The Challenge for Change

Last week, I officially began the journey of accomplishing my dreams. For those who don't know - my dream is and always has been to help people, to inspire people and to change the world. A big dream for a simple girl like me, I know.

I guess by doing the smallest of things, and helping even one person - you are already on your way to
changing the world.

When love and determination work together, expect a masterpiece.

On December 8, 2012, I taught a Zumba class to adults and teenagers living with Down Syndrome.
When I had originally agreed to teach this class, I didn't know exactly what to expect and what I was getting myself into, but it was a decision I made, under the assumption that I would get the experience I need to teach a proper Zumba class.
What started off being an experiment to test my Zumba abilities turned out to be a lot more than what I expected. For the first time in my life, I felt that I had actually accomplished something that had a purpose.

In life, everyone has ambitions and we are all looking for the same end result; to better ourselves. What makes us all unique is that we all have different goals, desires and dreams. We all use different approaches to reach our destination. What is most important however, is to remember that you are not the only person in the world. There are plenty of people who need your help and it's up to you to make a difference, to change someone's life and in essence, change the world. You don't need to travel to a poverty stricken area to create a change. All you need is to understand that you are only one person, but it only takes one person to make a difference. If you want to be successful, and if you want to be a better you, do something for someone who needs you.
The world needs people like you and me who are determined to make change in anyway that they can so that at the end of the day we sleep knowing that our life has meaning and value. There is goodness in the world and in humanity. We just need to find it by creating change and being beautiful.

There's a quote I read somewhere that says, "you have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." I feel that this quote is often misinterpreted. I always thought that I understood the quote and the meaning behind it. But when it was my turn to help someone who could never repay me, the quote meant so much more to me than ever before. I finally began to understand the meaning behind the quote. By being alive, they don't mean satisfaction or happiness, because anyone can be happy or satisfied by doing things that they enjoy. To actually do something for someone knowing that they can never repay you, and that you will never get back what you gave them, that's being alive. It's an absolutely remarkable feeling. The certain type of 'alive' that you feel is not an everyday feeling, its the feeling of purpose and your whole existence finally starts to make sense because for the first time in your life, you feel alive in your heart.

Got Ethics?

In the past few weeks, I have experienced such a lack of disrespect and a lack of common courtesy than I have ever seen before. I have stumbled upon many separate instances here in Dubai, where common courtesy appears to be a practice that is not used here.  Here are three examples of how revolting some people’s behaviour can be:

A: The gas stations here in Dubai are usually very crowded, (although the line does move quickly) there is usually a small waiting period and each gas pump has a few cars lined up. As I was patiently waiting in line to pump gas when a black car just decides to very casually come in front of my car and wait for his gas. I honked several times but that didn't seem the faze him. He got his gas before me and the person behind me and then drove off like it was not a big deal.

B: As I came back from work, I wanted to pick up food before I went home. The street where I was picking up the food is usually very crowded, and all the parking spots are usually taken. To my surprise a parking spot to my left was open! I was so excited, I put my right indicator on, waiting for the oncoming traffic to fade away and I would very smoothly park my car in the parallel parking spot. However, a red convertible from the ongoing traffic decided that it was okay for him to take that parking spot regardless f if anyone was waiting for it. After all, the person with their indicators on doesn't matter they can go and find another parking spot.

C: I went to get a bagel from Tim Hortons (yes-there is a Timmies here!), and the lady in front of me was short AED 1. The generous side of me kicked in and I told her, I have AED 1. I took it from my wallet and placed it on the table for the cashier to take. I didn’t get a smile, a thank you or any sort of gratitude from the lady – in fact it was the cashier who thanked me and offered to take AED 1 off of my order.

