Finding The Balance

This week, my thoughts have been hovering between two worlds. The science of our potential and the peace of our surrender. We often think of "growth" as something that happens when things go right. But if we look closer at both our biology and our spirituality, growth actually happens in the "gap". The space between what we want and what we actually get.

I’ve been fascinated by Neuroplasticity lately. Our brains aren't fixed, they are dynamic. But here’s the catch. Your brain only "grows" when it is challenged. When we stay in our comfort zones or run on auto-pilot, our neural pathways begin to shrink.

The "struggle" you feel when learning something new, whether it's a complex work regulation or a tricky Ramadan recipe, is actually the sound of your brain building new highways. The secret? Just show up. Don’t overthink the failure. Just embrace the "chaos" of learning. Your brain doesn't need perfection to grow. It just needs you to try.

While we push our brains to expand, we must also train our hearts to be still. It is human nature to hope for fairness and recognition from others. But humans are flawed, and their version of "fair" may never align with ours. This is where Redha (contentment) comes in. If we understand that absolute justice belongs only to Allah, we stop being frustrated by human decisions. If a door stays closed despite your best efforts, it is because Allah The All-Knowing allowed it.

"What is meant for you will never miss you, and what misses you was never meant for you."

This week, I invite you to join me in this dual mindset:

• In Effort: Be relentless. Challenge your brain. Learn the new thing. Just show up.

• In Outcome: Be at peace. If the result isn't what you expected, trust that Allah’s plan is better than your own.

When we combine the striving of the mind with the surrender of the heart, we find a level of tranquility that no worldly "chaos" can disturb.

Moving forward, let’s be kind, stay open, and be happy with His decree.

Facing The Silent Sting of Unmet Expectations

I think it is not wrong to place a certain amount of hope in our dealings with others. Whether in our careers or personal lives, we naturally hope for a baseline of recognition, a touch of consideration, or at the very least, a fair and objective outcome. It isn’t that we are asking to be "favoured" or given special treatment. We simply yearn for the scales to be balanced. We want our efforts to be seen and our intentions to be understood.

However, the "error" in our thinking often lies in the subconscious assumption that the person across from us is perfect or that their definition of "fair" matches ours. Normatively speaking, what you consider just and fair might not hit the same note for someone else. We are all products of our own unique experiences, biases, and pressures. When someone makes a decision that leaves us feeling sidelined, we must remember that they come with their own set of strengths and weaknesses. They are flawed, just as we are. They may be striving to maintain their own balance, and unfortunately, in that specific moment or equation, we might not be the priority.

Rather than letting frustration take root, I’ve found peace in shifting my perspective. Whatever happens, Allah knows best. He is Al-'Alim (The All-Knowing) and Al-’Adl (The Utterly Just). True, absolute fairness is a Divine attribute, not a human one. When we feel "wronged" or overlooked by a human decision, we should remind ourselves that nothing happens except by His permission. If a door remains closed, it is because Allah allowed it to stay shut. If a person fails to recognize your worth, it is because that recognition wasn't meant to be your rizq (provision) at that time. As the saying goes: "What is meant for you will never miss you, and what misses you was never meant for you."

So, how do we respond? We move forward by being kind, staying open, and being genuinely content with what Allah has decreed. When we stop demanding perfection from people, we free ourselves from the prison of disappointment. By placing our ultimate hope in the Creator rather than the creation, we find a level of Sakinah (tranquility) that no human decision can ever take away. Be happy with His decree, for His plans are always better than our dreams. In Shaa Allah.

