Preparing for Ramadan: Practical steps

Ramadan is a time of personal reflection, growth, and spiritual renewal. For me, it’s not just about fasting and praying, but about setting small, achievable goals that help me become a better version of myself each year. Over the years, I’ve learned how to balance the month’s sacredness with life’s realities. In this post, I’ll share how I approach Ramadan as a time for reflection, goal-setting, and self-improvement.

The Busy Time Before Ramadan

Right before Ramadan, I’m often at my busiest. The days leading up to the holy month are filled with preparations, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But I’ve learned to embrace this time as an opportunity to reflect and plan. Over the past three years, I’ve taken these final days to renew my yearly goals, check in with myself, and strive to be a better person.

Ramadan isn’t about being perfect or spending hours in worship for me. Instead, it’s about finding small, simple tasks I can commit to. tasks that are achievable and can become part of my daily routine. I start with simple goals, and over time, they build up into something greater.

The Power of Small, Consistent Efforts

One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned during Ramadan is the value of consistent, incremental growth. Every year, I challenge myself to be at least just 1-5% better than the year before. It’s not about making drastic changes, but about making small improvements that add up over time.

For instance, I started by incorporating nightly prayers during the last ten days of Ramadan. Over the years, I’ve gradually increased the number of nights I pray, eventually reaching a point where I prayed every single night of Ramadan in 2024.

This year I joined a program called "Raise your Dua Challenge 2025" by Discover U. I just stumbled upon this program on Instagram and thought it was interesting. This year I plan to incorporate what I learn through this program and apply it in Ramadan, which could help me create even better habits that I can carry beyond Ramadan.

But I don’t set rigid goals for myself. I don’t expect to surpass my record every year. Instead, I focus on doing my best and accepting my capacity for growth.

Simplifying Ramadan with Meal Planning

One area of Ramadan that I’ve always struggled with is meal planning. Every year, I find myself scrambling to decide what to cook last minute. This year, I decided to take control of that by creating a menu for every single day of the month. By planning out what I would cook, I could eliminate the stress of decision-making during the holy month.

To make it even easier, I used a tool like ChatGPT to help me divide the meals into categories: desserts, mains, and drinks. I asked it to suggest three main dishes, one dessert, and one drink for each day of the month, from the list of dishes I gave it. I hope this will help reduce decision fatigue and let me be more organised.

Ramadan Resolutions: A Time for Spiritual Reset

Instead of setting New Year’s resolutions, I’ve come to think of Ramadan as a time for setting yearly resolutions. I use this month as a personal reset, a time to reflect on how far I’ve come and where I want to grow. I approach Ramadan as a chance to address any spiritual or emotional wounds, to heal, and to emerge with a sense of renewal.

I like to imagine Ramadan as an old friend who listens to my struggles, offers a framework for growth, and consoles my heart. Every year, I aim to polish myself spiritually and emotionally. Ramadan gives me the time and space to do just that.

The Bittersweet Goodbye

When Ramadan ends, I often feel a deep sense of sadness. It’s like saying goodbye to a dear old friend that I won’t see for another year. But I’ve learned to hold onto the lessons Ramadan offers. The growth I experience during this time doesn’t vanish when the month ends; it continues to shape my journey throughout the year and I strive hard to preserve that.

Du’a to reach Ramadan

اَللّٰهُمَّ سَلّمْنِيْ إِلى رَمَضانَ وَسَلّمْ لِي رَمَضانَ وَتَسَلَّمْه مِنِّي مُتَقَبَّلا

Allahumma sallimni ila Ramadan wa sallim li Ramadan wa tasallamhu minni mutaqabbala

O Allah! Preserve me until Ramadan, safeguard Ramadan for me and accept it from me (receive my deeds with acceptance).