Category: daily prompt

daily prompt

Success and Its Different Formula

nhpureandsimple

What’s your top tip to be successful in life?

Can we pause a bit at the word “success.”

 In the back of my mind, those old memories of success were always tied to education and graduation.

From the first day you stepped into school, success became all about your grades. And it kept this iconic status until you earned your degree, secured a respectable job, or earned a good salary. 

Some people not only polish this status of success, but also worship it, believing there’s no other possibility or meaning of success beyond education and career.

I was one of those people, raised with this holy image of success. But over the years, success began to show up in different ways. It looks you in the eye and says: “Yes, education is important, but it’s not the only path to reach me. There are other meanings, other routes, and other possibilities to prove yourself successful and to earn my golden badge.”

Life is our big school. 

It teaches different lessons and gives us hard challenges.

And it never forgets to award us with its own unique success certificates.

Some people pay attention to the life’s big moral awards, while others stay loyal to success in its physical, printed form. Apparently both groups work hard, but their expectations of success are completely different. 

So…the earlier you decide which group to join, the better you’ll save your time and energy.

And that’s what I can say is the top tip for a successful life.

It is to know which way to follow and what makes sense to you.

In other words, to be You in this vast, fast –changing world

It is to choose your route, to follow your path, and to have faith. 

Years ago, I used to think like most of my friends about seeing success only through its narrow angle version: high grades and a good career.

And years later, most of my friends followed the same formula.

But Almighty had a different plan for me.

And, whenever I tried to rebel or sneak around it, He brought me to my motherhood career and my writing passion. Both give me a kind of unique success that top everything else in my life.

And I believe I’m blessed to enjoy every moment of my quiet world as a beautiful kind success.

With top-tip success thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt, personal thoughts

Happiness: Different Standards

nhpureandsimple

What’s a common misconception people have about happiness?

Today, happiness has different standards.

Have you heard this common comment lately?

Honestly, I don’t know what to say, or whether it’s said out of blindness, selfishness, or what else.

But… look around these days and you will see how happiness has become so sensual, so material, so selfish, and so fake. 

It turns into a big, fancy castle built from lies and pretences; a place some people spend their whole lives building. They live inside it, seeking protection, until it collapses over their heads. And then, they spend the rest of their lives buried under misery, regret, and loss.

Unfortunately, in most cases, social media plays the main role in shaping this messy version of happiness. It makes things worse by planting fake seeds of fake happiness. It keeps pushing those crème “elites” to the front, above everything and everyone else. Those with shiny smiles, dazzling fame, great power, and unlimited cash have been presented as the idols of absolute happiness.

And you gape, you make a wish, and you follow suit.

The blind leading the blind, heading nowhere.

The selfish ego swells and swells until it bursts.

And one day, you wake up; your head heavy and buzzing. You hold your head in your hands, wanting nothing but comfort and relief. Then suddenly, you glace at a short note nearby. Your blurry eyes clear as you begin to read:

‘You’ve never been happy, yet you can be. Happiness is neither loud nor glamorous. And, it never comes different standards.’ The note was signed: true happiness.

So… will you agree when others say today’s happiness has different standards?

As for me, I still believe that… happiness can be as simple as a bird’s nest, as pure as snowflakes, and as genuine as a mother’s prayer.

With happy thoughts,

 Nahla 

daily prompt

I Wish I Could Say “Taller”

nhpureandsimple

What is one way you have grown this year?

But no, I don’t. 

So… let me think… 

If I have grown something this year, it would be…acceptance.

Yes, I have grown past that phase of crying over this or that. 

Sometimes you get disappointed, surprised, or shocked.

You think too much, worry too much, or care too much.

You ask why, how, and what’s wrong.

You don’t understand the explanation.

You can’t agree with the answer. 

You think and overthink.

But then you decide it’s time to accept.

“Let it be what it was meant to be.”

By the way, this is not surrender.

Stubborn doesn’t go with surrender.

Some people can be very stubborn.