Keep Going

Dalam hidup kita ini, bukan semua benda yang kita nak kita boleh dapat. Bahkan benda yang kita tak nak itulah yang biasanya kita dapat. Kalau apa yang kita nak senang-senang je dapat, kita tak belajar untuk menghargai. Sebab kita rasa benda tu by default dapat. Hakikatnya banyak benda yang kita tak minta pun atau kita tak terfikir nak minta tapi Allah tetap bagi. Contohnya udara yang kita hirup setiap hari ini. Kita perlukan tak udara/oksigen untuk hidup? Pentingkan? Tapi ada ke kita pernah tadah tangan cakap, "Ya Allah, kurniakanlah daku udara untuk bernafas...." Memang maaf cakap tak ada. Sebab tu kita tak hargai ye? Penglihatan ni pun satu. Pendengaran. Kebolehan untuk berkata-kata. Kalaulah hendak disenaraikan dan dihitung satu persatu, memang tak terkira besar nilainya. Ada ke yang nak trade penglihatannya dengan harga 1 juta ringgit? 10 juta? 100 juta? 1 billion? Tak kan? Mana ada galang gantinya nikmat boleh melihat ini. Walau dalam bank duit ada berkepuk-kepuk, kalau hidup dalam gelap gelita terasa sempit dan terbatas segalanya. 

So, bila benda yang kita nak tak dapat...apa patut kita buat eh? Bawak-bawak lah bersabar ya. Kena fikir macam ini saja, hanya Allah Yang Maha Mengetahui. Mungkin benda yang kita nak tu tak elok untuk kita. Dan benda yang kita tak nak tapi dapat itulah yang baik untuk kita. Apa-apa pun hidup kena terus. Jangan dok pikir je benda yang tak dapat tu. Move on je lah. Banyak benda lain dan perkara lain lagi yang nak kena dipikirkan dan nak kena hadap. Percaya sahaja kepada ketentuan takdir. As long as kita dah usaha, kita dah follow the right steps, jika tak dapat outcome yang dikehendaki tu, belajarlah berlapang dada. Dan jangan mengungkit boleh tak? Sebab tu kau kena move on. Benda ni buat macam checklist je...lepas done satu, kau tick je...then move on to the next item. Done lagi, tick lagi. Macam tu je. Tak payah nak overthinking sangat.

Bila bila terasa ralat tu datang dan kau mula mengulang tayang senario demi senario, cubalah pandang ke dalam diri sendiri dan carilah kebaikan yang sedang dinikmati. Hitung satu persatu nikmat yang Tuhan dan beri. Dan bila kau renung-renung begitu, percayalah, benda yang hilang atau benda yang tak mampu kau gapai tu akan jadi kecil je. No big deal! Sebab ada banyak lagi benda best yang kau dah ada pun. Jadi, belajarlah untuk menghargai. 

Pengalaman Masuk Gelanggang

 Alhamdulillahi a'la kulli hal. Telipuk berhasil memperolehi pengalaman baru lagi hari ini. Pengalaman tu macam-macam ye tak, tapi setiap moments tu tetap menjentik sesuatu. Yang penting, otak tak duduk diam hehehe. Hari ini sampailah giliran Telipuk untuk research proposal defense. Stage yang Telipuk tak dapat nak capai semasa di USAS atas beberapa kekangan. Walaupun sudah sampai penghujung semester kedua Telipuk di The Garden of Knowledge, Telipuk tetap berpuas hati kerana dapat selesaikan milestone ini. 

Untuk sesi kedua RPD tahun ini, seramai 4 orang calon masuk bertanding eh mempertahankan kajian masing-masing. Seorang dari Indonesia, seorang dari Bangladesh dan Telipuk serta seorang lagi wakil tuan rumah...dah macam persidangan antarabangsa pulak kan hahahaha. Sebab tu lah nama dia ada 'antarabangsa'. Kelas-kelas wajib sem 1 dulu pun memang ala-ala persidangan PBB sebab macam-macam negara ada. Syukurlah kan, pengalaman jugak ni. Giliran Telipuk nombor 3. Dup dap dup dap juga debornya di dada. Dia kan macam ni, rasa macam dah baca dan prepare sehabis baik tapi sekali berdiri kat depan tu macam terlupa habis semua plan hahaha. Adoiii...Yang nak jadikan pengalaman lagi tu kan, salah seorang panelist yang review kajian Telipuk ni bertaraf profesor. Profesor pulak yang otai 70 tahun lebih dah. Haaaaa...dia masuk rileks ja tak bawak apa-apa melainkan sesalinan cadangan kajian Telipuk semata-mata. Dia punya komen macam runtuh habis dah foundation kajian Telipuk ni, mau nya tak senak perut. Mostly on the theoretical part, probably sebab Telipuk guna teori yang jarang kedengaran dan Telipuk pulak tak expand dengan mendalam sebab memenuhi tuntutan 20 pages max tu. Haaa sebetulnya memang Telipuk cuba meringkaskan semuanya, turn out bila benda tu tak menjelma dalam proposal, ia menjadi isu pula. 

