Mithun Rodwittiya's Archives

My writings on being a hands-on Daddy, a Businessman, an Actor and a Model

[mithunrodwittiya]

Adapting to change takes no time

My last week has been very interesting for myself. I have been a staunch supporter of Apple products for quite a while. Of late however, I was getting increasingly frustrated with my iPhone 6S. The new iOS 10 update for me was the final nail in the coffin for me that just pushed me over the cliff. Every time iPhone launched a new phone I was always first in line to get my hands on it. I refrained from purchasing the iPhone 7 because I did not see the sense is spending a bomb for hardly anything in the new upgrade from what I already owned. The new iOS had way too many glitches. An inherent bug with the email has you repeatedly having to keep re-reading your email as it just won't process that you have read it! The battery life is horrible and you are in big trouble if you don't carry a power bank with you wherever you go. The camera contrary to whatever they may say even about the iPhone 7 still remains a far cry from what phones like the Samsung can offer. I love photography and really felt a huge let down with the iPhone camera especially with its front camera and its ability to perform with clicking great imagery by night. Anyways enter for me the OnePlus 3T, an Android phone which from my homework done had great plus points. Great battery life, a dash charger that has the ability to charge your phone in under half an hour, a 16 megapixel front and back camera and updates that are not massive chunks of data to have to download from time to time. When my new OnePlus 3T arrived, I thought it would take me a while to get used to the phone and forget the functionings of the iPhone but much to my surprise my afternoon I had transitioned and when I would go back to my iPhone to access information from it I was literally finding myself having to relearn how to navigate with the iPhone! It made me realize once again how amazing quickly we can transition and move on-all it does take is you having to take the plunge and be game to test the new waters. I have done this once before my years ago when I shifted to the Blackberry for a year that stemmed from my having always heard so much about the device but never having owned one myself. As I jokingly say, I will probably burn in hell for shifting from iOS to Android but for now I am a happy camper enjoying this new gadget and its fabulous capabilities.

[mithunrodwittiya]

SHAME ON YOU EasyCab (Carzonrent India Pvt Ltd)

My mother had the most horrible experience as she landed in Mumbai at the domestic airport. I feel helpless and ashamed as I do not reside in India otherwise I would have tracked this guy down and taken him and the Easy Cabs car company to task. Shame on you Easy Cabs, Shame on you Mumbai-once again I realize how unsafe it has become for women in India and believe me, you have to be a woman to realize what it feels like. I am posting my mother's account of the incident below and I also have photographs of her Easy Cabs receipt that has this horrible man's name and number along with photographs of this man. No woman is safe in his car as it's obviously been tampered with by him and he is out to do something terrible to someone.

My mother's account of the incident in her own words-please share this and circulate it as much as possible and I do hope there is someone on my friends list who can actually take this man to task. All those of you who know me, know what I would have done if I was there-not just for my mother but for anybody who was to have had to experience this. Such people need to be put behind bars for good.

Rekha Rodwittiya, "Today at the Mumbai domestic airport I hired a prepaid Easycab to take me to the Lalit hotel situated on the Airport road near the international airport. I had to insist to the girl at the counter that my entire name must be written. She was only putting down my first name... Rekha being a relatively common name I thought there was no real security in the way she was comfortable putting only my first name on record.

The driver contacted me on my mobile as is the normal procedure and I waited at the car pickup for the taxi to present itself. However on the car arriving the drivers behaviour was odd. I saw to my bag being loaded into the trunk and then before sitting in the cab confirmed if the driver was familiar with the Lalit hotel that was my destination. He became evasive and then without giving me an affirmative answer instead started insisting that I sit in the taxi and that we would then sort it out. I complied against my better instinct because at 8.20 in the morning I was not expecting this incident to become a harassment issue in such a public place.

The next thing I realised was that I was locked into the car and I could not open the door. The driver got in to the car and looked at me through the rear mirror and asked me to be quiet and when I asked him to let me out, he refused. I had to result to banging with my fist on the window to attract attention to my situation as he was attempting to drive off despite me wanting to get out of the cab.

