• The Ismaili | 31 December 2024 | Global

    Subtle learnings to carry into the new year

This new year, what goals and resolutions are you setting for yourself? What are you planning to do more, or less, of? To assist with your reflections, here are some subtle lessons  to consider. As ever, the idea is to strive toward progress, not perfection. Let's make 2025 a healthy, productive, and balanced year for us all.

  1. Use technology responsibly

Media and technology are vital tools to help us stay informed about current events and better understand the world we are part of. Social media especially can be important for connection, conversation, and learning. But some sections can contain biases, misinformation, and sensationalised content. Additionally, AI’s presence in our daily lives is increasing. It’s key to keep up to date with AI and its uses, as well as its downsides. In 2025, continue to be discerning: make sure to get your news from trusted, independent sources.  Consider the factual basis of news you consume and share so we can benefit from  technological advances without falling prey to misinformation or its pitfalls.

  1. Don’t neglect your mental health

Did you know, Muslims believe that the human mind has an elevated status and importance? It is through the mind that each of us can achieve knowledge of Allah and His creation, and keeping a healthy state of mind ensures dignity and honour for each of us. As a result, if you feel as if you’re struggling, whether it’s at work, or otherwise, take advantage of the multitude of resources available to you to ensure you are taking continuous care of yourself.

  1. Protect the environment

Did you know that a profound connection between Islam and the environment has existed for centuries? Our faith teaches us to care for Allah’s creation, which includes people, animals, and the Earth itself. This places a moral duty on us to be mindful of our impact on the planet, and make smart choices about our consumption. Let’s help to leave behind a more sustainable world for future generations to enjoy.

  1.  Progress isn’t over night, patience, perseverance and persistence is key

It can be difficult to stay motivated when you don’t see immediate efforts of your work come to fruition. However, it’s important to remember that the most meaningful outcomes are born out of patience, perseverance and persistence. With the UN declaring 21 December as World Meditation Day, the ability to slow down and be present is a skill that’s becoming increasingly difficult to master amidst the fast-paced world. Thus, it’s more important, now than ever, to be patient with yourself, with your work and to not stop trying to achieve your goals. Recently, Princess Zahra sat down for a conversation with The Ismaili. Among the key takeaways, one in particular that echoes this lesson was Princess Zahra reflecting on what she has learned from Mawlana Hazar Imam:  “He has always taught me and built the institutions with a 100 to 500 year perspective,” she said. “So he doesn’t respond to crises in the immediate, unless it threatens the well-being or the livelihood or the life of the Jamat.”     

  1. Aspire towards great heights

Inspiration is everywhere within the community, serving as a constant reminder that you can and should aspire to great heights.  With the much anticipated Global Encounters Festival taking place in 2025, we are gaining great insight into the talent that exists within our community. From professional artists, to seasoned athletes to those who tirelessly provide their voluntary contributions – there’s constant encouragement to not be afraid to aim high. As Mawlana Hazar Imam said at the inaugural Aga Khan Music Awards: “For, after all, art is a matter of humanity just as much as it is a matter of identity.”)

  1. Participate in community to improve quality of life

Service is an important ethic in our Tariqah and our Jamat has a long tradition of volunteering. Time and again, Mawlana Hazar Imam has recognised and appreciated the importance and value of such service. Working collaboratively as a community, we can have great impacts on society. Whether it’s volunteering at Jamatkhana, taking part in Global Ismaili CIVIC Day, or in your local neighbourhood, collectively we can work towards creating positive change in our world.

  1. Make healthy choices

Think about prioritising your overall health and wellbeing in 2025. Each year the calls get louder to integrate healthy habits into our daily life, and for good reason. Adequate sleep, regular exercise, and balanced nutrition is timeless and reliable advice, and will contribute to improved physical and mental health to help you feel your best. Try improving these three aspects for the next 15 days and see how you feel! For your own benefit, push yourself to sustain these healthy habits throughout January and beyond.

  1. Don’t stop learning, growing and educating yourself

There’s great value in continuing to connect, learn about culture and inspire community involvement across all age ranges. To do this effectively there’s importance on learning to communicate through effective means and be open and willing to listen. On The Ismaili platform we have a host of podcasts and articles to explore to help further your knowledge and understanding. As Mawlana Hazar Imam said in the Samuel L. and Elizabeth Jodidi Lecture at Harvard University: “What this means, perhaps above all else, is a readiness to participate in a true dialog with diversity, not only in our personal relationships, but in institutional and international relationships also. But that takes work, and it takes patience. Above all, it implies a readiness to listen.”

  1. Engage and be compassionate with difference

This year, next year, and the years after, make an effort to learn about a person from a different background to yours. This could be someone from another religion, race, or culture, or someone differently-abled, mentally or physically. Make a conscious choice to live by the age old-saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. At the end of the day, we can’t be certain of the hardships others have endured. The Qur’an says that Allah created all humans from a single soul, and that difference adds to the beauty of the world. This is the essence of pluralism. In 2025, let’s build a peaceful world where diversity is embraced and valued.

  1. Draw lessons from adversity

Last year may have been a difficult one for some of us. Yet, we can remain grateful, as challenging times can teach us about ourselves and what we need to flourish. A dose of humility and self-awareness should be sought as we welcome in the new year. The poet, writer, and activist Maya Angelou once said, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” There’s plenty about 2024 that you probably cannot wait to leave behind, but for each of us, there might also be some valuable lessons to take forward into 2025, and beyond.