But acceptance is what you can call… the silent admission.

You finally admit that you can’t be in charge of everything.

Some things may be out of your control.

Some things have to change.

And some things don’t deserve the effort.

In this way, acceptance is a cure, a therapy that can save both your time and your energy.

With acceptance thoughts,

Nahla

 

daily prompt

I’m Proud of You, Me

nhpureandsimple

What is something you wish you could tell your 20-year-old self?

Hi there, my dear me,

Life runs so fast, my dear 20-year-old me, but life is good with all its hard and sweet days.

This is not a spoiler, by the way… just bits and pieces, little hints about life, our life.

You, my dear me won’t believe what the future has stored for you; what the Almighty has planned for you.

Think, imagine, and dream as much as you can, yet you wouldn’t come any close to reality.

By the way my dear 20-year-old me, I still remember uni studies, small circle of friends, dreams, job plans after graduation, and… Egypt, with its warm days and humorous people. 

Oh… that was a slip of a tongue.

But yes, you will have a second Home.

Whatever you’re thinking right now, Egypt will always be present in your life.

Everything change, right, my dear 20-year-old me?

So be prepared.

Mama and Baba used to criticise Egypt —the Egypt where you live now, saying, “Where have those old good days gone? People are not the same anymore, manners aren’t not the same, even food isn’t the same. 

You will get married soon, my dear-20-year-old me.

Your prince will take you far away.

Children will arrive safe and sound, and they fill your life with joy and blessings.

Challenges, adventures, confusion, disappointment, tears, laughter, and many more welcome and unwelcome visitors will knock your door along the way.

So… don’t forget to be grateful, and always count your blessings.

And from now on, be proud of yourself my dear 20-year-old me,

for the more challenges you face, the more lessons you will learn.

And the more lessons you learn, the more you know how to enjoy life.

And… I know this might sound a bit funny but be ready to live in the new world of AI.

That… well you will discover more in the future.

With my dear 20-year-old -me thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Mars, Humans, And Life

nhpureandsimple

Do you think humans will ever colonize Mars? What would life there actually look like?

Can you guess what’s the first thing that crossed my mind as I read this prompt about life on Mars?

It wasn’t the possibility of new life.

Not the chance of finding inhabitants living there.

And not even the idea of humans starting wars to invade and occupy the planet. 

But of course that would still be occupation, as if humans don’t already have enough to deal with on our dear planet Earth.

Now… what actually popped into my head was the image of one of those social media stars embarking on a new adventure to Mars. 

He or she would prattle nonstop about their nearly two way spaceship trip to Mars.

They would put on this spaceman costume.

Smile at the live camera,

maybe even record a prayer or two for safety.

Then, before disappearing into the spaceship, they would promise live vlogs from Mars.

Is there internet on Mars? The thought cut right into my imagination.

But really, if there is internet on Mars, some friends over there might have already heard of us, and they maybe… try to get in touch through WordPress.

Anyway, let’s see how this superstar vlogger’s trip ended.

After one whole month off social media, they land safely on our precious Earth.

Spaceman costume on, camera in hand, broad smile on face, and with a shaky emotional voice, they began their first live vlog.

“Can’t express my real emotions.

Such scary but marvellous trip.

Can’t believe it

Am I dreaming?”

And the tap of comments, likes, and shares explodes; wows, nos, and oh my God, racing one after another.

“Sorry guys, just landed, and I lost my phone.” The superstar seems in a rush.

“Thieves on Mars,” one follower comments.

“I’ll tell you everything. You know honesty is my motto in life.

Wait for the next vlogs.

I will share more about my adventure on the moon.”

“Wasn’t it Mars?” Another follower comments.

“Oh, my head is upside down,” the famous vlogger replies and vanishes.

“That’s all fake,” someone comments

“Yes, all fake,” a thousand comments follow.

Nowadays… fake is more popular than reality, but it’s easily spotted.

I don’t know whether there’s life on Mars, or whether life is even possible there.

