Dil*wali Diwali

Airports are packed, everyone is trying to get home. Online portals and App's are promising best deals, crazy jams are making sure you spend maximum time being “30ish and stuck in traffic”. 

Imagine a hypothetical situation, what if lord Rama was returning from his exile in 2015 (2001 to 2015). He would definitely be offered a wild card entry into BigBoss season 9 because they need to jumpstart TRP’s. Sita’s entry song would be “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo” and her jewellery will be sponsored by TBZ. Snap Deal, Amazon and Pepper Fry will be event partners. Google Maps shall track his exact location. How confused Rama would be? India has changed drastically in 14 years of his absence, we are embracing consumerism in full glory.

Life Hack

Dimaag - Mere paas saare amazing patake hai.

Dil - Mere pass maachis hai beta

Blogger’s are pushing products left, right and centre for diwali discounts, I refuse to join the band wagon because there is no discount for a blog that talks deeper than fashion and lifestyle. So, 30ish is going to talk to you about a Real Deal - I mean Real Dil :D 

This Diwali, follow your heart. If there was this one thing that was always on your bucket list but never got real, sort that. Let the rocket of your dreams take off, gift yourself the courage to dream big.

Blogger’s are pushing products left, right and centre for diwali discounts, I refuse to join the band wagon because there is no discount for a blog that talks deeper than fashion and lifestyle. So, 30ish is going to talk to you about a Real Deal - I mean Real Dil :D 

This Diwali, follow your heart. If there was this one thing that was always on your bucket list but never got real, sort that. Let the rocket of your dreams take off, gift yourself the courage to dream big.

Statutory Warning: This post is not sponsored by Big Boss, Snapdeal, Amazon, Pepperfry, TBZ, Google or Salman Khan. It's a property of Mumbai traffic jams, because that’s what sparked this IDEA. No no, Idea Cellular hasn’t sponsored it either. You get the drift!
  

Desi Road Trip - National Highway 1A Jammu

First rule of any road trip is to have an open heart, currently on National Highway 1A exploring Jammu. One of the places I visited on this route was Vaishnodevi. Not religious but I believe in the power of positivity and spirituality

Life Hack: This post is a personal interpretation. Don’t judge my words dive deeper into the context, there is a hidden message.

Every North Indian child is taken to this holy shrine at some point in life, my first memory was as a 6 year old who was made to climb on a Pithoo (a human carrying kids/luggage)As a child I loved the ride, it gave me a better view of the valley but when I think of it now, seems quite unfair!

Devotees trek for 4-7 hrs, one way(depending on your speed)in extreme weather conditions. Nothing stops them, each one is convinced that they will complete the journey and surprisingly they do. Human spirit is challenged and the winner is each ones “will power”. What if we focused all the dedication towards overcoming the hurdles within our mind. She will guide you if you are willing to be brave.

As I stood in front of the devi, I was numb. Everyone around me was zoned out, as if they just met her, but in my head I was fighting a conflict. On the way back, I decided to trek to Katra alone and unlock this mystery within. I could feel how different parts of my personality which had baffled me at times were in fact her manifestation in all human beings. Every time I decided to stand for myself irrespective of the consequences (Durga). When I decided to take up my new journey fearlessly (Kali) and thats when I felt a real connection. 

• After completing the trek, grab some hot rajma chawal. It is the ultimate carb load, like you earned it!

• Organic almonds and walnuts available in the local markets are a must buy.

• There is no signal for prepaid sim cards, so make sure two of you in the group have a post paid card, for safety purpose.

• If you love animals, your heart will break on how horses are treated. They lead a real tough life carrying humans and construction material.

She would never want you to suffer, to reach out to her.

She stands for strength that guides every decision you take, she is within you. #BetOnYourself

Road Tripper's Perspective

For those who do not know the mythological connect

Located on the peaks of Trikuta, the holy cave of the goddess has an interesting legend. It is believed that several centuries ago, a selfish demon known as Bhairon Nath started chasing a young girl named Vaishno Devi, who was the reincarnation of the mother goddess and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. She meditated for nine months in a cave known as ‘Garbh Joon’ before being disrupted by Bhairon. She was then compelled to take the form of Kali and behead the demon.
  

Itch to Switch @30ish

Our story has a voice, published in #LivingLocal, Lifestyle. 