We remained at the pick up location inside the car and perhaps because I was so aggressively loud, he finally complied and opened my door from the outside. I took my bag out and wanted to have police intervention to make a complaint about this driver.

I was able to get a police man who then took me in the same car to another location and put me into a new cab. I insisted that my money was returned to me by the driver.

I wanted to lodge a case but the police man said he would take him to the police station. Some how I don't believe that the police man did that but with a function to attend I chose to hope for the best.

Perhaps what was the saddest to observe was that not ONE person bothered to become involved."

[mithunrodwittiya]

What to eat BEFORE & AFTER your Workout

I see so many of my friends as they are growing older getting more conscious about their body and realising that they need to start exercising and checking their diets. This always makes me very happy to see as I have always believed that a good workout everyday leads to a healthier and longer life as you are sharper, feel fresher and well just feel quite alive!

Checking your diets does NOT mean starving or skipping meals. That is just so WRONG for your body. Your body is like a vehicle-it needs the fuel to function and if you do not supplement it with the necessary ingredients, it will at some point stall...

It is important to realise that different foods have different effects on your body. As long as you eat the right things, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a quick bite before and after your workout. 

Pre workout, you want to feed your body with things that will give it a mix of simple and complex carbohydrates which will help ensure that the release of energy during your workouts will be steady and strong. Let me touch a little upon what carbohydrates are. Carbohydrates are your energy food and your source of recuperation. They are your primary source of energy or fuel. Carbs come in two forms: simple and complex. Simple is for quick energy that you can get from things like fruit and juice! Complex carbs are used for timed-released and sustained energy. Starch, cereals or vegetables are good sources of complex carbs. Complex carbs are what make you feel satisfied or full after a meal!

When you sweat during your workouts, your potassium levels plummet, it is therefore vital that you replenish those levels before you workout with foods rich in potassium such as bananas and nuts. So next time you head to the gym, carry a banana or an apple or even an orange juice with you. It really helps in ways you can't even imagine. 

Something I find most of my friends just do not realise is that the food you eat after your workout is the most important food you eat all day. After your workout, there are two things you are wanting to achieve-promote muscle growth and aid in the recovery of the muscle groups you just hit hard during your workout. 

Carbohydrates and proteins are what you need to facilitate this.Proteins are often called the body's building blocks. They are used to build and repair tissues. They are what help you fight infections. Our bodies use extra protein for energy. Great sources of protein are things like seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products etc.

Post workout you ideally want to be looking at eating fruits that contain a good solid mix of both these like dried apricots, raisins, prunes, guavas, dates, avocados, jackfruits etc. If its food that you are keen on having then look at pairing things like egg whites with oatmeal, or having a chicken breast, asparagus and sweet potato are great if you love vegetables or even believe it or not a good pork tenderloin too. 

I have met a lot of people at the gym who honestly do not know the definitions of things like proteins or carbohydrates or even how to work them to their body's advantage. That's ok. That is why I wanted to write this blog today so that for those of you who aren't aware-you now will be. I hope that all those who read this, enjoy it and step away, being more aware. You must love your body for it to love you back. The better you keep it now, the lesser your worry will be as you grow older. 

Start living a healthy lifestyle, do away with all the things you honestly don't really need. If they are must haves in your life like the odd cigarette or drink of alcohol then apply moderation to it. You will not see results if you do not put in a 100%. You have got to be accepting of that. If you cheat, you are the only one who will lose out. 

We give our jobs a 100%, start giving yourselves that 100% too. Start respecting yourself. Happy workouts and happy eating!

[mithunrodwittiya]

Smiles and thank you's...

We have gotten so caught up in our worlds of work, technology and the pace of everyday life that we have lost ourselves. It is something I feel very strongly about when I look around, each time that I step out of my home.

On the road, you will see heads down with people on their phones-they just cannot enjoy taking that walk alone with themselves anymore. Sit in a restaurant and look around, you will see people with their heads down just very rudely saying out their orders-they don't bother to look at the person nor do they ever say a simple hello or thank you. 

If you attempt to even make the mistake of smiling at someone passing by or say hello to someone when they enter a lift with you, they will think you are a threat to them or that well you have gone coo-coo in the head!

