Finding peace in life

 Hello, my friends, my community, and everyone joining me today.

Thank you all for your support, your kind words, and for simply being here. Your presence means more than you know. Today, I want to share a message from my heart — a message about gratitude, faith, struggle, and the power we all have to build our own happiness.

The past few years have not been easy. The corona virus pandemic was a storm none of us were prepared for. It changed lives, broke routines, and for many of us, it shook our sense of stability and purpose. And I won’t pretend that it wasn’t hard on me too. It challenged my mind, my emotions, and my faith in myself. Yet, even through all that difficulty, my life is still beautiful, and I am still blessed beyond measure.

I am blessed with an amazing family. I am blessed with a heart that loves Allah deeply and sincerely. I am blessed with the ability to keep trying, to keep learning, and to keep growing. Alhamdulillah, despite everything, I am still here with gratitude in my heart. I am still striving to be a good person and a good Muslim. And even when I don’t know exactly what direction my life is going, I say Alhamdulillah — because Allah always knows what I do not.

Sometimes we forget how far we’ve come. We get so focused on what we don’t have that we forget everything we do have. For the last seven months, I found myself trapped in that cycle. I kept thinking about the things missing in my life — marriage, a job, my master’s degree in social work — and I allowed those thoughts to weigh me down emotionally. It was draining. It made me feel small. It made me feel like I wasn’t enough.

But I realized something powerful:

It is not worth it.

This world is temporary. Our possessions, our achievements, our worries — none of them will follow us to the grave. What will follow us are our good deeds, our intentions, our kindness, our faith, and the love we spread.

When I looked at my life honestly, I saw something beautiful: I have achieved so much already, Alhamdulillah.

I graduated high school.

I earned an associate degree in liberal arts and human services.

I completed my bachelor’s degree in both psychology and sociology.

I have worked hard for years, not just academically, but emotionally and spiritually.

This is not bragging — this is truth, and sometimes we must remind ourselves of our truth to quiet the negativity in our mind.

I realized that negative thoughts do not deserve to define me. They do not deserve to take up space in my heart that is meant for gratitude and hope. And they do not deserve to overshadow the blessings Allah has already given me. Allah loves me. Allah has protected me. Allah has blessed me with the heart I have, with the compassion I feel, and with the love I carry for Islam.

The pandemic taught me just how short and fragile life is. It taught me that everything can change in a moment. And if life can change that quickly, then why waste time worrying about things that are not in my control? Why worry about what society says, what people think, or what I haven’t accomplished yet?

I choose to trust Allah’s plan.

I choose to believe that everything meant for me will come in the exact right time.

I choose to be proud of myself rather than ashamed of where I am.

I choose to believe I am exactly where Allah wants me to be right now.

And I choose happiness, because happiness is not something you wait for — it is something you build.

And that is another lesson I learned: happiness is not a mood; happiness is a lifestyle. It is a choice we make over and over. It is not about pretending everything is perfect; it is about choosing to focus on hope, gratitude, and faith even when life feels confusing or incomplete. Happiness is not about waiting for the world to give us something. It is about using our own talents, our own dreams, and our own faith to create meaning and purpose.

Mental illness is real — very real — and I am not ignoring that. But there is a difference between having a mental illness and being trapped in the belief that “I’m not good enough.” That belief is a lie. It is a trap. And I refused to let it control me anymore.

Anyone can create happiness in their own life. You can build it through your actions, your outlook, your kindness, your dreams, and your dedication. Your happiness is part of your legacy — part of what you leave behind in this world. Your impact, your voice, your writing, your love, your character — these are the things that will last.

And I know that part of my purpose is to help people. I want to become a social worker. I want to be someone who supports, uplifts, motivates, and heals. I know that one day, inshaAllah, I will find a job that fulfills me. I know that one day I will complete my master’s degree. I know that one day I will meet someone who is right for me. I will not give up on my dreams, because I believe Allah placed those dreams in my heart for a reason.

But part of living with purpose is choosing the right people to surround yourself with. Nothing can happen without love — but it must be love for the right things and the right people. Love Allah, love your family, love the people who lift you higher. Choose people who encourage you, who correct you with kindness, who motivate you, who make you laugh, who bring out your best self. Surround yourself with positivity, not selfishness. You deserve relationships that feel like nourishment, not exhaustion.

I refuse to accept the idea that “you’re too busy” is an excuse not to love people. If you truly love someone, you make time for them. You check on them, you send a message, you ask how they really are — not just “I’m good” or “I’m fine,” but real, genuine conversations. Love requires presence. Love requires effort. If someone only appears when they are sick, stressed, or lonely, that is not love — that is convenience.

Real love is consistent. Real love sees your flaws and accepts them. Real love reminds you of your worth, comforts you, and encourages you to grow. And one day, inshaAllah, I know I will have that kind of unconditional love. Because I deserve it, and so do you.

At the end of the day, I stand here grateful, hopeful, and proud. I am not perfect, but I am striving. I am not where I want to be, but I am becoming who I’m meant to be. I am not lost — Allah is guiding me every step of the way.

I am happy — not because my life is easy, but because I choose to see it as a blessing. I choose faith. I choose gratitude. I choose hope.

And with my voice and my writing, I hope I can make the world a little better, a little kinder, a little more honest. We all have something unique to give. We all have a story worth telling. And I believe that my story — and your story — will inspire others to believe in themselves again.

Thank you for listening.

May Allah bless you, protect you, and fill your heart with peace and purpose.

Alhamdulillah for everything.