Mornings are the most special time of the day. For me, mornings are about a lot of diverse sounds that merge together to liven us up. The sound of a steaming cup of tea/coffee, pages of a newspaper being turned (for the ones who are still old school), chirping of birds, alarm clocks ringing endlessly on snooze, school buses honking at the gate, children and adults rushing to their destinations and many more.

How you wake up every morning sets the tone for the entire day ahead. So it is very important that you do it the best way you can. There is no one way or right way of waking up. However, I have experimented with a few things that have worked for me and I would love to share the same with you. For the longest time I thought that I wasn’t a “morning person”. Yet, over the years, I have realized that there is no such thing as being a “morning person” (or not). It is all about setting the tone and changing a few habits that in turn change our lives positively.

1. Make Your Bed

“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” These simple words were shared by retired U.S. Admiral William H. McRaven while addressing a class of graduating students at the University of Texas. When you first read it, you might wonder how this small act can really help you change the world. But as you take up this simple task every morning, you will see the difference. You will feel like you accomplished a task at the very beginning of the day and also feel a small sense of pride for completing something. This will build a positive mindset for the rest of the day as you take on more complex tasks on your calendar.

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There are very few places in the world which have something to offer for every kind of traveller. On what has only been my second visit to the holy land of Rishikesh, I am pretty convinced that this is surely one of those places. It is quite an interesting mélange of spirituality and adventure. But after having spent a few days here as a solo traveller, I believe there is a lot more to the city. I like to call it “The blissful abode”.

The beautiful sound of the flowing Ganga is the best welcome you can get as you set foot here. That will in fact also be one of the most prominent views everywhere you go from that point on. Aside from that, you will read the words like yoga, meditation or river rafting everywhere you look. You will most definitely be convinced that you will either leave the place with a tranquil mind or an adrenaline pumped-up heart. But if you are someone like me who likes to experience everything a place has to offer, you might just leave with a mix of both.

There are many reasons why I say this place is for everyone. First, it has a range of options for accommodation. From budget hostels (costing only about Rs 600 a day) to one of the most expensive properties of Taj (costing about Rs 45k a night), there is no dearth of options if you choose to stay here for a few days. This is one of the many reasons Rishikesh is on the top of the list for solo travellers, students travelling on budget, as well as foreign nationals looking to stay here for a longer duration.

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India is a nation with the second largest population in the world. The cosmetic and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry in India is set to reach USD 104 billion by 2020 and is growing exponentially year on year. There are hundreds of products bought off the shelf every day and the major contributor to these spends are the incessant marketing and promotional campaigns on television and outdoor media. They say “Out of sight is out of mind” which is why every brand tries to ensure the biggest share of mind on media. But there is an issue which we should carefully look at and address. It is silently cropping up and affecting hundreds of youngsters in the country.

It is a known fact that India is a nation obsessed with fair skin and beauty products. Every person is supposed to look “Fair and Lovely” which in itself is degradation to the concept of beauty. Beauty is a concept which we, as a nation, usually misinterpret. Because beauty essentially is not supposed to be put in boxes of fair, thin, slim or tall. It is supposed to be diverse, vibrant and universal. So a particular skin colour should not be taken as ideal or a particular body type should not be taken as the benchmark of perfection. But we do realize now that we have failed in keeping a tap on the perceptions being built by these brands in the minds of people.

These days kids as young as twelve are visiting cosmetologists to get their skin colour a few shades lighter or to correct a certain feature of their face. They are so overwhelmed by what they see on television that they begin to take their appearance a little too seriously. So much so that when they look in the mirror they see everything that is not “perfect” according to the set standards of the society and look for ways to enhance or change it. But a lot of this is also happening due to peer pressure.

Fat shaming or skinny shaming is a common phenomenon these days which pushes kids to look a certain way. If they do not fit into the set shape or size, they feel low on confidence. This affects their psychology and makes them feel that they are not perfect. They try everything that their young mind can decipher to change the way they look and in most cases end up harming themselves and doing more harm than good.

Firstly, nobody is supposed to be perfect. We all are blessed with different skin tones, body types and features in order to enjoy this diversity. Take a minute and join me in imagining that we all looked the same. As bizarre as it sounds to you, you need to also tell me, would any of us really like it that way? We all are different and that is the best way to be.

I urge you right now to stop treating yourself like some model you see on television. Let me also break a myth for you. Most of the pictures that you see on billboards and your television screens in advertisements are Photoshopped and colour corrected. So trust me; you are trying to achieve something that is not even real. The same goes for social media platforms. They usually tell you to not believe everything you read on the internet.

