Mental Wellbeing Beyond Ramadan: Inner Work for Becoming Better Versions of Ourselves

Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, marked a time of heightened spirituality, renewal and growth.  At its heart was the daily fast from dawn to dusk -- a personal act of devotion that opened the door for both physical and mental detoxes.

This sacred month offered not only divine blessings but also a continuing pathway to restore inner balance and mental wellbeing. Beyond refraining from food and water during the day, the sacred pillar of fasting created an inner space for us to become better versions of ourselves.

The Holy Quran (2:183) made it clear that fasting was prescribed so “that you may become righteous”.  As we celebrate Hari Raya (Eid) after a month, let us take stock of our emotional growth and how we can carry it forward rest of the year.

Inner Work

In an age of institutionalized faith, Ramadan was for many a deeply personal journey of reset and renewal that nurtured spiritual and personal development alike. A month of practicing reflection, mindfulness, self-regulation, compassion and gratitude allows greater emotional resilience in our lives.

Reflection -- Introspection, Purpose and Motivation

Inner reflection is essential for mental wellbeing, helping us understand our thoughts and emotions with greater clarity. Ramadan allowed us to step back from the rhythm of routine life and look inward for deeper introspection on our ‘why’, enabling us to consciously ‘start-pause-stop-continue’ actions in ways that aligned with our values and meaning in life.

This self-examination can guide us towards greater purpose and motivation in how we show up in the world, especially after a month defined by the desire to ‘be good’ and ‘do good’. A higher level of intentionality can help us sustain meaningful changes throughout the year.

In such ways, we can elevate not only our inner state but also how we make a positive difference to our families, workplace and community.

Mindfulness -- Awareness, Focus and Presence

Mindfulness enables noticing thoughts, emotions and behaviour better, allowing us to make more conscious choices to improve our mental wellbeing. Ramadan made this possible as we became more attuned to our inner state throughout the fasting period.

What better example of mindfulness was there than the moment we ended our fast (buka puasa or iftar), becoming intensely aware of the first sip of water or bite of food as well as its significance for our body and mind.

Mindfulness was also reflected in our greater awareness of honouring the fast with our choice of words and actions throughout the day. Such practices of mindfulness can help turn the fasting experience into a broader practice of focus and presence, grounded in the ‘here’ and 'now’ to align our actions with what enhances life satisfaction and interactions with others.

Self-regulation: Ethics, Tolerance and Moderation

Self-regulation nurtures mental wellbeing by guiding our thoughts, emotions and behaviours to reflect deeper principles and priorities, instead of momentary impulses. During Ramadan, we were able to cultivate this inner discipline by prioritizing the commitment to fasting over immediate urges of hunger or thirst throughout the day.

What was morally significant was that we refrained from taking a secret sip or bite while fasting, even when no person was watching. This month-long choice of personal restraint and accountability gave us a chance to strengthen our internal compass for more ethical, honest and responsible living beyond Ramadan.

Ramadan also encouraged us to be more conscious of our words and actions, pausing to think before we spoke and acting with greater care during fasting. This can help us break out from unhealthy patterns of anger, hate, contempt, bitterness and resentment in our everyday lives, fostering greater tolerance and respect for one another.

Moreover, fasting reminded us that we can live without overindulgences and continue to function effectively throughout the day. This experience can nurture a deeper sense of moderation in our everyday lives, helping us avoid excess, waste and overconsumption for more sustainable and healthier lives.

Such self-discipline can help cultivate healthy habits beyond the physical restraint of fasting, leading us towards more principled, considerate and balanced lives.

Compassion -- Empathy, Kindness and Forgiveness

Compassion enhances mental wellbeing by reducing stress, elevating mood, strengthening relationships and calming the mind. Fasting made this possible by allowing us to experience, even briefly, the reality of hunger that so many people endure through no choice of their own.

While abstaining from food and water during fasting, we further opened our hearts to the wider suffering and deprivations that shape human existence. This can nurture our empathy for greater kindness, generosity and care towards those less fortunate than us beyond the past month, instilled through various forms of giving like zakat, fitra and sadaqah in Ramadan.

Ramadan was also a time to seek divine forgiveness for past missteps, while recognizing our imperfections and pursuing self-improvement. This can also help cultivate stronger tolerance and acceptance by letting go of grievances and earlier hurts beyond this month, empowering us to reduce conflict, find closure and build inner peace.

Such compassionate spirit can build a shared sense of humanity and collective action, especially within multicultural societies, recognizing that life struggles are not confined to any colour or faith.

Gratitude -- Humility, Thankfulness and Appreciation

Gratitude helps us see the glass half full -- or even fuller -- reducing stress, deepening contentment and interrupting cycles of rumination, while leaving us more confident in facing life challenges. Ramadan nurtured this by altering the way we experience food and water, creating space to appreciate our most basic needs.

The feeling of hunger or thirst during fasting reminded us of our blessings and vulnerability alike, giving deeper meaning to what we often take for granted. This can help develop a sense of humility and thankfulness for the daily comforts we might otherwise overlook, including family, friends, health, employment, freedom, safety, dignity and the overall stability that holds our lives together.

Divine gratitude can flow into our everyday lives in such ways, humbling our hearts to appreciate our privileges, the people and experiences that shape us, and the community and world we belong to, all the while realizing that much of life is a gift rather than an entitlement.

Way Forward

Ramadan nurtured healthy practices for inner work and mental wellbeing, but its enduring impact will come from sustaining emotional growth throughout the year. This requires integrating positive habits and learnings into our everyday lives, instead of confining them to a seasonal effort.

How can we rise to the challenge of continuous improvement to become better versions of ourselves beyond the past month?

First, take a moment to recognize your personal development. What were your main areas of growth during Ramadan?

Second, reflect on the growth areas most important for you, including how they align with your values and purpose. What makes these growth areas most meaningful for you?

Third, set goals for simple, incremental and consistent changes embedding the most important growth areas into your daily life, remembering that meaningful changes begin with small steps. What is one positive habit or learning you can practice every day that is aligned with your values and purpose?

Fourth, identify the parts of your life where you want to put this positive habit or learning into practice. How can you apply this change through a single action, interaction or choice in your life? Get started today!

Fifth, find time for reflection on your progress in applying this change, even if it is for a few minutes to realign with your values and purpose every day. What is working for you, and how can you grow a little more?

This change in practice can be as simple as intentionally and consistently reflecting on your values, speaking more considerately, reducing unnecessary waste, offering more empathy, giving or volunteering for those in need, working with greater intention, or taking any step that upholds your values and principles.

Remember that small steps can become great strides, so give yourself the same kindness you wish to offer others in your growth journey.

May the Ramadan spirit continue to strengthen our emotional growth, resilience and balanced beyond the past month. Let us carry this journey forward to live with greater purpose, awareness and moral clarity, , which can help us build a more principled, harmonious and caring world for ourselves and those around us.

Selemat Hari Raya!

Happy Eid!

Arman Rashid, PhD MACA is a Kuala Lumpur-born, Melbourne-based mental health practitioner, researcher and trainer. This article is dedicated to the author’s mother Fowzia Rashid (1949-2023), who was trained in counselling psychology and shaped his understanding of Ramadan’s deeper values at an early age.