Blessings of Unemployment

'I needed a period of self reflection and it came in the way of unemployment' 

Unemployment can be a tough time for anyone who experiences it but it can be also a time of profound blessings. It helps people self-discover, set priorities and habits that bring about a huge change in a person's life. 

A person who finds themselves unemployed gets time to consider past and present choices. What have I been doing wrong? What should I be doing instead? What should I learn? But for a Muslim , these are not the only questions one asks himself/herself. There are more important questions a Muslim asks during such times. Questions like 'How is my relationship with Allah? How much time have I been spending in reading the Quran? How has been the relationship with my family? How much do I think of the Akhira? These and many more important questions arise in a Muslims mind during unemployment which then lead them to re-evaluate priorities that align them with Islamic values and principles.

Its a time of gratitude as a Muslim becomes more grateful for the blessings Allah has blessed them with. This inner reflection makes a Muslim develop a gratitude filled environment and a strong reliance in Allah. 

One of the habits I picked up during this time of unemployment is reading the Quran and reflecting upon its meaning trying to understand what Allah is telling me in each verse. This has made me look forward to reading the Quran and cured my phone addiction. Consistency in reading the Quran was something I've been struggling with for a while but Alhamdulillah, Allah made it easy for me this time. It pays to struggle in the path of Allah. 

Another habit that I developed during this time of unemployment is journaling. I used to journal before but with everything else, I struggled with being consistent in it. Again, Alhamdulillah, Allah made it easy for me. I was able to document every day of the past month no matter how I was feeling at the time and it's result is a wealth of information about my habits. I was able to answer deep questions into my life by analyzing this journal that I've kept for the past month. If these were the answers I was getting after a month of journaling, what about 2 months and more? 

I picked up good habits and dropped my bad ones during this time of unemployment. Alhamdulillah, it would not be possible without the help of Allah. There are still some bad habits that I need to get rid of but if unemployment has taught me anything , its  that it's easy to get rid of bad habits and replace with good healthy long term habits that will bring me closer to Allah in this world and In the Hereafter.