Push yourself to be better everyday.

🌈 1387 — Saturday, 27 December 2025 | 20:57

London

I’m sitting at a desk right now – not a familiar one – but I’ve been able to sit here and write. I feel grateful for the change of setting.

To my left stands a huge Christmas tree. Beneath my laptop is a solid, beautifully made wooden desk. It’s well-crafted – once, it was a tree. A big tree. Now it no longer gives food, yet it still serves, quietly, by being a desk.

What a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful life.

Perhaps this is what wholehearted, unconditional service looks like – like a tree. It grows while enduring strong winters outside. Slowly, patiently, it grows. As it grows, a goat comes and eats from it – plant problems. It sleeps at night, wakes during the day, and stands in one place, unmoving.

What a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful life.

Standing still. Grounded! No questions to answer. No explanations to give. Stillness is the key.

For plants, this is a universal gift – given at birth.

I’m sitting in awe, wondering if the luckiest beings on our planet are plants. They may be number one in giving wholeheartedly in service to God.

Must be a beautiful gift to be a plant. If only we could see gifts for what they truly are.

Not trying to change others or situations. Simply accepting what is. Being the best version of yourself – for yourself.

Doing good for others brings comfort to the heart.

The first people to benefit from acts of giving are the givers themselves. They notice changes within – in their manners, in their peace, in the quiet joy of seeing a smile appear on someone else’s face.

If you find yourself in difficulty or distress, show kindness to others – and you will be the first to find relief. Give to those in need. Defend the oppressed. Help those in distress. Visit the sick. You’ll find happiness coming toward you from every direction.

An act of giving is like perfume – it benefits the one who wears it, the one who sells it, and the one who receives it. The psychological benefits of helping others are immense. If you suffer from depression, an act of charity can have a more powerful effect than the best available medicine.

Even a smile is giving. When you meet a friend, a neighbour, or a brother with a smiling face, that simple act may weigh heavily on your scale of deeds – often more significant than many other actions.

If thoughts of confusion, fear, or grief threaten you, occupy yourself with helping others. Help in any way you can – through hospitality, sympathy, or support. In doing so, you’ll discover the happiness you’ve been searching for.

lol now, about today.

08:40, I woke up this morning naturally – no alarm – feeling at peace and chilled. My face was tilted to the left; usually, it’s facing up. I wondered how even the law of impermanence had shown itself in my sleep today. A small change from the usual waking.

Still in bed, read all of Dad’s prayer messages and greetings on the family group WhatsApp. then read a rukūʿ of Surah Kahf, then sat up and meditated, reciting Surah Al-Fātiḥah forty times. I got ready and left home for the gym it was around 11 am.

At Marshall Street Leisure Centre, the lady at reception calls everyone “love.” She asked, “What are you doing today, love?” I said, “Gym and swim.” She smiled and said, “Go through.”

I had a really, really, really good workout.

Did 4 x sets of twelve pull-ups. Reverse-grip EZ-bar lat pulldowns. Alternating dumbbell curls on the incline bench. Hanging leg raises for abs, followed by additional work on the ab machine.

It felt incredibly good – fully in the flow state.

Downstairs in the locker room, it was empty. I changed into my swim shorts and jumped into the pool. There was one guy in my lane, but within five minutes, he left – leaving the entire lane just for me. Probably the first time all year.

There was a girl in the lane next to me, also alone, quietly relaxing in the water. It felt like we were vibrating at the same frequency in that moment.

Swam many front crawls. When I’d had enough, I switched to breaststroke. When that was enough, I stayed in the water a few more minutes – aimless, still – then got out.

When I left the swim, it felt very, very good. Definitely in the flow state.

Flow is a mental state where you are fully immersed in an activity – so focused that everything else fades away. Effort feels effortless, even when the task is challenging. Time bends. Hours feel like minutes.

Returned home around 12:40 and gave the adhān, standing on the stairs on the third floor, looking down. Then went back in and offered ṣalāh, then made lunch – Murgi-ka-Saalan and Gehun-ki-Roti, and ate while watching TV. Later, I planted some plants in a pot.

Then sat at the desk for an hour. My dear brother was chatting with me at the same time. Then I had a call with a mate returning to London after Christmas from Poland. Another friend texted me a photo of an empty platform – also on their way back from Staffordshire. Rest of the afternoon, most of it I was at the desk.

17:20 Spoke with Mother. We laughed a lot. Nephew Hamd was asleep, and niece Hawwa was playing. I told Mum about everything I’d been doing alone during the holidays – tidying the basement cellar yesterday, bringing a pot upstairs, etc.

Told her about making duʿāʾ at Maghrib yesterday, giving adhān from downstairs, then again this afternoon from upstairs. I told her about doing laundry and planting the plants she’d guided me on this morning. She was happy. We spoke for a long time.

It was already 11 pm for her, so they were heading to bed. I wished them goodnight.

Then I left home to go to Knightsbridge to see some pals for 19:00, the rest of the evening went la la la…

Three things I felt grateful for today:

• Grateful for the long catch-up with Mum while my brother’s kids played around.

• Grateful for my long-sleeved, Sherlock Holmes–style jacket – I’ve had it for years, it still fits perfectly, and it’s still stylish. I love it. Thank you, Neil – a gift from my old flatmate.

• Grateful for this long weekend off before New Year’s.

What would it take – for me and for you – to wake up ten times bigger, muscular, stronger, thicker, leaner, more energetic, confident, happy, and grateful? To wake up early, have a great workout, everything to be okay with family, friends and everyone around, then have a relaxing, relaxing, relaxing yet a productive day tomorrow?

Sign up for the monthly letter below for insights.

Goodnight. Good luck.

Ash Khaleem