I have also noticed a rising lack of respect in companies were your employers feel they have the right to be disrespectful and you have to take it face value.
This is where I seem to have a lot of difficulty. I grew up in a family that strives on respect. Respect is something that everyone deserves and you have absolutely no right to be disrespectful to anyone.
Respect is a universal policy – all of us at some point or another were taught certain values, ethics and respect by our parents.
This status quo and hierarchical ideology simply does not work in today’s society. Respect is something that is earned, if you can’t respect me, there is absolutely no way that I can respect you – regardless of your hierarchical status.
This is a rule created in the fantasy world of egoistic people who feel the need to put you down.  Have no fear though, these people are likely insecure and intimidated by your success. Ten years from now, you will be huge and they will be a bunch of snobby nobodies!
The bottom line is if you want respect, you've got to earn it. In order to earn it, you must give it, plain and simple. Keep your chin up, shoulders broad and walk like you’re a boss.

Thank YOU and Thank ME

Today is Thanksgiving day in Canada. This day isn't about the turkey, the stuffing, the pumpkin pie or the cranberry sauce. Thanksgiving is a day to really celebrate your blessings. Everyday we are reminded of the things that we are thankful for, but we never really acknowledge them or celebrate them as we should. Each person you meet in life, is fighting a difficult battle. Each person you don't meet, is likely fighting an ever bigger battle. It is disturbing, because I often wonder, why other people aren't as fortunate as I am. 
Today and everyday, I am thankful to God for blessing me with such a beautiful life. I am thankful for my family who have taught me to always be thankful for everything that I have no matter how big or small. I am thankful for my friends who have helped me survive the curves and bumps that were difficult in my life, and the same friends who continuously support me through the best and worst of times. I am thankful for my dog Pirlo - it is kind of strange because I am the human and he is the dog, and although I do everything for him - in a strange, weird, sort of loving way, he does the same for me. I am thankful for all the little materialistic things in my life that I don't really need but have. I am thankful for all the people who have have made my life difficult or who have walked out of my life; because by doing so, they have made me a better, stronger person. They have shown me exactly who I do not wish to be. 
Most importantly (and this is important because most people forget to thank this one particular person), I am thankful for myself (as you should be thankful for yourselves also). It's true that I am who I am because of everyone who has touched my world, whether or not they are still part of it. Everyone who has been in my life has somehow impacted who I am one way or another. I have come a long way with the beautiful people that surround my life, but every once in a while, we all need to just stop and really take the opportunity to thank ourselves. We don't give ourselves a break or enough credit for everything we do each and everyday to better ourselves. For example, without my determination, passion, and dedication, I wouldn't be where I am right now. I am thankful for allowing myself to go through difficult obstacles in life, in school and at work to realize my potential and just how strong I really am. I thank myself for not falling through the cracks or getting side tracked from reaching my dreams. We all have a choice of whether or not we want to succeed or fail, whether or not we want to stay on track or fall through the cracks. Although we have influences, each decision that we make is solely our decision, and each decision we make has a consequence. Depending on your decision, the consequence will be either good, or bad. If you have done something that has made you happy, or you are generally happy with your life, then you have made the right decision. As a result, you owe it to yourself to thank yourself. 

There's No Place Like Home

"Music says words we're too afraid to speak out loud."

The Voice in your Head is a LIAR

You know that feeling that you get when you venture out into something new? That feeling you get when you are trying something new for the first time in your life and you are bombarded with all these emotions of fear and anxiety?
Since I have moved to Dubai, I have had this ongoing feeling that I am not able to do the things that I felt so prepared to do when I was in Toronto, but why?
The problem is that as I landed in Dubai, I thought my life would fall into place rather quickly. I would be able to adapt quickly. However, I learned that regardless of how easy things may look, things aren't always what they seem.
Moving from being completely dependent on myself to being completely dependent on everyone around me is not something to take lightly. This is perhaps the hardest part about being in Dubai - the feeling of being completely needy of everyone's help. However with time, this will change. I am finally starting to adapt to the country and the culture. The jet-lag has finally settled in and I am starting to learn my way around the city. However, I am still left with all these unresolved emotions of not being able to do certain things that I love.

