I’ve been wrestling with what to share on here. I still want to share all the wisdom I am attuned to. I am one of those people whose life changes often with frequent epiphanies on one’s walks. I have so much to share.

But I thought, let me do it in bite-sized chunks, so I can do that thing called rest too. Here’s Life’s Postcards. Some will be free; the more personal will be for paid subscribers. There will be no consistent theme I can promise. Just raw writing from someone who never wants to learn alone. There will of course be absolutely no A.I, as per all my other work.

Welcome to Life’s Postcards.

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At one point, last year, I realised I was hiding. I had spent too long in the safety of my local libraries finishing my magnum opus, Womanhood. I was changing from one Juicy Couture tracksuit into another. The joy I’d usually get from dressing became a chore. Wishing to be online while being private had become a limbo dance. I was engaged and getting married within the same six months my editors expected a manuscript ready to go to print.

For many people this would be the dream, but most of the time, I felt overwhelmed by this notion that my dreams were coming true all at once and it was go-time.

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• My mother is raising money for the recent Bangladesh floods. Please donate and share generously here.

• Pre-order my first book Womanhood here: Bookshop.org I Ebook I Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles, Blackwells, etc.

  For all transparency, I am a Bookshop.org affiliate.

I find myself in this liminal space, wishing to nurture myself against the backdrop of ever-changing weather, appreciating my capacity while expanding into who I wish to be, knowing that my talents mean I must be seen.

And breathing. Remembering always to breathe.

I’m trying to share more than I consume. An attempt not to overthink and a tool to show my nervous system another reality.

But with 2026 feeling unexpectedly heavy (what happened to ‘the year of the horse’ guys?) I find myself seeking longer videos to put on in the background while I doodle. A chance to let my mind marinate and hear from the hearts of others.

I’ve been utilising YouTube as my own open university and personal curriculum. Here are some memorable watches.

• If you’re a writer or someone who is rediscovering their light, watch this interview of Maya Angelou on One on One. I crave TV interviews like this.

Thank you for sharing this.

• If you’re especially a South Asian writer, this is a great old interview of Salman Rushdie and Arundhati Roy that resonates with some of the questions we have today.

• I’ve been watching Nigella Lawson’s Nigella Express on BBC iPlayer. Ironically, even though this is ‘express cooking’ in the early noughties, there’s something slow about her lifestyle. Something nostalgic about having her friends casually over during the week and being walking distance from a cocktail and treat she garners up. Great for nurturing yourself if you’re burnt out or ill.

• Plus I enjoyed this interview with Nigella here:

• Next up: it’s just nice to watch older women artists make space for their art in their rented homes of 48 years.

• This Sunday Times’ Style video of home is an old, comfort watch. I watch it every now and then as I enjoy her personal style. I still love all the blue.

• Similarly, admire watching people make the most out of small spaces.

• I know Emma Grede has been in the spotlight recently as part of this era’s #GirlBoss. I ADORE her YouTube channel as a fellow ambitious woman. I love how varied it is.

  So far, I’ve watched Issa Rae’s interview and now Tracee Ellis Ross’ with a pen and paper. Someone commented that they downloaded the transcript and went to town with a highlighter! I might do the same!

• If you’re looking for a job, this is some of the best interview advice I’ve seen.

• I mean the title alone for this next one.

• Something to get your teeth into.

Please share what’s in your own personal curriculum this spring!

With aram and curiosity,

Tahmina

Hola! I’m Tahmina Begum 👋🏾 I’m a writer and creator of The Aram newsletter

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The first thought my mother expressed when she heard I had a migraine was “Nozor laggi geseh!” which in Sylheti translates to “The evil eye has gotten you!”.

She couldn’t understand. I couldn’t understand. What had happened to me? Why I couldn’t open my eyes, be in the spring light in my freshly painted blue-washed bedroom or even hear anyone speak. At …

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After NINE YEARS of working on this legacy title, I am equally overjoyed, if not more so, to bring you the ability to pre-order Womanhood.

For those …

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I hope this finds you zen and rooted.

Off the cuff, if there’s one thing I’m going to share today, that it is the last few days of Ramadan so let’s make the most out of these final hours.

As someone who isn’t able to observe the last ten nights, trust me, even I am already feeling as though I’m losing the ‘Ramadan feeling’.

Sharing Ramadan jour…

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Subscribe now for £6/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Aram.

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Subscribe now for £6/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Aram.

Subscribe now

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Subscribe now for £6/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Aram.

Subscribe now

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It’s the 20th fast of Ramadan this year, and producing these Ramadan Journal Prompts makes me realise truly how fast this Holy Month passes by.

The common feeling at this point in Ramadan, before we head into the last ten days and Laylatul Qadr is the feeling of not doing enough. Not praying enough, not enough teraweehs at the mosque, not enou…

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Today marks two weeks into Ramadan, and a part of me already feels as though I have not done enough.

But I am trying to navigate if this is what balance feels like in faith, without overextending oneself with many but not necessary extracurricular activities.

I keep thinking back to the #2 journal prompt inspired by Omar Suleiman, asking to…

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How is your Ramadan going? We’re almost a third through!

As someone whose been having one of the busiest weeks, I’m trying to keep God close in the small and consistent ways.