What has happened to us? Why have we become like this? Why can't we enjoy the confines of our home without having to have a television on or be on our mobiles whatsapping away or be on Facebook on our laptops??! It is almost like saying we are all contaminated with a disease-a very deadly disease. 

Why have we become a race of people where, 'I will only do if he/she does', what has happened to being selfless and to loving unconditionally. The point here I am making is not just with regard to strangers we encounter but within our own families itself. Ask yourself honestly, when was the last time you looked a family member in the eye and thanked them for what they just did? When was the last time you just enjoyed truly chilling together and chatting-no music, no tv, no mobile phone. Just chilling. 

It is extremely important we find ourselves. We look beyond who we are. I try everyday in my own small way to see that I make someone else's day. It could be the shop keeper who I smile at and say thank you to, it could be the gentle hand on the shoulder of the person who is helping me pick up something at a counter to assist me-just small things. 

Next time you are at a restaurant, take a moment out of what you are doing, to look at that person who is serving you at your table. He/she is there to help make your moment memorable, give him/her that little bit of attention too. Smile, say thank you, compliment them. It will make their day, it will also make you happy. Believe me, try it. 

When you next step out, as you immediately take your phone out of your pocket-put it right back in. Walk. Enjoy that walk-however short it maybe. Even if it is till your parked car. Look around you-notice. When was the last time you noticed and really took in visually what was around you. Don't let the pace of life get to you-you control it. 

As crazy a day as you maybe having, take a moment to smile, even if to yourself-you will feel better. We burden ourselves with way too much. Try doing something you have never ever done. Do it without any expectation. It could be smiling at the watchman who guards your building or asking him how his day was. Surprise him. You will surprise yourself with how good it feels. 

The mad pace of our existence affects how we are and have become. Take back those reigns and introspect. Where has the joy of your life gone. Why have you gotten so lost in yourself? Inquiry and introspection is so crucial to checking one's self. We have all grown up-our parents aren't always around us to give us those words of wisdom or hold our hands and bring us back on track. It is up to us and if you have already become parents yourself then remember, you are being watched very closely by your own children who will emulate you very soon. Do you want them to become that person? I am sure you will see the light in the tunnel. 

It is never too late to turn that page. It costs nothing to smile, it is so easy to say 'thank you'. 

Try it and I guarantee you, you will be a happier person. 

[mithunrodwittiya]

Facebook - the desire to be part of a list and not lives

Facebook has been great for me and I used it very actively over the last 5 years to communicate with and stay in touch with friends as well as for my modelling and acting work. Having studying all my life in a semi boarding school where almost all my class mates were not from the same city, Facebook was brilliant because it allowed me to reconnect with a lot of them till of course WhatsApp came around and provided one more avenue for all of us to communicate. 

However, of late I had begun to find and realise that I had a lot of people on FB I was connected with but very few who were in touch. It was almost like flies on a wall, squatters, people who were just not in touch anymore but were probably happy deriving a voyeuristic pleasure by visiting pages but not bothering to communicate. This may sound offensive to some of my friends who read my blog but lets be honest and real. On my part, each and every person I have had on my friends list, have been there because I wanted to stay in touch with them I from time to time reached out, finding out how they were, catching up on what was happening at their end. Now, some of these 'friends' are probably not too tech savvy to realise that when you 'Read' a message, it shows as 'Seen' and therefore the sender knows you have read and seen their message! When you do not respond, that is a clear indication that you are either too busy to respond back or you just don't want to stay in touch. 

Furthermore, I had a lot of friends who believed that by 'Liking' a post, picture, status update, they were 'communicating with me!!! Hell no!! That is NOT communication my 'friends'!!

This morning I woke up to find an extremely offensive message from a 'friend' who was pissed off that he was 'Unfriended' and tried to play out being the victim. What is funny is that he has never bothered to stay in touch yet felt so hurt because he was unfriended! This leads me to believe that we now have an illness on Facebook. The desire to want to be part of a Friends List but not stay in touch. Think about it, all those of you who read this blog. Go click on your Friends List, look at how many people you know and ask yourselves, how many are you really in touch with and why are the rest there?!! 

