Isha Jog – Expect nothing. Appreciate everything.

30 Hours in a Coffin – Why, Isha?!

October 14, 2019

Happy October my friends! I received a lot of questions about my recent decision to stay in a coffin for a day and a half, so I thought I’d make a post to shed some light on this experience.

Six Flags Great America recently started a “30 Hour Coffin Challenge” where selected participants were challenged to stay in a closed coffin – with NO phone/books/electronics – for 30 hours.

1,600+ applications were received, and I was ecstatic to be selected as one of the 4 to attempt this strange feat. Although my mom really really didn’t want me to do this, she knows that I am the first person to say yes to strange situations and challenges, so there was so no stopping me from deciding to go for it.

It was definitely one of the most challenging experiences of my life! Our coffins were completely closed except for a tiny slit near the top so that we could breathe. Unfortunately, the evening of the challenge it started to rain and eventually down poured for several hours, soaking myself and my blanket inside the coffin. Then as it became nighttime, the temperature dropped, the costumed monsters came to scare us relentlessly, and all the guests and staff went home, except for two Six Flags team members who stayed in a heated mini van nearby to make sure we didn’t cheat. We started running through the different odd challenges, including one where we had to run through a haunted house one at a time, at 3:00am! Around this time I remember truly thinking about quitting and dreaming of my warm bed at home.

But as the night went on, so did I. Soon morning came and the park re-opened, which meant several of my family and friends came to cheer me on, their encouragement meant the world to me. My three fellow coffin dwellers and I successfully survived the challenge and we got to leave the coffin during the “Rising Ceremony”.

I entered this contest to experience something totally unique. In society today, we rarely go even a full day without technology, books, or constant entertainment. By participating in this, I challenged myself to stay distraction free for 30 hours and focus on the present moment, even through the extreme discomfort. As Bryant McGill once said, “Whatever makes you uncomfortable is your biggest opportunity for growth.” I will never forget this experience and I challenge everyone to go after even the craziest opportunities that present themselves. You never know what wild life story will occur!

ABC 7 News Coverage – Press Play

The coffin was fully closed except for the small slit at the top so we could breathe

Can you imagine how eerie the park was around 3am, when all guests and staff had left?

Feeling the rain fall into the coffin and soak everything really made me re-think my decision to stay the full 30 hours

My lovely fellow coffin dwellers and I – four of us selected out of 1,600+ applications

Thank you for reading! If you are interested in competing in the challenge next year – feel free to message me and I can share what my application looked like or further details of the challenge! It was such an interesting experience and I have loved getting to share this wild story with you all.

And yes – I got to keep the coffin!!! It is currently at my best friend’s house to serve as the coolest Halloween party prop next week.

Cheers,

Isha Jog

24 Life Lessons in 24 Years

August 11, 2019

As of August 9th, 2019, I am officially halfway through being 24 years old. As someone who absolutely loves making lists and enjoys reading a great quote or two as often as I can, I decided to celebrate this half birthday by compiling together 24 life lessons that I have learned during my time on Earth so far. Especially during this ever-confusing decade, it was really great to reflect on some of the biggest trials and tribulations I have faced so far, and what I learned from them.

Success + Goals

You can never expect to succeed if you only put in work on days you feel like it. We tend to wait until the “perfect moment” to start working towards our big plans, but there is no such thing as the “right time”. There is only the present time and what you choose to do with it.
You can literally do everything right and the universe still doesn’t owe you anything. Stay persistent, not entitled.
Never forget that at one point, you wanted to be exactly where you are now. Don’t waste your current age and life chapter by wishing you were in another one already.
“The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s not about the circumstance, but rather what you are made of.” – Unknown
You cannot miss an opportunity because the Universe has unlimited opportunities to present to you! You will seize the right one.

