10 Amazing Paradoxes That Will Blow Your Mind

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January 22, 2019

Google defines a paradox as follows:“..a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when investigated may prove to be well founded or true.”

Basically, a paradox is something which completely contradicts something you heartily believe, and you cannot prove it wrong. Paradoxes are what keep scientists and mathematicians up at night. They sound outrageous, but completely reasonable at the same time. They are the most misleading things in the world because they can make you question the biggest truths of your life.

Paradoxes aren’t actually really true though. There is always logical reasoning behind why a particular paradox can’t be true. But this truth is often so hidden among the reasoning behind the TRUTH of the paradox, it is hard to decipher. And whether or not a paradox may be true, it is definitely enough to shoot up your critical thinking skills by a zillion times and keep you up nights.

And here are some of the most mind-blowing paradoxes in the world that will make you wonder if your life is a lie-

Achilles And The Tortoise

This paradox was put forward by Greek philosopher Zeno in 5th Century BC. The paradox is about a race between Achilles and a tortoise. According to the paradox, although Achilles runs way faster than the tortoise, he can never catch up with it. How?

Suppose in this race, the tortoise is given a 5-minute headstart. So by the time Achilles starts to run, the tortoise will already have covered some distance. Let the tortoise be moving with a velocity of 1 meter per minute. So when Achilles starts, the tortoise will already have covered 5 meters. Let Achilles have a velocity of 5 meters per minute. So Achilles will cover the 5-meter distance in a minute.

But in that minute, the tortoise will have covered another meter. And by the time Achilles covers that meter, the tortoise will have gone another 20 cm ahead. This process will continue throughout the race, and the tortoise will always be ahead of Achilles. Eerie, right?

The Bootstrap Paradox

This paradox is believed to have its origin in the 18th Century classic, “The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchhausen”. It is one of the most mind-boggling paradoxes, one that scientists are still struggling to solve. Here is a simple version of the bootstrap paradox.

So let us say that you see a copy of Harry Potter in a bookstore. You are the owner of a time machine, and you hit upon a crazy idea. Using the time machine, you go back in time, before Harry Potter was written, and somehow find JK Rowling. You give her the book and run away. She reads the book, gets inspired by it, and decides to rewrite it and publish it.

The book is published, becomes popular, and time passes till the time you find the book and go back in time to give it to Rowling. Now the question is, who wrote the first book? Who wrote the book that you read and gave to JK Rowling, and where did the book come from in this endless time loop?

There is another variant of this paradox, which is even more mind-blowing. Suppose you go back in time and kill yourself. Then time passes as it does. But then, who killed you?

Card Paradox

It is a variation of the Liar Paradox put forward by Philip Jourdain. Consider that you have a card. On this card, there is a statement written on each side. The first statement says: “The statement on the other side of the card is true.” On turning the card, you see the second statement: “The statement on the other side of the card is false.” These sentences are seemingly simple. But if you try to figure out which statement is actually true, you will end up with a paradox.

If the first statement is true, then the second statement should be valid. But the second statement says that the first statement is false. So how can it be true? Similarly, if the second statement is true, it means that the first statement should be false. But the first statement says that the second statement is true, not false. It’s just uncanny.

Fletcher’s Paradox

According to this unique paradox, any kind of motion shouldn’t exist. How? Let me explain. Every duration of time can be divided into snapshots of time, just like how videos are made up of a string of images. Now, let us assume that a ball is moving from point A to point B. The entire process of traveling will take some time. This entire time duration can be divided into infinite snapshots of time. But if you see these snapshots, in every snapshot the ball will be stationary. It will be in a different position in every snapshot, but it will be stationary.

Now think about it, to get the total time duration of the ball’s motion, we need to add up all these snapshots. But in all these snapshots the ball was stationary. So, on adding up these time snapshots, we shouldn’t get any kind of motion. Then how can the ball reach from point A to B when the motion isn’t happening at all?

Interesting number paradox

This isn’t exactly a paradox, it is just an extremely fascinating observation about numbers that will amaze you. If you have noticed, there is something special about every number. 1 is a perfect number, 2 is the only even prime number, 3 is the smallest odd prime number, 4 is the first composite number, and so on.

If you start to research, you will find something special about every number. Every number has something interesting associated with it. And if you finally come across the number that is not interesting, it will be interesting because it’s the first non-interesting number. Interesting, isn’t it?

Pinocchio Paradox

This paradox describes the popular Liar paradox in a fun way. So you may already know that Pinocchio’s nose lengthens every time he says a lie. But what would happen if Pinocchio said, “My nose will lengthen right now”? If he is saying the truth, his nose should lengthen. But his nose will only lengthen if he lies, which he is not. If he is lying, then he is saying that his nose will not lengthen. But it lengthens. This is the actual liar paradox, whose variation you just read above- the Card Paradox. How does one break out of it though?

The Barber Paradox

This is another popular paradox that will keep you up at night. So, by definition, a barber is someone who shaves the people who don’t shave themselves. Now, the barber is supposed to shave only the people who don’t shave themselves. So he cannot shave himself, since then he will cease to be a barber. But if he doesn’t shave, then he will come into the category of people who don’t shave themselves, and he will have to shave himself.

Now one may argue that the barber can go to another barber to get shaved. This way, the paradox will be solved. But here we are talking about the responsibilities of the barber and not the fact that the barber needs to be clean-shaven. Hence, the paradox still stands.

The Recurring Decimal Paradox

Here’s an interesting mathematical discovery for you- 0.9999… equals 1. And here is the proof for that-
Let x=0.99999…
Then 10x=9.9999…
Subtracting the two equations we get- 9x=9 which implies x=1. Thus 0.9999… which is smaller than 1 actually is proven to be equal to 1. And the above calculation doesn’t break any mathematical rules like division by 0, etc. Try to prove this wrong now, if you can.

Meno’s paradox

If this paradox is true, then all of us are ignorant and have no knowledge. According to this paradox, the concept of learning something new does not exist. Let us assume that you come across a rhinoceros. Now, if you know what a rhinoceros looks like, you will know that you saw a rhinoceros. But if you don’t know what it looks like, you won’t know that it is actually a rhinoceros.

Basically, if you know something already, you aren’t learning anything new. And if you don’t know it, then you can’t verify it, so you don’t learn anything new that way either. Even with a hundred arguments and counter-replies to this paradox, it is nearly impossible to prove it wrong. Scientists have actually found a flaw in it, in the form of “fallacy of equivocation” (that’s stuff for another article). But even so, there are way too many exceptions to the paradox with respect to this flaw, which is why the paradox cannot be dismissed completely.

Potato paradox

This paradox too isn’t really a paradox, but a fantastic observation about a, well, potato. So, let us say that a potato is made of 99% water and 1% solid starch. And let us assume that this potato weighs a 100gms. Thus, the water accounts for 99gms and the starch for 1gm of the potato’s weight.