Apapun okay, Telipuk appreciate komen yang diberikan kerana dengan cara ini Telipuk boleh memperbetulkan serta menambahbaik kajian Telipuk. Tak adalah syok sendiri dan yang pentingnya solved kan perkara-perkara berbangkit sebelum melangkah lebih jauh. Jangan dan masuk bilik viva tetiba theoretical foundation tak tepat, mau terlungkup tang situ jugak. Be positive, keep learning orang kata. Eh walaupun kau dah belajar macam-macam pun, when its come to ilmu, sokmonya kau tak kan dapat pandai sepenuhnya lah. Sebab kan ada banyak lagi benda yang kita tak tahu. Apa sangatlah...nak kata setitis air je dari selautan air pun belum tentu kena.

Oh ya, kat sesi ni Telipuk terpandangkan seorang calon ni. Muka macam kenal tapi Telipuk tak pasti betul ke tak sangkaan Telipuk. Tak berani dah nak main terjah-terjah ni, kang tersilap orang malu kita. So, Telipuk cuma senyum je la, tapi perasan juga yang kita ni diperhatikan. Okay tak pe, fokus dulu pada task . Bila dah habis Coordinator ajak bergambar ramai. Masa terhegeh-hegeh nak cari position tulah mamat ni datang tegur. Laaa betullah sangkaan Telipuk. Alumni UUM ni hahahaha. Dah berkampung kita di taman ilmu ini ya. Telipuk kenal sebab dia berkahwin dengan kawan sekelas matrikulasi Telipuk. Bila balik terus dapat mesej dari kawan sekelas tu...hahahaha. Memang lama tak jumpa sebab dua perjumpaan yang geng matrik anjurkan Telipuk tak hadir. 

Next step, Telipuk tunggu laporan dulu then will act accordingly. Semua calon pun kena komen dan kena amend few things juga. Tu yang masing-masing gelabah bila Coordinator share timeline. Ehhh...kita nak raya ni camno? Tak syok la orang sibuk makan ketupat, ko sibuk ketuk keyboard nanti. Hahahaha...nasib lah kan. 

Just Show Up

Yeah, that’s right! Whatever comes your way, whatever challenge life throws at you, brace yourself and just show up. This has been my new mindset for quite a while, and honestly, the shift wasn't unexpected. In a world where so much is out of our hands, the only thing we can truly master is our own reaction. When all you can do is control yourself, "showing up" is the best way forward. No overthinking. No procrastination. Just action.

Beyond the famous Four Burners Theory which reminds us we can't do everything at once, I’ve recently gone down a rabbit hole regarding our brain’s capability to expand.

We used to think the brain was "fixed" once we hit adulthood. Science now tells us that’s completely wrong. We have this incredible thing called Neuroplasticity.

Think of your brain like a muscle. If you only ever walk the same flat path (your daily routine), your muscles eventually stall. The same happens with your neurons. When we live on "auto-pilot," our brain efficiency actually works against us. It gets so good at the routine that it stops forming new connections. And when it stops learning, it has no reason to maintain its size. Research has shown that a lack of mental stimulation is a significant contributor to cognitive decline and forgetfulness. In short, if you don’t "grow" your brain, it begins to shrink.

