Review by Musart Ellaahi

Manage your Mind, Own your Joy by M. Hassan Khalid is a really refreshing read about the mindset and how we can control our mind and bodies.

The eBook is divided in four sections over the span of 138 pages. Each section deals with the self, diet, body, and mind. It ends with some parting words where he urges the reader to take action.

Manage your Mind, Own your Joy also actually makes you understand how much we have neglected our bodies and therefore the lack of control we have over our minds. It was amazing to read that the diets that we grew up with were actually having an impact on how we feel and how it literally affects our mood levels. I was quite surprised to see that sugar has a continuous negative impact on our anxiety because this was actually something I used to always go to when highly stressed to calm my nerves or make my mood to feel uplifted. I did read once that sugar was actually more dangerous than cocaine if taken regularly. However growing up and being tuned to my body I have become less and less reliant on food to help me feel better and I totally agree with Hassan here that it is mind over matter in many ways. The more we understand ourselves and how we feel or react to things we can actually be self healers in more ways than one.

Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى‎ has given mankind a cure for everything, and we need to learn it from our surroundings by being present (taqwa) and in tune with what Allah has gifted us with. I felt really connected to the writer from the start when he spoke about his anxiety and depression and the way others responded to him. I have unfortunately had this experience growing up as well as with my own daughter. The way people judge you or say, “Oh, it’s all in your head….just think about something else.” etc. is the worst thing you could possibly say to someone going through that frame of mind. If you cannot offer words of compassion or just have time to listen, it’s best not to say anything.

Hassan also mentions about the benefits of exercise, especially yoga. Which can be also translated into the benefits of salah; these movements also mimic the arts of yoga. The way we put our head down in prostration also has the similarities of the some of the poses and helps the blood flow to the brain and our ligaments. If we can just focus on our salah this can also help us spiritually as well as physically.

All in all, this book comes with some wonderful guidelines which can easily be contained within our lives to help us to take a holistic approach to anxiety and depression, fear and even how we look after ourselves. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to understand who they are and wish to explore better methods of healing and growing into a better person, as well as being able to even help someone going through similar experiences.

You never know, you may even save someone by just learning to understand/heal someone you care about, as mental illness is a hidden disease, it never comes apparent.

Connect with Mr. Khalid at hassan@hassankhaliid.com .