I have to say, I felt so liberated and happy to clean up my Friends list bucket. I had roughly around 1200+ friends when I started the clean up and am now left with around 226! 

I find it strange that people are offended when they are unfriended off FB, Why? If I do mean a lot to you, stay in touch, communicate with me, you have my number, you have my email. Gone are the days where you need to send me a letter. It does not take long to reach out, the question truly is, do you want to reach out? If not, then be honest with yourselves and realise, we are not such good friends. 

Those who know me, know I am immensely passionate and will give my life to those I love, for me I revel in the small joys. A smiley from you, takes me a long way in knowing you care, knowing that you enjoy staying in touch. We are living in a busy world where each of us are caught up with so much, that does not mean we forget how we grew. We forget who we grew with. We have all in our own journeys already realised that true friends are a rare breed and hard to find. It is important we cherish them. My clean up is that attempt to see that I introspect and am honest with myself and those I deleted. I am being honest with myself, its time you ask yourselves if you are being honest with yourselves too...

Go to your Facebook Friends list, you will be surprised at what you find. 

[mithunrodwittiya]

Workouts are back and here to stay!

It has been a while waiting but am really happy to be back to my workouts. Normally when I have had a gap I give myself at least a week of circuit training to get back my rhythm and just the all round feel of the weights but this time I gave myself just one day! Part of this excitement probably has to do with the new gym that I have joined that has some wonderful iso lateral machines that were just calling out to me and saying, 'lets get going Mithun!'.

Even though I am back with a bang, I am still giving myself time to get used to the new equipment around and for a week doing a three body part routine each day. I am doing three separate exercises for each body part, getting three sets in for each exercise and working with variations in reps ranging from 10 to 15. I am also playing with changing the weights for each set of my exercises making for a good shake up of the body part that I am focussing on. Taking it a step further, each set has a superset happening with abdominals and obliques being worked where I do 10 concentrated reps each. 

I am constantly challenging my own boundaries when it comes to my workouts where the idea is to see that my WODs touch upon either concentrated movements to really work the muscle group or work on endurance and stamina where functional training is then at play. 

I am keen to spend the next 10 weeks working on better definition, size and aesthetics of each muscle as I work towards perfect form of my entire frame. Its a tough ask to at the end of your day when you have been taking care of your one year old to go into the gym and really work it but then again, I am up for the challenge! It just motivates me even more when the goal seems a distant dream. I like it that way!

This is going to mean seeing that I get a good healthy diet in along with adequate fluid intake and try to maximise on the sleep I am able to get. 

No goal is unattainable if you align your mind, body and soul. Hard work, dedication and consistency are vital ingredients to this alignment. 

Discipline can only come from within, you must be your own driving force. I will achieve what I set out to do, I always have.

I hope, I will try, I might...these are not a part of my vocabulary. 

[mithunrodwittiya]

Our first Son-Father trip together!

I had always dreamed of one day having a family, a child....and one of the things I also always thought of was what it would be like to take just a trip with my child. Well, Mehran is a year and two months old and that trip has already happened! 

Part of the process of having to initiate your residency requirements when you want to live in the UAE requires for you to have to exit the country for the paperwork towards that to commence. My wife, Samera who works in the UAE as a Creative Director has already gotten her Emirates ID and it was now our turns as she would be sponsoring us. She was way too busy to travel with us and therefore it would just be Mehran and me making a trip on our own.

I have to confess, I was not the slightest bit nervous. On the contrary, I was super excited and could not wait to see what it would be like once we walked into the Dubai terminal after saying our bye-byes and were on our own. I could not fathom what that would feel like knowing that I would now only be able to see my wife on our return, that till then, it was just Mehran and me. 

When we came to the UAE, as part of the procedures, we were required to purchase return tickets and therefore Mehran and I already had returns booked for ourselves and what we as a family therefore decided to do was that since we had a return to Mumbai, we would go down to Baroda (where I was born in the State of Gujarat, India) and spend a week there with my parents allowing them to enjoy being with Mehran. 

Tickets were booked and bags were packed and it was finally time to travel. I can still remember standing in line to go through Immigration at the Dubai airport, turning back to wave to my wife. It is etched in my memory. Two minutes later, Mehran and I were through Immigration, with our passports stamped and now we could not turn back! I could see my wife but I had now metaphorically crossed across the border. It would now only be seven days later, and till then...it was Mehran and me. 