While also remembering that Allah is always on my side. That nothing bad happens to me but for me.

With aram & rahma,

Tahmina

P.S. My parents are off to umrah today, insh…

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However, there are some nights where we have to lean into the chaos.

Like tonight, I write to you at 10:26pm, scheduling this newsletter for tomorrow while I still need to shower, pray and get back to my proof edits for my debut book Womanhood that comes out this summer inshallah.

I am in constant dhikr, that Allah has my back in stressful times and that everything is temporary.

Subscribe now for £5/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Aram.

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Instead of being a ‘perfect Muslim’, I am going to try to have mercy for myself for not always being accomplish what I want everyday in Ramadan. That there is still time to reflect, repent and rediscover.

Therefore, it’s no surprise today’s theme is imperfection.

With aram & rahma,

Tahmina

#8 Ramadan Journal Prompts

• In which small and imperfect ways, can you show up for yourself and Allah today?

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I saw this TikTok creator, Fatana, share that she chooses one thing to do and one thing not to do in Ramadan. Every time I feel as though I am not doing enough, I try to simplify the attempt of extra good deeds in my head.

Subscribe now for £5/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Aram.

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My bestie recently recommended this video by Sheikh Omar Suleiman and I would highly recommend giving it a listen. His words inspired today’s journal prompt.

As you may know by now, I’m sharing a digestible daily Ramadan journal prompt.

One, as a way to tackle my perfectionism and two, I journal most days anyway for Ramadan, so why not share this?

We can’t do better for ourselves and by the world if we do not also reflect. And we can’t always do better alone.

I’m loving the tagged photos and videos I’ve seen of readers journaling. Please keep them going, and as always, if feeling brave enough, please comment any findings below.

With aram & rahma,

Tahmina

#7 Ramadan Journal Prompts

Today’s journal prompt is a visualisation and is inspired by this talk by Dr. Omar Suleiman.

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As a part of a Ramadan series this year, I will share some prompts throughout the holy month, inshallah, to help reset, ground and inspire you.

How’s your Ramadan going? Do you feel immersed in it now? How would you describe the past week?

Subscribe now for £5/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Aram.

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There will be no A.I (as always on here), simply a prompt every day (inshallah) to help give a second back to yourself in this holy month of ours. These prompts shouldn’t take longer than 5-10 minutes of your day. I plan to publish them around noon GMT.

With aram & rahma,

Tahmina

#6 Ramadan Journal Prompts

It’s the start of the week and nearly a week of Ramadan is already over.

• What did you oversubscribe to last week? Too many new habits too quickly? Too many extra prayers that made you complacent for the next set? Unsustainable goals? List what has worked for you vs what has not so far.

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As a part of a Ramadan series this year, I will share some prompts throughout the holy month, inshallah, to help reset, ground and inspire you.

We are on day four now, and it’s the first weekend of Ramadan. The weekends tend to be a time when we get distracted and lose focus.

Subscribe now for £5/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Aram.

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#4 Ramadan Journal Prompts

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As a part of a Ramadan series this year, I will share some prompts throughout the holy month, inshallah, to help you and give you some moments back in the day.

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There will be no A.I (as always on here) and offer a prompt every day (inshallah) to help give you a moment back to yourself in this holy month of ours.

These prompts shouldn’t take longer than 5-10 minutes of your day and are designed to be completed on your lunch break. I plan to publish them around noon GMT.

Subscribe now for £5/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Aram.

#3 Ramadan Journal Prompts

The first ten days of Ramadan focus on the word ‘mercy’.

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As a part of a Ramadan series this year, I will share some prompts throughout the holy month, inshallah, to help you and give you some moments back in the day.

Yesterday, I accidentally hit publish on a newsletter for Sunday, please ignore that.

There will be no A.I (as always on here), simply a prompt every day (inshallah) to help give a second back to yourself in this holy month of ours. These prompts shouldn’t take longer than 5-10 minutes of your day. I plan to publish them around noon GMT.

Subscribe now for £5/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Aram.

Subscribe now

#2 Ramadan Journal Prompts

So, if, like me, you cannot believe Ramadan is here already, let’s get you visualising.

A journaling method that transformed my life and helped soothe my anxieties was writing the desired outcome, in this case, Ramadan, from the lens as if everything went miraculously right.

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As a part of a Ramadan series this year, I will share some prompts throughout the holy month, inshallah, to help reset, ground and inspire you.

Sundays tend to be my favourite days to journal. Reflecting on one week, while we turn into another.

Subscribe now for £5/month for the daily Ramadan Journal Prompts and full access to The Ar…

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If you’re new here, I’m Tahmina, a writer and journalist of over a decade, whose debut book, Womanhood, is being released this summer. I’m also the creator of The Aram newsletter, which has been going live most weeks since International Women’s Day 2020.

‘Aram’ in Bengali translates to ‘ease’ and therefore, this is a newsletter based…

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“You need to rest as much as you give”

These words shook me today as I was scrolling through TikTok in the early hours of the day. And I realised, instead of begrudgingly trying to write on here for the sake of keeping up, I am going to honour my brain and body and your time (and money) by coming back to this newsletter in the new year with more energy.

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