Have you stopped to smell the roses lately?

Assalaamu’alaykum, 

When was the last time you stopped for a moment to let your senses soak in the abundance around you, with a conscious heart and mind? 

We know gratitude is part of our faith. We nod our heads and say,  

“Yes, I’m grateful for my blessings.”  

But have you let it sink in? I mean really, viscerally sink in until the shukr flows through your limbs, touching every organ in your body and settling peacefully in the corners of your heart? 

When was the last time you paused long enough to acknowledge the clean air entering your body, this vital breath of life circulating within you, nourishing you and fueling every intricate system down to the tiniest cell? 

As a child, I suffered from asthma and I remember vividly what it felt like to struggle for air.

In those moments, a single unhindered breath felt like a rare and precious luxury. 

Most of us breathe without thinking… but for someone wheezing, every inhale is a conscious effort. Every breath is noticed. 

Many years ago, I remember visiting someone’s house in my home country and standing on their rooftop, gazing out toward the horizon. I saw what looked like the silhouettes of mountains in the distance…except, they weren’t mountains. 

They were rubbish piles. 

Huge mounds of it. 

The smell was so pungent I had to cover my nose the whole time, feeling suffocated under an open sky. 

I just wanted to leave, to find one gulp of clean, unpolluted air.  

And for the people who lived there… that was their every single day. 

SubhanAllah. 

We rarely think about our joints.  

From the large ones in our hips to those tiny ones in our toes. If even one small joint refused to bend, it could cause significant problems in our day-to-day movements. 

As someone who’s experienced her fair share of sports injuries, from fractured toes, back strains to wobbly hips and broken fingers, I can tell you, even just a small, fractured toe can be incredibly inconvenient. 

(Alhamdulilah, I’m all good now :) 

And what about the heart? 

Not the physical one, but the tender emotional one inside your chest.  

How many times have we struggled after an argument with a loved one,  when a relationship that once brought comfort suddenly feels fractured and becomes a source of deep pain? 

We can spend days, sometimes even weeks crying out to Allah, pleading with Him to mend the wounds and restore the relationship to what it once was.  

And then one day, you look up and realise... it’s already shifted.  

What was once fragile has been repaired and in some ways, it’s even stronger than before.  

But it’s easy to get swept away in the relief and forget to pause. 

And to fall in sujood to thank Allah for His help. 

To take a moment to really see yourself in that experience. 

What did the test carve into your character? 

What inner strength did it uncover? 

What depth did it push you into? 

Allah’s plans and creation are perfections.  

His design is layered and vast, from the galaxies above us to the quiet repairs happening within our bodies and the curated life experiences that are sent our way to help us grow. 

But we walk through it all like we’re just passing by, eyes half-open, heart half-full.  

We forget to pause. 

To smell the roses... 

Until life gives us a reason to stop. 

But Allah asks us to pause. To feel. To notice. To be grateful. 

And honestly? Our souls crave it...

Without shukr, we start to feel lost, either reliving what’s already gone or worrying about what’s yet to come.

We miss the joy of the present moment, unable to embrace our current blessings with a contented heart.

So look up. Look within. Look around.
And say Alhamdulilah.

Over and over again… Until your heart catches up.

Here are 3 simple ways to “smell the roses” this week:

1. Savour one breath: Close your eyes, breathe in deep and imagine that clean air dancing its way through your body, feeding every micro cell. Alhamdulilah.
2. Pick one body part to thank Allah for: Could be your eyes, your knees, your fingers… maybe even your eyebrows (yes, really). Just pick one and reflect on how beautifully it serves you every day. Alhamdulilah.
3. Write a “gratitude-through-hardship” note: Reflect on how that situation helped you grow, what lessons it left behind and how you want that experience to shape the person you’re becoming. Alhamdulilah.

With regular daily practice, gratitude can become a resident of the heart, not just a fleeting thought.

P.S. Here's a few ways we can work together...

1. Join Breaking Barriers Coaching Group. Together, we’ll deepen our trust in Allah, take inspired actions and witness with gratitude how incredible outcomes unfold. This a space for spiritual and personal growth, practical tools, meaningful suhba (companionship) and life transforming reminders (Available to sisters only).

2. If you're ready to shift your perspectives, discover your true self and align your efforts with your highest worldly and spiritual aspirations, click HERE to schedule a 1:1 discovery call with me. (Available to sisters only).

3. Join The Travellers Programme HERE. (Available to both brothers and sisters).

4. Join Sail Forward, a budget-friendly group coaching circle where you’ll receive personalised laser coaching in a supportive, faith-rooted space. It’s designed to help you reflect, realign and rise with practical tools and spiritual grounding. Small groups, big impact. You can learn more or sign up HERE. (Available to both brothers and sisters).

5. Join the Telegram community for short, inspiring messages that uplift you throughout the week and help you stay aligned and comforted by a faith-centered perspective. Join HERE. (Open to all). 

Reflection of the Week

Reflect on the small mercies in your life, the quiet, often overlooked blessings that ease your days.

What recent moments remind you of Allah’s gentle care?

Dua of the Week

الحمد لله على كل حال

Praise be to Allah in every situation