Put all your fears aside and live the life you deserve

I have wanted to be a Zumba instructor since the moment I entered the fitness industry. I am now finally certified and have felt prepared to teach for months now. Yet, after arriving in Dubai, I feel that maybe I am not quite ready yet, or maybe I am not good enough to do it. How will my participants react? Will they like me? All these unanswered questions have been wandering in my mind and making me feel like I am inadequate to teach.
 So, I had some alone time to gather my thoughts and think about whether or not I'm prepared to go into a city that I don't know, and teach people whom I have never met and whose cultural backgrounds are different from mine. From my down-time, I have come up with a very rational response. First and foremost, "the first steps are always the hardest to take." In order for my dreams to come true, I have to look past my fears. I might not be amazing. In fact, I might fail once, or twice, or three times - however, with failure comes success. Secondly (and most importantly), you know that little voice in your head that keeps you doubting and questioning yourself and your abilities? You know, that voice that constantly tells you that you are not pretty enough, you are not smart enough, you are not talented enough, and that you are not good enough? That voice is a liar. 
If you want to do something, do it. Don't let anything or anyone stop you and do not let your fears overpower your confidence. You are a lot stronger and a lot smarter than to allow your fears to take over your dreams. Is there a chance that you will fail? Absolutely. Failure is inevitable, but, the worst regret we can have in life is not for what we have done and failed, but for what we have not done and succeeded.

Trust me I am a Communications Graduate

Coming to Egypt, I was excited. I expected to go out everyday, go sight seeing, visit friends and family and above all have fun. I guess I shouldn't have such high expectations. The problem with expectations (in my opinion) is that you will always be disappointed. You will always be let down. So there are three solutions to avoid this type of disappointment. (1) Lower your expectations (2) lower your standards or (3) eliminate expectations from your life completely. I guess the saying is true, "sometimes we expect more from others just because we would be willing to do that much for them."
The problem with Egypt is that everyone is so caught up with politics and the media that they forget themselves. They forget how to laugh, how to smile, how to be kind, how to be polite and above all, they essentially forget who they are. The energy level is so negative. Negativity surrounds every corner of the city. It is toxic and it is harming everyone in the city. Why is everyone so scared? I can't help but wonder, how can a country that was once known for its strength, dignity, power and riches become a country that is so naive and needy? The answer to this is media. The whole purpose of media, especially in a country that is going through a stressful period such as Egypt, is to scare the people. The trick is to know when to believe and not to believe the news.

The point of the news is to put out stories that will (a) attract the most attention, and (b) instill the most fear. If you have a story that will not captivate your audience or scare them even just a little bit, then you have no story. Remember, television and news are either owned by the government or by a high end broadcaster who makes billions in profits by using public airways for free. They control what goes in and out of your media outlets. They manipulate people and brainwash them into believing that what they are seeing is fact. As a result, the city is in a panic. They have controlled the thoughts and minds of the people.
If you don't believe me, try it out for yourself. Ask any Egyptian you know about the current situation in Egypt. They will tell you with assurance of the situation. Now, ask them where they got their sources and information from. Their answer will either be Facebook, or the news, or they read it somewhere or they heard it from someone. Their sources do not come from first hand experiences. It's like we are all puppets and the media is controlling us.
Believe it or not, our minds are being infested with garbage. Our thoughts and actions are being completely controlled. The media has won. We have become robots, and the superior being is the media. Do you want to know how you can stop being a robot? How can you stop being controlled?  The answer is simple, it is as easy as changing your news channel. 

The Beginning of my Journey

So here I am at Charles De Gaulle International Airport in Paris. I am taking a liking to the French people, they are so polite and the airport is beautiful! Also, I can now proudly say I ate a croissant in France! It was so delicious but finished way to soon!

So as I sit here on my stop over I have been thinking about all the feelings I am having. I am having a lot of mixed feelings at this point but my main emotion right now is sadness. I never wanted to leave Toronto. Toronto is my life - my home. So how can someone just pack up and leave home like this, not really knowing where I am going and whose lives I will cross paths with? Although sadness is my deepest emotion at this point, I still try to look on the bright side. My heart is filled with sunshine and love. I am so overwhelmed with the amount of love and beauty that surrounds my life. As I said my goodbyes I found that many people were genuinely saddened for my departure. I questioned myself, have I really touched this many people's lives? I feel extremely honored  and thankful to have so many amazing people in my life who support me, make me feel special and above all, I feel important. 