Now, suppose you let this potato dry outside, and you found that it is 98% water and 2% starch now. You will now think that the water weight of the potato will be 98gms and starch weight will be 1gms. So the potato should now weigh 99gms. But the result is actually completely different. The potato, instead of weighing 99gms, will now weigh 50gms. Here is the algebraic solution:

Let final total weight be x gms. Then 2% of x gms equals the weight of starch, which is 1 gms. Solving this, you will get x=50 gms. The solution is simple but so amazingly counterintuitive that it’s hard not to count it as a paradox.

If you are ever falling asleep doing something boring, do come back here and reread these paradoxes. Trust me, this is the best cure ever for too much sleep. Have fun decoding!

Intermittent Fasting: Lifestyle And Health Benefits

By

Shubhi Srivastava

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January 22, 2019

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With increasing health-consciousness, there have cropped up a mind-boggling variety of diets that claim to help you lose weight. And out of all these, probably the most popular diet is the intermittent fasting diet. It’s not exactly a diet, but more a way of eating that goes back a million years ago. Intermittent fasting is the new talk of the town, and many people swear by its benefits on overall health and lifestyle.

Before I get to the benefits of intermittent fasting, let us first know what exactly intermittent fasting is.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent means “discontinuous” and “periodic”, while fasting means not eating any food. Combine the two meanings, and you get the definition of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is basically a pattern of eating where you eat your meals in a short time-window and do not eat anything in the rest of the time. For example, if you eat your meals between 8 am to 4 pm every day and do not consume a single calorie otherwise, you are intermittent fasting. In this particular case, your eating window is 8 hours long, and you fast for 16 hours every day. Also, you need to be clear that your eating window starts at exactly the same time every day. You cannot eat in any random 8-hour long time window during the day. Your time window needs to start and end at the same time every day.

Now, you may say that you are fasting every day because you sleep 8 hours a day and eat in the remaining 16 hours. That may be true in a way. But intermittent fasting is actually when your fast is more than 12 hours long. When you fast for longer than that, your body goes into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a state where your body starts burning stored fat for fuel. Before that it is using the carbs you ate for energy, and not the stored fat. To bring your body into ketosis you need to fast for long enough that your body uses up the food you ate. Then you will actually start burning fat. This is the actual principle behind intermittent fasting.

How to do it?

Intermittent fasting is very simple. All you have to do is eat in a set window of time. Make sure that you don’t eat anything during the rest of the day. The most popular way of intermittent fasting is the 16:8 fast. In this, as you can guess, one eats in an 8-hour window, and fasts for the remaining 16 hours. An example of the 16:8 fasting would be having your first meal at 1 pm, and your last meal at 9 pm. This time division is easier than you think because you are only skipping breakfast. For most of us, skipping breakfast or dinner is not that big of a deal.

To suit your needs, you can have as short or as long of an eating window throughout the day. Many people also use a more extreme 20:4 fasting method. So they will generally only eat either in the morning or at night, and fast the rest of the day. The 16:8 method is considered optimal because it is easy to follow and doesn’t make you feel hungry. But if you think you can do better than this, go ahead!

The principle behind this is that if you eat in a given period of time, you can’t overeat. People generally tend to overeat because they eat continuously throughout the day. So they do not realize that even though they think they’re eating less, they’re eating a lot. But if you eat in a short interval of time, you can’t possibly overstuff yourself. If you have watched the 10000 calorie challenges on YouTube, you will these people starting their challenge at 5 am and eating till midnight. They do so because it is possible to eat a lot when you eat throughout the day. Not with intermittent fasting.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Now let us come to the interesting part- the benefits of intermittent fasting. So here are some of them-

You lose weight

This is the most obvious, and the most popular reason why people intermittent fast. Like I explained above, it is impossible to overeat in a short period of time. One cannot eat more than one’s appetite. And if you make healthy food choices, you will eat way fewer calories than with normal eating. Now obviously you won’t lose weight if your maintenance calories are 1600 and you eat a 2000 kcal pizza and say you are intermittent fasting. So it is important to make healthy food choices. But you can eat bigger meals as long as they’re healthy, without gaining weight.

You have more time

How is this a benefit? Well, you have set yourself a short period of time for eating. So for the rest of the day, you don’t have to bother about cooking meals or ordering food. You are left with more time on hand that you can use to do more productive work. The time that you spend on cooking meals is drastically cut down. This especially works for people who work from home or are freelancers. They can spend more time focusing on work rather than worrying about cooking or ordering food. The shorter your time window, the more tie you save. So if you are a busy person or looking to increase productivity, intermittent fasting is for you.

You have more energy

Yes, contrary to popular belief about fasting this IS true. When you are eating all day, your insulin levels are high. Most of us are aware of the comfortable drowsy feeling that overcomes us when we have just downed a big meal. This is because the body requires energy to digest food, which kind of depletes you of energy. Also, the release of hormones like serotonin and melatonin after a meal makes you drowsy. Big meals tend to weigh you down, so you feel lethargic and don’t feel like moving a lot. When you are fasting, you have more energy because there is no food weighing you down. Your serotonin levels are under control and you are more alert than after a big meal.

It increases insulin sensitivity

Intermittent fasting balances your blood sugar. When you have food in your system, your blood sugar spikes and so does your insulin. If you are constantly eating, your blood sugar will always be higher than normal. This will make your body immune to such levels of blood sugar and decrease insulin sensitivity. By fasting, you ensure that your blood sugar only spikes for a certain period of time. During the rest of the time, it stays stabilized and under control. Hence insulin sensitivity is improved, which in turns reduces the risk of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

You keep the weight off for longer

Intermittent fasting is way more sustainable than any other diet. Other diets are guilty of calorie restriction or food restriction. Restrictions and impositions like these often make you feel deprived. And trust me, deprivation is not a good thing. We crave what we can’t have the most. And if your will power is weak, you will end up overeating. Intermittent doesn’t impose any restrictions on the kind of food you are eating, or even the amount. You can easily include your favorite foods in your diet (in moderation) with IF. This way, your weight loss “diet” isn’t really a diet, and you don’t feel deprived. If you don’t feel deprived, you don’t overeat, and as a result, you keep the weight off for longer.

It regulates your body processes

People think eating constantly increases metabolism because your body keeps working to burn that food off. But in that process, other body processes get halted. Your brain is so focused on regulating your digestive system, it can’t make time for anything else. This is the reason why overeating and obesity are related to hormonal problems, cardiac problems, and inflammation. By giving yourself a break from eating, you also give your body a break from digesting and burning food. All the other processes are regulated, hormones become more balanced, and you become healthier overall.