I am currently a stay-at-home Dad out of choice and since my son Mehran was born, I have been a hands-on father. What this has done is made me extremely confident of taking care of him as I understand his every emotion, his mannerisms, what he is trying to say, what he needs, when he needs to take a nap etc. In the current construct, I am also used to taking care of him through the day as my wife heads out to work at 07.30 AM and only returns home by around 18:00 PM. The whole day, it is just him and me. 

As a father, you have two choices, either to be completely committed and hands-on or to take life as it comes and go with the flow and when you are making a trip down to be with family to then take a back seat and let everyone around take care of him. I have put a lot of effort into training Mehran and seeing that we stick to a schedule that my wife Samera and I have created for him and we like the discipline and meticulousness with which we follow each day. 

I wanted Mehran to see that he has an awesome time with the family and yet follows the schedule that we have laid out for him taking into account how he likes the day to pave out. I had to also factor in that Baroda is an hour and a half ahead of the UAE in terms of time zones. 

It was an amazing experience. I was on my toes through the seven days but when I saw Mehran and the awesome time he was having it was well worth it all. When I was not feeding him, I was seeing that his food was ready for the next meal, bottles were sterilised etc. As a father, or if I may say, as a parent, there is never a switch off, till your child goes to bed for the night, you are always seeing that you do all that is necessary to see that your baby is comfortable. At this age, they do not realise the amount we do but what we do realise is how much our parents did for us when we were young. 

Being a parent, being a father is amazing but what I did learn from this trip is that I enjoy it so much because I always wanted this. THAT, is something that is really important to comprehend and understand. You have got to want to be a parent, want to be a father and you cannot be half hearted when you take that step. It is all or nothing. 

It was a magical seven days with my son, we missed Samera a lot but we also bonded a lot to. He at a year and two months somewhere deep down knew it was just us and embraced the experience so beautifully. 

Life is full of surprises, this unscheduled trip was one such surprise. Would I do it again, HELL YEAH! I am a very very proud Daddy and I absolutely loved our little journey. 

I look forward to more such trips with him and cannot wait for when he grows up to say, 'chill Daddy, I will take care of you!' 

[mithunrodwittiya]

Fitness First

My workouts are extremely important to me and when I don't get that WOD in the day seems a tad off. The last two months have been a little crazy with setting up of our new home in Sharjah and I have therefore not been able to workout with the consistency that I would have liked to. Setting up a new space is never easy and especially when it is from scratch then there is so much that goes into doing it. I have however spent this time observing and looking at gyms in and around the area I live in at the Buhaira Corniche in Al Majaz. I had begun to lose hope of finding something but that was until yesterday. 

My search ended at this world class facility spread over 20,000 square feet called Fitness First at the Al Fardan Centre. It offers a range of gym facilities including cardio-vascular and weight training equipment, internationally accredited personal training and superior group exercise studios. One of the things I also absolutely loved was the stunning views of the Corniche that end up providing the perfect backdrop while you workout.

Here in Sharjah, most gyms I have visited are not co-ed and there are always different timings for both Men and Women. This gym is no different in that there are two separate spaces-one for Men and the other for Women with two different entrances. 

What I will say is this, if you are seriously into fitness and are looking for a good gym in Sharjah that offers you a state-of-the-art facility then look no further. Fitness First is the place to join. They have three facilities in Sharjah, one on Al Ittihad Road (Dubai-Sharjah Road), the second on Al Nahda St, and the third at the Al Fardan Centre on the Corniche (the one I can vouch for that I have joined). 

I am really looking forward to my workouts and exercising amongst like minded individuals whose sole aim is to push the limit when it comes to what they want to achieve. 

Remember, anyone can workout for an hour everyday BUT, to control what goes on your plate the other 23 hours... that is hard work!