Distance and time could change many things, but not the bond I have with these special people - at this point, they have become family to me. 

Dear Family, 

I plan on keeping you in my life for a very long time. You haven't seen the last of me yet. I have so much more energy and craziness to offer you. 

Sincerely, 

The girl on the other side of the world who loves you very much. 

As I begin to venture on my new journey, my goal is to find myself and question every path I take and challenge every opportunity I get. I am trying to understand what it is that I need to do in order to reach my satisfaction. This is especially difficult because when I look at my path, it is not a clear view. In fact, my path is very blurry because I am unsure of what I want to do and where I want to be. My plan however is simple; I wish to be amazing. I am going to be epic. I want to make a difference by somehow contributing even a small difference in someone's life. I want to contribute in changing the world. I don't know how I will do this or where I will start but that is my plan. I may not be certain of what I want to do with my life or where I want to be ten years from now but one thing I am certain of is that I wish to dedicate the rest of my life in helping people. 

Strong is the New Skinny!

I come from a Middle Eastern family, in the Middle East, the ideal beautiful figure is skinny. And here I am-not skinny. Some of my friends kept telling me I’m overweight, I’m fat and that my body jiggles. I use to beat myself up about it thinking that I am not beautiful enough. Today however, I felt inspired. I was butt naked in front of the mirror and checked myself out. I looked at my rolls, my arms, my bum and my ridiculously big boobs. I looked at everything. First, I examined my boobs – my boobs are big and one of the things I hate about my body. But guess what? Guys like big boobs. Now I’m not saying to like a certain thing because someone else likes it or to like something in order to fit in. Rather, I’m saying we don’t necessarily appreciate everything we have and we take our body for granted. Some people will look at you with envy over the one thing that you hate so much. A lot of people will look at you and wish they had what you have. People will look at you and realize that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you because in reality, your body matches and levels with who you are.

I then examined my rolls and love handles, this is my biggest insecurity. I was trying to find something beautiful about them, but I couldn’t. The only thing I could think of is to work hard and get rid of  it- but I am going to have fun along the way. As I stared at my rolls I thought, maybe its okay to have these rolls. It’s ok to have curves and not be the skinny model on the cover of a magazine. It’s okay to look different. I am who I am and images in magazines and television won’t change the way I think or feel about myself.

We  are always given this image on television and in magazines that skinny is fit, skinny is ideal and skinny is sexy. Here is something some of you didn’t know, I have a document that states that I am a fitness professional, and here I am as I stand before you, a fitness professional who works in the fitness industry who is not skinny. I have rolls, a big bum,enormous boobs and a full body of jiggles. I can guarantee you that with all that my body has, I am more fit and healthier than any skinny girl you see walking down the street. I have come to mutual terms and agreement with myself that I’m beautiful and so is my body. My body is my treasure, in order for it to take care of me later; I must take care of it now.

The point of this blog is for people fighting insecurities to know that you are so beautiful in so many different ways. There are three things in my opinion that you must do to keep living a healthy, beautiful life. 1. Eat right, 2. Be active and 3. Love your body. When I say love your body, I mean go in front of a mirror and really look at yourself. Check yourself out and embrace your flaws. This is your body, your treasure, and it’s absolutely fascinating. You are not a super model, you are a REAL model. So, get real with yourself and love and respect yourself.

Have confidence because there's a reason why you were given this body. Embrace it, love it and take care of it. “Accept everything about yourself, and I mean everything. You are you and that is the beginning and the end.” Take a deep look at yourself, you are human and you are beautiful. You are so beautiful. You can be anything. You can be everything.

Once you realize that feeling good is more important than looking good, and that there are more important things in life than what pant size you wear, “when you are truly comfortable in your own skin, not everyone will like you but you won’t care one bit.”

This is your body and this is your life, you are doing this for you and you don’t have to prove anything to anyone!