Intermittent is a lifestyle choice, one that can easily be adopted by you. It was our ancestors’ way of living when food was much more scarce. Today, food is so readily available that we take it for granted. This accessibility has a great contribution in making us overeat. Intermittent fasting is just a way to go back to the olden days when people only ate when they got food. And let’s face it, our ancestors have always been healthier than us. So we too should go back to where our roots lie and adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Study in Canada without IELTS; Know More

By

kellybrown

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January 22, 2019

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For studying abroad, it is important to go through various entrance examinations such as GRE, IELTS, TOEFL and many more. English Proficiency Test such as IELTS, TOEFL is mandatory for international students to pursue study in Canada. International Candidates who do not wish to appear for the English Language test mainly IELTS can take a sigh of relief. There are various universities that offers study in Canada without the need to appear for IELTS exam. The Embassy at Canada is also allowing International Students to study in Canada without the IELTS examination. The candidate can provide the IELTS exception letter to the Embassy of Canada in order to make his/her case stronger for admission. If you do not wish to appear for IELTS exam and want to study in Canada, go through the below article to know more in details.

Also read Top scholarships for international students in Australia

Candidates can study in Canada without IELTS by following below ways –

1. Apply for Universities that does not require IELTS

Many universities in Canada exempt the need of IELTS for admission of International students. Canadian Embassy never had the IELTS requirement.

2. Completion of Online English language course at the university

By appearing for online English language course, the international student can skip the need of appearing for IELTS examination. The online courses are much easier than IELTS and has no standard required to pass with specific score like in IELTS. Students can easily get admission by showing the online English language course scores.

3. Apply and get the English Proficiency Certificate for Canada

It is easier for the International students to get English proficiency Certificate for Canada. The candidate can ask for the certificate from his/her previous school, if he/she has studied all the subjects in the English language in the past. For the candidates whose schooling has been done in English medium can acquire certificate and need not appear for IELTS procedure.

Ways to study in Canada without IELTS

Some of the other ways to skip IELTS exam to study in Canada are –

Candidates must submit supporting proof that they have studied in an English Medium school for 4 years.
Candidates should belong to a country with native language as English.
Candidates must have had English as a subject between 8th and 12th standards.
Candidates must undergo internal university assessment which would require them to give telephonic and video interviews as per university rules.
Candidate can give other exams such as TOEFL.

Apart from above ways, there are some Universities in Canada where admission can be processed without the need for candidates to appear for IELTS exam.

Also read Career options for foreign students in Dubai

List of Universities to study in Canada that does not need IELTS:

University of Winnipeg : offers the English Language Program. Candidates who belongs to country where native language is English are exempted from appearing for IELTS exam.
Brock University : offers Brock Intensive English Language Program for the candidates. For candidates having an International Baccalaureate diploma in English need not give IELTS exam.
University of Saskatchewan – offers their own English Language Training Program.
Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador – they accept the proofs of English proficiency. The university also offers online learning class for English.
Cambrian College accesses the speaking and writing skills of the international candidates. No expensive certifications are needed for studying English proficiency exam.
Concordia University
University of Regina
Carleton University
Seneca College, Toronto
Okanagan College

These universities mentioned above do not require IELTS to Study in Canada for International Students.

To get admission, some Universities demand the English Proficiency letter from the candidates. This letter is intended to show that the candidate has completed studies where medium of instruction was English. Some universities also offer English courses prior to actual course.

Candidates can apply to the universities, and once they get the Certificate of Acceptance for studies (CAS) from the university, it is easier to apply for International Student Visa from the Embassy of Canada.

JEE Main 2017 Topper’s Advice: Know how Kalpit Veerwal scored 360/360?

By

Alka Rana

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January 22, 2019

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JEE Main 2019 January is over and the result for the same is out as well, there were total 15 students who secured a 100 percentile. The percentile score criteria was devised by the NTA for JEE Main 2019. Earlier, the result was calculated on the basis of marks out of 360.

Here we will share the success story of JEE Main 2017 topper – Kalpit Veerwal. Kalpit, who secured All India Rank 1 in JEE Main result and is the first ever student in the history of JEE exams to have scored perfect 360/360 marks. He has been also added in the Limca Book of records for his achievement in the exam. He also secured AIR 109 rank in the JEE Advanced 2017. So, the tips and advice by Kalpit will be very beneficial for you all who are going to appear for JEE Main 2019 April Session.

Kalpit did his schooling from MDS Public School, Udaipur. His father works at a government hospital and his mother works in a school. When asked about how he felt to see his JEE Main results, Kalpit said he was expecting a very good rank but a perfect 100 % score was not expected by him. He said, he was shocked and full of joy after seeing his JEE Main result. He said focus and hard work are the key to his success and every aspirant should be focused towards his studies in order to succeed. He also gave some tips for the students appearing for the JEE Main exam. Here, are the tips given by him-

Start Early- Kalpit said he never aimed for engineering but started his dedicated studies when he was in 8th standard, so for aiming anything you must start early. As Kalpit had started from class 8th, his foundation was very strong. He said that he didn’t have many weak areas and if felt weak in any area; he used to practice it a lot. So, when he came in class 11th, his basics were clear and he was able to prepare for JEE Main exam well. So, whatever you aim, you must start early so that you have ample time to even overcome your weaknesses.

Do not miss anything- Kalpit said that from class 8th, he never missed any lecture by his teachers; he completed all his assignments and homework. He said that if you will be regular in your studies, it will be an added advantage because if you miss anything that can put you in loss. He also added that he used to study 5-6 hours daily and more on Sundays in order to keep pace with his studies.

Best Coaching- Kalpit had joined a coaching Resonance in Udaipur from class 8th. He said it is up to the student to join a coaching or not but he joined his coaching institute in class 8th and from then his coaching guided him to the success. He said that his coaching conducted tests in every 3 weeks and he was able to solve previous year papers and mock tests in the coaching. He said if a student wishes to join any coaching institute then he should wisely chose the best institute for him.

NCERT Books-When asked about the books he studied for JEE Main exam, Kalpit said he studied from the NCERT books and after completing them he studied books by some of the fine authors like Resnick, Halliday and J.D Lee. So, the students should first complete their NCERT books in order to succeed JEE Mains.

Make Proper Study Plan- Kalpit said a proper study plan and focus is required to ace the exam. He said that all the students should devote equal time for each subject so as to complete the syllabus on time. Not only this, your study plan should also have time for revision.

Keep yourself relaxed-Kalpit said that although complete focus is required to succeed in the exam, students should keep themselves relaxed and should do some recreational activities. You should follow your creative hobbies like music, art so as to keep yourself fresh and stress-free.

Alternate Career Options for the Candidates Who Failed to Crack CAT Exam

By

kellybrown

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January 22, 2019

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Common Admission Test is one of the most coveted management entrance examinations in India. CAT score is accepted by all the IIMs in the country and some of the most prestigious B-Schools. As more and more graduates are opting to join management courses, the number of candidates appearing for management entrances like CAT is also exponentially increasing. Thus, each year the exam is becoming more difficult and the competition is getting harder.

Some students may need two or more attempts to clear the exam and proceed towards the career of their dreams. If you have been unsuccessful to clear CAT last year, you should not feel like a failure or get de-motivated. You can definitely try to prepare harder and sit for the exam again. Candidate can also look for some alternative options. Regardless of how it may feel, failing the CAT examination is not the end of the world! There are several options available to you for a prospective career. Let us take a look at those.

