Graduation, New Beginnings & Reflections in a Time of Crisis

Hi all,

It’s been a while, about six months since my last issue of Selim’s Notes. A lot has changed in my life and in the world. I’ve taken time to reflect, shift gears, and settle into a new season. I’m excited to share these updates with you.

🎓 Graduated from NOHA

First, the biggest news:

I just graduated from the NOHA Master’s Programme in International Humanitarian Action.

This milestone marks the end of a journey that included field-based training, academic rigor, meaningful projects, and powerful personal growth.

I’m thankful to my family for their outstanding support and deeply grateful for the people I met along the way, including classmates, mentors, and organizations, as well as for the opportunity to delve into critical themes such as localization, humanitarian leadership, and safeguarding.

But as I graduate, the humanitarian landscape feels more complex than ever.🌍 

A World in Crisis

From Gaza to Sudan, Yemen to Afghanistan, and the prolonged crises in Ukraine and Syria, the humanitarian system is stretched thin. The needs are overwhelming.

And yet, resources are shrinking.

Many INGOs face funding cuts. Staff are burned out. Donors are scaling back.

We’re watching a global crisis unfold, not just in terms of conflicts or disasters, but in humanitarian capacity.

And it raises hard questions:

• How do we build a future-proof system?

• How do we support and grow the next generation of local leaders?

• I’ll be sharing deeper thoughts on this soon in my other newsletter:

👉 Effective Humanitarian

💼 A New Role (And a Big Shift)

I’ve made a career pivot. I’m now working full-time in Germany, not in the humanitarian sector, but in the private sector, as a Trainer.

I support onboarding and training at a B2B company in content moderation, working with social media platforms. It’s a meaningful role, and I’m glad to still be doing what I love: teaching, building systems, and helping others grow.

Other good news:

✔️ I received my work residence permit

✔️ I now have full-time working rights in Germany

✔️ And I’ve started to settle into a more stable life rhythm

📬 Newsletter & Writing Projects

Though Selim’s Notes has been on pause, my other writing has continued:

• Daily Habits Newsletter – I’ve been more active here, sharing ideas about habit formation, self-discipline, and mindful productivity.

• Productive Knowledge Worker – I ran this for a few months, though it’s currently paused. All past posts are still available.

• Start Your Newsletter Today – My evergreen course is still live. If you’ve been meaning to start a newsletter, this is your sign. 💌

I have started and continuing my daily writing practice with Ship30 daily writing challange, if you are thinking about digital writing, I’d suggest to check their website and free guides!

👉 Ship30for30

💬 Want to Start a Newsletter or a Course?

If you’re thinking about launching a newsletter or building a simple, automated educational email course (EEC), I’m always happy to share tips or help you get started.

Just reply to this email or DM me anytime.

You can also check my sample email course here;

• Daily Habits Email Course; A 5-day crash course built on my 5 favorite habits books. If you enjoy Atomic Habits, 7 Habits, or Tiny Habits, this is for you.

✍️ What’s Next?

I plan to write more regularly, shorter posts, more reflections, and honest updates.

And I’ll continue to explore the balance between:

• Staying productive 🧠

• Staying mindful 🧘‍♂️

• And staying useful in a chaotic world 🌍

Thanks for still being here.

Warm regards,

Selim

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P.S. Want to launch your own newsletter? Start free with Beehiiv (free forever up to 2500 subscribers)