The road that I had never taken

      It has been a week since I have been regularly going to the gym. Yes I got bitten by that bug too. I had never been to a gym except for that one time when I had to research for my college project to design Gym wear, hence I was very skeptical about joining it. The more my husband egged me on, the more skeptical I became. But since last month I had become very determined on joining the gym. My increasing waistline and almost literally bursting out of seams has made me aware of the very little activity I put my body through. My clothing size is slowly moving to the 'L' racks which never was the case. One of the perks of getting married is your husband treating you like a queen at least for the first few years, but mind you if you aren't careful laziness is sure to creep in as it did with me and it plagues you down completely before you can even take notice. More than the the increasing figure on the scales, it was the aspect of not getting enough activity was what that bothered me the most, since I had always been very energetic and agile. That's when I decided I needed to push myself harder than just getting through a days bare minimum activity. It took a lot of courage to accept what I had become from what I was, however that made the process easier and made me all the more determined. The more one accepts that their body is unique, acts in a certain way and in no way comparable to their skinny peers or vice versa, the easier it becomes to love oneself. 

     Loving your body for what it is is one thing though keeping yourself fit and looking after it is another. I have never believed in starving oneself, nothing good comes out of it. On the contrary I have always believed in sweating it out one way or another which is a much healthier alternative and a long lasting one too. I have never been skinny nor do I ever dream of becoming one, however I had always been curvaceously fit and hope to continue being like that. This was more of a lack of activity concern rather than a beauty concern for me. Hence I took the road that I had never taken before, to only discover to my delight that it keeps me going through the day, doesn't let me lay with laziness and yes I see myself transforming to that curvaceously fit girl that I have always been. 

Travel! You will find yourself!

       My earliest memory of travelling was to my hometown Mangalore by train for 16 hours from Tamilnadu as a child, though it became a routine every summer vacation. It reminds me of the numerous conversations with people in the compartment, staring at the skies, gazing at the coconut lined Malabar Coast and welcoming the adventure that comes along with it. As Mark Twain had put it across, 'Travel.. nothing so liberalises a man and expands the kindly instincts the nature put in him as travel and contact with many kinds of people'. Travelling to a new place has always been about getting to meet new people, knowing different cultures, being connected back to nature and getting to enjoy the complete experience thoroughly. A person from India that way is very lucky to be surrounded by melting pot of cultures at every step and not to mention the rich biodiversity. One doesn’t have to stray very far to experience breathtaking beauty around. 

Travel can definitely become a path to self-discovery. This can also turn out to be the best opportunity, if you choose to, to cut yourself off from the virtual social world and indulge in the real world. Of course if one is travelling on work that’s a far-fetched notion, but that cannot still stop them from experiencing a whole new facet. I see travelling as a window to explore new territories and get away when the routine gets mundane. A two time sabbatical from the routine a year seems befitting to everyone. Though travel does take a bit of planning, the process in itself is exciting. However sometimes it can also become a little exhausting. I have observed that too much of planning never does any good and if you want to travel, it is you who got to take the initiative to plan.

I have realised travelling makes me very flexible, well not that I can somersault but yes mentally. Some might think travelling every now and then is superfluous but it is a complete rejuvenation. Not only does the body relax and repair, but the mind as well becomes very receptive. Travelling today is much easier, comfortable and doesn’t necessary have to be a luxury. Budget travels are also equally pleasurable; it lies in how you can exploit the situation to your advantage (this is where flexibility plays a role), You can always begin by visiting places close to where you live and then move further away and while you are at it make sure you let go of all inhibitions and savour each and every moment of the entire journey as that is what builds up into those amazing globetrotting memories. 

Bon Voyage!