The exam is just about to over and just as the students say that the exam is just abroad to say let’s take

Other MBA Entrances

If you are really passionate about a management career, you can opt for the other management entrances like MAT, XAT, SNAP, CMAT, IIBSAT, NMAT, GMAT etc. The scores of all these tests are also accepted by some of the best B-Schools in the country. Syllabus for all the management entrance exams in India is more or less similar with little modifications in the test patterns. So it would be easier if you have already prepared for CAT.

Executive MBA

If you are a graduate with work experiences of 3 to 5 years, an Executive MBA can open doors to a lucrative career. Several B-Schools in India including XLRI, ISB, and IIMs offer Executive MBA to students with job experiences. Some of the courses are also offered online.

Short Term Diploma Courses

Several short term courses (certificates) in management or full-time PG diploma or master’s degree programmes are available for graduates. You can pursue a course in luxury brand management, human resources, marketing, and several other fields. With these degrees and certificates, you can step into a prospective career in the relevant fields.

Bank Examinations

Banking in both Public and Private sector is quite a prospective job for students interested in a career in management. Bank exams like IBPS-PO, RBI Grade A, SBI-PO and others conducted by private banks can be your key to a satisfying career as a bank manager. Moreover, the syllabus of such exams is also quite similar to CAT syllabus, making it easier for CAT aspirants to crack. You will need to brush up your general knowledge, banking knowledge, and current affairs for which there are several books and resources that you can find offline and online.

Chartered Financial Analyst

Chartered Financial Analyst is a 4-year course for graduates who wish to pursue a career in management without going for CAT. This course will cover aspects of management, accounting, financial management, investment etc. and trains the students to handle important financial decisions for companies. A Chartered Financial Analyst is a reputable professional credential from the CFA Institute and is recognized internationally. The most problematic part is passing the CFA exams, but you just need to find the best learning approach and suitable CFA study materials.

Take a Shot at a Different Career

A lot of students in India opt for a management degree due to parental pressure, societal pressure or peer pressure. Unless you are extremely passionate about the management career, you can always try a career shift and pursue your true calling. There are several courses that can lead to a successful career. You can also turn one of your hobbies or passions into a full-fledged career with the help of such courses. For example, if you love photography and spend most of your free time with your DSLR, a photography course can mean an independent and successful career.

Then there are other choices as well if pursuing hobbies are not your thing. Online certification courses in Animation, Big Data Analytics, Cyber Security, Networking, Programming Languages etc. can help you gain the required skills to get a good job.

Moreover, once you have prepared for CAT, you are already half prepared for government examinations for various departments in India. Some of the exams that may interest you are – Civil Service Exams, Staff Selection Commission Exams, Public Service Commission Exams and State Government Exams.

CAT is an important milestone for a great career but it is not the only one. Your career should depend on the field that interests you the most, your aptitude for the same and the kind of work you are willing to do. So, if you have failed to crack CAT, do not lose heart and start exploring all the other options until you find the one that fits.

Climbing Coorg’s Highest Peak: Tadiandamol

By

kellybrown

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January 21, 2019

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My last tryst with Coorg was almost a decade and a half ago when I barely knew how to climb a tree, let alone trek a mountain. And thus, despite a week’s vacation in that locale, I could never scale its mountains, which is one of the most popular things to do in Coorg. From there to being a regular trekker, I have surely come a long way. So finally when my friends challenged each other to a trek to Tadiandamol, I accepted it with open arms. Although the competition was among us, we signed up with a trek group for the overall activity.

Before the journey

Last spring, around Holi, four of us headed to Coorg on an early Saturday morning. We availed a car rental from Bangalore to Coorg from a top-rated service provider, so we wouldn’t have to worry about the on-road paraphernalia. Plus, we needed to save our energy for the climb. Thankfully our cabbie was a local and was well-versed with the hilly terrain.

We started while it was still dark outside, so we could reach and start the climb before the sun was overhead. It took us nearly five hours via NH 275.

The hills of Coorg

One of the most luxuriant hill stations of Karnataka, Coorg was as fascinating as I had found it 15 years ago, albeit with more commercialization. But its pure natural beauty with the lush mountains and frothy waterfalls, all laced with a musty-spicy aroma of herbs and spice plantations, still succeeds in creating a mystical aura. As the car slowed down near our base camp, I could feel the blood pumping in my veins, possibly a little nostalgia, mixed with anticipation, and a whole lot of thrill.

Sitting at an elevation of 1750 meters, the Tadiandamol Peak is the highest point of Coorg and the third highest of Karnataka. The trek route starts from the base near Madikeri Fort and takes about five to six hours to reach the apex. There were quite a few groups of trekkers, both pro and amateur, all seeking refuge in the verdant mountain paradise.

Despite the bright sunshine, mountains and its surrounding areas were still covered in mist, which added to the thrill.

The trek

The first few miles were easier and smoother than most trails that I have trodden. So, I could focus less on the walk and more on the surrounding view. As we continued to climb the horizon widened, exposing us to mesmerizing views of the hills and valleys below. We walked through thick Shola forests, with muddy streams cutting through the trails here and there. We stopped intermittently to refuel us with a quick swig of Gatorade and catch our breath. More or less the entire route of the trek was easily walkable, except for the stretch after Rock Point, where the trail narrows and one need to be careful at every step.

After almost four or five hours, we reached the peak! It was the most jubilant feeling. Although I had done more difficult treks, reaching the top of Tadiandamol seemed long overdue and felt like a different kind of victory! We took our break at the top, stretched out on the velvety ground, under the open sky, and soaked in the breathtaking views of the clouds kissing the mountains.

It took us another two or three hours to climb back to our basecamp where we spent the night, exhausted physically, but rejuvenated in our minds and hearts.

Pro Tips:

Always rent a quality car in Coorg that can navigate the mountainous terrain.
Start your trek early in the day, so you can finish it by sundown.
Try to plan your trek between November and April, and avoid monsoon and summer for a better experience.

9 Popular Indian Actresses Who Disappeared From Bollywood After Marriage

By

Shubhi Srivastava

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January 20, 2019

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The entertainment industry is the most volatile industry in the world. Be it Bollywood or Hollywood, trends change faster than seasons in these industries. If you are an Indian, you will notice how fast the era of Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh gave way to that of Ayushmann Khurana and Vicky Kaushal. With every change in Bollywood “era”, certain prominent actors and actresses start taking a backseat. Some just lose popularity, while others opt out of the industry.