What I do know is why some people set their eyes on what they don’t own.

Why some abandon what they already have for something they can barely reach.

And why people want to build a new home instead of fixing the one they have.

Apparently, if Mars ever heard of human plans, he would shake with laughter, wondering how his neighbour’s intruders from Earth expect to survive  his freezing cold deserts. 

How wise Mars is,

how disappointed Earth must be,

And how fake some humans can be.

With Mars and humans thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Arabic Names vs English Pronunciation 

nhpureandsimple

If you had to change your name, what would your new name be?

Since we were created with different tongues, I find it very interesting how names sound different in other cultures.

So though my name has just four simple letters, in English it can’t be pronounced the same.

In Arabic, the h is pronounced clearly, like the h in hello, but it is dropped in English because it’s difficult to pronounce when followed by an L.

And things don’t stop there as the other three letters are also pronounced differently… more stronger. 

But I’ve been used to it, and I actually like the change.

When my husband and I chose Arabic names for our children, we tried our best to make them easy for English speakers to pronounce. Still, they never sound the same.

Different tongues, right.

And then, years ago, more interesting things happened.

One of my friends told me about her attempt to correct the pronunciation of her name for English speakers, but none of them worked.

Her name is Eman. Oh… how I love this name.

When I was young, I wished my name was Eman, after one of my favourite teachers. 

And If it wasn’t already used in my family, I would have named my daughter Eman. 

By the way, Eman means faith. 

Isn’t that a beautiful meaning. 

One day, as we were walking together, she suddenly started talking to herself.

‘It’s E and man. If they can easily pronounce man, why can’t they pronounce it in my name?’

‘Are you okay Eman?’ I asked 

‘It’s just E and man.’

‘What?’

‘E and man.’

And we both burst out laughing. 

With different- tongues thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Kindness: The Most Needed Treasure 

nhpureandsimple

What are the most important things needed to live a good life?

Yes, what can be most needed these days than kindness. 

Kindness softens the hardest hearts and spreads goodness everywhere.

Kindness fills ordinary days with blessings and quiet happiness.

And Kindness always comes in different shapes; a loud gesture, a soft whisper, an extended hand, a pat on shoulder, a warm smile, or a listening ear. 

But kindness has never been weak.

When she stands face to face with animosity, the latter shrinks and burns into ashes.

Life can’t be liveable without kindness.

The whole world needs her today more than any other time.

Trees, oceans, birds, animals and every creature on this earth needs kindness just as much as we humans do.

Be the first to show some kindness every day.

Nothing big or fancy, even a sincere prayer can do.

People say kindness returns in abundance.

And now, don’t you agree that kindness is the most needed treasure in our world today.

With most -needed – kindness thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Time Thief and Companion

nhpureandsimple

Who do you spend the most time with?

Well… here, I’d like to talk about my spare time.

For, if I speak about who I spend the most of time with, the answer would certainly be my family and my home.

Nor would I talk about reading and writing, because I believe I write about them every now and then.

So… can we just talk about Time and its two main jobs in life?

Sometimes, he is just a highly professional thief.

Yes, he is.

He sneaks and glides, stealing hours, days, and years from our life with a smirk on his face.

And we can’t stop him. 

You know why?

Because we give him carte blanche to sneak and glide and steal our life right under our nose with the famous phrase: I will do it tomorrow 

‘Tomorrow, you’ll say the same,’ Mr Time Thief bursts out laughing in your face. 

Then, on another day, Mr Time Companion gives you a surprise visit.

That’s when you appreciate every moment and make good use of it.

That’s when you set your mind on your plans, choosing to do them now rather than later.

And here, Mr time lingers, stretches, and sips his cup of tea for as long as you wish. 

Wouldn’t you lock the door before Mr Time Thief, yet open it wide to Mr Time Companion whenever he decides to pay a visit.

I try my best.

