Notes from a life in progress

I'm trying to be better.
I write about what I learn.

I'm AbdulAziz, 24. I'm documenting the real, slow work of reading more, learning English, building habits, and trying to live a little more honestly — one essay and one video at a time.

Watch on YouTube
0147
Essays published
0231
Videos on YouTube
0362
Books read this year
041
Person trying, in public
Featured this weekLatest from me
Featured article cover image
Video + essay · 12:48
HabitsDiscipline

The morning I stopped negotiating with myself

I used to think discipline was loud. It turned out to be a very small, very quiet decision made before I was awake enough to argue with it.

March 14, 2025 7 min read

Latest essays

Recently written.

Learning English in public, badly, on purpose
March 02, 20259 min read

Learning English in public, badly, on purpose

Why I keep my grammar mistakes on camera, and what my Arabic-speaking brain still gets wrong after a year.

A small case for deep, boring, undocumented work
February 18, 20256 min read

A small case for deep, boring, undocumented work

Not every hour needs to become content. Some hours are just for becoming.

What Atomic Habits gets right, and the one thing I had to unlearn
February 03, 202511 min read

What Atomic Habits gets right, and the one thing I had to unlearn

A grateful, honest review after living with the book for six months.

Comparison is a slow thief. Here's how I notice it now.
January 22, 20255 min read

Comparison is a slow thief. Here's how I notice it now.

Three small reframes I use when the internet makes me feel behind in my own life.

What I write about

Six quiet obsessions.

01
Books
18 essays
02
Habits & discipline
14 essays
03
Productivity & focus
12 essays
04
Mindset
11 essays
05
Learning English
9 essays
06
Money, quietly
6 essays
Now

What I'm learning right now.

A small, honest page. It changes every two or three weeks. No polished screenshots here.

Last updated March 20
Reading
Deep Work — Cal Newport
Second pass. Underlining different lines this time.
Practicing
Writing 500 English words a day
37 days in. Most of it is bad. Some of it is mine.
Building
A weekly YouTube rhythm
One video. Every Sunday. For one year.
Newsletter

A quiet letter, once a week.

What I read, what I learned, what didn't work. No ads, no filler — just an honest weekly note from one person trying to be a little better.