[mithunrodwittiya]

Finding the time to exercise

I have for a number of years been very closely involved with fitness and exercise. Whether its powerlifting, martial arts, CrossFit, weight training, running, football, sports in general, you name it, I have done it. Why the various forms attempted? Because, I wanted to be able to experience each form and know what goes into working the muscle groups and training my body. It has gotten to a point where my body and myself are aligned so well that I know if I am going to be catching a cold, a cough or even a fever before it actually happens!

I have over the years, mentored and trained a lot of people who have wanted to get in shape, start exercising, or just shift to a healthy lifestyle. I have often been told I should do it professionally or charge for my services but well, I just love training. I have only one condition with whoever I take on, it is my way and only my way and you will just have to follow my lead and do what I tell you to...

Being so actively involved with fitness, I on a daily basis meet at least one person who says, "Oh, you are so privileged to find the time" or "Oh, I want to but where is the time". These excuses always pisses me off. 

Think about it, and let me draw a parallel here. I am sure all those who read this blog will agree that they spend some of their time on a daily basis on Whatsapp and FaceBook. Ask yourselves honestly, how much combined time do you actually spend on them. I am not even talking here about the breaks you take away from your desk when at work, or the time you take during a lunch break, I am just talking about the time you spend on these two applications on a daily basis. I think it would be fair and modest of me to say that it is about a combined 15 minutes at least? (I am being extremely modest here!!) 

If you are able to find those 15 minutes with such ease, can you not find the very same 15 minutes in your day to nurture yourself and maybe just go take a good walk to begin with?

The secret here and everybody's biggest nemesis is CONSISTENCY. If you were to just start with walking everyday consistently for 15 minutes, you would see the difference in yourself in a matter of no time. The point is, you have to start, start somewhere and way too much time is spent saying, 'yes I know', 'yes I will', 'yes I am planning to', 'yes I will definitely start tomorrow'...

JUST START! 

We don't realise this now but with age it does not get any easier. It only becomes a a heavier boulder on your back to get rid of. 

My point is, stop trying to figure out when you will start exercising, stick to the basics. Start simple, start. It could be that walk around your home, it could be walking to the end of your lane and back, it could be saying you know what, once I am done with dinner I am going to take a walk for 10 minutes. The gym, the more advanced training could come later once you have developed an appetite for a daily desire to want to live healthy and exercise. 

Believe me, it is the most amazing thing and none of us can deny how good it feels when we get complimented or well, just feel good about having started doing it. 

My day is incomplete if I have not exercised. Its like a meal not eaten, a bath not taken, I need it. It is my necessity. Make it yours too. :)

[mithunrodwittiya]

Home is where you make it

I think we all reach a point in our lives when we ask ourselves, is this really what I want to be doing or is this really the way I want to be living. That happens with me very often! I find, it keeps things in perspective. Coming from India, you really get the full A to Z of life whether its driving in traffic with absolutely no order or trying to get regular stuff done where there is always a middle man that wants a cut in order to have you get the final output. I am not saying this exists everywhere but well you will find it pretty much everywhere. Year on year, I have paid my taxes like a responsible citizen and they have only increased. I am cool with paying more but whats been exasperating is to see that nothing around has changed. The roads are worse, corruption is rampant, safety has become an issue...all this leaves me to wonder, when do I get my returns. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. They are lives led in parallel and life goes on. 

When I became a Father, it was like a switch went off in my head, things changed. I had always led a disciplined and responsible lifestyle yet, I found that now I needed to really look at everything with all my hats on. I was Mithun the person, Mithun the husband and Mithun the father. 

I became a father in 2013 and as I am sure many would agree, it was life changing. Marriage was an easy transition because Samera is my best friend but becoming a father was going to be all about the bond I formed with my child. This new person in my life who would grow up with the passing of time and our relationship would depend on the way we were with each other and as a family. All of a sudden, everything around me began to really become part of that bucket of serious thinking. I think each year when it came to paying my taxes, I went through this month of asking myself, 'what is happening with this country, is it ever going to change in my lifetime? Am I going to have a good life and really benefit from the hard work that I put in day in and out?'. 

I had given it enough time and had begun to feel quite disillusioned with what I saw around me. Career wise, I was doing great. Business head with a social media company, acting in Bollywood films, modelling. It was all good BUT now I was a father, and it was no more just about me. 

