Growing up, I believed that if I wasn’t immediately good at something, I shouldn’t even bother trying.

It wasn’t about impressing others—it was about avoiding the sting of disappointment.

This mindset led me to shy away from anything remotely challenging, convinced I wasn’t capable of success.

But when I started building my first business, I learned that failure isn’t something to fear.

In fact, failure is essential for growth.

Failure is experience.

Experience is what makes you valuable and sets you apart.

There was, however, one insecurity I avoided confronting until recently:

writing.

School made me hate it.

No surprise, really.

Being forced to write about topics I had no interest in while using rigid structures that left no room for personality or creativity.

I thought i wasn't a good writer.

So after graduation, I avoided writing altogether.

Then came ChatGPT.

At first, it seemed like the perfect solution to my problem.

But it only fueled my self-doubt.

I told myself,

“Why bother improving my writing when AI can do it for me?”

My last business didn’t require much writing—just short copy for ads and product descriptions.

I’d brainstorm an idea, and ChatGPT would write it for me.

Over time, though, I became increasingly reliant on AI for everything.

I lost trust in my ability to solve problems or come up with ideas.

Having 100 new ideas at my fingertips was easy.

Too easy.

I got used to quick fixes and instant solutions.

But then I began to realize: if AI does all the work, what sets me apart?

What keeps me from being replaceable?

People don’t want perfection.

They want authenticity.

My job now is to share my thoughts and perspectives.

To show personality.

To connect.

To be authentic.

That’s something AI can’t do.

And, honestly? I don’t want to rely on it either.

Why?

Because it never felt like my work.

I didn’t love it.

I was chasing views, imitating others, and trying to be someone I wasn’t.

I set impossible expectations for myself, thinking I needed to become a professional content creator overnight.

I compared myself to people who had been in this space for years.

No wonder I felt like quitting.

I had to sit down and get real with myself.

Reconnect with my intentions.

I want to inspire you to chase your dreams, step into your potential and break free from the doubts that whisper, "You can't."

I want to worship Allah in every aspect of my life—and show you how you can, too.

I’m not here for a get-rich-quick scheme.

I want to build something that lasts.

That’s why I decided to start writing these letters.

Success doesn’t come from algorithms, fancy words, or viral trends.

In the end, it’s all from Allah.

So, what are we really chasing?

Why are we stressed out about trends and content strategies?

It’s so easy to lose track of our purpose, especially in today’s fast-paced world.

We rely too much on ourselves and too little on Allah.

With these letters, I hope to share what’s helped me on my journey—how I’ve built my business, found my voice, and reconnected with my creativity.

I want to show you how to use the gifts Allah has given you to inspire and benefit others, and how you can make a living doing it.

Trying to be someone else is a losing game.

You’ll never feel good enough.

Think of it like wearing someone else’s shoes—they might fit, but they’ll never feel quite right.

Allah designed you differently, on purpose.

Your voice.

Your experience.

Your perspective.

There’s no one else like you.

That’s your strength.

Your job is to discover the gifts He’s given you and use them to do good.

We all have experiences that can help others.

We just need to get curious and discover what they are.

The Pillars of Self-Confidence

If you want to tap into your ruh (soul) and unlock your unique qualities, you first need to understand what self-confidence truly is.

Confidence isn’t just a checklist of “do this, do that.”

It’s about facing your limiting beliefs, your insecurities, your fears—and overcoming them.

I remember when I wanted to start a business.

I was full of doubt:

Do I even have what it takes?

What will my friends think of me?

Will this be enough to replace my 9-to-5?

Taxes... how in the world do I do that?

And it only got worse once i started.

Imposter syndrome hit hard.

That nagging feeling of not being good enough.

Shaytan knows exactly where to target us.

our fears,

our insecurities.

That’s where he strikes.

Competence ≠ Confidence

Here’s the thing that most people miss: they think competence equals confidence.

So they learn and learn and learn, thinking that one day they’ll be confident.

But that’s not how it works.

Confidence isn’t about learning more—it’s about controlling your thoughts.

It’s your thoughts that slowly breaks you down, not the lack of skills.

Building real self-confidence isn’t easy. But it is possible.

The question is, how do we build it in a way that lasts?

1) Perspective.

The first time I stepped into a mosque after reverting, I had no clue what to expect.

I remember walking in, feeling like all eyes were on me—even though most people probably didn’t notice.

I didn’t know anyone.

I barely knew how to pray.

My anxiety was through the roof.

I was second-guessing everything:

Was I dressed right?

Will they notice I’m new?

What if I say or do something wrong?

I felt like I didn’t belong.

That’s what happens when you step into unfamiliar territory and your confidence is low.

Your mind starts spinning with doubt.

