U s r i / Y u s r a (Hardship/Ease) - 22
When I look back at some of my life experiences, I realise that a lot of things were delayed for me. When I was a toddler, I didn’t start walking until I was 18 months. In school, I took longer to learn new things and I didn’t always get things right the first time. I passed my driving test pretty late; because of the many attempts. When I secured my first job ever, it took me a while, and when I went to study at University, I graduated a year later; due to taking a gap year in between.
I fully believe that everyone’s timelines are different, so it’s important for me not to compare myself to others. But I think in today's society, it is very easy to get caught up in doing that.
The reason that I’m reflecting upon this is because; it’s come towards the end of the year and I’ve tried to make a habit of writing a yearly post so that I can always look back and learn from my old self. Secondly, during this time last year, I was hoping that my situation of being unemployed would have changed and somehow I’d be working that ‘dream career’.
Unfortunately, I’m still in the same predicament and it’s been such a challenging year. When I say challenging, what I mean is that; the number of jobs (both creative and non-creative) I have applied for has literally been endless. I tried to balance finding ‘THE’ job, and ‘A’ job because I was being both optimistic and realistic with my options. But honestly speaking, it’s been mentally draining trying to do both.
I've received so many rejection emails that I’ve done that thing where you make a separate folder, just so you can count how many times a company has emailed you starting with the words ‘thank you for applying for XYZ… unfortunately you were unsuccessful’…
It still hurts every time, because I very easily start to question my self-worth; even despite knowing that deep down, it wasn’t meant to be. But it's also a form of self-motivation for when I eventually do secure the right job In Sha Allah (God Willing), I can remember that it was all worth it.
Someone asked me ‘what’s your dream job and why?’ I still don’t know who that person is because they were anonymous, but I feel the answer is very relevant. This was my slightly long answer…
"To be honest, I don't have an exact dream 'job' that I want. But the last place I worked came pretty close. So far, I've enjoyed exploring all this content creation stuff. I'd love to work with brands (big or small); ones that I care about and want to grow with. For me, it really isn't about how popular a brand is, but I usually become inspired if I genuinely like the product/ service. I don't like shooting stuff for the sake of it or if it's just a ‘trend' as I'm conscious about what I promote. I find it satisfying being able to make something so simple look so good and then I can look at it & be like damn did I really do that?'
I won't pretend that money isn't an important factor; because of course, it is (especially in this economy). But it has to be a balanced priority alongside three other key things which I look for in the ideal role:
1. It's important that it aligns with my faith as a Muslim and allows me to practice my spirituality confidently. I'm far from being the perfect Muslim, but I don't wanna be put in a position where I feel like I have to compromise on my values.
2. I'm good at the job (sounds obvious), but I need to be confident enough in my skills & abilities in order for me to feel like I've got a sense of purpose in my work.
3. I enjoy what I do… I've worked at places where I hated what I was doing and it was mentally draining; which really demotivated me outside of work. So it may sound like the 'bare minimum' but at LEAST 70% of me has to like my job.”
So that summarises my personal values when it comes to my career.
I want to try and be as open and honest as I can about my journey whilst highlighting both my failures and achievements. Platforms such as LinkedIn and Instagram can sometimes be all about flaunting success, where everything seems too perfect and unrealistic. So I understand why there are so many people who struggle with imposter syndrome (including myself). I want others to somehow resonate with what I talk about and understand that they may not be as alone as they think when it comes to their personal struggles of not feeling good enough.
This year I really lost my confidence, and have struggled with regaining it. It’s not that I don’t realise that I am talented and amazing, but it’s when I start playing 'the comparison' game... That’s when the intrusive thoughts creep in.
So I began focusing on my personal achievements; no matter how big or small they were which allowed me to be proud of myself. When you reflect on each different achievement, you realise how your successes are unique because they are meaningful to you and not anyone else; which is what matters the most.
A huge part of me writing about my reflections, is also me navigating through my faith as a Muslim. I will always try to find a correlation between my experiences and Islam and use them as life lessons.
Securing ‘The career’ has felt like one of the biggest delays in my life so far. Actually, let me rephrase that because I feel like ‘The Career’ is something that is ongoing and constant. So far, finding ‘The Job’ that is secure enough to allow me to get my foot in the door, whilst gaining enough working skills and experience has felt like one of the biggest delays in my life.
In this particular lesson, I constantly remind myself that everyone’s path is written differently. Even though I may feel like I’m behind, it’s important for me to remember that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. There are blessings in things that are delayed because it’s all down to Allah’s timing; not mine. One of my favourite Ayahs (verses) from the Quran in Surah Ash-Sharh is:
“So, surely with hardship comes ease. Surely with hardship comes ease” - Quran (94.5-6)
These particular Ayahs from the Quran mean a lot to me because there is a sense of reassurance when Allah repeats the words 'Surely with hardship comes ease' twice. Whatever trials I'm faced with, they will be temporary and will be replaced with something better through the power and will of Allah. I've also found that during my most difficult times when I’m all burned out and close to giving up, nothing else gives me comfort knowing that I still have my faith to hold on to and Allah to turn to.
