On the 10th of December 2022 I reached the last page of my daily work notebook. these small menial situations annoy me sometimes more that it should, we still have 20 days to the end of the year, it would have been perfect if I start the new year with a new notebook. However, I’m still old fashioned, I need my pen and notebook every day for work.
I love looking back at it, reading my notes, schedules, meetings, scribbles, and sketches. For me, these small this gives me a good snapshot of my year to check what I did, what didn’t do, what I need to get back to, my thoughts, my dreams, my failures, my mistakes, and my Marie Clair article notes.
Case in point! in 2022 I started writing for Marie Clair. writing in general. something I never thought I would do, it has been an amazing year with them, I want to give them my appreciation & gratitude for believing in me and giving me the chance to express my thoughts and ideas. They gave me a voice that I never thought was interesting for many people. I also want to thank the readers for enjoying my articles (hopefully) and the support I receive from everyone. It opened so many possibilities I didn’t know existed. So, thank you very much.
However, I still had a pressing small issue to solve quickly, which notebook I should continue the year with. I do have others to start in, but I am not sure which one. I have the Noor Riyadh festival notebook, the fashion futures one, and Future investment initiative one, they are all events that were in Riyadh in 2022, all impressive, inspiring, and successful events showing the energy that Saudi Arabia is projecting. an exciting optimistic beam of light that is radiating across the world.
My 2022 Assouline notebook, titled, ironically or appropriately, (obsessions) was actually a gift bought by a new friend of mind I made; from the gift shop of the Diriyah biennale in February 2022. Another great event that happened last year. that’s what I love about my notebooks, they reminded me how amazing Saudi Arabia has been in 2022. At the end of any year or the beginning of a new one, it’s very hard not to look back and reflect on the year. I generally do that allot through these small train of thoughts, about notebooks, events, friends & my photos, speaking of photos, I can’t believe that my presence on Instagram has been only a year, something I resisted doing a long time.
Its difficult to start a new year, in a way, it signals an end of literally a year of your life, but again, it also pushes you to start a new one immediately. it’s a very weird thought, that one day can have all that impact, you feel you grow a year in one day, birthdays do that to you as well.
That’s the thing with new beginnings, sometimes, you are not ready for them. Whereas, life doesn’t really care about dates, where you are in your career, your personal life, your goals, or dreams, it just happens. as a matter of fact, it’s only the new year in the Gregorian calendar, whereas in the Hijra calendar its 6th month, 2 months after that is Ramadan, another new beginning for us, a time where you reflect on what happened since last Ramadan. Then Eid and so one. That’s the great thing about life, you always actually have a chance for a new beginning, A new start, it can be any day, every day, at any age, anywhere.
Creative dreams in heart of the kingdom
I personally never thought that I would achieve my creative dreams in Riyadh! I thought these things can only happen, in London, New York, maybe Dubai. but here I am, feeling Fomo I didn’t attend Middle Beast Music festival, or Red Sea film festival. all with in my country. Who knew that Riyadh would be the most exiting city in the world, visited by tourist from everywhere. Al Ula became a household destination. When I’m in any gathering abroad, everyone asks me with excitement, what’s happening is Saudi, it’s the place to be. so, make your own beginnings.
Who can forget when Saudi Arabia beat Argentina in the world cup. it was one of the happiest days of my life, I truly felt this was a new beginning for the Saudi team, and Saudi Arabia itself. We felt the love and happiness everywhere from all over the world, except Argentina obviously. Japan expressed that Saudi Arabia gave us the motivation as an Asian nation to win against Germany, look at where Morocco reached in the Arab World cup in Qatar (we need to check where Morocco end up by the publishing date of the article. ) , it feels like a new beginning for the Arab world, the middle east , you and me.
Better opportunity
I’m also aware that looking back at a year, can remind you for sad moments, people we lost, friends became distant with, jobs we changed, cities we left. however, from my experience, life also doesn’t care about that as well, sometimes, endings are also beginnings. Life will give you good things amid bad things. We just need to recognize that when it appears. the people we lost touch with, we can restart a new kind of relationship with them, make new friendships that are stronger, the jobs we left can be releasing us to a better opportunity. The free time we have can ironically be what you need to spend time with your loved ones. Recharge and start again. The failures we had, the struggles we went through are all opportunities and signs to learn and reflect, it sounds cliché but, so what, it’s true. You just need to trust life and god’s plan for you. we never know what our actual role is.
The point is, every day is a new beginning, every minute. don’t panic like me with the small stuff. you can always start again, you can always succussed, you can always achieve your ambitions, just be aware that it will happen at the right time for you , probably when you least expect it.
Happy new year!
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