Test of Today - Overthinking.
November 14, 2025
(written but posted one day late)
Salam, friends.
Al-HamdAllah we made it to another Friday.
Overthinking. A skill I mastered early in life and never fail to excel at.
This week’s test has been a flare up, but for the last several months, that has been an ongoing and recurring challenge I’ve had to deal with. I’m hopeful that I’ll get some answers soon and maybe some relief.
In the meantime, I’ve been trying to keep busy but I’m still struggling with procrastination. I know yesterday’s post might make it seem like I’m all ready to go and constantly motivated… Unfortunately, not.
My mother is my inspiration because she’s the exact opposite. She doesn’t know nor understand the meaning of procrastination.
Maybe she did before motherhood, but since I have been on this Earth, my mother has been nothing short of a machine when it comes to work ethic. She does not tire – may Allah always bless her with health and success. She always encouraged me to put 100% of my effort into anything I did, because if you didn’t try your hardest, what was the point?
Even with the simple task of cutting mushrooms for salad as a young girl, I was told “if you’re not going to do it right, don’t do it at all.” I’ve carried that sentiment around me for my whole life. I live by it, to a fault sometimes.
Currently, I’m awaiting a response from the university where I got my masters, to validate and certify a degree that I have had now, for three years. They have not responded to my initial email I sent, three weeks ago. The response time estimated was 10 business days.
To say that I get frustrated with the inefficiency of bureaucracy and the tedious administrative processes, is an understatement. Don’t even get me started on having to pay for transcripts ten times over from the same office, repeatedly. Its not life my grades have changed, nor has my legal name.
Thus, I feel like I’m at a standstill. Until I get a response and confirmation that my transcripts from another country are going to be submitted on time, I feel like there is no point to any of the work I do, in case it cannot be done despite my efforts.
That’s a stupid reason and I know it is. Its also just a convenient way to justify putting off a process that is “not fun” and quite stressful.
Instead of letting myself procrastinate (completely that is), I’m shifting my perspective again.
I’m not going to procrastinate because it makes sense to wait for the confirmation. I’m going to work on what I least enjoy so I can focus my efforts on the things I do enjoy, and the rest, will follow (I hope).
I’m hoping that with that small shift, I’ll be able to start working like my mom.
Till tomorrow.
Salam.