Changing your profession at the peak of your career? How do you deal with the ultimate debate of heart V/S mind. The toughest hurdle for anyone chasing their passion is the fact that they have to get over themselves! Get over the notion of a perfect life, perfect job, and the perfect time to get started.

The first step before you give in to your ‘Itch to Switch’ would be to recognise what is your orientation to work. It will roughly be within the boundary of one of the following:

    •       Job - Your main focus is financial rewards.

    •       Career - You are driven by prestige, power and growth.

    •       Calling - Work is your ‘purpose for life’. 

#Life Hack: Not easy, but its definitely going to be worth it.

No one can give you the right advice, because they will never be you*. Your aspirations and dreams will be questioned by everyone, including yourself. I can best explain this through my own story.

30ish is a personal journey of quitting a fancy corporate job after almost a decade and starting my own blog. When you see someone else going through the same turmoil, you tend to flow with their energy. 30ish is my positive attempt to inspire my readers to ‘Bet On Themselves. 

Your gut will challenge every thing you planned for your future. Some of us stick to our jobs , because according to them 30ish is too late to take a risk. A few of us, jump the bridge and scream 30ish still gives me 20-30 years to experiment and live happier. Its all about your perspective.

Be an entrepreneur if you are willing to feel uncomfortable and evolve continuously. Your life will always be LOADING. Everyone has an inner guidance system. Trust more, fear less. 

Leave a comment if you would like to take this conversation further :)
  

30ish on YouTube - Oh My Vlog!

We are very protective about the commitment we make to ourselves. 30ish getting on YouTube is a promise I made to myself. Growth is the only option I have.

#LifeHack: Mumbai gives me strength of character, its a reflection of my choices in life. Every city has a word that perfectly defines it, the word for Mumbai is Alive! 30ish getting on Youtube is my most gangster move :D 

My one man army!

Thanks Studio Unplugged for making me sound better than Taylor Swift :D

*Love *Share *Subscribe (plug your earphones)

How did we shoot? I am going to call this section “Shooting, Not Allowed Madame”.

Me : Sir (Cop/Pandu), I want to record a 2 minute footage (Marine Drive)

Cop: Director Kaun? - Me

Cop: Heroin Kaun? Me

Cop: Producer Kaun? - Me (disbelief)

Cop:"Madame, Shooting NAUGHT (not) Allowed". I faced this at every location.

There is a war tactic called guerrilla warfare, where you fight with everything and anything. Face the bullet with a stone, because thats what you have. The locations covered during the shoot are highly guarded, super crowded, imagine how chaotic the shoot must be. I do not have the backing of ‘travel and living’, yet! (someday I wish to) no assistant directors, editors or high tech crew, just an insane desire to take the blog to the next level. #BetOnYourself

Technique of shooting : Hidden cameras, candid shots, natural lighting, no makeup, nothing glossy, Mumbai portrayed in its complete rawness. I wished to look glamorous but every time the cop took a break from his duty, the choice was between the 'perfect look and the perfect shot'.

The purpose of this city is to be the light and its vibe absolutely ELECTRIC. Mumbai is infinite that’s what I wish for 30ish. All my readers are a part of this journey, my only gratification is your love so replace your silent smiles with loud whistles and noisy high fives :)

This Vlog is powered by Life In Lens, they debut in the space of video content with #MumbaiAlive.    They are coming on board as our Vlog partner, super exciting video's in the pipeline.

Check their work -Life In Lens Profile

***CONTEST ALERT***@DoodleCollection is our merchandise partner for this post.

Check their quirky designs DoodleCollection Profile #JoyOfWriting

6 lucky winner's will win quirky note books. 

Leave a comment on 30ish FB page/ Blog (below) or YouTube Link,3 words that represent Mumbai for you.

  

Date your Glorious Mistakes - Life of a blogger

Today is my 100th day as an entrepreneur. #BetOnYourself

Thank you for the surprise feature @SocialSamosa #WIN15
Link: 30ish featured in #WIN15, India's top Blogger Conference and Awards

Now that I have the very overwhelming title of being the “Founder of 30ishblogging and PhotoblogHER” Its a struggle to match the hyped digital persona. Not easy, you make glorious mistakes before it seems right (to others).When someone says Entre-Pre-Neur, it actually means 'enter at your own risk'. 

