June 1st already????
Time is flying. And if there’s anything I’ve learned over the past few months, it’s that if you don’t grab hold of time and steer it toward where you want to go, it will drag you along — leaving you disoriented, sluggish, and stuck in the middle of nowhere.
Now don’t get me wrong — there’s nothing wrong with going with the flow. But when it comes to the outcome of your life? It might be a good idea to take the wheel every now and then.
Sometimes our goals aren’t even hard or impossible — they just aren’t on our minds enough. That’s it. We forget. They slip through the cracks.
Simple example: I “planned” to go back to school for my master’s for two years. Told everyone. Told myself. But did I put in any real effort to make it happen? Not really. No prep for entrance exams, no research on programs, no timeline, no applications — nothing. Deadlines passed. Life moved on.
Meanwhile, I kept traveling, and every time my parents saw me book another trip, I’d get hit with the classic:
“I thought the last trip was supposed to be your last before school?”
And I’d hit 'em with the classic back:
“Yeah yeah, I know I said that — but this trip is really the last one!!” 🙃
2 years and 15+ countries later, time continued to slip by. It wasn’t until I got back from East Africa that something shifted. I’ll never forget seeing bus stops in Tanzania filled with people running full on portable businesses — from sunglass stands to roasted nut stalls to pop-up shoe shops.
That trip reaffirmed something deep for me:
No matter what your situation is, you have no excuse not to use what you do have to move forward.
Around mid-year, I always like to revisit my New Year’s resolutions — whether that’s in my journal or on the Notes app. Yeah, it can be uncomfortable. It’s humbling to confront the goals you made at the top of the year and realize how far you are — or aren’t — from where you said you’d be. But you know what’s worse? Never checking in at all. Waking up years later and realizing the life you thought you’d have slipped you by.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is just decide you’re worthy of the dream you’ve been carrying. That’s it. Believing in yourself might feel like a small thing, but sometimes that one decision is what finally gets you moving.
For me, that moment came in Zanzibar.
It was right after my usual breakfast of exotic fruit and coconut pancakes that I climbed into the hammock facing the ocean on the rooftop of my Airbnb — a stunning three-story villa that towered above the one-story shanties of the surrounding village. The villa was owned by a Dutch woman who had arrived just six months earlier and quickly seized the opportunity to build her bed and breakfast.
That moment hit me hard.
I knew then that I had to return to Africa — not just for the beauty and the energy, but with a purpose. A mission. One centered on transformation, rooted in collaboration with the people who already live there.
I realized passion alone wouldn’t be enough. I needed strategy. I needed a plan. I needed a strong network and the foundational knowledge to create the kind of impact I envisioned — not just for my life, but for the future of Morocco, my homeland, and the entire African continent.
That day, I made a decision:
It’s time to lock in.
I mapped out my business school timeline: test prep, school research, deadlines, admissions emails. Two months later, I had multiple acceptances. All because I finally said:
“I’m ready to stop playing. I’m going to do this — and I’m worth the outcome I seek.”
Imagine if I had said “just one more trip” or “I’ll go when I’m ready.” The truth is — we are never truly ready for the things that matter. That’s why the people who win start before they feel ready. They set a goal. They break it down into tangible sub-goals.
In my culture, before we begin anything we say Bismillah — In the Name of God — and move forward.
If you’ve made it this far, I invite you to pause. Revisit your goals from the top of the year. If you didn’t set any, that’s okay. Today is your chance.
Ask yourself:
— What do you truly want?
— Who do you want to become?
— What needs to happen to make that your reality?
— What or who do you need to release to accomplish what you seek?
— What’s one small step you can take today?
Some answers will come fast. Others may take time. That’s okay. Don’t be afraid to dream big. Don’t be afraid to shoot for the stars. After all — who gets to decide what’s possible for you, other than you?
Bismillah
1 comment
Loved this read 😍🙂↕️