graduation – Pure and Simple

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

Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?

“Are you still quiet and shy as you used to be in university?” A friend asked me one day when we found each other on facebook.
“I think I’ve changed, a bit.” I replied.

It seems like something I was born with. I am the youngest of my two siblings. My father used to take me everywhere. My relatives used to invite me for sleepovers which would extend for weeks. At school, my marks were always good. I never failed. In university, for my converstation exams, my responses were the briefest in class, but my marks were just as good. Still, I was that quiet, shy girl.

I married, moved and studied abroad, and now have three children; two graduate boys and a girl in her first year of high school. Still, I am that quiet, shy girl.

Therefore, going on stage for a speech or performance would be my nightmare. Of course I lived these moments as I had to do them sometimes at school or university. But even though with all my rehearsals and prayers, I couldn’t help my hands from trembling and my heart from pounding.

I always remember my graduation ceremony, it was such a funny, great day. My friends and I were full of the life of spring, shining in beautiful dresses, lining up in a long queue with many others of the same group. We couldn’t wait to step on stage to receive our B.A. certificates and shake hands with Her Honour, our smiley-faced dean. It went so well with all my friends: climbing the steps, shaking hands, turing for the memorable photo, and then climbing down the few steps and joining our families. Just that simple.

But, things went slightly different for the quiet, shy girl. I tripped over my long dress as climbed the steps, but thank God I straightened and steadied my legs, and didn’t fall down. I tried to forget and calm down, but then my graduation cap slipped down my hijab. Before it could fall, I grasped it and tried to put it back on my head, but it would not stay there. There was no time, Her Honour was already extending her hand with a genuine, warm smile. I believe she didn’t give others the same one. With one hand grasping my cap over my head, I shook her hand and receive my certificate. Then I hurried down the steps, and forgot to take that memorable photo with the certificate and the smile.

But I took other photos and laughed long and hard that day. Sometimes, the quiet, shy girl can be more special and fun than the others.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Tag: graduation

Success and Its Different Formula

The quiet, shy girl