I want to break free!

Sheetal

Apart from a visit to the nearest grocery shop, it is safest to stay at home in these tough times. With the lockdown extended now, one has already come face-to-face with habits that hinder personal growth. And, it is ideal to break free from them… just as these celebs have done.

No more junk

Singer Rahul Pandey says, “I love eating out. It is like my go-to option for everything; whether I am happy, sad, celebrating, tired or just about anything. This lockdown has helped me quit junk food. It is fascinating how our minds respond to such situations. I have been trying to quit this habit for the past few years. Who knew it would take a pandemic to finally do it!”

Slow down

Says Chandigarh-born music producer Dub Sharma, “This lockdown was all about paying attention to things that we do mindlessly in our day-to-day lives. In my case, it helped me notice my irregular sleep pattern and high amount of caffeine intake every single day. I was able to break away from both the habits! Though forced by a pandemic, we all need to slow down more often and take stock of our lifestyles. A few conscious changes can bring us closer to our goals.” In addition, Dub believes in learning new things and takes various online classes, such as script-writing, on different platforms.

Shed toxicity

Actress Ihana Dhillon says, “The ongoing lockdown has given me a lot of time to reflect and helped me in understanding the intricacies of life better. I observed that I always use to work around the standards and goals set by society. These few weeks have allowed me to introspect and look upon life from a different perspective. I decided to set my own goals, which made me content as an individual. I am more focused than ever before now.”

Ihana says there were a few connections that she thought didn’t allow her to grow as a human being. “This time has also made me understand the true value of real relationships, which perhaps can help me break ties from the toxic ones.”

Health comes first

For singer Ragini Tandan, bringing more discipline into her lifestyle was important. She says, “Health had always taken a back seat in my life. Amidst jams, recordings and shows, I barely use to eat healthy and on time. So, regulating my diet and work-out sessions have helped me bring discipline in my lifestyle, which I have been wanting to do for a while.”

Be organised

Lyricist Prashant Ingole, who has given songs for films like Bajirao Mastani and Mary Kom, confesses how he always focused on himself and his dreams. While his life was all about voluntary self-isolation, as writing made him stay away from people, what he lacked was proper organisation. He says, “I have lived one day at a time, but lockdown has made me more organised. It is true that I don’t know what is coming tomorrow, but there is no harm in making a proper weekly planner, which I do now. I indulge in other things apart from writing. To name a few, learning Spanish language and Salsa, which have always been on my mind.”

sheetal.dadhwal@tribunemail.com