Of Being Better

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh..

Yet again, another year has passed. At the dusk of the last day of every Hijri year, did we ever ponder on what have we done for the past one year, as a Muslim. Have we done enough to make sure that we live to the 'Muslim' status. Do we really applied all the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (praise be upon him). Honestly, I never really did. When I was younger, I do make a conscious resolution at some start of Hijri year, to make sure that I completed my 5 daily prayers (yes, back then to complete the compulsory one was really a battle). Alhamdulillah, now its not as bad, though I still catch myself doing it at the very last minute.
But hold on, offering salah is not the only things that makes me Muslim.

What about my other obligations on this earth as khalifah? When will I start doing more for people rather than focus on many other self eccentric stuffs? This platform for a start, how many of the things that I shared that has benefited the ummah? Its there, but not as much as I hoped. Today during usrah, our naqibah shared a list of personal target, very appropriately timed with the new year :) Here is what the list look like :

1. Tilawah al-Quran : 1 juz per day (we strive to meet this target during Ramadhan, why not on the normal days?)
2. Al-Mathurat : once a day
3. Solat sunat rawatib : before/after each prayer
4. Qiamullail : 3 times per week
5. Interaction with neighbour : once a week
6. Puasa sunat : 3 times a month
7. Riadhah : 3 times a week
8. Istighfar : everyday
9. Read book : 30 mins a day
10. Memorize the ayat from al-Quran (with its meaning) - 1 ayat per day

We were encouraged to push the limit, to meet the target, and share how much we achieved with our naqibah on weekly basis. Honestly, it is a stretch list for me, but I have to try. We have to start somewhere. I think my biggest challenge would be the interaction with neighbour. I pretty much keep things to myself. My neighbour, on the right side is an Indian family and on the left is a Chinese family. I had more communication with the Indian family. They have a few kids, and the small ones like to say hi each time I get back from work, but after that I don't know what to do next, how do I take it much further. Maybe I should start by offering some kuih instead? (I think I did,when I first moved in..hehehe...)

Hijrah signifies the journey for the better life, just as the Muslim back then when they traveled from Mekah to Madinah, in hope to spread Islam and get out of the oppressed life in Mekah. Reading the story of hijrah makes me realize, I have not tried my best for any change that I wanted to make before. I lack that determination, and I think one way to motivate me is by keep on reminding myself of what the Prophet and the sahabah went through just to spread the word of Allah, I need that inspiration :D

Just to start, here's the story of Hijrah. May Allah give me strength in achieving the listed target...aamiiinnnn...
Salam Maal Hijrah 1434H!!

An Unexpected Briefing #airnzhobbit

Just a short one today, I thought this is funny and creative. The link was actually passed on via related work email. :)

To Lead or to be Lead?

Since I am on this trying to get back on the wagon for writing mood, let me share something that I gain last week. For the past 2 weeks, the company has been arranging session for people's development. This company I work with are among the forefront that creates top leaders, just to name a few, we have Idris Jala and the previous SC chairman, Zarinah Anwar. Even from the recruitment stage, they have various module to identify the 'leaders'.

We have been drilled with many leadership skills since the moment we step into the job, how much are we able to embed it, thats another debate. They used to have this thing called 9 Planets, which covers how a leader should behave/act, what should be done to cultivate that leadership quality. I barely knew all the planets and now they have changed to this new leadership attributes. Just so that I can remember what it is, I am sharing it here.

There was one particular session last week, the management team were called in and share their views on these attributes. Most of them started by sharing who inspires them i.e the role model. Which bags me to recall who was my role model. When I come to think of it, I normally don't emulate any good behaviours, I've seen many good leaders, in and out of the company, maybe some in school, but I have never made a conscious decision to start doing whatever that they are doing, or at least try to. Most of my actions or how I carry myself was on the basis "Don't do what this person is doing...". Which means I am avoiding what my bad role models are doing.

By taking that approach, does it do any good to my personal development? Maybe, but not so much in the direction that I potentially can achieve. I should start to do what is good, avoiding the bad, yes, but if I put to much constraints I'm afraid that I will end up doing nothing.

Main key take away from the session :

1. Value the things that we do. Having a proper process is good, but does all of it creates value? (Bak kata manager tu, jangan buat kerja syok sendiri :P)
2. Good managers/leaders are the one that able to stretch his people, able to identify how much the team can do, instead of going to the same willing person to get a job done.
3. Have a good relationship with people around you, as most of the things will be delivered by them.
4. Internalize what we want to do consistently until it becomes a habit, just do it, once your system recognize it can be done, you will be able to do it.
5. Last but not least (most importantly)...do not become indispensible, make whatever information that you holds visible to people, but of course within the boundary of authority the information is allowed to, based on your position.

There you go, you can take this and run away with it (read: me) or you can let it sits in your notebook, waiting for another moment of enlightenment in the future, take your pick.

About writing and all...

Nowadays, I am not thaaattt busy, and its not that I have nothing to write either, I have tonnes of materials to share (Surah Yusuf, anyone??) but somehow I just lost it. The ability and the sheer determination to write (or to type?). I do feel at lost by not writing. As if a part of me slowly fading away. Is this what people call writers block?

Who am I to call myself a writer, yes I do write stuff, non important stuffs to others but matters to me. I write things so that I won't forget (oh how I wish to have memories like an elephant :) ) There are times when I came across something, it hits me, I have to blog about this, but the moment IE is on, I got distracted by many other stuffs. I am losing focus. I need to get back on track.

It was not like this before, perhaps age is a factor? Riiigghhhttt.....conviniently blaming the age, keep it up girl...! Indeed istiqamah is a very challenging trait, and one has to start somewhere.

p/s: the most narcissistic post ever, count the number of 'I' apperance :P 

Mount Kinabalu Expedition 2012 montage

Buat kak yong, layan rock kapak jap, lagu ni yang first ni buat naik semangat!!

Wordless Wednesday

Heaven....!!!

Me: I ternampak out of office mail from farrah, she's on maternity leave till feb 2013, thats 6 months!! gila kaya, company only bagi 2 months, lain tu kira unpaid,


S: lamanya

Me: paling abis pon 3 rd month setengah bulan gaji

S: dia amek sabbatical? is that even the right spelling

Me: entahla...adui..if only money is not a constraint kita pon boleh gak..i wanna go arab/spain 3 bulan, belajar bahasa dorang, balik sini fluent boleh bukak kelas bahasa

S:heheheheh and then buat full time , happier i think

Me:me think so too...bukak bakeri kat seblah tu, heaven!!!

pic curik dari pakcik google :D