Be your own Hero!

Hello, dear reader. First of all I want to thank you! Thank you SO much! For all of your unconditional support, love and faithfulness.

I cannot believe that in just ONE WEEK my latest post, "Colour Outside the Lines," has reached over 500 views, which is INSANE!

I am so happy!

Also, I've launched a Facebook Page and have had over 100 likes in just 2 days. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!

(If you haven't liked my Facebook page, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sheeza-Iqbal/336677806483304?ref_type=bookmark)

Like away!

Now that the formalities are out of the way, let's get to the heart-to-heart, shall we? Awesome!

So, earlier this month I've gotten a lot of comments from you, dear reader, on social media telling me that you enjoy my posts and you find them inspirational. You also told me that you once thought dreams were just for kids and that in the real world it is very hard to accomplish the magic one may find in his/her dreams.

To that I say, you're right.

Then, dear reader, you said to me that because of some circumstances it was hard for you to actualize your dream, but now when you have the time and the means you lack self-confidence. You are doubtful, scared, and worried.

And that, I can also understand.

Because to believe in yourself when no one else will is a challenging investment. It is easy to believe in something that is popular, safe, and certain. You are comfortable in blindly following someone else's footsteps because the implants are already there. You don't have to carve your own way, you don't have to worry about logistics and most importantly you don't have worry about the option of failure.

But that is not what faith is all about.

Faith is to believe with your heart that which is unseen.

It is, to a great extent, about the heart more than it is about the mind.

You can be logical and calculate pros and cons, but at the end of the day it is what gets you in the feels.

Now, I'm not asking you to take a blind leap.  Do your research, do your homework, understand what you are getting yourself in to and then WORK HARD.

Don't just sit there and expect things to happen. Do your part in preparing yourself and make things happen.

But when it is time for you to take the leap, let go of the security, the safety and the certainty and do it.

Call on your faith and do it. Even if you are alone.

Don't let the doubts of tomorrow hinder the success of today. You're much stronger then your doubtful whispers let on and more capable than the evaluations of society.

Of course, all of this is a lot easier on us when we have someone. We all want someone to believe in us, to support us, to love us and have confidence in us that we are capable and that we can  succeed.

But, why can't that person be you? Why you so afraid to take a chance on yourself? It is unfair of you, dear reader, to ask others to do what you cannot do for yourself.

Become that support, that confidence and that pillar of strength for yourself.

Become your own hero.

Because once you've accomplished that, dear reader, you will realize the power of your potential and become invincible. And that is a pretty cool place to be.

Until next time, smiles up and doubts down.

isheeza

Colour Outside the Lines

Hello, dear reader, how are you doing on this amazing, moonlit night?  Seriously Toronto, I forgive you for the harsh winter you put me through for the moonful nights that you are sending my way. The moon looks picture perfect tonight!

It's full and a little hazy. The dark, thin clouds have slithered over it, enunciating the mystical and the magical potential of the moon.

It's breathtaking!

The only thing missing is a werewolves with abs.

Haha, I joke (not really).

Anyways, dear reader, the writing update for you is that I am currently STILL in the middle of editing, which means two things. One: It's a lot of action for me and two: everyone else just sees me parked in front of a computer screen all day, typing aimlessly.

But it's not aimless.

I am changing so many things: sentences, dialogues, transitions, character development etc.

So you see it's a lot of work for me and I can vouch for the progress that I am doing, but you, dear reader, you see nothing.

All you see is a promise of a great, upcoming novel which will be released sometime early next year and all you can do is wait for it.

Wait for me to produce some tangible results for you. Fear not, dear reader, you're not the only one waiting. The people in my life, my family, my friends, my students, and my impatient dreams, we are all waiting for the day where I will stand in front of you with a visible copy of my novel.

And that is where trouble sits in.

People start suggesting that while "I wait" for my novel to be published I should "do something with my life" and it is frustratingly hard for me to explain to you that I am doing something with my life. I am writing.

The thing with creative processes is, dear reader, that they come at their own pace and their success depends on your approval. I cannot rush my words, I cannot simply show you something that is yet to be, because I need time to create it and perfect it to the image that is in my head.

It is hard for people to accept that. They want immediate results, results they can see. What you cannot see is my constant movement with social media, my ideas for my second book, my editing process, my publishing concerns, my writer's block, my 3 am editing, my research for an unknown industry, and the list goes on and on.

It's stressfully nerve wrecking.

And it is probably why people are so scared to detach themselves from conventional jobs.