Over the years, many actresses have joined the latter category. These actresses, after marriage, chose to opt out of their successful Bollywood career and invest time in their families. People say that married women aren’t liked by the audience, but look at how well Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor Khan are doing! However, these women that I am about to talk of personally chose to give up acting. Even though they were at the top of their career graph, they chose to sacrifice it for their families. And here is a list of the top 10 actresses who took this courageous step-

Twinkle Khanna

9 Popular Indian Actresses Who Disappeared From Bollywood After Marriage — Source: Wikipedia

The eldest daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, this beautiful actress was the talk of the town in the 1990s. She starred in some blockbuster movies like Mela and Jodi No.1. However, after her love marriage with Akshay Kumar in 2001, she gave up her career as an actress. She did not end her association with movies and worked as a co-producer in movies like Thank You, Tees Maar Khan and Khiladi 786. But she never starred in a movie after 2001. Today, Twinkle Khanna is a successful author, newspaper columnist and interior designer, and the proud mom of two children.

Asin Thottumkal

Fondly known as Asin, Asin Thottumkal started her career in the South Indian Film Industry. But Bollywood soon accepted her as one of its gems after she starred in the blockbuster movie “Ghajini”. After this, she was at the peak of her career with a string of successful movies like “Ready”, “Housefull 2” and “Bol Bachchan”. However, she too took a backseat after her marriage with Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma in 2016. Now she is a proud homemaker in Mumbai with a beautiful daughter Arin.

Genelia D Souza

Genelia D’ Souza was a favorite with both Bollywood and the South Indian film industry for over a decade. Ever since her debut in “Tujhe Meri Kasam” in 2003, her career graph has only gone up. In the course of her Bollywood career, she appeared in many hits like “Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na” and “Force”. She met Ritesh Deshmukh on the sets of “Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya”, and love actually happened. They married in 2012, and ever since Genelia’s acting career took a backseat until she stopped appearing in movies completely. Apart from a few cameo appearances in movies, she has cut ties with the film industry. Genelia is now the brand ambassador of popular brands like LG, Fanta and Fastrack, and a proud homemaker with two children.

Sonali Bendre

She was another popular actress back in the 90s, with an endless string of successful movies with some of the most prominent actors in the industry. Sonali Bendre has appeared in more than 40 Bollywood movies, both as a lead and as a supporting actress. She has delivered amazing performances in timeless hits like “Sarfarosh” and “Hum Saath Saath Hain”. But after her marriage with film director Goldie Behl, she stopped appearing in movies. She didn’t completely cut ties with the entertainment industry and appeared in many reality shows like India’s Got Talent and India’s Best Dramebaaz. But after her 10-year leave from the film industry and a brief comeback with “Once Upon A Time In Mumbai: Dobara”, she chose to go lowkey. Now, Sonali is a devoted wife and a devoted mother to her 13-year-old son Ranveer.

Ayesha Takia

The beautiful actress made her debut with the movie “Taarzan: The Wonder Car” in 2004. Ever since she became one of Bollywood’s pet actresses and gave hits after hits. Ayesha established herself as a versatile actress in the 2000s. She has starred in many blockbuster movies like “Salaam-E-Ishq”, “Dor”, “Wanted”, and “Paathshala”. But she too, like many of her contemporaries, chose to give up her acting career in favor of homemaking. After her marriage with Farhan Azmi in 2009, she only appeared in two movies and faded away. Now apart from a few appearances in advertisements and her activity on social media, Ayesha Takia has gone completely lowkey.

Isha Koppikar

Isha Koppikar is well-known for doing movies with unconventional plots. She has starred in a number of blockbuster movies like “Kya Kool Hain Hum”, “36 China Town”, “Hum Tum” and “Krishna Cottage”. Along with this, she has also done movies like “Darling” and “Shabri” in which her performance was critically acclaimed. Isha married hotelier Timmy Narang in 2009, and apart from two more Hindi film releases, she cut ties with Bollywood. She does appear occasionally in Kannada and Telugu movies, but apart from that, Isha Koppikar has vanished into thin air.

Minissha Lamba

This Punjabi beauty was as renowned for her acting skills in Bollywood as she was for her beauty and bubbly nature. Minissha Lamba won many hearts in the course of her decade-old acting career. During this time, she delivered flawless performances in many hits like “Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.”, “Bachna Ae Haseeno”, “Kidnap” and “Bheja Fry 2”. But right after her last movie “Double Trouble” in 2014, she married her longtime boyfriend Ryan Tham. Ever since, even though she got movie offers, she chose to devote time to her family instead. Minissha is a proud homemaker and has cut ties with the entertainment industry apart from cameo appearances in reality TV shows.

Kim Sharma

Kim Michelle Sharma is yet another actress of the 2000s who gave up acting in favor of homemaking. She is best known for her performance in blockbuster movies like “Mohabbatein”, “Fida”, and “Nehle Pe Dehla”. Although she wasn’t as successful or popular as her contemporaries, she still had a fairly successful Bollywood career. But after her marriage with Kenyan business tycoon Ali Punjani, she took a backseat. Kim never appeared in a movie again. And now although the couple has split, Kim chooses to stay away from Bollywood and is working as a brand strategist in Mumbai.

Udita Goswami

The former model gave some immemorable performances in Bollywood films like “Zeher”, “Aksar”, and “Aggar”. Udita’s was an interesting Bollywood career with many highs and lows and endless controversies. But as popular as she was in the 2000s, she became even more lowkey following her marriage with Mohit Suri in 2013. Udita Goswami’s last movie “The Diary Of A Butterfly” was in 2012, and that was the last time Bollywood ever heard of her. People were sad to see her go, but she is happier being a homemaker and a proud mother of two.

All these actresses were successful, but they chose to give up their career for their family. Kudos to these women for taking such a brave step. We admire your courage and we miss you!

How To Stay Healthy In College

By

Shubhi Srivastava

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January 19, 2019

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College life is busy and hectic, jam-packed with classes, extracurriculars, and parties. Between all of this, it can become hard to find time for fitness. College life can be so busy that it can take a toll on your health. Extreme weight gain or weight loss is very common among college students. So it is important to take care of yourself and find time to stay healthy and fit. And here is exactly how you can do so-

Make healthy food choices in the canteen

Always try to make healthy food choices in your hostel mess or college canteen. Meals are often provided in a planned manner in hostel messes. But if you look closely, there will always be a healthier alternative available. Avoid oily foods, and go for lighter foods. Pile up on salads and oil-free foods, and steer clear of greasy or sweet foods. And make sure you don’t skip meals just because you don’t like mess food. You still need food to survive, so make sure to eat and keep your energy going.

Stock up on healthy snacks

Late night cravings are a frequent occurrence in hostels. And more often than not, these hunger pangs are responsible for all the unhealthy weight gain students suffer from. But you don’t need to sleep hungry. Stock up on healthy snacks to satisfy your daily hunger pangs while keeping within your caloric limit. Instead of chocolate and chips, snack on almonds, popcorn, or veggies with a low-calorie dip. Have some greek yogurt with fruit instead of bread and Nutella. Substitute your Doritos with sprouts, soft drinks with herbal tea and instant noodles with oatmeal. These substitutes will keep your hunger at bay and make you feel satisfied without compromising on your health.

