kudos by Rachel Cusk 


The third book of the Outline trilogy started with Outline and Transit, but I began with Kudos and read the trilogy backward. First of all, let's talk about the book cover, it is so dreamy and aesthetically pleasing. Faye, the writer, is attending a writers' event in Germany and captures numerous conversations she has on the way and at the event. Nothing much happens, but I found the series of discussions among the character and monologues, which captures a kind of everyday irony, are brilliant and insightful.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 


Villette by Charlotte Brontë 


I personally find this book hard to rate because I don't know how to feel about it. It is very different from my beloved Jane Eyre, which is disappointing. I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. Lucy Snow is a passive observer. Much of the novel revolves around her observations and comments about the world and the people around her, which perhaps is less of an easy read for me. There are so many flaws with the two main characters that I hardly love any of them. A frustrating book. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 


The Defining Decade by Meg Jay 



This book is highly recommended to anyone in their twenties who is still figuring out their life. Dr. Jay uses relatable stories of her clients and touches upon many issues I faced in my early twenties. This book makes you confront your purpose, like a punch in the gut to get your life together. It empowered me to re-plan my life schedule and not fall into the myth that I still have plenty of time to achieve all my goals. Oh, I wish I had read this book at least three years earlier. 

 My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 


Black Milk by Elif Shafak 


Through this book, Shafak opens up about her dilemma that every woman could relate to. She also explores the lives of the famous female literature writers over the time, and how they dealt with the choice of marriage, motherhood, and writing. The tensions between her thumbelinas may sound childish and hard to understand, but I could sympathize with her, struggling with her inner-selves, contemplating between marriage and career, and finding that balance we all want to achieve.  

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin 



A very interesting concept. It is a year-long journey of the author's experiment planning activities to achieve happiness. Gretchen applied several studied happiness techniques to her daily life and took note of which ones worked for her. Few of her projects I'd love to try out. Though I'm inspired by how self-driven and productive Gretchen is, for some reason, it was also exhausting reading through her stories about her family and trying so hard to attain happiness all the time. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5  




How about you? What did you read in May?
Read more →
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Latest Finds

A collection of the most recently-discovered products I love and recommend!
SHOP ALL FINDS →