Living a More Balanced Life - Haute Hijab's 2019 New Year's Resolutions
Current Events
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Jan 4, 2019
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8 MIN READ
Here at Haute Hijab, we've made our resolutions for 2019, like we know many of you have! We want to share with you the personal side of our goals, in which you'll see a running theme -- self-care and a more balanced way of living! What are your goals for the upcoming year?
Melanie Elturk - Chief Executive Officer
If you read my latest musing, you know that change-is-a-coming. 2018 was a whirlwind for me -- so much happened in so little time that I barely took the time to look around, breathe and take any of it in. So, in 2019 my resolution is to live a more balanced life. Work is important, and building this brand is something I will continue to do with passion, grit and tenacity. But, I resolve to tend to the other parts of my life that need as much care and attention. To be specific, these are my health, my family, my own self-care and most importantly, my relationship with God. Here's to a blessed and fruitful new year ahead!
Ahmed Zedan - Chief Operating Officer
My resolution is self-care. 2018 was a very tough year for me both personally and professionally. I need to give myself more time to reflect and ponder my place in the world and how my contribution can have the most impact. I also want to push myself and all of us to think more critically and creatively. Our collective impact will be determined by the freshness and perspective of our ideas.
Gizelle Begler - Creative Director
My goal for 2019 is to ✨BRING BACK THE SPARKLE✨.
2018 was definitely an adjustment year for me as I watched our team of 4.5 blossom into the beautiful family we have today. With this larger team comes more help, which I'm hoping will allow me to make sure that every new product at Haute Hijab is not only tackling problems and changing lives, but is genuinely tremendous and sparkly in every sense of the words!
Also, with all of my time and energy being (happily) divided between my sick mother and my HH family, I have completely neglected myself. I have not led a balanced life and thus have allowed my sparkle to dull. My 2019 resolution is to bring the vivacity and bounce back into my life by making more time for myself and prioritizing my “me-time.”
I. NEED. TO. EXERCISE. And as those little sweat beads come running down my face, ✨I too shall sparkle✨!
Salwa Marzouk - Junior Graphic Designer
I create a lot of excuses and allow myself to be lazy when it comes self-care -- mentally and physically. I'm a bum! So this coming year I want to:
1. Cook more, drink more water, exercise and get to a point where I can literally lift anyone and everyone in the office over my head and throw them two feet away … or maybe just lift more than my own weight (😬👀💪🏽).
2. Push myself creatively and network.
3. Spend more time with family; rekindle and garner friendships.
4. Sky dive.
Mahmoud Yousif - Software Engineer
My New Year’s resolution is to push my limits. 2018 was a year of a lot of accomplishments for me, but I couldn't help but feel that I haven't reached my potential. I always had this nagging voice in the back of my head that said, "What you got going on is alright, but you know you can do better."
My goal is to silence that voice. I want to do as much as I can to improve myself and make the most out of whatever situation I find myself in. I'm excited for:
1. Adventure and look forward to boosting my fitness.
2. Staying in better touch with my family.
3. Improve my coding skills and publishing my own app.
One thing that really matters to me is taking Haute Hijab to another level. I'm happy with my contributions so far, but I want to be a part of making us the top online presence for hijabs. I'll do whatever it takes to accomplish that.
Alice Millard - Marketing Manager
My 2019 goal is to cultivate patience and live more open-heartedly.
2018 was a year of personal and professional growth for me. I learned a LOT about what I am capable of and got my life flying along on hyperdrive. But in all of this acceleration, I sometimes forgot to slow down and act more thoughtfully.
My goal in 2019 is to assume positive intent, give the benefit of the doubt to everyone around me and to insist on patience, kindness and grace. This is something I am trying to work into my professional and personal life, especially with my family, where I think my patience well can sometimes run the dryest.
Also to call my grandma at least once per week. She's an angel.
Lily Steele - Product Development Specialist
Generally speaking, my 2019 New Year’s resolution is to hold myself to a higher standard on a daily basis:
1. To be more proactive and action oriented. I want to push myself to be more productive in the moment and fit more into the day. No more procrastinating or cutting myself circumstantial slack. I want to hit inbox zero on a daily basis and accomplish tasks efficiently without stopping to overthink them.
