London
Feeling connected to everything and all the objects around me right now as I start to type. My fingers feel a little stiff. I’m typing fast enough, but the words in my mind are rolling out randomly, moving from one thought to another.
It’s 23:53 here in London. There is a zushhhhh noise coming from the window, from the road nearby. Some man’s voice now, humming something. I have a slight headache.
I’m sitting in my arm desk chair, with the small writing table underneath my laptop, resting over my lap. My legs are comfortably fitted underneath the table. I have blue summer flip-flops on my feet. The weather is still mild enough, around 17°C.
I’m wearing blue jeans, a dark blue-coloured T-shirt, a thick silver chain around my neck, a slightly overgrown beard and untidy curly hair. I’m sitting right in front of this long, tall mirror, facing my own company.
Mr Man in the mirror, I’m watching you.
I’m observing you – your actions, your habits, your worries.
Let’s work together. Let’s make the most of these days!
Let’s go get the pineapple from the kitchen. Time to be back at the desk is no more than three minutes. Go!
I took slightly over 15 minutes.
Ate three cups of Bombay mix instead of pineapple, discovered that the pineapple wasn’t ripe, and then started looking through two house pictures in Country House magazine.
I usually stand in this spot in the kitchen and do some workouts there. At that time, I have to stare at a blank wall. Instead, I decided to put up a beautiful picture of a kitchen.
At first, I chose another picture that looked like a dining table. The picture is very nice, and I want to have it in my bedroom, although I’m not sure whether I actually want that dining area. Perhaps I’ll make it cosier. Something feels like it’s missing from it right now.
In the kitchen, I stuck up another picture that actually looks like a kitchen itself. So now, whenever I walk into my kitchen, I see that kitchen.
Woke up around 09:15 AM today, feeling fresh and refreshed.
It was sunny but mildly cold outside. I read one Ruku of Surah Baqarah in bed, then read Dad’s good-morning prayer message, followed by the affirmations.
Got out of bed, went to the loo, brushed my teeth, made a cup of coffee and some toast for breakfast, and called Mother from the breakfast table.
She was with my little nephew and niece – my brother’s kids. Yesterday, they had all gone to Deedi’s.
Dad was around at the dining table too. Then he got up to go out somewhere.
Mother and I had a chat for about half an hour.
10:30 – Left home for the gym.
From inside the house, it felt cold, so I went out wearing long tracksuit bottoms, a jumper and carrying my duffle bag.
But then it was warm outside.
Had a really, really, really good workout.
Did back today:
3 sets × 8 reps – barbell deadlifts
3 sets × 8 reps – barbell bent-over rows
3 sets × 8 reps – wide-grip lat pulldowns
3 sets × 8 reps – straight-arm pushdowns
3 sets × 8 reps – preacher curls
3 sets × 8 reps – incline bench hammer curls
And in the studio, 5 minutes of cardio.
I was feeling very hot and kept making up my mind about whether I should shower there or not.
Should I shower at the gym, get home and offer Zuhr Salah, or wait until I got home, eat first and then shower?
I couldn’t make up my mind.
But then I was feeling very hungry just after finishing the workout, so I left the gym straight away.
As I walked out of the gym, my phone suddenly went off with the Zuhr Adhan.
I felt a little aww.
13:15 – Got home, heated lunch – minced meat and paratha – and ate while watching some Bugsy movie on Netflix.
15:30 – Was sitting in the kitchen with my housemate. Then we went and sat at the front of the house on our staircase.
A mate had texted to say that he was in the area and wanted to stop by at around 16:30.
He popped around for half an hour.
Then I made a banana and protein shake, had it, and walked up to Holborn Library at 17:00.
From 17:00 until 18:47, I sat there and worked. They shut at 19:00.
Walked back home, and it was 19:04 when I got in.
Went to pee and then went straight to bed, setting an alarm for a 25-minute nap.
But I woke up at 20:00.
Then had dinner again – gosh, and paratha – and watched a bit more of that movie on Netflix.
Now sitting and chilling.
I’ll write this and head off to bed soon.
Just another casual day.
Nothing special or significant.
The only new thing I discovered today was something interesting about new beginnings.
When you decide that from tomorrow you’re going to make a change – “Tomorrow I’m going to start doing this,” or “I’m going to stop doing that” – any kind of new beginning or resolution, there is actually a term for it in the literature:
Temporal landmarks.
It’s the whole “New Year, New You” type of idea.
It could be a 30-day challenge, a 60-day reboot, or whatever your mind wants to believe in to create a new beginning.
Make a new start.
The term used in the literature is temporal landmarks.
It’s essentially a new chance – a moment that allows you to distinguish your old self from your new self.
It’s almost like we give ourselves an excuse to become a new version of ourselves, to upgrade ourselves.
And perhaps that is why these moments can feel so powerful.
So grateful for the day. Nothing major, nothing crazy – just a casual, normal day.
Grateful that I’ve got the rest of the week off.
Grateful that I got some writing done and will now head to bed.
What would it take for me and for you to wake up 10 x times bigger, thicker, younger, leaner, more muscular; wake up early, have a good workout, have everything be okay with family, friends and everyone around, and then have a relaxing, relaxing, relaxing – yet productive – day tomorrow?
Sign up for the monthly letter below.
Goodnight, good luck!
Ash Khaleem
MY LETTERS ARE 100% FREE.