Season 1 | Episode 22 | Show Notes & Transcript

Episode Title: DOs and DON’Ts of High School Life & Blessed Month of Dhulhijjah | Wellness With Social Work Consultant Mohamed Ali Mahmood

Music Copyright and Attribution 

1. “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US
2. “Inspiration” by Ethan Tay. February 20, 2021 (Sydney, Australia). This work is an original contribution by the artist for the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
3. “Pro Wellness” by Ethan Tay. March 9th, 2021 (Sydney, Australia). This work is an original contribution by the artist for the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
4. “Nature In Spring” by Syazana B. Mohamed Sani. May 2021 (New York, U.S.A.). This work is an original contribution by the founder for ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
5. “High School Graduation 1” by Hardi Kamsani. This work is an original contribution by the artist for ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
6. “High School Graduation 1” by Hardi Kamsani. This work is an original contribution by the artist for ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.

Co-Sponsors

Hardi Kamsani and Azman Repin (M. S.)

Hosts

Azimah Azman, Azfar Azman and Syazana B. Mohamed Sani (M. S.)

Volunteer Contributor

Hardi Kamsani (Audio Editing and Sound Design) 

Scriptwriter | Producer | Director 

Syazana B. Mohamed Sani (M. S.)

ASK Trio About Wellness podcast is a production of ASKtrioWello LLC (New York).

Disclaimer

The information provided in the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast is for educational purposes only. You should consult your doctor, specialist or physical trainer for advice on your physical wellness goals before you plan to follow any of the suggestions or recommendations in this podcast. 

All Rights Reserved ©ASKtrioWello LLC 2021.

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TRANSCRIPT

Hello! Holã! Marhaba! 

WELCOME to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast! Join me, Syazana Sani and the Astro Duo, Azfar Azman and Azimah Azman, your hosts from New York. Let’s strive to educate, regenerate and elevate family institutions through optimal productivity and wellness education, one episode at a time. 

ARE YOU READY to listen to inspirational stories of trust, respect, acceptance, integrity, love and social responsibility from multicultural families and special needs communities? Sit back, relax and be inspired by the awesome people that we highlight in the first segment of the podcast…

SEGMENT I | DOs and DON’Ts of High School Life and Blessed Month of Dhulhijjah

[Azfar] Welcome back to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast! This episode is co-sponsored by Hardi Kamsani and my dad, Azman Repin. Thank you and may God bless you.  

[Azimah] Hello! May peace be upon you!

[Syazana] You are listening to the twenty-second episode of the first season of the podcast with me, Syazana, and the Astro Duo: Azfar and Azimah. 

[Syazana, Azimah] In segment one last week, we highlighted Azfar’s graduation ceremony and the Readers Circle with Ivy Ngeow, which was part of the summer fundraiser event held Live via Facebook Messenger Room. 

In segment one this week, we will talk about...love and trust:

How much we love celebrating Azfar’s milestone or achievement in completing high school, no matter what the outcome of the school exam results. We will now entrust Azfar to talk about how he felt after graduating from high school and share his learning journey throughout high school in the Ballston Spa Central School District. 

Now, Azimah: What questions do we have for Azfar?

[Azimah] Okay, the first question is: How do you feel after graduating from high school? 

[Azfar] Thank you! Firstly, I am grateful for the love, trust and support that I receive from my family, teachers and friends here and my extended family in Singapore.

Secondly, after graduating from high school, I feel bittersweet because I’ve really enjoyed every moment in high school and I’m glad that I’ve completed four (4) years of learning but I’m really going to miss my favorite teachers, friends and all the staff who have made my high school experience truly unforgettable.

[Azimah] Wow! I hope to graduate from high school too! Okay, here’s the second question: What are some DOs and DON’Ts of high school life?

[Azfar] Okay! Here are my top three DOs of learning in high school, from my personal experience:

#1: Always put in your best effort in every class you take.

#2: Create a strong relationship with your closest friends and keep in touch with them even after you graduate

#3: Enjoy your high school career because it will be one of the best experiences you will ever have.

Next, my top two DON’Ts to AVOID doing if you want to achieve a high GPA or overall score of more than 90 percent in high school are:

#1 Definitely do not procrastinate and be distracted when doing school work

#2 Do not stress yourself out, rather enjoy learning

[Azimah] Woohoo! Bravo! Bravo! 