Stay active

Join a fitness club or a gym, or play a sport in your college. Most colleges offer free fitness classes for students, so avail the opportunity and use these facilities. Staying active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. If you don’t give your body exercise after those long hours of lectures and midnight snacking, you will pile on a lot of unwanted weight. You will also feel lethargic and not be able to keep up with your stressful day. Exercise doesn’t just burn calories, it also helps you de-stress. So make sure to engage in some kind of blood-pumping exercise every day.

Stay hydrated at all times

Water is the elixir of life, and of good health. And it is also very easy to forget to have an appropriate amount of water every day. Hunger signals and thirst signals are both similar to our brain, so we sometimes mistake thirst for hunger. We then don’t just end up being dehydrated, but also overeat. So make sure you are well-hydrated at all times. Carry a water bottle to class, and make sure you keep drinking from it. If you have trouble remembering, set reminders every hour to drink water. Set small goals, but make sure to drink at least 2 liters of water every day.

Learn how to cook

You may think of cooking as a waste of time, but it is actually not. In fact, if you know how to cook, it will make your life in college simpler. You can save money on ordering food from outside and also cook healthier meals. By cooking meals yourself, you know exactly what is going in your stomach, so you can control the number of calories in your food. Also, food from outside, especially street food, is often cooked very unhygienically. By cooking meals yourself, you also ensure that the meals are clean and wholesome. Cooking is a survival skill everyone should have. You don’t need to be a MasterChef, just learn enough so you can survive if stranded on an island with a modular kitchen.

Take care of personal hygiene

People often tend to neglect the hygiene aspect of good health. Ever heard of the quote, “Cleanliness is Godliness”? It is a universal truth, so stick to it. No one wants to be friends with a person who doesn’t shower regularly, or whose room stinks of unwashed laundry. Keep yourself and your surroundings clean, so that you don’t attract germs and negativity in your life. Personal hygiene is extremely important, even if you have way better things to do than taking a bath. Brush and floss your teeth every day and be sure to take a shower every day. Wear clean clothes, do your laundry on time, and keep your room clean. This will keep the doctor away more effectively than the healthiest apple in the world.

Say no to booze

There is no need to be ashamed of admitting to boozing in college. Most of us do it. And I am not asking you to give it up. It is your personal choice and I respect it. But alcohol is made of empty calories. Every gram of alcohol has 7 calories, and even a small 30 ml shot of booze amounts to 100 calories. Drinks like margaritas and daiquiris are even higher in calories because of added sugar and other things. Stick to light alcohols, and try drinking less, or less frequently. Booze is bad for you, and the hangovers are so not worth it. But since saying no in social situations is hard, just play safe with one drink. Substitute your cocktail with a small 30ml serving diluted with sparkling water or Diet Coke. It will save both your sanity and your waistline in the long run.

Get adequate sleep

Sleep is extremely important for the normal functioning of our body. And college students suffer the most from insomnia and unhealthy sleep habits. If you don’t give your body rest, your body will not be able to keep up with your stressful schedule. So make sure to get at least 7 hours of proper uninterrupted sleep every day. Set a sleep schedule for yourself that works. If you are a nocturnal person and has classes late in the afternoon, sleep till late in the morning. And if you have classes early in the morning, try getting your work done before its too late at night. Whatever you do, give priority to sleep. If you don’t, all your hard work will go to waste because your body won’t be able to cope.

College years are the best years of your life. They are also the years most crucial to your personal development. Introducing healthy habits in your lifestyle at this stage will lay the foundations of your personality later. Also, taking care of yourself when you are young will help you retain your strength in your old age. Keeping all these things in mind, don’t let bad health ruin your college life. Stay fir, stay healthy, and enjoy!

Highest Calorie Indian Foods And Their Healthier Substitutes

By

Shubhi Srivastava

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January 19, 2019

0

Indian cuisine is considered to be one of the healthiest and most diverse cuisines in the world. Gourmet cooks from around the world flock to India to taste the rich and exotic foods. Indians boast of a huge variety of foods with flavors ranging from savory to decadent and sweet to extremely spicy. Indian foods are generally cooked and use a lot of antioxidant-rich spices. The balance of carbs, protein, and fats in most Indian dishes is perfect. However, there are some Indian foods which are not just high in calories, but also extremely unhealthy. Some Indian dishes use a great deal of oil, butter, ghee, sugar, and nuts to make them richer and tastier. Indian cuisine also has many popular deep-fried dishes that are relished by the population. So here is a list of the top highest calorie Indian foods, (and their lower calorie substitutes for the health-conscious)-

Kachori

Highest Calorie Indian Foods And Their Healthier Substitutes — Source: food.ndtv.com

One will see kachoris being deep-fried in big vessels at every other street corner. They are hot and spicy, and often filled with potatoes or lentils. Although kachoris are a favorite among Indians and is a staple breakfast for some, it is extremely high in calories. A single kachori has around 200-300 calories alone, and no one can ever eat just one kachori. They are high in trans fats and cholesterol due to being deep-fried. And more often than not, the spicy potato filling makes it even unhealthier.

Healthier substitute- Vegetable parantha

Paranthas are not the healthiest food on the planet but are way better than kachoris. They are not deep-fried, and just toasted lightly on a pan with little oil. You can make healthy paranthas by filling them with paneer or veggies and using very little oil. This way, you won’t just save calories, but also increase the nutritional value of your food. Pair these paranthas with curd, and you have a perfect meal that is healthy and filling.

Samosa

Ah, which Indian doesn’t love samosas with their chai. Samosas are deep-fried pastries filled with potatoes, chickpeas or meat. They are every Indian’s favorite snack, but again, extremely high in calories. One medium sized samosa has almost 300 calories, and the deep-fried delight is extremely high in fat and refined carbs. Definitely not good for you if you are a health-conscious person.

Healthier substitute- Dhokla

Where there are samosas, there are always dhoklas. Dhoklas are made from rice and chickpea batter and are extremely light on the stomach. Each dhokla has merely 50 calories and has very little or no oil at all. This means that you can eat 6 dhoklas for every one samosa! So whenever you go to a shop and see samosas and dhoklas, go for the dhoklas instead.

Jalebi

Jalebis or Imartis are the most popular sweet dish in India, often served with yogurt in North India. They are orange-colored coil-shaped sweets made of maida deep-fried and then soaked in sugar syrup. Once you eat one jalebi, you will always crave for more. But one medium sized jalebi has around 150 calories. Jalebis are made of refined flour, that is both deep-fried and soaked in sugar. So you can imagine what havoc more than one jalebi can wreak on your health.

Healthier substitute- Kaju Katli

Let’s make one thing clear here- Kaju katli is not healthy. But compared to a jalebi in the caloric value department, it is way better. One Kaju katli has around 50 calories, and they have lesser sugar than a jalebi. So if you are craving something sweet, you are better off enjoying a piece of Kaju katli than gorging on the rich jalebis.

Gulabjamun

Another favorite sweet among the Indians, gulabjamuns are extremely rich and decadent. They are balls of maida and ghee deep-fried and then soaked in sugar. The process is almost the same as making jalebis, with a slight difference in the ingredients used in the dough and their consistency. So you can yourself take a guess as to how unhealthy these sweet delights are. One gulabjamun has 200-250 calories depending on the size, and extremely high in fat and sugar.