 Don't get me wrong, we need the doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers, nurses, consultants and dentists. They are absolutely essential to us and we need them to tend to our daily needs. As long as the human exists he/she will need to be taken care of and conventional professions provide that.

Creative professions, on the other hand, come after the basic needs have been met. For example, I read for leisure. I will not be concerned with Lisa Genova's upcoming novel if I don't have a roof over my head or I will not enjoy reading her brilliant words if my gums are bleeding. Therefore, it is safer for me to take the conventional route than the creative one because conventional will always be in demand.

But, some people are not conventional. They are born to colour outside the lines and despite trying to fit themselves into conventions they cannot do so. And then comes the really sucky part, dear reader, they feel like failures.

They will be scared to be creative, to dare to be different.

I know I am.

So, what gets me through? What keeps me fastened to my dream?

The answer is simple: Love, support and belief.

And all of that comes primarily from me. I love myself for creating these blogs for you, I am supportive of myself when I have bad writing days and I believe in my dreams no matter what anyone says.

Of course, family love is always a bonus, but the point is, dear reader, you cannot expect someone to take a chance on you when you won't take a chance on yourself. Your hesitance, your fear and your lack of belief shows. It really does.

You need to let go and invest in yourself.

Trust yourself, dear reader, and strengthen this belief inside of you: You have the power to be unconventionally successful and you will do all that it takes to get there.

Stop comparing yourself to conventional success because creative success is measured differently. It takes longer to be actualized.

So tell me, dear reader, are you worth the wait?

And if the answer is yes, then share this blog, and go and take the first step towards your dreams.

Because, trust me, dear reader, you are worth it.

isheeza

Ubuntu: Humanity to Others

Hello, dear readers and happy Monday. First of all I would like to apologize for reducing my blog posting from twice a week to once a week.

It's only for a month. After that you will be getting a double dose of me every week and your life will be complete.

=)

So, today I wanted to share with you a little success. I have reached 5000 views on my blog! I know!

 I'll wait while you thunderously applaud my success.

But, seriously, 5000 views is really no joke! After constantly bombarding your Facebook feed, polluting your Instagram and tweeting you about my updating posts you have finally given in, dear reader, and I couldn't be happier.

And it is about time. You are SO high maintenance. If I was Bollywood actor I would have changed 29 outfits, sang 13 songs, beat up 541 goons (at once, ofc!), fought with 7 families and eloped with you 8 times.

Talk about my persistence, huh?

This just goes to show that harassment can have a positive outcome. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise!

On a more serious note, the only reason as to why I have 5000 views or comments from people telling me how much they enjoy my blogs is because of  your selflessness, dear reader.

And the cool thing about it is that selflessness is not limited to a country, a culture or a religion. The concept of selflessness is encouraged in every part of this world and that, dear reader, is what you have done.

You have been selfless with your time and your love and your selflessness reminds me of something beautiful.

In ancient African there is a word that I have fallen in love with.

Ubuntu (oo-BOON-too). This words loosely translates into: Humanity to others.

When I first came across this word I didn't think much of it. But as I began to use it and see it in my everyday life I came to realize how much meaning this average word contains.

This term can direct your entire life and to be perfectly honest, as humans, we're completely lost on it. When I walk around my city I don't see people helping others for the sake of humanity. Instead, I see them helping others for their own sake. Sometimes people will become a walking talking questionnaire before they can even think about helping someone.

"Why don't you just get a job?"

"What if he spends my money on drugs?"

"I can't donate money now, I need it!"

And God forbid if the amount turns into double digit numbers then you want a contract signed in blood.

Do you realize, dear reader, that you can easily spend $100 on tops and pants at H&M but you will think a thousand times before you give some a $50.

Why?

Because your money suddenly becomes substantial. When you are spending money on yourself it's not a big deal, but if you were to spend the same money on someone else you would fall nothing short of a heart attack.

Try it.

It's this malice in our hearts that forces us to become distrusting, selfish, and self-serving. Where is your empathy? How can you not acknowledge an individual's pain on a human level?

And even if they misuse your money, your help or your time that shouldn't stop you from helping humanity. Because it's not about you, its about them.

So bring back the concept of Ubuntu. Don't let the meaning become as ancient as the word and you will find a strange sense of tranquility. Show others what it means to be a human being. Help someone with their grocery bags, drop a $50 in the homeless guy's cup without thinking twice, sponsor a child who needs the basic necessities of life, or give your mom a hug.

Because everything will fade away, but the peace that you will gain by giving and being selfless will last you a lifetime.

As Jim Carrey once said: "I hope everybody could get rich and famous and will have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that it's not the answer."

Until next time, dear reader!

isheeza