So how did it all start, the new life...

Leaving Egypt and the lessons learned...Warning long post 

By new I mean the last few years, to be precise, exactly 7years ago.

It’s a story that is governed by one of the laws of growth, the law of refection.

We think we grow or become wise through our experiences, right?

Wrong, because if that is true we would be all Buddhas by now, we all have experiences.

Growth and expansion is governed by a set of laws.

Today I’m going to go through the law of refection. We grow from experiences reflected on, the law of reflection one of John Maxwell’s laws of growth

So let me share the experience then I will go back and share with you my reflections on my experiences:

-What did I learn?

-How I integrated these new lessons into my life?

-How they impacted my life creating this new dream-like reality of mine?

January 24, 2011

I had a two months ticket to Montreal, find our new home, schools for my youngest Nour and Janna. 

If you are from the Middle East you will know this date, yes, one day before the Egyptian revolution!! Not knowing what was destined to my country. 

I left Cairo and when I arrived in Canada life was never the same again.

Laila and Nadia my elder kids were already in the States studying, I was in Canada to find schools and a home for Nour, Janna, and I.

I called Home no one answered, later I knew what happened from CNN. It took me few hours to be able to call as lines telephones were suspended in Egypt.

I wanted to go back but Gohar asked me to stay and said he will bring the kids to me.

This is when a dear friend of ours Hamdi called from Istanbul to ask about my where about,. Hamid said, Gohar is a journalist; Cairo is his paradise now😊 he won’t leave.

Ask him to send the kids to Istanbul, you come and we will figure that out.

Now to the next important date

Sept. 1 2010

Almost 5 months before my first date, Jan 24.
I bought our house in Istanbul I visited Istanbul, I think 2009 and I said I want to live here one day and I will!

The house story is a full story of its own, for now, we will just keep things simple😍

I got the house sept.1, 2010

Back to Hamdi, so kids were booked from Cairo to Istanbul Jan 29. Flight 4 PM
During that time there was still a 3 pm curfew, so their father had to drop them off early to be able to go back.

As soon as he stepped in, the called the flight it was around noon, ok great

Hamdi went to the airport and waited, the flight actually took off at 6 PM.

Hamdi called and saying “ I have one good news, one bad news"

Good news flight took off bad news, not to Istanbul, WHAT!!!

Yes, Egypt airport was a disaster, half a million people trying to evacuate with 30 staff members helping them.

Hamdi said they would first go to Athens then come

Ok

An hour later another call, they might still not go to Istanbul and go to Rome!!!!!!!

That was one of the biggest moments in my life

Something changed in me and I was never the old Nevin.

Later I understood what happened and I will share later as we reflect on this experience.

Kids landed in Istanbul around midnight, a two hours journey took 12 hours

They were 13 and 12 years old.

Feb 1 I was in Istanbul with the unknown.

Feb seems to be always an important month for me, I lost my grandfather, a super important figure for me, the icon of love. My life in Egypt ended in Feb and my latest cancer threat, Feb 2018.

So here we are in Istanbul and what next, nothing. There was only what is, Istanbul.

My dear neighbor Selin said Nevin I want to suggest something but don’t say no, I was like, say no do I have that luxury now!

She said now You can’t go back to Egypt, Canada is still not ready, you have a house here and residency and you can give that to your kids, why don’t we find them a school here?

Brilliant, Istanbul it is!

So a week ago I was living in Egypt

Two days ago I was thinking I will be living in Canada

Today I am living in Istanbul.

Kids got enrolled in school and three days later a bus was under my home to pick the kids up.

Two months later, I took the kids and went to Ottawa and they had the entry exams to start school Sept. 2011.

I lived in Istanbul for 6 months and moved to Canada Sept 1. 2011.

Canada is a new chapter with major new lesson; maybe I will share sometimes in the future.

That was the experience.

So now time to reflect, what did this experience teach me

Lesson #1

Buying the house in Istanbul almost 5 months prior to the revolution, leaving one day before the revolution not knowing, it was a random date I chose.

“I am supported and GUIDED and I will always follow my heart.”

Lesson #2

That moment when my kids were out there, first being in Egypt during those rough days and I was not with them. Being on a flight that seemed like not reaching its destination, something changed in me forever; FEAR had no power over me as it did before

It was that moment when you get into that ring of fire, that huge fear to find peace. It was the moment that I figured out the real power in surrender, actually because it's not in my power, its not my business, It is HIS business and I trusted HIM. A moment of Active surrender.

“Do what I can and release the results for him.

Fear has no power over me TRUST”

Lesson # 3

Looking at the last week of January 2011 and the three continents that carried me, made me think we make the best decision when are present in the moment. We always have to check where we are and make a decision based on that orientation.

“Be PRESENT and make DECISIONS”.

Lesson #4

Going to Canada, buying the house in Istanbul, going back to Istanbul, finding schools, enrolling the kids in a school in Istanbul and applying in Canada. Actions are foundational to results

“ACT”.

“Always act, don’t look for the perfect action, decide and act and we always can change actions, but ACT”

These were my reflections and these were the lessons that I used later on and created more amazing results in my life.

That moment when fear had no power over me is probably what helped me maintain peace during my cancer alarm.

What happens most of the time, is that when we go through a good experience we just enjoy it and when we pass through a tough one we are just glad its over.

This is not how we grow.

We grow when we learn.

When we pause and start extracting our lessons from our experiences, then apply them to our present to create a new future.

This is how we grow, and how we grow our life

This is how I made decisions afterward,

How I started my coaching studies.

How I started my practice almost at the age of 50.

How I lead the whole process for the cancer alarm with peace and ease and a big smile😍

Applying my lessons:

I am supported and guided.

Let go of fear and Trust.

Make decisions.

Act.

The law of reflection.

Want to grow you, want to grow your life?

I will be running the mastermind for the 15 laws of growth soon

For details Email Nevin@nivoforlife.com

Love,
Nevin

P.S. this blog is a section in my new book, so you got a peek:)