2022: Love Yourself

At the moment when I’m writing this, the exploding sound of the firecrackers is breaking the silent of the midnight. Its a sign that the new year is here. Who would have thought that we are still able to embrace another year. 

2022. A new year. A new year means there will be new goals, or maybe revamped goals of last year(s). Whatever it is, it is okay.

Honestly, I am a person who actually never care about having goals for new year. I don’t believe with the idea that we need to have a new year wish because I think new wishes, goals, or dreams are available to exist anytime throughout the year, does not necessarily at the beginning specifically. But this year, its a bit different. I have list of what I want to achieve and I am, so far, are encouraging myself to work towards it. Why the change? Is it because of a new year, new me thing?

Hemm nope. I think its because I started to see the world differently, meaning from my own perspective. Or it just because I somehow understand the important of setting a new year goal. I wish for many things this year, but there is one in particular which I want every single one of you who are sincerely reading this post to also make it one of your new year goal. I am not forcing anyone to follow but if you find it interesting, we can make it happen together.

2022. Love yourself. Not because previous years you don’t love yourself, but this year love yourself more. Of course, always accept yourself the way you are. Embrace your skin colour, your ethnicity, your family background, your academic achievement, your voice, your sense of humour and many more unique parts that only you have. Acknowledge your emotion and never let it hurt you. Take a very good care of your mental health because that is the source of your happiness. Take a great attention on how you react upon obstacles that come in your way so that you don’t hurt yourself while trying to please the others. Do all these and keep doing them. But, put an improvement to it. 

Embrace your religion. Especially those who are Muslim. The meaning of love yourself in a view of a Muslim must not be those that I mentioned only, but to also bring your spirituality closer to Allah. Find that strong connection between you and Him. Find Him until you find yourself. Find Him until you find your reasons to live. He is always there no matter how far you are. This year, let us make sure that we connect to Him more than ever. Only when you truly know who He is will you understand why you need to be grateful to Him. The chance to find Him is always there in front of your eyes. It just you, who have to make the move and take action. 

This year, let you love yourself by leaving all sins behind. Every sins that we’ve done, be it not covering our aurat properly, not praying 5 times regularly, fell into a haram relationship, hating on people, spreading negativity, hurting others, badmouthing and many more that we were so used to do, let all those sins die this year. Love yourself by keeping yourself very very close to the heaven, and very far far away from hell. Many of us forget this, but for me this is the best form of loving ourselves. 

We all aware of the fact that this world is temporary and one day we will go back to where we belong which is the heaven, but how many of us already prepare to be taken back home? Most likely none of us here are ready. That is why, this year let us be ready for that. Love yourself by making sure you strive for His jannah, because no one can give you that amazing present except Him; the owner of the heaven and the King of the universe.

In 2021, I’ve seen so many people were publicly exposing sin that they commit. Some were wearing revealing clothes, showing body parts that supposed to be covered. Some were showing off their non-halal partner as if its not wrong. Some were freely spreading lies and badmouthing one another, even though they were the one who were advocating for peace.

I do not hate the people who commit this, but it irritate me to see so many people are doing it as if they are challenging Allah’s power and His command. Oh people whom mostly are my friends and pals, be afraid of Him. He is powerful more than we thought He is. Do not commit this sins anymore. Make this your 2022 goals to love yourself by obeying Him.

Wear cloth that cover your aurat not because you are “warak” or “alim”, but simply because you are Muslim. That is a very basic thing to do. Do not get into a haram relationship not just because you want to stay single but because you want to avoid adding more sins to your plate through that relationship. There is reason why Allah forbid it and warn us not to get close to it. It leads FROM one sin to another. Sin of being in contact with an ajnabi without a valid reasons, sin of meeting one another with no actual purpose or relations and without accompany. It also bring the sin of touching one another that Allah has said it is haram for a man and woman who are not in a halal relationship to do. After that, it may lead to sin committed on the bed, produces baby out of wedlock and then it could lead to killing innocent human being by aborting the pregnancy. Even if the baby were given birth, he or she will be thrown away like most of the cases we always heard. And even if the baby were raise to live, he or she weren’t able to live peacefully. Its either the environment will cause the cycle to repeat or the society will put the blame on them while knowing its wasn’t their fault. What an unfair world. 

Every bad action that we took, there will be consequences, and those consequences will never be our concern till it has happened to us. But, are we going to wait until we experience the bad impact to only then change and leave it? Better to avoid it while we can, isn’t it? Hence, this year let us love ourselves that way. Nobody can love ourselves more than Him and ourselves. Therefore, prioritize your safety in the hereafter by avoiding intentional sins aNd get yourself closer to Allah. That, for me, is the best form of love yourself.

May Allah take good care of us wherever and whenever we are, and may He will always be in our mind whenever and wherever we are. Indeed, we are the one who needed Him most, while His position will not change even if we disobey Him. But, His merciful love is beyond our imagination. Therefore, have faith. Under His care, we will be safe.