🎙 The Secret To True Freedom 😯

Assalāmu ‘alaykum and Good Morning

Faisal here.

Welcome to the Freshly Grounded newsletter, we’re like your morning alarm - helping you rise and shine to a new perspective.

Here’s what’s on the menu today:

• The art of less

• Forgive others for extra freedom 🔑

• Learn a new arabic word with each email

🤑 Mastering the Art of Less: The Key to True Freedom

Ever have one of those weeks where the same theme keeps tapping you on the shoulder, appearing in chats, popping up in your feed? That was my week.

The culprit? The art of living beneath your means.

In this shiny, glittery world where scrolling and comparing are the new norm, it's all too easy to be lured into buying new things.

To convince ourselves we need the stuff that, frankly, we can live without.

What's the result? A bit later, we're left with a fancy object collecting dust, a weight of regret, and a bank account feeling the pinch.

I was listening to a lecture this week about having certainty in Allāh and the Shaykh spoke about how our pious predecessors set themselves apart - they detached themselves from the dunya, happy to lead simple lives.

It’s a thought-provoking notion, right? The more you possess, the more problems you have to deal with.

Remember my electric scooter? When its battery went kaput, I had to trudge through the whole shebang of finding a repair shop, shelling out money, and then going back to retrieve it... LONG. The more you own, the more you juggle.

So, what's the fix?

Big Faze is here to help. The gold standard, undoubtedly, is to follow in the footsteps of our pious predecessors, to detach ourselves from the dunya.

But I've found psychological tactics can also work wonders, and I've got one that might help you, too. Get ready for it:

Glamorise the grind.

In our case, we’re swapping the word ‘grind’ with 'zuhd' - an Arabic term that signifies detachment.

So how do we glamourise detachment?

We should celebrate the wins. Every time we choose NOT to purchase something (cos we simply don’t need it) we should be proud of ourselves, let's pat ourselves on the back, whisper sweet nothings of praise, and celebrate internally.

And when your eyes wander to someone else’s shiny new thing, remind yourself that you're carving out your unique journey - a less congested, but infinitely more rewarding route. A path that confidently whispers, simplicity is not a sacrifice, but a power play. It's a choice, not a compromise.

It's about standing firm when the world tries to sell you things you don't need. The path of simplicity is not the path of the weak, it's the path of the smart and strong. It's the path that leads to a life of less stress, less clutter, and more freedom. So, stride forward, soldier. Your journey is not just about getting through life, but about mastering it.

And I’m not telling you to abstain from all things nice and new. I'm just saying, take a moment, pause before you spend. And if after that pause, you still want it, find value in it, and your wallet can handle it, then by all means, GO IN!

It'll taste all the sweeter knowing you've said no to the other not-so-essential temptations.

Tweet of the Week

on the topic of freedom 👇

Meme of the Week

☕️ The Black Coffee Briefings:

Bullet-point rundown of news, updates, and caffeinated contemplations:

📖 Wanna learn Arabic, one word at a time? Karim is launching a new newsletter and it’s perfect for you! Click here and don’t miss the first email coming next week!

🎙 Quote: "Choose the non-emotional response to any given situation and see how much easier your life becomes." - naval

🧠 Advice: i’ve been working remote from home for 2 years-ish now and have been enjoying it, but thinking about investing in office space again. Those who have experienced both, hit reply to this email and let me know ur advice!

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And there's the skinny. Until next time, my friends. Keep your head up, your heart strong, and your life uncluttered.

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