You feel trapped in your thoughts, with no escape.

The first step to building confidence is to be aware of how you react in these situation.

Only then can you start to shift your mindset.

Here’s how:

• When you feel that anxiety creeping in, pause.

• Step outside of yourself. See the situation for what it really is—a normal situation, not the end of the world.

• Imagine a confident person you know or a confident version of yourself. See it through their eyes. How would they act?

Suddenly, the anxiety doesn’t have the same hold on you.

The difference between someone who’s confident and someone who isn’t?

Perspective.

We all have insecurities.

The difference is how we choose to deal with them.

2) Perception

How you perceive a situation shapes how you respond to it.

If you approach a challenge with a closed-off or negative view, you’ll likely miss the opportunities right in front of you.

Think of Prophet Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) when he faced Pharaoh.

Despite the immense challenge, Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) didn’t let his perception of the situation stop him.

Instead, he focused on the bigger picture, trusting Allāh's plan.

His perception of the situation as a divine test gave him the strength to act with confidence, even when the odds were stacked against him.

The same challenge could have overwhelmed him if he perceived it differently.

This principle of perception applies to our daily lives too.

How you perceive the situation (and how you perceive yourself) will shape how you engage.

You judge others based on how they present themselves, and they do the same with you.

Researchers found that when people stand in powerful body postures—taking up more space, shoulders back, chest open—for just two minutes before an important task (like a job interview), their brain chemistry changes.

They experience increased testosterone (the confidence hormone) and decreased cortisol (the stress hormone).

Those who practiced these power poses performed better in their interviews compared to those who didn’t.

If you don’t “show up” in a way that encourages a positive interpretation—whether through actions or the way you carry yourself—it won’t go well.

Deep down, you’ll know it.

So you subconsciously avoid situations or opportunities without realizing it, because you’ve already decided you won’t succeed.

3) Practice

How good you are at something determines how well you can perceive and navigate different situations.

In Islam, we are encouraged to continuously learn and improve—whether it’s in our faith, our work, or our personal lives.

Just like in any journey, you need to build the right skills to move forward.

Take the example of memorizing the Qur'ān.

You start with a manageable goal—memorizing one ayah a day.

Gradually, with consistent effort, repetition, and patience, you'll soon be able to memorize one page a day.

As you continue, your understanding deepens.

You begin to connect with the meanings behind the verses, not just the words.

The more you practice, the clearer the message becomes.

Similarly, in life, you can’t reach the next stage until you've practiced and mastered the skills at your current level.

You don’t have the awareness of profitable opportunities because you don’t have the skill to recognize, choose, and act on them.

As you move toward your goals, you will be required to educate and practice skills to reach those goals.

If you aim too high, you get overwhelmed and don’t know what to learn.

You must focus on acquiring the skills necessary to reach the next level.

The worst thing you can do is to settle and stop learning.

Now that you know the foundation to confidence (perspective, perception, and practice.)

let's dive deeper.

Why You Care

Humans are wired to seek acceptance.

It’s a survival instinct.

Back in the day, being cast out from the tribe meant losing access to resources—or worse, survival itself.

In some cases it makes sense to care about what others think.

But in 95% of modern scenarios, it’s completely useless.

You live in a world where you can learn anything, try anything, and achieve anything.

But still, you worry about what others think.

Why?

Because your mind hasn’t caught up. You haven’t trained yourself to separate real threats from imagined ones.

Your survival isn’t actually at stake when someone makes fun of you.

But you haven’t yet mastered the mental tools to rise above the fear.

Confidence comes from knowing how to navigate those moments, from developing the skills, knowledge, and perspective to live life unapologetically as yourself.

How To Stop Caring

Your mind has programmed itself to survive since you where born.

You've registered threats to your survival – like touching the stove – as a bad thing.

It makes sense. You don't want to be burned.

That’s negative feedback, and your mind interprets it as such.

Most of us were never thought how to master our minds growing up.

so it's up to us to do it now.

Here’s how you start:

1) Break the unconscious habit.

Any time you feel an emotional reaction, pause.

A pause is an opportunity to rewire your mind.

2) Question Your Thoughts

“Do I actually care about this?”

Really think about it.

Let one thought lead to another until the tension starts to dissolve.

Most of the time, you’ll realize the answer is no—you don’t actually care.

Your mind is just great at creating distractions, pulling you away from contentment and peace.

Of course, this isn’t easy to do in the heat of the moment.

When someone says something hurtful or you feel triggered by something you read online, your emotions take over.

But later—when you’re alone, reflecting—you have the power to untangle those thoughts.

Self-reflection is a tool Allah has given us.

It’s how we realign and reprogram our minds.

Over time, with enough practice, this becomes a habit.

Your mind will begin to serve you instead of sabotaging.

إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ

Understanding your mind

Do you know how the mind works?

It’s constantly helping you achieve goals—both the ones you’re aware of and the ones you’ve yet to discover.

It never stops, always analyzing, scheming, and interpreting reality through the lens of the goals that dominate your thoughts.

Your goals are often shaped by your environment.

Why is this important?

Because understanding it will determine the outcome of your life.

Your goals act like a pair of glasses which you see the world through.

They determine what you perceive, what you focus on, and what you learn.

Your mind automatically filters information—accepting or rejecting things based on how they align with the goals you’re pursuing.

If your goal is simply to go to school, get a job, and “settle down,” then your mind will only notice the things that help you accomplish that.

But if your goal is to please Allah, worship Him in all that you do, and strive for Jannah, your perspective widens.

You begin to see endless opportunities and possibilities that align with that greater purpose.

When I reverted to Islam, my worldview shifted completely.

I became hyper-aware that Allah was watching me and began questioning everything I did.

Why?

Because, suddenly, I had a clear goal: Jannah. And not just that—I had a clear path laid out for me, showing me what to do and what not to do.

Back then, I saw everything as worship.

Working? Worship.

Making dinner? Worship.

Folding laundry? Worship.

Even the tiniest tasks became opportunities to gather good deeds. I was intentional with every step, setting my sights on one ultimate goal: pleasing Allah.

Gosh, I miss those days.

The clarity, the focus, the fire in my heart.

But i've learned that you don’t have to run at full speed all the time.

Life isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon.

cliché, i know…

but it’s true.

I’m still working toward the same goal, but I’ve found a pace that’s sustainable, one that keeps me moving forward without burning out.

My point is:

Life retains its meaning and zest as long as you hold on to a goal.

Without one, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of society’s expectations—living by someone else’s plan for your life instead of your own.

Whose goal are you pursuing?

If you want to take back control of your life, you must start from scratch.

Question everything you know.

Pay close attention to every single one of your thoughts and actions.

Are you doing this because Allah told you to?

Or is it shaytan whispering?

Shaytan’s whispers are everywhere.

He’s subtle, persistent, and honestly… pretty clever.

We argue every morning when it’s time for Fajr :)

His arguments are sneaky and tempting—but once you recognize the voice, you’ll want to fight back.

And you’ll have to.

Time and time again.

Because Shaytan doesn’t give up.

How Do You Navigate Life with Certainty?

You don’t.

Life wasn’t designed to be secure or predictable. It’s a test, plain and simple.

But there’s one thing you know for sure: one day you will die, and you will stand before Allah,

alone.

Yet Allah, in His infinite mercy, didn’t leave us wandering in the dark.

He gave us the qur'ān, a source of guidance that will never change.

What a blessing it is to have Allah’s words to help us navigate this unpredictable world.

Just look around at the confusion today.

Society tells us to identify as whatever we want, ignore our nature, and worship our own desires.

It’s chaos wrapped in the illusion of freedom.

And what saddens me most is seeing how some Muslims view Islamic rulings as restrictive, as a burden instead of a blessing.

Allah gave us free will. He doesn’t force us to obey Him.

But if you choose to follow His commands, He’s handed you the blueprint for success.

A guide from the One who created you, who knows you better than you know yourself.

Without Allah, we’re lost.

Without Him, we have nothing.

Whenever I get stuck in my head—overthinking, spiraling about what others think of me—I go to YouTube and turn on this video:

Zooming Out From Earth

It starts on Earth and zooms out into space. It just keeps going and going.

Past the clouds. Past the stars. Past the galaxies.

And there you are: a tiny speck, a piece of flesh on a floating rock in an endless universe.

Humbling, right?

But still, Allah sees you. He values you.

You’re not small. You’re not insignificant.

Allah doesn’t see you the way you see yourself.

He sees your potential. He sees your struggles.

He sees every tear you’ve cried, every moment you’ve chosen Him over your desires, even when it was hard.

If you ever doubt the love Allah has for you, just look at the effort He’s put into you.

The beating of your heart, the air filling your lungs, the fact that you’re alive in this very moment reading these words—it’s all Him.

So, the next time you feel insecure—when you’re doubting your worth, questioning your place, or feeling like you’re not enough—pause.

Remind yourself that Allah created you perfectly, exactly as you’re meant to be.

And yes, life will challenge you.

Insecurities will creep in.

Society will push you to measure yourself by impossible standards.

But none of that matters in the eyes of the One who made you.

Allah values you. He sees you trying, struggling and growing.

Hold on to that. Let it anchor you. Let it guide you back to Him.

And trust that you are more than enough in the eyes of the One who loves you the most.

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that’s all i got for you today.

- Lina ♡