Visualizing my Amal Academy Experience
Every journey start with a single step.
But that first step is the most daring thing which you can ever do. You think about doing something cool and/or important but as you are about to take action, your heart fills with dread.
What if you are not good enough? What if you fail to manage? What if you make a mistake? Fear, doubts, negative thoughts they all start rushing in. You don’t know what will happen and even if you know, you just don’t want to accept.
This is how I remember my 1st two weeks of Amal Academy. After the initial interview, I was really nervous whether I did it right or not. What could I have done better? Relief came in the form of selection and then came the first Amal session and I saw all the new faces, heard their stories. It was a big relief because I love talking to people and being around them. When I realized we are in the same boat, and we can help each other in overcoming our fears. It brought peace and tranquility to my mind.
During this initial stage, I consider myself a “tabula rasa”; an empty slate. Now, whenever I see an empty notebook, I think this is how I was a few months ago. Sure I had good grades in university but did not know about professional skills. But after these three months, I am confident that I have learnt something. From now on, I can handle many difficult situations with ease in any professional environment.
In the first week, we completed the project about reflecting on our life goals and identifying the “Why?” behind our every goal. This activity was really assuring. I came to realize what I want from my life? Where am I standing right now in terms of my goals? And where should I move from here?
A pen is a tool to write in a note book. Similarly the technique that we learnt in “finding our why” helped me clear my confusion. That technique acted as a tool and I took a first step towards my destination. That why a pen reminds me to always look for a tool, whenever my mind go blank. It will leads me towards the right direction.
Second week was about leadership and taking responsibility. That course also taught about conflict management, and how we should just start working on our goals.
The best time to start your life project is right now.
I also learnt about making your goals achievable by using S.M.A.R.T technique. These are all the things which will remain with me throughout my life. This is the most wonderful thing about life experience. They change you in such ways that you can’t even imagine.
In those two weeks, I learnt about what I want, why I want something in my life. Those weeks taught me how I can take the lead in my life, how I can make my life goals more achievable and I should start working on them instead of waiting. I also learnt the value of humbleness and compassion and their importance in conflict management.
