My Amal Journey: Self-Discovery and Self-Reflection
When I reflect on my past, I realize that enrolling in the Amal fellowship program was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. Because the beginning of our experiences is always the most exciting aspect, I was overjoyed when I was chosen. It seemed like a tremendous accomplishment for me to be selected from over 4800+ students. I am determined to make the most of this path of self-discovery and progress in personal and professional talents.
Developing a Life Map: A Road to Self Awareness
As Steve Jobs said:
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future”
Looking into the past helps us realize why things appeared the way they happened and how all the events shaped our lives.
Making a life map was the most significant activity for me, from the little city where I grew up, surrounded by family and friends, through my leadership journeys and travels with my peers and colleagues. This life map is a storytelling strategy that has helped me be more aware of myself as a person born with a purpose and develop my inner self. I even get to know myself and all sides of my personality, which defines the professional ladder I want to ascend without spending time trying to figure out what kind of job and profession I want to have.
Building Deeper Reflections and Connections
“We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.” –William James
1. Create and Achieve Goals.
Life Map helped me identify the motivations behind my goals, which has increased my enthusiasm to attain them. So many often, we establish a goal but are missing a couple of important links to make it a reality — we lack the motivation or courage to follow through!
The "aha" moments and breakthroughs I've had due to going through this process make my head spin in an "oh my god, how did I not know this about myself" kind of way. I uncovered trends in my life that were getting in the form of my goals after creating a Life Map.
2. Feel More Confident About Making Decisions.
By mapping out my past and better knowing how I arrived at where I am, I could revisit parts of my life that I didn't realize were so important! Without even realizing it, all of the experiences, events, and people in my life have helped lead me down a different path. Looking back, I find myself reconnecting with a part of myself that I left behind along the journey, leading me in a new direction.
When I spent so much time looking at my life, it was difficult to ignore the roadblocks. Now that I have a stronger sense of self-awareness and purpose, my relationships, job, and overall feeling of satisfaction and contentment have reached new heights!
Nurturing Care: The Role of Fellows
“Our lives are shaped by our interactions with others. Whether we have a long conversation with a friend or simply place an order at a restaurant, every interaction makes a difference.” — Donald O. Clifton
After constructing a life map, we discussed our life grievances, and all of the fellows in a circle recounted their life stories. I've seen how people share their tragedies and experiences at rehabilitation clinics in movies, and I've always shuddered at the thought. I felt very uncomfortable at that time, opening up and sharing my low points. But I also felt humbled to be held so intently and compassionately by the fellows in the circle. At a couple of the difficult moments on my journey, I felt my voice catch in my throat, and I saw several sets of eyes misting up.
However, as I joined the activity, I discovered that it was much more than it appeared. Fellows began to open up and tell their very personal life experiences and the hardships they had faced one after the other. It was a fantastic experience indeed.
Looking Back: I wish I Could Change the Timeline.
If I could go back in time and change things, I would enroll at Amal Academy during the summers. I tried to give my all to the fellowship, but it was difficult for me to do so due to my exams, and I believe I missed several exciting bits. But I can't express how grateful I am to Amal Fellowship for supporting me in reaching my full potential. It is worth noting their effort to identify small mistakes and provide feedback on every stage. I realized the leadership traits and capabilities that I had previously overlooked in this course.
To Wrap Up!
I have started helping undergrad students with their employability skills and incorporating Amal's learnings into them. In the end, I want to thank Amal and Sir Benje Williams for the Amal Platform. Your contributions to Pakistani youth will not be forgotten.