Commemorating Hari Raya Puasa - looking back at my growth

Hari Raya Aidilfitri, or also known as Hari Raya Puasa, is an occasion that is celebrated by the Muslim community in Singapore.

Well-wishes have been streaming in from Singapore's leaders.

"Strengthen family bonds virtually, stay connected to enjoy festive activities together, yet in the comfort of our own homes. Stay safe, so that we can all look forward to better celebrations ahead,"
~ Mdm Halimah Yacob (President of Singapore)

 "...draw strength from one another during this difficult but festive period."
~ Mr Lee Hsien Loong (Prime Minister of Singapore)

"Like you, I am sad too, as we are not able to visit our loved ones, especially parents, grandparents, and elderly relatives,"
~ Mr Masagos Zulkifli (Minister-in-charge for Muslim Affairs, also Minister for the Environment and Water Resources)  

Amidst the Circuit Breaker period in Singapore, Singaporean Muslims would be unable to visit their families to offer well-wishes and goodies, or go to mosques for prayers. However, life still goes on, and they are sure to be carrying out the festivities in the virtual space.

For me, I will be celebrating this year's Hari Raya Puasa by joining in the spirit of forgiveness and reflection that is included in this day. I will pause for a moment and consolidate all the reflections I have done over the past few months, and re-organise them into something actionable for me to improve myself.

I have actually wanted to do the consolidation sooner, but I had always forgot about it when I was at home, so this time, let me do it well, and make the consolidation a habit. I believe that much can be learned by understanding my mistakes, my strengths and my goals. All these will help me to become a better person.

Should you be curious about how I do my reflections, each reflection has four components:

1. Positive aspect - what good things have I done?
2. Negative aspect - what mistakes did I make?
3. Gratefulness - what can I be thankful for?
4. Target - what should I improve on for next time?

I did not come up with these components at random. These are drawn from my experiences with cognitive behavioural therapy when I was using the Youper app to help with my emotional and goals management.