[Syazana] Thank you, my teen superhero! If you are a teenager or have teenage kids or grandkids, we hope you’ll benefit from the sharing by Azfar.. 

For the next few episodes, we would like to invite all recent or previous high school graduates to submit your personal learning journey and share some DOs and DON’Ts of high school life so that other students can benefit too. Send your text or voice memo via email to [email protected] or via Telegram to ASKtrioWello LLC at (518) 4233590. Remember to include your name and email address with your story.

[Syazana] Did you know that Muslims will be celebrating another Eid next week? 

We are now in the first ten days of Dhulhijjah, which is the blessed month where millions of Muslims from around the world perform the hajj ritual, also known as the pilgrimage, in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. 

[Note to readers: While the Saudi Arabian borders were closed during the peak of the global health pandemic triggered by the Coronavirus last year, the restrictions were partially lifted and selected Muslims from several countries could perform the hajj ritual this year.]

Whether or not Muslims are in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, these ten (10) days of Hajj are an invitation for Muslims to uplift ourselves spiritually with 

• lots of Quran recitation

• dhikr or supplication

• qiyamulail or night prayers

• good deeds like donating our money, time or energy to charity and

• fasting on the day of Arafah 

On July 20th, Muslims arounds the world celebrate Eid al-Adha. We would like to wish all Muslims: Eid Mubarak!

We will talk about what Muslims do on the day of Eid al-Adha in the next episode.

[Azimah, Syazana] Stay tuned to the next episode and listen to stories of trust, respect, acceptance, integrity, love and social responsibility.

~End of Segment I~

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Coming up next…

In the second segment of the podcast, we’ll learn about productivity and the nine dimensions of wellness—physical, emotional, environmental, spiritual, social, intellectual, mental, occupational and financial wellness—so we can survive and thrive in this unpredictable world.

Segment II | Wellness With Social Work Consultant Mohamed Ali Mahmood II 

Bumpy Teen Rides: Winning Ways To Deal With Disappointments in Life 

Scenario 

Once upon a spring, in the Village of Ballston Spa, New York, there lived two Muslim Asian teens and their loving parents. 

It’s 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon. The bright yellow school bus has just arrived...

[Azimah] Thank you, Shawn! Have a great day! Bye! Bye!

[Azimah, Azfar walking towards home from the bus pick-up point] 

Hey, abang (brother in Malay)! Are you okay? Did something bad happen today? 

[Azfar] Huh? Oh, don’t worry...it’s nothing…

[Azimah] Are you sure? 

You look kinda... sad!

 C’mon...tell me!

[Azfar] Nothing! It’s no big deal really…

[Azimah] Assalamu’alaikum! (May peace be upon you). Ummi! (“My mom” in Arabic) We’re home. 

[Syazana] Wa’alaikum salam. Welcome home, my darlings! I’m here...at the patio.

[Azimah] Abang looked kinda sad. I think something bad happened at school today.

[Azfar] Shhh! Quiet, Azimah! When will you ever mind your own business, huh?!!

[Syazana] Is it true, Azfar? Hmm...How’s school today? 

[Azfar] Good! Alhamdulillah! (Praise and thanks to Allah, the Almighty God in Arabic.)

[Azimah] I think he’s hiding something, Ummi. He didn’t say a single word to me on the school bus!

[Syazana] Azimah! It’s okay, my darling princess! I think it’s better if we talk later after lunch. Now, go take a shower. Get changed first before performing your Dhuhr salah or prayers (afternoon prayers in Arabic).

Guess what, Azfar? I think I know what this is about! Your Physics teacher has emailed me about your test results. We’ll talk about it when you’re ready, okay!

[Azfar] Oh! Why do you always have to know everything, Ummi?

[Syazana] Well, Almighty God, Allah S.W.T. has gifted all mothers the intuition or what we call the sixth sense. When it comes to our children, we often get a hunch or a clue as to what’s happening (with our children). Isn’t that wonderful?

[Azfar] Yeah...sort of...for better or worse.

[Syazana] Tests. Exams. Results. Choices. Outcomes. Life of A Teenager.

A school-going teenager will go through many tests and exams in his or her life and needs to be ready to receive the results, whether it’s good or bad, passed or failed, excellent or poor.

