Habits are the building blocks of our daily lives. They are mental shortcuts created from repeated experiences, helping us navigate the world efficiently. According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, small changes in our daily routines can lead to significant transformations. His philosophy revolves around the idea of becoming 1% better every day, illustrating that tiny improvements can compound into remarkable results over time. The question then arises: What kind of person do you want to become? Here’s a guide for teenagers to incorporate essential habits into their lives to build a strong foundation for the future.

Good Sleep Habits

Getting enough sleep is crucial for physical health, mental clarity, and emotional stability. Teenagers, in particular, need 8-10 hours of sleep each night to support their developing brains and bodies. To establish good sleep habits:
Set a Consistent Bedtime and Wake-Up Time: Regular sleep schedules help regulate your body’s internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up.
Create a Bedtime Routine: Engaging in calming activities such as reading, listening to soothing music, or practising relaxation techniques can signal your brain that it’s time to wind down.
Limit Screen Time Before Bed: The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with your sleep cycle. Aim to avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime to promote better sleep quality.

Keep Your Room Neat and Tidy

A clean and organized space can significantly improve focus and reduce stress. Here are some tips to keep your room tidy:
Make Your Bed Every Morning: Starting your day with this simple task sets a productive tone and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Declutter Regularly: Spend a few minutes each day tidying up to prevent clutter from piling up. Regular decluttering helps maintain an organized environment.
Designate Spots for Essential Items: Having specific places for your belongings helps you find things easily and keeps your space organized.

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A young man on his way to the city met an old man and asked him, “How far is it to the city? Can I get there before sunset?” The old man replied, “If you walk slowly, you will reach by evening.” The young man was surprised at the answer and thought to himself, Usually everyone would say, ‘hurry up’. Thinking that the old man was making fun of him, he hurried on his way to the city. After a while, he slipped and fell. Forgetting the pain of his bruises, he started limping and saw another traveller struggling to walk. They spoke to each other. The new traveller said, “This was my situation yesterday. Neither of us understood what the old man had said. The road is humpy-bumpy and slippery. Maybe he meant that one should walk slowly, carefully, but with determination.”

On your journey towards your goals, the path with its ups and downs, twists and turns, may not be smooth and clear to you. But what is important is to take every step with care and determination. Martin Luther King Jr said, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Every step you take on your journey provides an opportunity to learn and grow. Embrace the lessons you learn with each success and failure, and be willing to adapt your strategies accordingly as you progress. Albert Einstein has wisely said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

India’s recent T-20 World Cup victory against South Africa, featured as the cover story in this issue of TTT, conveys a strong message to us: success is not an accident or a stroke of luck; it is the result of taking the right steps with determination, strict discipline, hard work, perseverance, and teamwork. Each one of the players had begun with small steps from their humble backgrounds and reached the peak of success by recognizing, nurturing, and persevering with their unique talents. It teaches us that those who stand in the limelight today have often endured hard times to get there.

Success may not be visible in the beginning, but it is the courage that will help you to continue that matters. Take one step after another that will launch you on the path to success. It is about pushing forward, no matter how many times you fall. When the going gets tough, the tough ones keep going. Bruce Lee has wisely noted, “I fear not the man who has practised 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practised one kick 10,000 times.” This illustrates the power of discipline and focus in mastering any skill.

Besides the T-20 World Cup success, we have also featured the daring stories of people like Akansha Jagga (a 16-year-old student from Delhi), IPS officer N. Ambika, and Ritesh Agarwal (Founder of OYO) to inspire and motivate you!

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Anyone would be rendered speechless in the presence of global icon singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who at 5’10” towers over many singers in the music industry.

Riding high with the launch of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, her eleventh studio album, Taylor is at the pinnacle of stardom, raking in success once again.

Her Look

Taylor radiates large doses of charm, grace and sexiness. After all she is one of the highest-paid singers in the world today. When she smiles, her luminous blue eyes, with that tint of black, sparkle. Her figure stands out, but with neatly tucked in outfits that don’t reveal her true statistics. The same cannot be said of other female music stars who are known more for what they reveal than their singing. With Taylor, it’s the other way round. It was for this reason that I wrote about her and decided she was our cover girl and cover story in The Teenager, September 2009 issue. The Teenager Today always looks at the inner beauty of a person, rather than outside appearances. Taylor fitted the profile perfectly then and even now, 15 years later.

What really makes her the eye candy of social media, newspapers and magazines around the world that serenade her all the time?

Her Lyrics

As America’s sweetheart, Taylor could not be missed on the country circuit that she began with, moving on to a more pop-rock edge as the albums rolled out. She’s been around for some time, and has carved a niche for herself after her self-titled debut album skyrocketed her to superstardom. Since the age of fourteen she has had a full songwriter’s publishing deal, most often in collaboration with many others who helped her music grow.

Now as a 34-year-old, Taylor has been praised for her maturity, right from her second album onwards, in which she sang about boys and heartbreak, fun, sneaking out of windows at night to meet boys, while gently playing the guitar and self-penning all 16 songs on her album, giving her clear leeway to speak her heart out.

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“The best is yet to come” — a phrase that resonates with hope and the anticipation of a future filled with possibilities. It is not just an optimistic outlook; it is a challenge to elevate our past successes to new heights.

