It takes everything

It takes nothing to smile they say โ€ฆ

It does โ€ฆ it takes conscious effort , redirection of thought process , generating willingness to move the face muscles.

Itโ€™s not always about being peaceful and happy inside.

Then why have we come to think that any action that we struggle to regulate should be voluntary.

(Eg: mothers should stop yelling)

Who invented that merit?

You should be kind โ˜บ๏ธ

Voluntarily โœ‹

Patient ๐Ÿ˜‡

Voluntarilyโœ‹

Obedient ๐Ÿค

Voluntarilyโœ‹

Happy ๐Ÿ˜€

Voluntarilyโœ‹

Sacrificing ๐Ÿ˜”

Voluntarily โœ‹

Enduring ๐Ÿ˜ฅ

Voluntarilyโœ‹

Accommodating ๐Ÿค•

Voluntarily โœ‹

WHO CAME UP WITH THIS NOTION AND THEN SAID WHOEVER DOES NOT DO IT IS NOT A GOOD PERSON. ๐Ÿšซ๐Ÿšซ๐Ÿšซ๐Ÿšซ๐Ÿšซ

To give willingly, voluntarily is altruism. Itโ€™s like a muscle you develop over time with exercise and commitment.

Even if it is for your children! We are incapable of continually generating it.

๐Ÿ“ฃBeing a believer never meant being a volunteer to anything you were not ready to learn, practice and then adopt.

๐Ÿ“ฃAdab, Ikhlaq, good manners, kindness are practiced best when they are displayed genuinely. Because one wants to be that kind, patient human being.

I am not a happy person and I have to sit with this thought process ..

โ‰๏ธDo I want to be happy ?

โ‰๏ธDo I want to be calm ?

โ‰๏ธDo I want to have what it takes to live peacefully and spread joy around me?

Yes .. ok then, letโ€™s get to work.

And then starts the gruel practice of constant break and make.

๐Ÿ› โš’๏ธ๐Ÿชš๐Ÿช›๐Ÿช“โš™๏ธโš–๏ธ๐Ÿ”ญ๐Ÿ–Š

Now what we assume is

Success ๐Ÿ†

Appreciation ๐Ÿค

Understanding ๐Ÿ’ž

Wow effect ๐Ÿคฉ

Applaud ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

Validation ๐Ÿ™Œ

but the matter of fact is what we gain is

Experiences

๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Ž๐Ÿฅณ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป

๐Ÿคฏโค๏ธโ€๐Ÿฉน๐Ÿ’”๐Ÿ˜ข๐Ÿ˜”๐Ÿฅด

Good and bad both!

What we lose is self doubt ๐Ÿ˜•

self loathing๐Ÿคข

and if consistent then finally disappointment in self ๐Ÿคฌ

Not everyone is going to understand our journey. They arenโ€™t going through the metamorphosis of self awareness, building of confidence and letting go of ego.

They will see you as someone either becoming a โ€œgoodโ€ person or a โ€œstrange fellowโ€ well โ€œweirdoโ€ to be exact.

But only you will know, it is taking everything from you to be consciously and willingly the best version of yourself.

So the next time someone says

โ€œoh common, cheer up it takes nothing to be kindโ€ฆ. โ€œ

Remember it takes everything to be anything good.

You canโ€™t spill kindness, calmness, positivity if the the heart is battered, wounded and bleeding.

Specially not to your children, spouse or family.

You decide what you want your life story to be like and then work on it.

No more auto pilot actions and reactions and then emotional crashes. ๐Ÿ’ฅ๐Ÿ’ฅ๐Ÿ’ฅ

Work on you. ๐Ÿฅธ

Slowly, quietly, consistently, diligently, bravely, in pauses.

Being present in the moment is good but wanting to be present in the moment is better. ๐Ÿ’

Effortlessly no one is in the moment! ๐ŸคชRemember that.๐Ÿ‘“

There is WILLINGNESS TO BE ๐Ÿฅฐ

so you decide, what are you willing to do for you today.

Take a sip of water, breathe, admit your weakness, ask Allah Al Qawaye ุงู„ู‚ูˆูŠ for strength . The word (ุงู„ู‚ูˆุฉ) means willpower.

and Al Wahab ( the bestower of gifts ) for the gifts you want to nurture in you.

Our journey is life long. And so should be our willingness to live it fully.