FINDING STRENGTH IN STILLNESS Mohamed Rihazudin Razik on His New Memoir If You Hug Me, I Will Fall

Freelance IT professional and growth strategist Mohamed Rihazudin Razik has always been driven by curiosity, discipline, and a deep desire to understand how people grow. His journey has taken him from studying IT to working in business research and strategic consulting, a shift that allowed him to explore the relationship between technology, human behaviour, and personal development. Outside of work, he has devoted his time to reflection, learning, and writing, often turning his own challenges into motivation for others. His new book, If You Hug Me, I Will Fall, began quietly during the pandemic as a personal journal.

At the time, he was recovering from a series of life-altering surgeries, and writing became a way to make sense of what he was experiencing. What started as private notes slowly deepened into a more intentional story. One about patience, effort, inner strength, and the kind of support that empowers rather than carries. The memoir explores how love, responsibility, and resilience can help a person reclaim their independence in the middle of uncertainty. Drawing on Stoic philosophy, the support of his family, and an unwavering commitment to healing, Razik reflects on how weakness, physical and emotional, can transform one’s identity and worldview.

His new book, If You Hug Me, I Will Fall, began quietly during the pandemic as a personal journal. At the time, he was recovering from a series of life- altering surgeries, and writing became a way to make sense of what he was experiencing. What started as private notes slowly deepened into a more intentional story.

At its heart, the book is about how difficult moments refine us rather than diminish us. Razik hopes readers will leave the book with a clearer understanding of persistence. “It’s not about being perfect,” he says. “Bad things happen to teach us something, and waiting is often the best way to move on from them.” He wants readers to find calm strength during hardship, to recognise meaning in their own journeys, and to understand that real help makes people stronger, not sheltered. Above all, he hopes the book inspires a meaningful and grateful way of living. If You Hug Me, I Will Fall is Razik’s first full- length biography, though he has written several shorter motivational works, including Forward by Design, Standing Through the Storm, The Stoic in the Mirror, and Hug Me Right: Empowerment Through Support.

Each one touches on a core idea from the memoir and serves as a stepping stone toward completing it. A special Children’s Edition of the book will be available for free as an eBook on November 14, Universal Children’s Day. For readers with neurodivergent conditions or visual challenges, the book can also be read online through rihazudin.com, a platform he has designed to be inclusive, accessible, and environmentally conscious. “No one should ever feel bad or let down because they can’t enjoy reading,” he emphasises. The full book will be available from December 22, 2025, through rihazudin. com, select bookstores in Sri Lanka, and major online retailers. The eBook is priced at $2.99, while the printed edition will be sold at standard bookstore rates.

Both formats have been designed with accessibility in mind, including larger Open Dyslexic fonts and reader- friendly layouts. Looking ahead, Razik plans to continue writing and speaking about resilience, patience, and living with clarity. He is also developing a microlearning and interactive website filled with daily quotes, reflections, and lessons from his personal journey. His long-term mission is simple but profound: to encourage people to be brave, steady, and strong, no matter where life places them.