When you are in a relationship, you often discuss opportunities with your partner, you talk about life, you talk about the future and one of the things Samera and I had discussed was that when we did become parents and if a fantastic opportunity arose, the other would be supportive and step in to take care of our child. A opportunity came by. 

The last two months have had us relocate. We had dreams that we discussed and the relocation has been about making those dreams a reality. The moment we knew where we were going, we looked up the place and identified where we wanted to live in that city. We found that there was a sea, there were lagoons, there was a wonderful waterfront. We knew where we wanted to be. 

We spent a month once we shifted, looking for that perfect place. Our perseverance paid off. We wake up to the view of this spectacular lagoon and the Arabian sea. We step down each evening with our son to play in the gardens at the Corniche. Yes, its a big change from Mumbai, yes, we are still getting used to this new chapter but when we see our son and the joy in his eyes at being able to do what a child his age should be able to, it fulfils us and makes everything well worth it. 

It takes courage to take risks, to make big moves, to step out of your comfort zone but then again think about it, aren't we doing that day in and day out even at our work places in the lives we lead? My point is, its never too late to turn that page, to start afresh, I have done it at 36 and have absolutely no regrets. Do I worry, of course I do, I think thats part of my personality! But, worrying keeps me sharp, keeps me aware. There are no short cuts to living your dreams. You got to take those steps yourself, much like my little son Mehran who I am teaching to walk. Do I know which day he will finally walk on his own? Do I know which day will be that day when I reach the pinnacle of where I want to be? I don't have answers to that but it is that drive that has me do what I do, everyday. 

Don't compromise on yourselves. Don't live the as we say in India, 'chalta hai' life. 

Be bold, be courageous and you will sleep well at night knowing you did everything you wanted to that day. 

[mithunrodwittiya]

A blog post by a dear friend Anuya Naik that touches upon stage fright and performance fright. The piece she has written also had her reach out to me as well and I feel honoured and humbled to be part of her work.

[mithunrodwittiya]

Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. - William Ernest Henley, Invictus

[mithunrodwittiya]

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. - Timo Cruz (Coach Carter)

[mithunrodwittiya]

Rest - a very important ingredient to being a good parent

Having a young baby is all about adapting to their cycles and one of the things I believe most parents will agree with me on is, missing out on much needed sleep. Lack of sleep makes you short tempered, grouchy, irritable, snappy...all different words summing up to ONE thing...your body needs sleep! Your moment to capitalise on that rest during the day is when you put your child to nap. Even if it may be a short half an hour nap-take it with your baby. It will do your body good. We often find ourselves saying in the day, 'na it's ok I am just going to sit and relax'-big mistake! You should have napped too! Because, the night to follow may just have you up all night with a bad day for your baby leaving you completely sleep deprived and falling apart. Take that nap when you can. Gone are the days of figuring it out later when you become a parent! If you have slept well, you will be able to have an awesome time with your child when he/she wakes up energised from it's nap. You will be full of energy too ready to have a good time with your child. This is vital to both of you. This is also great for you and your partner too as the 'being irritable' will otherwise either manifest on the way you are with your child or with your partner. Being a Daddy for me has me learning from my son, I am learning to take those breaks with him, nap alongside him and I am finding it is doing wonders for us as a family. Don't worry about whether you will sleep well at night if you take that nap in the day...trust me, you will. Learn to live in the now, that's what being a parent is all about. That is what matters.

[mithunrodwittiya]

Becoming a child again - aeroplane spotting!

Part of becoming a parent is reliving your childhood once again, only this time you are conscientiously part of that entire journey. I often found myself wondering what it must have been like when I was 1,2 and 3 years old and now I see it right before my eyes…through the eyes of my son, Mehran. To truly experience this wonderful journey, you have to let yourself go, you have to become like your child enjoying the silly things he likes doing. I found myself hiding behind light poles today in the middle of the park just to make him find me and laugh, the visual with this writing shows us lazing around in the garden at the corniche and looking up at the sky waving goodbyes to passing aeroplanes! It is so much fun living this life again and to become one with your child. People sometimes feel that they need to enforce with their children that they are the parent and that they must draw the line with all of this. I disagree. I know, I will know when required how to draw the line. For now, I am happy seeing little Mehran smile and beam at all the fun we have together and I want my son to grow up knowing that he and I share a strong close bond that has him know he is loved immensely. All those out there who have little kids like me, try this when you read my post. Hide behind a lamp pole and surprise your child with a big smile when he/she comes by.

