On June 30th, I woke up at 3:45 AM. I ambled into the kitchen and drank a glass of water, then I savored a slice of cherry pie with yogurt. Then I drank more water. At 4:15 AM, I went back to my room, kneeled on the floor, and prayed:
Today I pray to be present and focused with my clients, and grateful for all the gifts in my life.. Please help me remember to be a giver and a contribution to my clients’ businesses. Help me to listen well and speak honestly. Thank you for bringing me to this moment, and for the opportunity to fast. I have so much to be grateful for.
For the past seven years, I look forward with a mix of anticipation and dread to my day of fast during Ramadan. I love this tradition, one facilitated by a dear friend whose open-armed welcome into her religion and home has always meant the world to me. Every year, my “Ramadan Day” is a chance to pause and bring a unique level of self-awareness and consciousness to my life. The features of the fast change my day markedly, and never fail to let me see things in a different light.
The day is long!
The first thing I notice is how expansive the day feels! Without the structure of planning meals, the entire day feels like an open book. I realize how much mental energy I spend on food: deciding what I will eat, making time to prepare it, taking time to eat it. Every year, fasting makes me aware of how long the day is, and how many different things I can do instead of eating.
You know how going on vacation gives you perspective on your day-to-day life? Something about the change of scenery and the lack of your usual routine makes the world brim with possibility. It can make you rethink your patterns, and realize that a daily walk, a lingering breakfast, and dinners out would add more joy to your “regular life.” A differently structured day is like that, too. Particularly when it has to do with something as integral as food. The absence of meals reminds me that as an entrepreneur, I have flexibility in how I plan my days. If fasting makes my day feel open, what other choices can I make to bring expansiveness to my workdays? My friend always smiles when I mention this – for her, after fasting for a month every year for years, the absence of meals feels normal. But for me, it’s transformative.
Be aware of your mouth
Fasting for Ramadan involves more than not letting food or water cross your lips. Smoking is also prohibited, as well as swearing, gossiping, or saying unkind things about other people. I’m not sure if complaining is among the prohibited activities, but it is for me! My fast makes me notice how often I complain.
Sometimes it’s helpful to voice negative emotions to others, or to verbally process a challenging situation. However, my complaining is not always accompanied by action. Sometimes I whine without a willingness to make changes that will improve the situation. As a businesswoman, I think this is lazy. While it’s important to take time to mull things over, it’s equally important to take action on the topic of complaint. If you decide to let it be, then the action is to stop complaining and start reassessing the situation! Fasting makes me very aware of my tendency to complain about things, but not to fix them. In my work, I answer to myself and to my clients. If I have a problem with any of us, it’s my responsibility to approach the situation with compassion and to take steps to make it better.
Take time to “pray”
By far one of my favorite parts of “Ramadan Day” is adopting the Islamic pillar of salat, or praying five times in a day. As an agnostic, “prayer” is an open concept. Some of my favorites are the Serenity Prayer and the Shehecheyanu, but usually I simply take several moments to be still in my room and reflect on how I’m doing. Often I will think about things I am grateful for. This year, I focused on my personal and professional goals as well:
Find clarity on your goals
It’s been a struggle to identify my business goals. I have many ideas and my energy flits from one topic to another. Business advice everywhere is to “pick a niche, identify my ideal clients, and design my business to appeal to them.” It is sound advice, but hard to follow. While I prayed during Ramadan, I focused on broad goals. What do I want to evoke in other people, in my life? I want to contribute something meaningful and positive. I want to give. I want to help people. I want to connect. Pausing five times during the day gave me opportunities to refocus on the Big Picture. Is what I’m doing contributing? Help me to give generously to my clients; help me to contribute to their businesses; help me to be honest when I don’t know the answer; help me to keep learning and growing my business.
Fasting is for everyone
Fasting is as old as the hills, found in many religious and spiritual practices historically and worldwide. Every year I am glad (if thirsty!) to interrupt my life with this ancient tradition. It heightens awareness of my daily structures and my thought patterns. It reminds me to be grateful for what I have. It shows me how I can be better to myself, my community, my clients. After this year’s fast, I started adopting the concept of salat into my daily life. Pausing five times each day to focus on my goals and feel gratitude for my blessings makes me a better person and a better businesswoman. I’m hopeful that I will keep this practice in the coming year.
(Belated) Eid Mubarak!