[Azimah] Now, it’s time to welcome our special guest, brother Mohamed Ali…Welcome back to the show, brother Ali.

[Azfar] So brother Ali. What are some winning ways to deal with disappointments in life?

[Azimah] Do you have some tips for teens like us?

[Brother Ali] Tip #1 | Change your Negative Self-Talk into Positive Self-Talk

First and foremost, a lot depends on our cognition - our self-talk.

• When dealing with disappointment , having a positive mindset helps.
• We start by accepting that ‘Disappointment is a part of life’ and with this acceptance, we normalize the feeling — that it is OK to feel sad or disappointed over things

[Syazana] So, you heard that? It IS ok to feel sad or disappointed because we are only human and humans have emotions. However, what matters more is how we manage our emotions. Brother Ali will guide us on what to do next...

[Brother Ali] The next thing to remember is that disappointment comes from a sense of failure.

• Hence, in trying to cope, some people try to avoid disappointment by setting low expectations of themselves - being an under-achiever. 
• In other words : They would think that if you aim low, you will definitely get what you set out to do. But this undervalues our efforts and our potential to grow and be greater than who we are
• Some go to the other extreme by aiming unrealistically high, giving them a sense of justification for their failures. 
• They might be doing this unconsciously.
• However if done continually, you will eventually get frustrated that the efforts you have put in did not bear the outcomes that would give you satisfaction.

• Our problem is when we equate our failures as a failure of our personhood, our ‘self’ instead of a failure of our efforts. So, negative self-talk is like  ‘I failed this test, that means I am stupid, I am useless, I am not worthy, I deserved this failure.’’

[Azimah] Oh! I think I’m starting to understand it now.

[Azfar] Yeah. Me too.

[Brother Ali] Now, positive self-talk converts the disappointments into reviewing our actions that lead to the failure.

•  ‘I have failed this time- what could I do differently to achieve better results?  What could I correct? Who could help me to improve?

• So, the first TIP is to change your Negative self-talk into positive. *Focus on looking at your efforts to improve them instead of  lamenting why the failure had to happen despite your efforts.

[Brother Ali] One way to look at your efforts is to do introspection and how do you do introspection?

[Syazana] So, how do you do introspection?

• Believe it  or not, research has found that there is a right way and a wrong way to do introspection. 

• So I suggest remembering following the 3 Ts.

[Azimah] 3 Ts? The letter “T” or like Turkish tea for me to drink?

[Azfar] Oiii! Azimah! I think it’s the letter “T”, right?

[Azimah] Hehehe! So what’s the first “T”?

[Brother Ali] (1) TIME: 

Set aside a quiet time for yourself - introspection is best done when you are alone, away from distractions, because you need to focus. Have something to jot down your thoughts. Keep a journal and this is very useful to ensure you capture your thoughts and reflections. I keep a journal to ensure that my thoughts are captured.

[Syazana] What’s the second “T”?

[Brother Ali] (2) THINK:

• Introspection is looking inwards to increase self awareness, and thus, be open to look deep within yourself, your experiences and your emotions that come with that experience - to understand who you are.

• BUT, the important aspect about introspection is not about figuring out the WHY? Why is this thing happening to us? “Why” questions tend to get us fixated on our problems, to blame, defend and justify.

• Instead, focus on the “WHAT”. What led to issues and how can these be addressed? What could we do differently? What resources could we tap to make things different? 

• Think about the new goals you want to achieve about these issues, after the introspection.

[Azimah] And what’s the third “T”?

[Brother Ali] (3) TASKS:

• Try to figure out what to do next.  Set tasks that you could carry out to achieve those new goals you have identified. Use the strengths that you have within you and the resources out there that you can tap to help you move forward.

• Remember while it is good to be self-aware, it is better to do something about it and make that change for the better. 

• So in summary, remember the 3 Ts: Time. Think. Tasks.

[Syazana] There you have it. The 3 Ts for you to apply in your daily life. I think it is useful for all age groups and not just teens. 

[Azfar] I guess so. You know better.

[Syazana] So, that’s it for segment two this week.

Next week, we’ll continue to strive to achieve wellness with Brother Ali.

[Azimah] Stay tuned to the next episode. Bye!

~End of Segment II~

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~ End of episode ~

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