Multifaceted achiever Dia Mirza, who has directed her reach toward promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle, and achieving sustainable development goals, speaks to The Free Press Journal on International Day of Yoga. Dia began her yoga journey at a very young age. She reminisces, “I learned very early that we can only connect with the world if we are in touch with our own being. I was still in my teens when I joined this industry, and the one thing that kept me grounded was the practice of yoga and meditation."
She adds, "Yoga is also a simple and profound discipline, and it works for me because it can be practiced anytime, anywhere. Even on hectic days when time is limited and I have many things to attend to at home and at work, I can just roll out my mat and let my body guide me to peace, maybe through an elaborate set of asanas or the flow of Vinyasa yoga. And within minutes, I could feel stress seeping out of my body.”
Dia announced her pregnancy in 2021 and also shared the challenges she encountered with her health. She shares, “I had started working out on my terrace with my trainer. When both Avyaan and I faced some health challenges subsequently, as a mother, I had to stay focused on not just healing my body but on my baby's health. It was a challenging time, but meditation helped immensely to keep my mind centred. As did yoga. It gently guided me to a place of strength and resilience on really difficult days.”
The actress is savouring every moment of motherhood and terms it a blessing. When asked how she balances her health and the stress that comes with work, Dia reveals, “Yes, it comes with its own set of demands and challenges, but my heart is bigger, my days busier, and my life richer because of my children. Children distill life's essence and teach you to be in the moment, to pay attention, and to be restful and joyful. On days when stress is inevitable, I rely on my husband and my mother's support and also focus on gratitude rather than anxiety. I meditate, find some time for self-care, read, and listen to music. Work also brings a great sense of purpose and fulfillment to my life, and I enjoy it without feeling weighed down by guilt when it takes me away from Avyaan for a few days.
Dia maintains that it is important to incorporate a healthy lifestyle for kids from a young age. “My son likes to follow whatever we tend to be doing as a family. As parents, we, of course, ensure that we are following a routine and practicing habits that inculcate gratitude and foster a connection with nature and all of its abundance. A healthy lifestyle also has many meanings beyond just healthy meals and a regulated day. We want to also ensure that our children grow up in a happy and harmonious environment where they can be truly themselves and have access to whatever they need to blossom into beautiful human beings,” she concludes.
