The month of Ramadan is a beautiful and blessed time and with the start of the holy month fast approaching, we have some tips for you to make the most of Ramadan and make your time easier.
Many of us begin the month with high hopes; ambitions to improve our state of mind, but before long it is easy to lose momentum. The motivation starts to fade, and it is easy to slip back into old habits.
Why does this happen? One of the reasons for this is that we don’t prepare for this special month ahead of time. We’re about to give you some simple steps to get ready for Ramadan…
Step 1
Start to cut back on your daily temptations and vices now to make the transition to fasting during Ramadan a little bit easier on yourself. Are you a heavy coffee drinker? Try to switch to decaf now or start to drink your coffee later in the day rather than when you wake up to give your body time to adjust to the lack of caffeine first thing in the morning.
Step 2
Meal prep. This might sound counterintuitive but making sure you’re thinking about all your meals ahead of time will bring about a sense of calm and preparedness. If you know that you have stocked up on everything you need to break your fast on time and have a cupboard and freezer full of the perfect snacks and ingredients to make delicious meals every night, the stress about deciding what to eat come sundown will be less. You won’t have to think about food all day while fasting because you know it is already taken care of!
Step 3
Create a mood board, a list or keep a journal (whatever works best for you, honestly) on how you plan to use the month of Ramadan to make an impact. Getting ready for Ramadan is just a stepping stone to how you plan to live your life for the next year. Will you donate money to certain charities? Do you plan to donate some of your belongings to those who might need them more? Do you aim to undertake one act of kindness a day so that it becomes a habit going forward in your daily life? Ramadan can be the first step to bettering yourself, so why not start planning how you’re going to achieve that now…
Step 4
Make a schedule! We cannot stress enough the importance of having a schedule that will keep you on track. If you find it hard to wake up early or struggle to pray on time or lack the motivation to get things done throughout the day, then create a simple schedule and stick to it. Hitting those goals and knowing you are utilising the Holy month to better yourself and make other people’s lives easier too will be worth the effort now.
Step 5
Make sure that you are ready to undertake the challenge of fasting. Consult with a doctor to make sure you are ready for Ramadan. Planning to make sure that you break your fast with healthy options, moderate your food intake during iftar and consume the correct nutrients to sustain you during fasting hours are all important aspects of preparing for the Holy month to help you achieve the most positive outcome of this journey.
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