Love + Relationships

Feelings are not facts, you can change your feelings by changing your thinking.
You don’t have to be afraid of friction, it’s how people polish each other. The best kinds of friends challenge each other to be better.
Saying no doesn’t make you a bad person. It just makes you the wrong person for that assignment.
You won’t be able to help others solve their problems if you don’t have problems of your own to solve. Personal adversity makes you a greater asset. Your pain and your struggles are your gifts to the world. They produce insights that can help others with their pain and struggles.

Mindset + Self-Improvement

The fact that we have time to complain, argue, and be negative means that we have time to be positive and productive instead.
Instead of, “Shoot I have to clean” think “I deserve to work and live in a clean space.” Instead of “Darn, I have to work out” tell yourself “I deserve to live a healthy life with the people I love.” There are so many things you can accomplish by reframing your mindset.
Zero is not just a number, it’s a space. So when you feel like you have nothing, you really have a space to create whatever you want.
“ To experience peace does not mean that your life is always blissful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life.” – Jill Bolte Taylor
Incredible art comes from creating with clarity and distance from your situation, rather than being consumed by it.
There are people out there right now who are less qualified than you but are living out your dreams, simply because they believed in themselves and decided to use the present time. Don’t be so focused on perfectionism that you forget to even start.

Through the Dark Times

You don’t need to always find a lesson in your trauma. Life happens haphazardly. We just have to hold on to the hope that something brighter is on the horizon.
There is no reason to be jealous of people in their winning season because we have no idea what they lost in their losing season. And if you always compare your progress with someone else’s ruler, you will never feel adequate.
“Your grandmother’s prayers are still protecting you.” – Lalah Delia.
If you choose not to find joy in the winter seasons of your life, you will have less joy throughout the year but still the same amount of snow.
No matter what has happened in your past, keep in mind that those experiences should provide lessons, not serve as a life sentence. The past only matters in how you redeem it. Learn to move on and life will be more hopeful.

New Learnings

The best way to completely break a bad habit is to love something greater than that habit. In his book Atomic Habits, author James Clear explains that to break a bad habit you have to: make it invisible, make it unattractive, make it difficult, and make it unsatisfying.
Create more than you consume. Just take a look at your behavior over a period of one week. How often are you consuming social media, TV, or endlessly scrolling, instead of creating art, literature, dance choreography, music, or anything else that interests you? The legacy of what you leave behind after your time on Earth lies in what you created, not consumed.
“There are always flowers for those that want to see them.” – Matisse
Know the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.

What’s been an impactful life lesson you’ve learned recently? Feel free to message me, I would love to hear!

XO,

Isha Jog

24 Hours in Toronto (And Tips for your First Time Visiting)

July 12, 2019

As most of you know, my parents love taking my brother and I on spontaneous, last minute trips. This past Fourth of July was no different. We started driving from Chicago to Niagara Falls (the Canadian side) on Friday morning, and spent Saturday in Toronto before heading back home on Sunday. I absolutely LOVED this city and can honestly see myself living here in the future. I wanted to share some of my favorite memories from this trip along with some quick tips for your future first visit to Toronto!

We visited the following places:

· Nathan Phillips Square/City Hall & Toronto sign

· Financial District

· Eaton Square

· June Callwood Park

· Vog Vault

· Lavelle

· Kensington Market/Chinatown

· Sweet Jesus Ice Cream Shop

· CN Tower/Edgewalk Experience

· Canada Sign

· Toronto Railway Heritage Center

· Harborfront Centre

· Toronto Raptors Stadium

Below I’ve added a photo from each place along with a quick tip or story about the experience!

Nathan Phillips Square/City Hall & Toronto sign: One of the most famous spots, with the Toronto sign. We went in the evening before the sun had set to take photos, but when we walked past it towards the end of the night, the letters were even more bright and impactful! Depends on what kind of photo you want to talk, but I suggest waiting until night time for the lights to be incredible.

Financial District: This area reminded me so much of downtown Chicago! From passing by Union Station to all the buildings of huge corporations like EY/KPMG and more, I felt right at home in this area. Restaurants, as expected, close very early here so you’ll have to venture out for food or maybe you’ll run into a hot dog food truck like we did.

