Initial Actions
1. Write a list of all the things you desire. Big and small. Be honest. Write out your deepest, darkest desires. Even those you may have suppressed or forgotten about. Make this list with the knowledge that Allah is capable of doing the impossible, and the entire universe and beyond including every cell, every atom is in His control at all times. Identity one to three of your strongest desires.
2. Hold the one to three things you desire in your heart. Don't be distracted by the chaos in the world, by the whispers of the devil that agitate you and bring restlessness to your mind. Allow your desires, and not your worries, to flourish in your heart. Remember your desires all the time. Not in a desperate/deprived state but rather in a celebratory way that your Lord is about to give you these things. This state should not exhaust you. Rather it should energize you.
Daily Practice
3. Recite salawat (Salatul Ibrahim/Durood e Ibrahim) 200 times a day.
4. Pair #3 with any other forms of worship you already do or wish to do. Feel free to reduce the number of recitations in guideline #3 if you have health issues or life gets in the way. Do not feel guilt or lowered confidence if you fall off the wagon as those feelings are from the devil (who is an open enemy to you). Just get back on the wagon whenever you can. Consistency is key.
Habit/Behavior Change
5. You will completely eliminate idle speech, complaining about problems, backbiting, gossip, speculating about other's lives and business, arguing, fighting, and insults. (However, if other's treat you poorly, you will learn to defend yourself in a respectful but authorititative way as you are a creation of God and should never be disrespected). Flip the script. If you are about to ridicule someone, force yourself to say something positive about them or pray for blessings for them. If you are about to complain about the economy, look at your immediate environment, identify a blessing and say Alhamdulillah.
6. You will eliminate negative thoughts about people, jealousy, envy, contempt, hatred (even towards corrupt politicians), regret about past actions, fear of inflation, fear of failure and catastrophe. Look at those feelings directly, say "I see you" and let it pass. It isn't who you are. It's just a temporary feeling that is already passing. Just because you have to fart, doesn't mean you are that fart. Let the feeling die. Take a deep breath. If you are feeling jealousy, say MashaAllah (and mean it!) because that thing you are jealous of is the work of your Creator. He can do the same for you in an instance. And the blessings other people are getting are a beautiful sign of your Lord so they are a gift to you as well in that sense. Alhamdulillah.
Heart State/Mindset Shift
7. Observe the state of your heart. Make sure you are sending out signals of satisfaction, joy, hope, expectation, being delighted by your life circumstances, act as if you are about to get a beautiful surprise. Cherish the desires your are holding in your heart but do not behave as if you are deprived.
8. Develop full trust in Allah and how He is unfolding your life. Simply saying "I trust in Allah. Allah is taking good care of me. I am exactly where Allah wants me to be. I am enough and my achievements are enough." despite what your parents, family, the world might be saying, will spike your trust in Allah.
Visualize Salawat
9. When you send salawat, visualize Allah's abundance, peace, goodness, love, protection and all the good things you can imagine traveling through the heavens to the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him). See in your minds eye as the angels hurry to send your prayer to Allah and watch the heavens light up with your voice.
10. Imagine that same peace and abundance flowing to you (as it always has since the day you were conceived). Say to yourself "I have never been deprived by Allah. Allah has always sustained me and granted me what I need." Feel Allah's abundance and feel the peace of being Allah's slave in every cell of your body.
Salawat will help you with every guideline and every guideline will strengthen your salawat.