Here is the interesting part I found. The brain grows most when we are struggling with something new. There’s a concept in neuroscience called Myelination. When you challenge yourself with a difficult task like learning a new language, picking up a complex instrument, or even trying to master Khairul Aming’s dreaded Caramel Pudding, your brain wraps its "wires" (axons) in a fatty tissue called myelin. This tissue makes the signals travel faster and more efficiently.

The "struggle" isn't a sign that you’re failing; it’s the physical sound of your brain building a faster highway. That moment of frustration when you can't get something right? That’s exactly when the growth is happening.

So, how do we keep the "shrinkage" at bay?

• Break the Routine: If you usually take the same route to work, change it.

• Be a Perpetual Student: Join that cooking class, even if you end up as a "Dropout" at KA University.

• Embrace the "Newbie" Phase: Don't be afraid to look silly. The "embarrassment" of being a beginner is just the price of admission for a healthier, larger brain.

By challenging ourselves, we aren't just gaining a skill. We are literally building a more resilient "hard drive" for our old age. We are fighting off dementia one new challenge at a time. So, whatever is on your plate today, don't back down. Embrace the chaos. Your brain will thank you for it later.

Kitchen Chaos

Anyone enrolling in Khairul Aming’s (KA) cooking class this Ramadan? Honestly, I never knew a digital cooking series could be this hilarious. Maybe I’m just easily triggered, or maybe it’s because Malaysians, in general, are just top-tier comedians without even trying.

There are so many instances that showcase this humorous side of us, but I’ve noticed it more lately through my TikTok encounters. Take, for example, the recent "beef" between Malaysian netizens and South Korean netizens (K-netz) that spiraled after a concert in Kuala Lumpur. What started as a minor grievance blew out of proportion the moment some K-netz tried to belittle Malaysia.

Big mistake. Huge.

It was unfortunate for them to bring racism into the mix because the moment Southeast Asia was mentioned, the "Avengers" of the region assembled. Our Indonesian neighbors stepped in like a protective big brother, and man, the comment sections were gold. I was literally doubling over with laughter. The best part? Some netizens openly admitted they weren't even looking for a "victory". They were just there for the vibes and the pure joy of annoying the K-netz. It’s that lepak energy brought to a global digital battlefield.

But back to the KA's cooking class. The dynamic between Khairul Aming and his "students" is peak Malaysian humor. I love how netizens have created their own lore based on his recipes. You have the "Deans' List Students" who follow every gram precisely, and the "Repeat Paper" group who end up with something that looks like a science experiment gone wrong.

However, nothing tested our collective iman quite like the recent Caramel Pudding incident.

If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you’ll see the "Puding Karamel" massacre. It looks so simple in KA’s video, appearing smooth, wobbly, and golden. But in the hands of the average Malaysian? It has turned into a tragedy of scrambled eggs and burnt sugar.

The funniest part? KA’s own reaction. He has officially reached "disappointed father" status. My favorite interaction was when a student posted a particularly disastrous attempt, and KA simply replied:

"Bukan murid saya." (Not my student.)

Getting "excommunicated" by the nation's favorite chef is now the ultimate badge of culinary shame! Some netizens are even joking that their pudding didn't "fail", it was just still fasting and refused to come out of the mold. Others are lamenting that even the legendary Pak Nil joined the "Recipe Betrayal" (Resepi Derhaka) club, so there’s hope for the rest of us mortals yet.

If the pudding was the practical exam, the ingredients list is the confusing theory paper. We are currently embroiled in the "Halia Sebesar Ibu Jari" crisis. Netizens are out here measuring their thumbs against their ginger roots like they’re in a forensic lab. One user even lamented, 'My thumb is tiny, so does that mean I’m excused from the spicy taste, or am I just failing the measurement module?' It’s the only cooking class where you need a ruler and a DNA test just to sauté some onions

It’s fascinating how a simple cooking video or a random internet spat can foster such a sense of community. Whether we are defending our borders against keyboard warriors or crying over a failed Puding Gula Hangus, the Malaysian spirit remains the same: we do it with a side of sarcasm and a whole lot of heart.