Eaton Square: We asked some locals where we should head next, and they described Eaton Square as “Toronto’s Madison Square”. It was amazing! First we walked through the mall, which is said to be the busiest mall in North America, and then we hung out for a while outside, where there was live music, a million screens/advertisements around us, all under the cotton candy sky.

June Callwood Park: This is a good spot for Instagram influencers who are great with editing photos…for normal families/tourists? Not so much. Just a small pink setup of a mini-maze. Here’s my best attempt at editing a picture at it.

Vog Vault: This place is actually a shoe store! The employees are so nice and helpful. The room for this photo is small and straight ahead when you walk in. Pro tip: Ask an employee to borrow an actual book to hold on to while taking the picture. Makes it even more eccentric!

Lavelle: This is a rooftop bar, reminded me of several in Chicago. Loved the view, the furniture’s aesthetic, and the photo opportunities. Try to find a less crowded time so you can snag a fun photo on their little pool side beds or the glass wall corners.

Kensington Market/Chinatown: My family stopped here for lunch. It’s a great place to get souvenirs and marketplace food.

Sweet Jesus Ice Cream Shop: I saw this place when I was looking up Toronto photos on Instagram and the ice-cream looked delicious! They have a unique soft cake crumb coating on their delicious flavors. I got the one with raspberry and red velvet. Protip: My family of 4 could barely finish sharing one regular size bowl of ice-cream. Do yourself (and your wallet) a favor and order the small!

CN Tower/Edgewalk Experience: My brother always finds a way to do something scary or adrenaline-filled in a new city, and here in Toronto it was to do the Edgewalk: the world’s highest full-circle hands-free walk. We donned our harnesses, went up 116 stories high, and the instructors guided us to LEAN OUT OVER THE CN TOWER. Message me if you’d like more information on this experience! I wore sunglasses in the photo to mask the fear in my eyes.

Canada Sign: Iconic Canada sign right by the CN Tower. As expected, there is a line to take your photo here.

Toronto Railway Heritage Center: My father loves trains & railroads, and somehow as if by magic, we always end up finding something railroad related on our trips. Here’s a picture of him, in complete excitement and happiness, talking to my brother about trains.

Harborfront Centre: One of the last things we did was visit the Harborfront Centre and take in the lovely view by the water.

Toronto Raptors Stadium: The Toronto Rapters are the 2019 NBA Champions, it was so fun walking by their signs all over the city.

If we had more time, I would have also liked to visit:

· Polson Pier Skyline View

· Distillery District

· Casa Loma

· Bata Shoe Museum

· Graffiti Alley

So much to see and experience! I guess this just means I have to go back soon – who wants to join?!

Miss Windy City 2019: Competing with the Miss America 2.0 Format

January 8, 2019

While the time between Christmas and New Year’s is usually one of relaxation, social gatherings with old friends, and simply unwinding, I decided to go the opposite route: trained and competed in the Miss Chicago/Miss Windy City 2019 competition on December 29th.

For those of you who don’t know my background, my involvement with the Miss America Organization began at the age of 17 when I placed first runner up for the state teen title as Miss Northern Suburbs’ Outstanding Teen 2012. After aging up to the Miss division I held the titles of Miss Gold Coast 2016 and Miss Northern Suburbs 2017. All of those were great experiences so I always figured I would keep competing until I age out.

And then 2017/2018 happened. With all the changes in the organization, I was hesitant and apprehensive about competing again. Although I loved the idea of the new changes and competition format, I honestly thought being too used to the old format for the past six years would be a disadvantage in competing.

Well, after competing in the 2.0 formatted local, I can honestly tell you that it was wonderful. Here are my biggest takeaways.

Happy Diwali!

November 12, 2018

I challenged my mom Gauri Jog to choreograph and record this dance with me ten minutes before our guests arrived for Diwali dinner. It is such a pretty song! “Nainowale Ne” from the movie Padmaavat.

It is always so much fun to perform with my mom. We will be posting more dance videos soon!

Wishing all of you and your families a very happy Diwali!