Healthier substitute- Rasgulla

Again, not the healthiest food on the planet, but way less calorie-dense. Rasgullas are made by cooking balls of paneer in sugar syrup. One rasgulla has around 80-100 calories and is as decadent as a gulabjamun.

Vada Pav

Vada pav is a popular Maharashtrian dish that comprises of deep-fried flour-covered potatoes sandwiched between two pieces of pav bread. It is similar to a sandwich, with mint chutney and ketchup smeared on pav and a vada in between. Vada pavs are as delicious and addictive as burgers, but as high in calories. One vada pav has almost 300 calories and extremely high in fat, carbs, and oil.

Healthier substitute- Whole wheat sandwich

Trust me, you will not miss out on the taste at all with this substitute. Whole wheat bread is as delicious as pavs (made of refined flour). Substitute your deep-fried vada with lots of veggies, paneer, or even chicken, and you get a wholesome snack for half the calories.

Chhole Bhature

This is a Punjabi dish immensely enjoyed by North Indians. It comprises spicy chickpea curry (chhole) served with fluffy deep-fried bread (bhatura) made of refined flour and baking soda dough. Now, chickpeas in themselves are a healthy food, but extremely unhealthy when served in a spicy and oily curry. As for the bhaturas, they are the worst foods ever, high in refined carbs and oil. One bhatura with chhole equals almost 400-500 calories (one bhatura equals 250 calories). In fact, a restaurant serving of chhole bhature can amount to over 1000 calories.

Healthier substitute- Chhole chawal

Simply substitute your bhaturas with steamed rice and you save more than 300 calories. Restaurants often cook chhole with a lot of oil and spices. You can make healthier chhole at your own home with less oil. Enjoy your chhole with steamed rice or chapati, and you will kill two birds with one stone.

Papri Chaat

Papri chaat, also known as basket chaat in some places, is another favorite Indian delicacy. It comprises of a crisp wafer-basket made with deep-fried refined flour. This fried basket is now filled with boiled chickpeas, potatoes, tamarind chutney, curd, and sev namkeen. Papri chaat is absolutely delicious with a blend of different flavors (sweet, sour, tangy), but also extremely high in calories. One serving of papri chaat can set you back by approximately 300 calories and has little nutritional value, even with the curd and the chickpeas.

Healthier substitute- Bhelpuri

Bhelpuri has way lesser calories and is way lighter on the stomach. It is made of puffed rice mixed with lemon, tamarind sauce, and chopped veggies or sprouts. One serving of bhelpuri has only a 100 calories. And it has the same combination of flavors- tangy, sour and savory, so you won’t be missing out.

Medu Vada

Medu vada is a South Indian dish comprising of deep-fried balls of black-lentil dough served with sambhar and coconut chutney. It is an extremely popular South-Indian dish often eaten for breakfast. But the combination of deep-frying with black lentils is not at all good for your digestive system. One small piece of medu vada has around 140 calories, and people generally eat between 4-5 pieces along with sambhar and chutney. So you can only imagine the number of calories you can pile up with this breakfast.

Healthier Substitute- Idli Sambhar

Idlis are fluffy steamed cakes made of rice or semolina (sooji) batter. One idli is merely 40 calories and extremely light on the stomach. Just substitute your vadas with idlis and you will save more than 500 calories on food and your stomach from diarrhea.

Chicken Korma

Just like how Americans are fond of beef, Indians are fond of chicken. There is a mind-boggling variety of chicken curries in Indian cuisine. And one of the most popular is Chicken Korma, which comprises of chicken marinated with spices and cooked in a creamy buttery curry made with yogurt and spices. Chicken Korma is extremely rich, savory and delicious, but one of the highest calorie foods in India. One average restaurant serving of Chicken Korma has around 900 calories. And the amount of oil and butter involved takes away any nutritional benefit coming from the chicken and spices.

Healthier Substitute- Tandoori chicken

Tandoori Chicken is made by marinating chicken and smoking it over an open fire. It is as tasty as chicken korma and involves way lesser amount of oil in its preparation process. One serving of Tandoori chicken is 300-400 calories with the same amount of protein as in chicken korma.

Soya Chaap

If you are a Delhiite, you must be familiar with this popular dish. Soya chaap is prepared just like chicken tikka masala or paneer tikka masala. The only difference is in the main ingredient- paneer/chicken is replaced with soya chaap (made of soya and flour dough). But although soya is high in protein, one serving of soya chaap has around 400-500 calories, most of which come from oil. The marinade for soya chaap is often very rich and oily, made with spices, curd and vegetable oil.

Healthier substitute- Soya nuggets sabzi

The main ingredient is the same, the consistency is the same and the taste is also almost the same. Instead of gorging on soya chaap served by street-vendors, cook your own soya sabzi at home. You can also buy raw soya chaap and cook it at home with less oil.

Butter Naan

Indian cuisine has a wide variety of vegetable and meat curries, and a wider variety of breads to enjoy these curries with. One of these is Butter naan, a thick fluffy bread made of refined flour toasted on a pan and smeared generously with lots of butter. It is a staple served in parties to enjoy with chicken or vegetable curries. But just one butter naan has around 240 calories, all thanks to the butter and the refined flour. It is one of the unhealthiest breads in the world, and also extremely high in calories, considering that no one eats just one piece of naan.

Healthier substitute- Whole-wheat/Multigrain chapati

Chapatis are made with zero oil, and whole grains. One chapati has around 50-80 calories, lots of fiber and almost zero fat. Substitute your butter naan with multigrain or whole-wheat chapati, and enjoy your curry without added calories or guilt.

Indulging once in a while is fine. But eating rich foods high in calories on a regular basis is just not good for you. And it’s not just about weight gain, but also other problems like heart disease, cholesterol, and food poisoning. So don’t deny yourself the simple pleasures of life, but also try making healthier choices 90% of the time.

How To Live A Minimalist Life

By

Shubhi Srivastava

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January 19, 2019

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With increasing frustration among the masses with our busy materialistic lives, more people are turning towards a minimalist lifestyle. Minimalism is not just a passing fad, like a diet. It is a way of living. Most people associate minimalism with becoming a modern-day hermit. But the truth is far from that. Living a minimalistic life just means that you eliminate all those things from your life that do not add value to it. Minimalism, hence, has a very subjective definition. Everybody has different priorities and different preferences. A minimalistic lifestyle simply means that you are confining your life to only the highest priority things in your life. It simplifies your life, declutters it, and makes you happier. After all, who wants to have to worry about a thousand unnecessary things every day?

So if you too, want to adopt a minimalist lifestyle, here are a few tips on how to do so-

Know why you want to do it

If you are doing this because its the new talk of the town, you are going down the wrong road. Embracing a new lifestyle is not as easy as it sounds. Humans of today place a lot of value on materialistic things. We may not admit it, but we are way too attached to things that people a hundred years ago had never even heard of. You cannot live without internet even for an hour, and most of us have a hard time giving up donuts. So make up your mind, and ask yourself why are you looking to change your lifestyle.