P/s : I think I am in the "Ponteng Class" Squad which refers to those who just watch the videos , having zero intention of cooking but 100% intention of judging everyone else’s effort. Hahahaha...

Kematu dalam Kereta

POV : Hari pertama memandu ke pejabat dalam bulan Ramadan setelah habis cuti sekolah dan CNY 😅. Minggu lepas boleh lah memandu sambil tersengih-sengih sebab 'line clear'. Berdebor jugak pagi tadi sebab kita sedia maklum dalam keadaan biasa pun trafik ketika 'peak hour' di Kuala Lumpur ini sememangnya semakin sesak semenjak dua menjak ini. Ada yang kata sebab pertambahan bilangan kereta, BBNU dah pakat masuk kerja dan mampu beli kereta. Hemm...betul jugak tu. Hujung tahun lepas pun banyak promosi kereta dengan diskaun bagai. Jalan sama je macam tu, maka, pertambahan jumlah kenderaan menyebabkan pergerakan kenderaan sediaada pun semakin perlahan. 

Jadi pagi ini, Telipuk keluar awal sikit. Awal tak awal pukul 7 jugaklah, abis awal macamana lagi kan? Takkan nak keluar jam 6 pagi, Sentul je kot hahaha. Tapi tu la, nama je keluar jam 7, pukul 7.30 pagi Telipuk baru berhasil keluar dari Jalan Enam menaiki Sentul Link. 30 minit tu terkedek-kedek bermula dari LRT Sentul Timur, sampailah ke persimpangan trafik depan Flat Negeri Sembilan. Perjalanan meredah Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar agak lancar sehingga susur keluar ke Jalan Bangsar. Kat situ, spent lagi 10-15 minit sebelum lancar semula sebaik melepasi LRT Bangsar. Lepas tu baru nak sedap drive, dah kena tekan brek semula sebab kat area sebelum sampai kawasan jajahan TNB tu. Menunggu jer la bergerak perlahan-lahan sebab kat depan tu traffic-light Pantai Baru dengan pemandu-pemandu lorong paling kanan mula masuk laluan sebab depa sebenarnya nak buat pusingan U untuk ke Bangsar melalui Jalan Maarof. 

So, sudahnya Telipuk sampai beberapa minit sebelum jam 8. Bulan puasa ni aturan kerjanya ialah masuk jam 8 pagi, keluar jam 4.30 gitu. Alhamdulillah, first come, first serve free parking lot masih banyak kosong jadi selamat la duit touch & go Telipuk. Naik atas pun ada banyak cubicle kosong tapi kepulauan tepi dinding tu dah berpenghuni jadi Telipuk membawa diri ke kepulauan hujungggg sana, dah macam Cook Island rupanya dengan hiasan pokok palma tu. Settle bab masuk kerja. Tapi.....masalah tak selesai lagi tau sebab haaaa ko tunggu la time balik 4.30 nanti...hishhh serammm. Hari-hari biasa pun sejam lebih nak sampai rumah, inikan pulak bulan puasa. 4.30 tu...kalau dapat lepas area keliling TM ni bertuahlah, takut 4.30 tu masih duduk dalam parking sebab tak lepas keluar. Mengambil kira hal ni, Telipuk dah pesan suruh anak-anak uruskan sendiri juadah berbuka puasa nanti, alah beli je la kat bazar UTC tu. 

Harap-harap hari ini bolehlah sampai rumah dalam pukul 6...hehehehe boleh ke? Bermakna, 4.30 keluar tu Telipuk solat asar di rumah. Kalau tunggu solat di pejabat, pukul 5 baru keluar...errkkk...lagi haru rasanya. Ok tak pe, go with this plan dulu hari ni...tengok macamana. Apa-apapun kena bersyukur banyak-banyak sebab busuk-busuk pun masih sejam, sejam lebih je...kalau kawan-kawan lain, yang dok Bangi, Kota Warisan, Puncak Alam....insaf tau awak!😁