Celebrating Past Victories as Foundations for Future Triumphs

Our past achievements are significant milestones, marking the path we’ve travelled. They are not mere endpoints but the bedrock for our future aspirations. Each success, regardless of size, is a testament to our potential and a stepping stone towards grander victories. They beckon us to dream more ambitiously, aim higher, and achieve more.

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Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Zach Baylin, King Richard is a biographical sports drama film starring Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father and coach of Venus and Serena Williams. With a clear vision and a bold 78-page plan, Richard is set on making his two daughters, Venus and Serena, tennis legends. They practise on courts in Compton, California, where he instils in them a strong dedication and sharp instincts. Even when things get tough, and people doubt them, the Williams family works together to overcome challenges and surpass the expectations set for them. Will Smith shines in portraying Richard Williams as a father who has an unwavering belief in his daughters. He is a flawed yet inspiring figure, doing his best for their future. The child actors deliver outstanding performances. King Richard is a feel-good movie, showcasing the determination of a father striving for his daughters’ success.

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• Sacrificing less productive activities and distractions to make effective use of time.
• Sacrificing your unhealthy habits to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
• Sacrificing your shyness and discomfort to make new friends and actively participate in various activities.
• Sacrificing extra-curricular activities and leisure time to prepare during examination time.
• Sacrificing your comforts and insecurities to embrace challenges and develop new skills and habits.
• Sacrificing non-eco-friendly habits to sustain and protect the environment.
• Sacrificing social media and screen time to spend quality time with family.
• Sacrificing your personal convenience and needs to help someone who may need it more than you.

These sacrifices align with our daily lives and can help us achieve academic success and lead to our personal development. So, dear friends, I wish you luck as you embark on the journey of making sacrifices to unveil a better version of yourself.

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Many times we find ourselves caught in the trap of striving to be the best. We confuse ‘being the best’ with ‘doing our best’, and this subtle difference can lead to profound consequences. Striving to be the best often invites comparison, ego and a sense of competition that can result in struggles, instability, non-cooperation from others, and frustration. It creates a win-lose situation where someone must lose for someone to win.

In contrast, doing our best focuses on challenging our own capabilities, bringing out our full potential, and engaging in productive work with a positive frame of mind. It is about creating a win-win situation, not just for ourselves but also for those around us. Doing your best means being in a forward, active mode that is constantly refreshing and self-renewing.

So dare to challenge yourself to do your best in everything you choose to undertake. Give your full 100% to the task at hand each time. Break out of your comfort zone and empower yourself to go full throttle, putting all of your potential into action.

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This book from best-selling author Morgan Housel is a powerful tool to help you navigate the uncertainty of the future. Knowledge of the things that never change is more useful than an uncertain prediction of an unknowable future. Through 23 engaging stories and concise examples, Housel gives a master class on optimizing risk, seizing opportunity, and living your best life to achieve the greatest success — not merely financial comforts, but most importantly, a life well lived.

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Dear teenagers,

This open letter to you can be the key with which you can open several doors — doors leading to success, and a fulfilling life.

Let me ask you a few questions:

DO you think that you are a capable, smart and a meritorious teenager?
ARE you ready to face life head-on and embark on your journey towards the future?
DO you think that you are better than several others you know in your network?
DO you want to succeed in life?
DO you dream of a life that gives you complete happiness?
DO you wish to travel around the world? Have a wonderful house and live happily with a loved one?
HOWEVER, are you feeling a bit unsettled and confused now? Perhaps, even a bit confused?
ARE you afraid of facing the future?

If the answer to most or all of the above questions is YES, then this letter is certainly meant for YOU!

You must be learning a lot these days; observing, listening and processing a lot of information, and the source of this info could be:

• Your parents telling you that you are simply the BEST and that your place shall be amongst the stars! Or reversely, some telling you that you are STUPID, useless and that you won’t accomplish much in your life.
• Many ideas must be forming and desires taking birth from the K-dramas or content appealing to you on OTT platforms.
• You must be observing a lot happening in the lives of your peers, classmates and friends.
• You must be watching your favourite actors or sports stars and role models living luxurious lifestyles, making you envious of them.

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Like the fabled Dick Wittington who visited London expecting her streets to be paved with gold, I too, many decades ago, entered the city of Bombay, now Mumbai, expecting to set up a business from scratch and become a millionaire overnight. But those same streets, gold-less and cold, cruelly taunted me day in and day out as I walked them, selling my ideas and product from house to house, flat to flat, and quite often office to office.

Then, often depressed and disappointed with no sale done, I’d find a tiny lane in Nepean Sea Road or Juhu leading me to a beach, and there tiredly plonking my cheap briefcase onto the sands, I’d sit and watch the sea.

This was something I did time and again, seeking solace and comfort from the stillness that the bouncing waves offered.

For many years, I’ve read Psalm 23 and reflected on the second verse, “He leadeth me by the still waters,” and for many years I’ve imagined a placid lake or a gently flowing stream and the peace and calm that those still waters offer. But today, as I thought about those early days, sitting tired and worn on the beach, getting solace from the waves, I see another scene unfolding — disciples on a boat in a tempestuous sea. The waves are high, and the boat rocks like a handkerchief in a washing machine. I see them terrified.

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