With time-is-gold thoughts,

Nahla 

P.s. By the way, have a look at The Fisherman’s Tales post before he gives up telling any.

https://nh825.wordpress.com/2026/06/07/the-fisherman-tales/

daily prompt

Religion and Practice

nhpureandsimple

Do you practice religion?

Do you practice religion?

It reminds me of the questions my children used to ask when they were little.

Why do we pray, mama?

Why do we fast?

Why are we allowed to this and not allowed to do that?

And their list of whys multiplied over the years.

When children are young, it’s better to give answers that satisfy their curiosity, not their spirituality.

Their innocent hearts believe in God innately.

They need no big, fancy words or explanations at such young age. 

So… my answers were usually simple, and straight to the point.

For example, for the first question I would say; We pray because God wants us to pray, to stay close to Him, always.

Over the years, as we grow older, we not only understand but also feel the strong connection between religion and practice. 

For me, religion without practice is….

a path without direction,

a candle without light,

and a heart without blood. 

Sometimes we get lost, confused, and even a little prodigal.

Yes… no one is perfect.

But without following directions,

without lightening the candle,

and without purifying the blood, 

life becomes a maze, a snakes -and-ladders game.

And this child’s innate belief in The Creator will easily fade as we grow up.

Only practice can restore faith.

It gives us the nudge that keeps us on track.

And it can soften the heart and purify the soul.

Religion cannot be without faith,

and faith cannot live without practice.

With practiced religious thoughts,

Nahla

daily prompt

Wind Back Time to Year Nine

nhpureandsimple

Do you remember your favorite book from childhood?

Time: Year Nine

Place: Cairo, local state girls’ school

Class: Arabic

As far I can remember, a different Arabic Story was included in our curriculum every year.

I can mainly remember that book, though I’m not actually sure whether it was in year eight or nine.

Anyway the story was somehow historical, the kind of heroic epic with a gentle tug of innocent romance. They used to say that it was adapted from a real story. 

That’s the first reason I still remember it.

As for the other reason… I’ll reveal later.

Just keep reading.

The story took place centuries ago in a small city near Alexandria. Though it was only a small city, its people, old and young, men and women, were among the bravest in all of Egypt. They had taken part in a heroic battle and made a memorial contribution to defeating and expelling the french invaders from Egyptian lands.

And so… this once -upon -a -time story unfolded during the Napoleonic Invasion of Egypt.

Within its historical, epical context, the book weaves the tale of one of the prettiest young women and one of the bravest young men in that small city.

They were cousins, deeply attached to one another, but each with a different dream.

She listened to the fortune -teller and believed she was destined to become a queen.

He listened to the cries of his country, the enemy invasion, and the duty to free his homeland.

She married the chef leader of Napoleon campaign and travelled to France, but she never became a queen.

He worked hard, fought for his country, and married an English girl who believed in his cause.

She returned defeated and humiliated.

He stayed, died, and was buried as a martyr and loyal man to the very end.

The end.

Isn’t it a memorable story.

Now, here’s the second reason which is a bit funny, and that’s why I remember it. 

Isn’t memory selective? 

Yes it is, and it always seems to swing between two extremes: the happy and the awful.

So then… here’s the fun bit.

During one of the classes, while the teacher was in the middle of explaining the historical events, a girl raised her hand to ask a question. 

Strange how I still remember that girl, but not her name. Perhaps it’s because she was the tallest in the class. 

The girl was leaning against the wall when, out of the blue, she threw her question into the room: What was the age difference between Zubaida (the pretty heroine) and Laura (the English girl)?

Our Arabic teacher turned and gave the girl one of those blazing looks that made the whole class freeze.

“Out of all the sensible questions we’re practising, you came up with the one that doesn’t relate. Why would you ever care about their age?”

The poor girl flushed, straightened in her seat, opened her book and flipped to a random page.

That was so funny how the poor girl, instead of keeping her dreamy question to herself, voiced it out loud.

 Even now, I still can’t help laughing.

And that’s all about my memorable book.

Though it wasn’t exactly part of my childhood, my teen years will do.

With school- book thoughts,

Nahla