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When I sit with my 84-year-old grandmom and talk about how she lived her life in her younger days, I am truly amazed. From doing the dishes and the laundry, to cooking, taking care of six children and managing the house, there was just so much physical activity involved all through her day. She represents lakhs of people from that generation who have experienced a similar life. I am sure your parents or grandparents will vouch for the same.

When I compare my life to hers, I realize that so much has changed over the years with the advent of technology and some things have made us lose touch with a healthy living. We make poor lifestyle choices not because we want to do it but because we have become slaves of a techno-savvy world where everything is either remote-controlled or a just click away from us.

Technology has made our lives easier and there is no doubt about the pros of technology on a wider perspective. None of us can imagine our lives without a smartphone, notepad, Playstation or a Kindle. As far as home appliances are concerned, washing machine, LCD television set or the smart refrigerators are no longer a luxury but a necessity.

It is also a world where Fitbits are marketed more than the idea of staying fit itself. You have applications like Runtastic which measures the distance you run and the calories you burn while you run. You have numerous mobile applications which calculate your pulse and heart rate. It is important for you to consider though, that these are only tools to help you measure your activity and you have to enjoy the process of staying fit while these technologically advanced gadgets take care of the rest.

The idea is surely not to replace any of these items in our lives but to balance them out with more activity along the way. We, in fact, have more time at our disposal since most of our work is eased with these techno-tools and it can be used more efficiently. I truly believe that one does not need any extra effort to ensure an active lifestyle and keep all health issues at bay. All you need is to make conscious life choices when you are young and give your body all the attention it deserves. After all, “your body is your temple and you need to preserve it.”

Here are a few things you can do to have an active lifestyle:

Start simple

If you take the stairs instead of the lift, or you walk short distances while travelling instead of looking for a cab, you are already on your way to a better life. Everything in life needs some training and being active or fit is no different. The first few times may seem difficult and then your body and mind get used to it. As a teenager, you can inculcate these things in your life with more ease and it will become a habit for you sooner than you know it.

Pick up a sport

Whether you like football, cricket, swimming or badminton, anything that makes you happy is just the best way to ensure you live an active life. The idea is to enjoy the activity and not take it as a burdensome process. A scientific study suggests that 87% of people who have played a sport between the ages of 15-24, live a much healthier life post 40 years of age. It just means that what you do for your health today, can impact your life two decades later.

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The summer holidays will soon be here and we know you have been waiting for them. After months of hard work, classes, books and tests, the fun time of the year has arrived and you should rejoice. After all, you truly deserve every bit of it. But I have a few ideas to share and this will add on to the fun of the holidays. I’ll help you add a creative touch to your vacation and explore options on things to do while you laze around in the sun. Whether it means exploring your artistic side, connecting with Mother Nature or simply making memories while travelling, we have it all covered here for you. So let’s begin.

Time to enhance your passion

When I was young, I was often asked what I wanted to be when I grew up and I would always say, “Air hostess”. I would run to the kitchen and get a tray with food to enact being one. As I grew older, my dreams evolved and so did my ambitions. But one thing that did not change along the way was to experiment with what I think my passion is. I would want you to try out your passion. If you like to sing, pick up that microphone. If you like to dance, turn on the music. If you like to paint, the canvas is all yours. After all, the world is your oyster and you can think and be whatever you dream of. But if you want to begin, this is the perfect time since you are free to explore anything and everything.

Earn while you learn

I believe the most treasured memory for a person is how you save money when you are young or how your parents teach you the value of money with limited pocket-money every month. But there are many other ways to earn and guess what, you can learn a lot in the process.
Garage sale: Did you know that the biggest companies like Apple, Microsoft, Disney and even Google were founded in a garage? It just tells us a lot about how people start small and do exceptional work through their lives. All you need is some free space and an open mind to begin with.

Consider getting about 5 to 7 friends on board for this and start a small garage sale with all the things that you can sell. From toys to old books, clothes, anything saleable is your product for the day. One of you can handle the finances, the other can handle the marketing of the idea and the rest can handle the merchandise. It will not only teach you handy tips on money management but it will be a fun way to learn the many aspects of business in a practical way. Who knows if the business tycoon of tomorrow is sitting right there with you?

Gifting solutions: If you like making personalized gifts, then this will work for you. From gift boxes to customized calendars or mugs, today people will pay for new and creative ideas. If you think you can do it, all you need to do is tell your family and friends about this venture and spread the word. It will be a great platform to begin with and you will put your passion to profession in no time as you grow older.

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