As part of my business strategy, I meet high profile digital consultants who shred every bit of brand 30ish. These meetings leave me feeling like a neon bulb who’s mistakes are visible like dinosaurs. Trust me it takes 24hours to recover from such panic moments.

Life Hack: You had a purpose before they had an opinion, stick to it. 

Thanks for trying to kill my vibe but over time I have become very possessive about my mistakes. They are my true treasure. As long as I am making mistakes, I am growing. 

Ever tried dating your mistakes? It's a safer option than taking them too seriously.

Dating is when you are in the early stage of your relationship, where you meet and know each other better. More like a prelude to being a fully fledged couple, without any serious hang ups. Similarly I prefer dating my mistakes, evaluate pros and cons. I want to know the beast, few mistakes are discovery to your next step, some are purely waste of effort. So take a call and move on.

When the time is right, your mistakes are taken as jokes. Other way round and your jokes are labelled as mistakes. So I guess, there's no right or wrong to this. 

Step One - Date mistakes

Step Two - Accept

Step Three - Learn 

Step Four - Laugh and Forget
  

#30ishTALKS, being a Coach'ar.

Taking 30ish* to LIVE audience was electric. I have lived this brand like a zombie in the last one year. When I stood on that stage, one thing was very clear that 30ish is much bigger than the vision I started with. Being authentic has made 30ish flaming and stunning. Thanks for believing in me.

Public speaking is one of the top 3 social fears known to humans, interesting trivia. Just breathe and hold the bull by its horns! My first and most iconic experience of public speaking was when I forgot the definition of “Inflation”(Economics, BMM). If you are born in the 80’s every professor will give you the example of onions being affected by inflation, thats exactly what I blanked out at. Till date onions represent tragedy.

#Life Hack: Every speech is spilt into 3. What you prepared for, what you delivered and what you could have.

My Day in a nutshell, comedy of errors

Every time they cheered, the excitement made me forget the next point :D

Not making this melodramatic, because days like these remind you that 'life is a joke' and overthinking just makes it worse. Was so hyper that I blow dried my hair for 45 minutes and slept, its a miracle they are still intact. Kept thinking I will wear “That Grey Dress” but “That Grey Dress” was with the dry cleaner (quite organised) 

Should think before you get on stage

Focus

Read your lines

Practice your speech

Should not think, but I did.

Why does my right lense seem clearer than left, what if I trip.

I need water now, or I will choke

I should distract myself, may be update my FB profile (which I did)

What if John Snow is alive, (obsessive GOT repeat watching syndrome)

I think the show MC is forgetting her lines (forgot this could happen to me as well)

Book an Ola

But FIRST please try to breathe and concentrate

Don't fear perfection, acting silly is a hidden weapon. You will always remember the kid who forgot his lines and bounced back with a cuter goof up. Connect with their heart, be real. 30ish is now a movement in progress, thanks to all our goodwill ambassadors. Leave your comments, I will get back with a giant smile.

Being a Coach'ar, but my way.

Pooja Kochar.

  

Mom @30ish, congratulations you a warrior

Featured by #YouthKiAwaaz, 30ish and PhotoblogHER are challenging conventional beauty through photography 

Article Link: http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2015/11/photographing-young-mothers/ 

Every mother is fighting a silent battle. I am very attached to one of my projects #PhotoblogHER, where  I narrate the story of her motherhood through photographs. Moments of her holding the baby, telling them stories, building their dreams is what stays back as a priceless memory. This post is a reflection of my interactions with all the mothers in the past 6 months. 

#Life Hack: Imperfections make us unforgettable, they remind us of our struggles and our victory. Ask a mother to define her stretch marks and she will say, ‘a beautiful battle’ where I won. 

New mom’s apologise “Sorry I am not in the best shape, but can you make me look slimmer, prettier, sexier”. My reply surely, we can work on the lighting and angles. But the fact is that no photoshop will hide her battle lines. They are her identity. 

It’s a very difficult space, food, career, relationships and social pressure are always playing hide and seek. The only way to fight back is to accept it. Your beauty is beyond your insecurities and the texture of your skin. As a woman, I love your stretch marks, dark circles, love handles and cellulite..because thats life.

Bloggers are supposed to be influencers. This power should be used to tell women across the globe that their body type does not need a stamp from the society. You are not a fruit basket.. apples and pears are for the farmers market. A mother will always choose strength, thats your reality.

Leave your comments & share the post, it will inspire other women. 

Love and Grace

30ish