Nadir Keval

Over the last few weeks/months, I have gone through some major experiences that have completely altered how I look at my life. I’m still the same person, still hold the same ambitions, but what’s changed is the lens through which I view my life.

“Ban, delete, shred, obliterate the words: ‘I’m not good enough.'” – Karen Salmansohn

Looking at these experiences, I have learned that life is something that we must live for ourselves and one that we should strive towards making the most of. Every moment should be put towards making a difference in our own individual ways. When I say “live for ourselves”, I don’t mean to live a life of narcissism, but rather, to live a life that is focused around doing the most good through our own individual means and ambitions. Every one of us has a purpose, and it is on each and every one of us to fulfill that purpose.

You’re Not Alone

We’ve seen so many people throughout the ages overcome challenges, negativity from others, and circumstances that would otherwise dilute their extraordinary potential into something that is purely ordinary. These are people who were able to fulfill their ambitions and goals because of their drive to do more than what was expected of them and to do these things in their own way. They did not bother with what others had to say, and that was not for a lack of criticism but rather, because of a desire to do whatever it took to live a life they were pleased with. This way, they could look back at themselves and know that they never gave themselves a reason to believe that they were not good enough in any way. This is purely my presumption, but after having watched so many interviews and read the views and thoughts of some of the most successful people in the world, I’ve noticed a similar trend of this rejection of accepting anything less from themselves but their own personal best.

Step 1: Convince Yourself Of You

Now, before you go out there trying to change the world or even helping one person get through something they’re facing, you have to first and foremost come to terms with who you are. You have to believe in yourself, because one of the greatest impacts you can have on a person that you hope to help is that sense of comfort and security a person feels from seeing how much conviction and confidence you have in what you are saying to them. Look at it this way: if you have a doctor that’s obese tell you that you need to start eating healthier and need to lose weight, you wouldn’t feel all that encouraged, motivated, or convinced, because you wouldn’t feel the doctor who, himself, is overweight truly believed in or practiced what he was advising you to do. Similarly, a person would not fully feel inclined to make a change in their lives towards what you are advising them to do if they didn’t see you practicing what you preached.

Step 2: Perfect Your Craft

As important as it is for us to be knowledgeable, cognizant, and engrossed in our beliefs and values, it is all useless without application. Knowledge and application go hand in hand. Without knowledge, application is dangerous, and without application, knowledge is useless. You wouldn’t read a book on surgery and then go into a hospital operating room and perform surgery. That would be extremely dangerous. And what if there’s someone out there that has the cure to a disease we now consider incurable? Without application, that person’s knowledge of the cure is absolutely useless.

So, when you are striving towards accomplishing something in your life, or doing something positive in the world, ensure that you continuously study your trade and practice your skills, in order to solidify them. Through this, you will become the best you can be at your craft and would be able to hold the satisfaction in your mind and heart that you haven’t given anyone reason to believe that you’re not good enough in any way.

Step 3: Maintain Humility

One of the worst things that can happen to a person that has become an expert in something, or has built a reputation for being incredible at something is that often, arrogance kicks in. Once this happens, the person thinks they no longer have a need to practice or study their craft, thus leading them to become blinded by arrogance.

“If you think you know everything; you know nothing. If you think you know nothing; you know something.” – Jayce O’Neal

Recognize that no matter what happens, every person always has room for growth. Everything in life is going through a process of growth through the different stages of life. Every trade has life process as well. From my own experiences through my businesses and projects, I can definitely attest to the fact that there is always a need to learn more about the industry we’re in. For example, for EYSK Media, marketing strategies and theories are always changing, web design trends and methods are always advancing, and with every client having their own set of unique needs and goals, there’s always a need to learn more about their industries and corporate cultures.

Ultimately…

The most important thing is to never give ourselves any reason to believe that we’re not good enough to do something or be something. In fact, even if you’re in a tough place in your life, don’t feel that you are where you are because of not being good enough. Forget the past. Instead, focus on the future, and what you’re going to do to become a better you. If something doesn’t work out one day, then accept that as having happened for a reason. Then, if you still want that particular thing, better yourself and try again tomorrow or next week or next year – whenever you’re ready. Just remember to never give up on yourself and to never let yourself or anyone else have reason to believe that you’re not good enough.

We all go through a lot in our lives, and each and every one of us has struggles that test and challenge us. Our perception of life in general, our own lives, and the lives of others plays a large role in forming our moods and in our attitudes towards life. It can be the difference between depression and happiness…something I can say because I’ve gone through it myself.

