“Positive Reflection”
Positive thinking is more than just a tagline. It changes the way we behave.
When the Amal Academy’s Summer Applications came out, I was confused about whether to apply for it or not. My friend is an alumnus and I kind of had an idea what is Amal all about. The main fear I had was to interact with new people and speak publicly. I was also worried that this was going to interfere with my studies. But then I thought, what fun is there in life without a few challenges. So, I applied. I still wasn’t confident about my detailed application and I was more doubtful about how my interview went as I was confused and all while giving it. But what I didn’t realize that it was part of the learning process. I was actually over the moon when I got selected because as the stages passed, I was more and more eager to join Amal.
My friend gave me a lot of tips after I told him I got selected but the two mains were: Volunteer to answer and don’t take time to make friends. Well, I was hesitant to do both. I saw everyone being confident when the WhatsApp group was first made and I just gave my introduction and kept silent.
The day of the first session came, and it started with me being appreciated about being the first one to complete the online course. Areesha was the other person who got that, I still remember it. My confidence was boosted up a bit. Then at the end of the week, we were divided into groups and I was made the group leader. I got so anxious that how am I going to lead a group of people who I guess I hadn’t even noticed in the Online Session. But after the first group meeting, my thought changed completely. I actually want to give a shoutout to my First Ever PW Group as they made me believe that Amal’s journey is going to be beautiful. Thank You so much, guys ❤. Plus, my wonderful Accountability Partner, Rida Fatima. You’re an amazing soul and I’m really looking forward to meeting you in person!
My second issue, speaking up. I’ll be honest here, I’m not afraid of speaking. I have so many questions and ideas floating in my head. But when I unmute my mic, it’s like my mind goes blank. I’m so familiar with everyone now, but it still happens. It doesn’t happen when I’m explaining something, it happens when I have to speak at a debate or to answer something at the moment. But the most beautiful thing here is that no one judges you for stuttering or getting confused. Instead, everyone sends virtual appreciations which raises the confidence so high that the energy is revived and I get some proper words out.
If I can go back and change one thing during my 2.5 months here, will be effective decision making. That gave me a few tough weeks. But during that period, I got to learn a lot, about leadership, dealing with people, and how to make a proper decision with a calm mind.
I also want to give a huge shout-out to Ma’am Anum Nasir for being amazing and giving her best for this fellowship and to Sir Ahmad Ali for pushing me to be the best, for providing me sudden volunteer opportunities, and for trusting my decisions. I got to learn a lot from both of you and will keep on learning.
In conclusion, my journey so far has been amazing with ups and downs but I’ve learned a lot from those mistakes and I’m eager to learn more. The best thing I’ve learned is to be positive and work with a growth mindset. The Amal Principles of Progress have inspired me a lot and they have spread so much positivity and self-confidence in me that I have started to believe in myself and do work that I couldn’t even think of doing before. That is the biggest positive change that I have felt in me and I’m really happy about that.
Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.