2. Run the New York City Marathon. Running is something that I love and has long been a big part of my life, but I have struggled to maintain it in the last two years because I am NOT a morning person. My goal is to get to a place where I can get up early every day and go for a run before starting my day. It can be tough to get fresh air living in the city, and I want to get back to a place where I benefit physically and mentally from spending time outside on a daily basis.
3. Cook and eat vegetables. I am no longer allowed to eat Annie's Mac and Cheese on my favorite dinosaur plate several nights a week.
Mona Mostafa - Social Media Specialist
I've had a lot of changes happen for me this year. Between getting married, moving to a new home and starting my job here at Haute Hijab, this year has been nothing short of amazing, Alhamdulillah! But with all these changes, focusing on my deen and spending time with my family and friends has unfortunately taken a back seat.
In 2019, I want that to change. First, I want to prioritize my deen again and start focusing more on doing things for my akhirah, rather than the dunya. I want to start planning bi-weekly dinners with my family and scheduling outings with my friends at least once a month, if not more, to ensure that months don't go by without us seeing each other.
I no longer want to get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and want to start making time for the people that matter most. ❤️
Brittney McFarlane - Customer Service Associate
2018 seemed to zoom by! And, to be honest, while I met a lot of the goals I set for myself this year, it felt like my health suffered because of it. I saw my body break down as a reaction to stress, fear of failure and unsorted trauma. Despite that, I was able to heal, build more confidence in myself thanks to my support network (family, friends and Haute Hijab). That said, I'd like to dedicate 2019 to maintaining and improving my mental, emotional and physical well-being as well as being more honest with myself in terms of what I want, need and won't settle for.
Taking a trip to Japan would be cool, too.
Erin Smith - Merchandise Planner
2018 was my first year living in New York, so a lot of things were really defined by that transition. I won't lie, it was an emotionally intense year – both highs and lows. As the year came to an end, I felt like I found my balance point between work/self-care. I would like to keep that going in 2019.
I'm also planning to renew a few passions that sort of fell by the wayside – especially playing/writing music, which I intentionally took a break from last year. Also writing, fitness (Anyone want to join a yoga studio or dance class with me?) and making art, which I kind of have a headstart on since I've been taking an art class each week for the past month.
But the overarching resolution is to simply do what I like and not overthink things or put too much pressure on myself. I tend to be a perfectionist, and it can make me doubt myself or give up easily.
Noor Suleiman - Community Manager
2018 was quite the year for me: I carried and delivered my second baby (Alhamdulillah) and balanced a whole lot of life. But, I put my own self-care and growth on the backburner. So for 2019 I’d like to get myself to a place where I’m on top of my game in all aspects of life and make myself a priority. No settling.
I’d love to learn something new, read more books and just allow myself the space and grace to grow as a person, to live life mindfully and intentionally instead of just going with the flow. I tend to inhibit my own progress and creativity with a “go big or go home” mentality, which prevents me from even starting something because I think I’ll fail at it. So this year, I want to turn those thoughts off and just go for it.
Also, I want to exercise regularly and just have FUN and do fun things all the time. Somehow I would also like to stop and enjoy my toddler and baby before they’re grown. Can I fit two years’ time into one?
Dilshad D. Ali - Blog Editor
This year’s goal is a simple one that encompasses many things - breathe deeply and trust in Allah. 2018 was a year I had anticipated with bittersweet and barely-contained emotions since I became a mother 18 years ago -- my eldest son, who has autism, reached the age of majority. I spent the better part of last year working intensely on his transition to adulthood, which included guardianship and conservatorship, working on post-secondary plans, getting social security benefits for him and a lot more. I had to come to terms with a lot of things, and it was not easy.
As the year came to a close, I ended a long-time job, returned to my freelance writing roots and began my time with Haute Hijab, which has been the blessed kick in the pants I needed to be re-energized in my decades-long career as an editor/journalist on the American Muslim beat. And so in the coming year, I don’t have specific personal goals but my main general one -- breathe deeply. Trust in Allah. That includes many of the things my HH family also resolves to do -- self-care, more exercise, a better work-life balance, more attention to prayer, time spent with my family.
If I can be the best me, then I can be the best mother, wife, daughter, daughter-in-law and friend. (Also, I want my memoir to achieve rough-draft status in 2019!)
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