Years ago, doctors diagnosed me with clinical depression. I couldn’t understand it, because I thought I was just going through a rough patch in my life. Sure, it lead to some physical health problems, landing me in the hospital for a few hours and whatnot, but ultimately, I didn’t think it was much more than just me needing to calm down and face life differently. Without a doubt, this was a wake up call for me, and since then, I’ve strived towards living my life with a new outlook – one that was more inclusive of being at peace with my life’s conditions and circumstances.

I decided that I wanted to initially give myself the opportunity to overcome this depression through meditation, prayer, and learning to strengthen my mind and will power. So, I began taking small steps towards making changes in my life, such as bettering my habits when it came to prayer and worship, spending more time in meditative thought (reflecting on the beauty and blessings of Allah’s creation), keeping myself away from negativity in the form of thoughts and people, and trying to calm myself and remembering to rely on Allah through everything.

Taking these steps weren’t easy, but they changed my life, and not only did I overcome the depression without any medication, but since then, my life has become much easier to handle. There have been many additional challenges and tests since then, each one often more difficult and trying than the last, but because of this approach towards my perception and how I dealt with things, life has run quite smoothly for the most part.

Perception Of You

Throughout all the things I’ve faced in life, Alhamdulillah, I’ve realized that my first priority should be to take care of my own peace of mind. Only when I have my mind calm and intact will I be able to address the other aspects of my life with wisdom and ease. There are so many things we face in our lives, including criticism from others, things demoralizing us because they don’t go our way, and more. These are all tests, and we should recognize them as being such. Then, with an optimistic view, we should work towards learning from these experiences and find peace in knowing that they happened for a reason. For example, the criticism of others is often a reflection of you doing something that stands out from the norm. Filter your actions through your beliefs and values (in the case of my fellow Muslims, filter it through the Quran and Sunnah), and if they are sound, move forward trusting in yourself and Allah, and don’t pay any attention to the opinions of others, especially if those opinions don’t sit well with you.

Be confident in who you are, and although that is easier said than done for a person who struggles with confidence, you should still make an effort and recognize that you are a person of value. I personally believe that many of us could reach much higher levels of success and happiness if we were optimistic and just a bit more confident in who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing. Keep that in mind and try to embrace this as your reality. Then, as time progresses, try to catch yourself when you feel in doubt of anything related to you. You will eventually see everything become more and more clear, making your life more calm and peaceful.

Perception of Life

Let’s be honest. Time and time again, we get hit with things in life that we feel we aren’t deserving of, or that we feel we can’t handle. It’s a fact and is nothing to be ashamed of. However, it is also important for us to recognize that we need to maintain an optimistic outlook on all of these things that make up our lives.

“How amazing is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.” – Prophet Muhammad

With an optimistic look at life, you’ll see your struggles as opportunities, your tests as challenges, and consequentially, your life as a whole, being in favor of your betterment. How do you know that when you’re in that rush and you have to stop at an intersection because of a red light, you are not in fact being protected by something worse that could have happened had you not been stopped? How do you know that your divorce wasn’t something you had to go through (along with that marriage) because it was what you needed at that time in your life, and because it would make you better prepared and more grateful for your future? How do you know that the car accident you got into that lead to you having injuries that resulted in you having to leave your career was not a protection from Allah in readjusting your career path towards something that would be better for you? There are so many examples of different scenarios we face, all ranging in depth and weight, but if we look at all of them with optimism and faith, we’ll only have gratitude and peace to take away from it.

Perception of Others

Think back to when someone told you that your struggle wasn’t that of a big deal, or when others would make you feel as though you are overreacting over something they would handle “so easily”. Didn’t feel all that good, did it?

When looking at the conditions of others, don’t be so quick to judge, because the impact of every persons’ struggle is relative to their own capacity and abilities.

“Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned.” – Quran (2:286)

Every soul is different, every being is different, every struggle is different, and every situation is different. When you see someone struggling, or stressed about something, speak to them with kindness, remind them of the beauty of optimism and faith, and comfort them, even if their struggle is something you look at as being minor.

With this optimistic and positive approach to speaking to people and yourself, and in dealing with the things you face in life, you will find yourself at peace more often, and will see ease in dealing with things that you would have never thought possible in the past.

This is a HUGE topic and takes time to perfect, so if enough people in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada are interested, I’ll hold seminars on this topic in the near future. Let me know through posting a comment below. This is not only limited to Vancouver residents – if there are people or organizations anywhere in North America that would be interested in a seminar/workshop related to this or any other topic I’ve spoken on, please contact me at mail@nadirkeval.com or by going through my contact page to arrange an event. And finally, anyone interested in having one-on-one workshops with me in getting out of a rut or in becoming a better you, can contact me through my contact page or the email address mentioned above. Thank you!