One Rising Star

  #respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022 "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store.  Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more." I still remember some of the Christmas gatherings we had as children.  There were quite a few times when we would hop in the car and travel several hours to visit our grandparents, aunts and uncles, as well as our cousins.  We use to really look forward to opening gifts on Christmas eve and/or on Christmas morning.  Above all though, when I think back, the best part of the winter holidays was definitely spending time with one another. The last Christmas we all spent together was in 2015 I believe. As we've grown older and the family dynamics have changed ( passings, relocations, marriages, babies, job commitments, goals and dreams... ), Christmas gatherings have become more challenging and unfortunately less frequent.  This holiday season, I could've remained in Dubai, as I've done on a few prior occasions, or of course I could have

#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022   "Success isn't measured just from fame or fortune, from the medals or the rewards.  But, most importantly, from all the times you fell, stumbled and failed; but without a moment of regret, continued to still push on."   Children who are brought up participating in competitive sports often aim to obtain medals and trophies; however, with time, one should realise that success, is about so much more. Competing over the last 3 months was a much bigger challenge than I had initially anticipated. Working out alongside some pretty Elite athletes was an absolute honnor, but it also required alot of hard work, dedication and discipline on my behalf. I put in alot of hours at the gym and I was quite strict with my daily routines in hopes that I would be as prepared as possible. There were definitly some moments when I questioned myself and my choices, however I still kept going despite this.   My teams didn't make it on the podium in any of the

#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022 “Self-confidence is a super power. Once you start to believe in yourself, magic starts happening.” The Turf Games is by far one of the coolest competitions I have ever participated in.  Last year, I took part for the first time and I was most amazed at the unique and challenging workouts; I had never done any swimming, sled push and pulls, sandbag cleans in any of my previous competitions.  In addition to the cool workouts though, the set-up, the organization of the entire event, the level of the athletes, the atmosphere, as well as my amazing team of course, were all top notch.   As people began talking to one another to put together their teams for this years event, I was really hopeful I'd get to participate once again.   When I was lucky enough to register with a group of strong athletes from my gym, I was overwhelmed with excitement. I have always liked surrounding myself with strong individuals who can push me to do my very best.   With that sa

#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022  “The ‘slow philosophy’ can be summed up in a single word: balance.  Be fast when it makes sense to be fast, and be slow when slowness is called for.” We all know by now that every so often, when all is going seemingly well, suddenly obstacles and challenges can present themselves.  These moments can be very destabilizing, but if we choose the correct mindset and accept them as opportunities to pause, reflect, re-evalute and re-focus, we can try to make the best out of some difficult situations. A few weeks ago, I felt an immense amount of stress take over my mind and body. Above all, I was feeling frustrated with little things happening (mostly at work) and also pressed to train with more intensity in preparation for upcoming competitions. The accumulation of these stressors eventually led me to ‘crash’ and get really sick; it was a brutal reminder of how costly stress can be. Though I laid on the couch, several days in a row, feeling absolutely terribl

#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022 “PURA VIDA literally means ‘pure life’ in Spanish, a Costa Rican philosophy that encourages the appreciation of life’s simple treasures; to live a peaceful, simple, uncluttered life with deep appreciation of nature, family and friends. It’s more than just a saying, it’s a way of life.” When I moved abroad ( 10 years ago! ), I looked forward to every holiday, as I often had something new and exciting planned. A big part of the benefits of being a teacher and working abroad is without a doubt the numerous holidays and opportunities to travel; yet, I suddenly wasn’t taking adventage of these perks anymore. Over the last few years, when the holidays approached, I have felt anxious and disappointed, with nothing overly exciting planned. I could blame it on Covid, or on not having anyone to travel with, but realistically, I kind of just wasn’t disciplined enough to plan anything ( I think I got spoiled in the past with friends planning amazing trips for our gr

#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022 "Your life becomes a masterpiece when you learn to master peace ." As of late, I have been working towards finding inner peace; you know, that “state of psychological and spiritual calm that one feels despite facing stressors”. For me, finding peace of mind is all about attaining a sense of happiness, contentment, and bliss no matter how challenging things may get in life. Of course, we all know that stress is inevitable, but I would like to believe that we can cope more easily when we have developed the abiltity to find and keep inner peace. The lifelong journey to mastering inner peace will look different for everyone. There is no one-size fits all. It may involve working alongside a therapist, developing a closer relationship with God, journaling, reading, meditating, exercising, playing sports, doing yoga, doing martial arts, walking, running, dancing, singing, listening to podcasts/music, being outdoors, cooking, going to a retreat, goin

#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022  “What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.” At one time or another, you’ve likely found yourself in a ‘ dark place ’ or a ‘ difficult season ’. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one or lost your job. Maybe a relationship hasn’t worked out as you’d wished or you’ve felt lonely. Maybe you’ve been haunted by past events or worried about the future. Maybe you’ve struggled to overcome some of your insecurities. Maybe you’ve been injured or disturbed by changes that have occured to your body. Maybe you’ve had to deal with an illness or some mental health problems. (…) For some, these things may have little to no impact on their lives, but for others they may cause a great deal of stress that is hard to shake off.  Through the years, I have found that the severity of a situation often comes down to perspective, and how a person sees it and deals with it will likely depend on their past experiences ( a person generally gets stronger with every

#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022 “On our own, we can each make a difference in the world, but collectively, we are a force for good that exponentially surpasses what we can do alone.” Last weekend, I had the opportunity to participate in an event called Battle Cancer - Dubai 2022 . This particular ‘competition’ is not like the ones I usually take part in. The main goal isn’t to sweat to be the fittest, strongest and overall best athletes. Battle Cancer is a functional fitness fundraising competition that brings fitness enthousiasts together to sweat for a good cause; for all those who have been affected by cancer.   Prior to the day-long fitness challenge, my team and I tried to raise money for a charity of our choice. Within a week, we raised just a little over 3500aed for the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon. We were ( and still are ) incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us in fighting for a good cause by donating. After the fundraising portion was complete, it was time to sw