You will be left beaming and happy…

[mithunrodwittiya]

Choosing the perfect Baby Carrier

Carrying my son, Mehran from day one without fear was extremely important to me. That bond I would be forming with him would come from that physical presence around him as much as possible. It was extremely important for me to invest in a good baby carrier that allowed for me to carry Mehran for long durations on end as and when needed. It could be walking in my gated community, a hop across for a quick Starbucks coffee together or stepping out for an event in the evening with him for company.

My findings based on what I looked at were the following-I absolutely love the babaSling (a mothercare product) that comes in various colours. This is the visual on the top left. I carried Mehran in it from when he was just a little over a week old and continue to have it by my side even today (Mehran is now just over a year old). I definitely recommend all of you who have just had a child to try the babaSling out.

The top right is again a mothercare baby carrier that I found Mehran did not enjoy very much. I found he just wasn’t very comfortable in it and part of this reason I feel was because he did not have any place as he dangled in front to really ‘sit’ on.

The bottom left image is that of an Ergo Baby Carrier. This is supposed to be a really good baby carrier that allows you to be able to carry your child till he/she is 3 years old. I went out looking for it and even tried it on with Mehran recently (Mehran is just over a year old) but found that whilst it covers Mehran well and he seemed comfortable-I wasn’t. There was just no really proper back support to allow me to take a nice long 2-3 hour walk with him strapped in it.

It is then that I finally stumbled upon the Stokke baby carrier. This is the bottom right image. This is the most expensive of the lot (more expensive than the Ergo baby carrier) and the black carrier comes in what they call breathable material. This is a fantastic baby carrier which straps on beautifully to take the form of the body type you as a parent would be. It has different positions you can place your child in (facing you, facing the world or on your back). What is lovely is that it has this metal strip that allows your back the support it requires to balance your child’s weight. My son, Mehran also has a space to actually sit within the carrier in the way it has been designed. I put Mehran in it when trying it out and it wasn’t the best of timing as he was extremely cranky. In two minutes he had fallen asleep in it!!! I strongly recommend this as a purchase for all those of you looking for good baby carriers.

To summarise-in my humble opinion, all you Daddy’s out there have got to have the babaSling and the Stokke. Trust me, you will have one smiling child. ☺️

[mithunrodwittiya]

Daddy Essentials when your child is a year old!

There was a time when as I would be ready to step out I would do a check on what used to be my ‘essentials’. Wallet check, watch check, mobile check, house keys check! But now, that list has totally changed! The focus is now my son Mehran and my list is secondary. The list now goes hand sanitiser check, little cloth to wipe his face check, wet wipes for Mehran check, Mehran’s biscuit treats check, bottles of water for his milk powder check, two portions of his milk powder in his little jar check, Mehran’s large cloth to tie around his neck when feeding him check, Stokke baby carrier check, diaper bag with enough diapers check, stroller check…and we are good to go! This has become second skin and you get so used to doing it day in and day out that just today I find myself sitting in the Sheraton Dubai Creek for a business meeting with a baby cloth and hand sanitiser in my pocket that I had forgotten to take out since I have stepped out without my son!!! Well, it feels like he is with me..! For me the challenge is not to fight this new environment and way of living but to become more efficient with every passing day. To see that I become more organised, manage my time well and maximise time seeing that my son gets the most of me as I am a stay at home Daddy these days. Being a stay at home Dad is as challenging as working in a corporate environment that I am used to. I am dealing with the client (my son) who has ever changing needs and requirements and I have got to smile my way through it and see that I always keep him happy. This comes back to what I have vocalised to many of my friends-it is extremely easy when you embrace and enjoy what you do. You then find yourself adding passion to every little detail and making it a joy that is easy on your soul. Being a Daddy is all about reinventing who you are everyday and seeing that the spark in your child’s eyes always shines bright.