A minimalistic lifestyle is for people who are more focused on finding their true purpose in life, or people who just want to simplify their life. Make sure that you are doing this for yourself, and not because it is “the cool thing to do”. Minimalistic living is tough, so you need to be mentally prepared for it.

Start with your smartphone

Okay, so many die-hard minimalists actually give up their smartphone and buy a small handset instead. If you can live without smartphones, kudos to you. But let’s face it, most of us here can’t. So instead of sacrificing your smartphone completely, just make a few changes to it. Get rid of the extra apps on your phone that you hardly ever use. You don’t need gaming apps on your phone, or ten newsletters and blog apps.

Declutter your phone, and delete all the extras that you don’t absolutely NEED. If there is an app on your phone that will be of no use when you are in a sinking boat, delete it. Apps just take up space on your phone. Get rid of them. And use app blocking apps to block your social media apps for times when they’re a distraction. I would suggest getting rid of social media altogether, but that’s advanced minimalism. Baby steps, folks!

Declutter your wardrobe

All of us have a ton of clothing items that we never wear. We buy these clothes because of their visual appeal, but never actually wear them. Get rid of clothes like these. Don’t think about all the times that you can wear clothes like these. If you haven’t worn them till now, chances are you won’t in the future either. Donate the clothes that don’t fit you, that you don’t wear, or that are worn out. Your wardrobe should only have clothes that you wear regularly.

Also, reduce your clothes collection. Have a few basic articles of clothing for every season. Buy clothes that can be worn at all occasions. Modify your wardrobe in such a way that anything can be paired with anything in it. If you reorganize this way, you will find that you will save a lot of time while getting ready to go out. Also, you will never be bored with wearing the same clothes again and again.

Clothes are meant to protect your body from the outside world. I know fashion is a thing, but who said that you need to have an entire clothes’ store in your wardrobe to be fashionable?

Get rid of everything excess

Excess clothing, excess utensils, excess apps, excess furniture, basically anything that is excess, get rid of it. You don’t need a 3BHK apartment if you are the only one living in the house. Shift into a smaller apartment that can accommodate you and your needs without any extras. This will save money too.

Get rid of excess furniture, keep only enough that is required for your existence in the house. The lesser number of things you have, the less you will have to worry about a robbery in your house. In fact, get rid of excess money too! By this, I mean that after you are done with your existential expenditures, put aside the rest of the money in a savings account. Don’t spend it on useless things, or let it lie around the house like a free commodity.

Also, get rid of too many subscriptions. You don’t need Netflix, Amazon Prime, and HBO all at the same time. One will suffice. Unsubscribe to newsletters, they only clutter your email. DECLUTTER AND DISCARD!

Change your food habits

You eat to live, you don’t live to eat. Food is just nutrition, so it’s important to treat it that way. Simplify your meals, and don’t eat out unless you are traveling. Learn how to cook, and cook simple, wholesome meals for yourself that don’t require many ingredients. Also, try eating similar things every day. Stop yourself from drooling over junk food. It is bad for both your body and your wallet. Junk foods are addictive, and only provide temporary gratification to you. They do not add any value to your life. In fact, these highly processed foods may just make you feel bad later on (bloating, nausea, skin break-outs, etc).

Eliminate such cravings from your life, cook for yourself, and eat simple, healthy meals. Eat just enough to keep yourself energized. If you lead an active lifestyle, have one big meal post workout, and light ones before. But if you spend your entire day sitting on a desk, you don’t need heavy meals. Eat and spend (on food) only as much as absolutely necessary.

Have at most two bank accounts

Most of us are guilty of having not less than five credit cards in our wallets. We keep fumbling around in our wallet for a different credit card everytime we go out shopping. Discard this habit, and stick to having only one or two bank accounts- one for expenditure and one for your emergency fund. Having only one credit card for expenditure will not just simplify transaction handling, but also help you save money. If you don’t have a horde of credit cards to save you from useless shopping sprees, you will naturally stay away from them. Simplify your life and your finances by limiting yourself to two bank accounts.

Travel light

Actually, this advice is also for those who AREN’T minimalists. There is no reason for you to lug around a year’s worth of luggage when you are only going somewhere for a week. Most of the things that we often pack in our travel-bags are completely useless. Make a list of things you want to take, and prioritize them by need. Then only pack the top 15 things in that list. I mean, you should realize that traveling with a ton of luggage is never fun anyway. And minimalism is all about giving importance only to the highest priority things in your life. When traveling, keep the essentials, and discard the rest.

Here is a tip for you- buy one backpack and one moderate-sized trolley bag. Have only these two in your house for traveling purposes. Use the backpack for short trips, the trolley bag for longer trips, and both for even longer trips. If you don’t have a lot of travel bags, you won’t pack too much for any trip. This is a trick I personally use when I am traveling, so I know it works.

Get rid of emotional and social clutter too

Minimalism is not just restricted to the physical things in your life, but also the emotional and social things. Limit yourself to a small circle of friends who really matter to you. You don’t need an entire crowd of people you call “friends”. A small circle of people that you can truly and completely depend upon will suffice.

Let go of friends you only meet for drinks over the weekend. This will save you time, energy and money. Don’t be rude to people, but don’t give too much priority to people who don’t matter to you much. Saying no to hanging out in a pub with people you only know by name will not make you a jerk. Save yourself the unnecessary headache of excess socializing.

Getting rid of emotional clutter means to let go of the negative aspects of your past. Move on. Let go of past regrets and painful memories. Sort things out with the involved parties, and bury the past. Unburden your heart and free your mind of all negative thoughts that are holding you back from living a happy and content life.

Focus on quality over quantity

Minimalism is all about focusing more on quality than quantity. Apply this principle everywhere in your life. For example, buy just one article of clothing that is good quality and will last you years from now. Do not invest in ten articles of clothing that you will either only wear once or that are cheap quality. Eat foods that will nourish your body and make you look and feel good. You don’t need as much food as you think you do, but make sure what you eat is healthy and good for your body. As for junk food, it’s just not good for you. I’m not asking you to completely give up junk food, but don’t make your life revolve around it.

In short, everywhere you can, apply the principle of “quality over quantity”. Have a less number of possessions, but have good, sturdy and reliable ones that will last you more than a decade.

I myself am a minimalist by nature, which is why I am more financially stable and mentally happier than many of my peers. Minimalism doesn’t just save you time and money, it also makes you a happier person. When you have fewer things to worry about, you automatically become a happier person.

We are so focused on running after the useless materialistic things in life that we often cannot enjoy simple pleasures in life. Our ancestors were way happier than we are because they didn’t feel the need to have a ton of materialistic possessions. They only owned what was needed for their survival, and focused more on their purpose in life. So take things in your own hands, and do away with all the unnecessary headaches in your life.