You Are What You Consume

The expression of what you are thankful for can be powerful, not only for the person expressing the gratitude but also for those receiving it. ~ Laurie Santos

 

A recent sunrise.  What a great way to start the day

Eric's Rule #5: You are what you consume.

 

There are so many choices out there.  One of the choices is saying "No".  I have found that the more I monitor what I consume, whether it be food, social media, podcasts, or TV, the more it impacts my thoughts and happiness.

 

• Food - This is definitely the hardest area to be truly "pure" for me.  In the past 10+ years I have changed my diet several times.  Each change was a step in the right direction and I am in a much better place weight and overall health-wise.  There are still times when I stop for ice cream, or have that brownie but they are rarer.  Eating foods that give me energy and health has resulted in me being able to exercise more and feel better about me.
• Social Media - I have had to back off on a lot of the Social Media that I was consuming.  It just wasn't making me happy.  I still look at things that do make me happy, like pictures of my grand nephews or memes from some of my happier friends.  Generally, I do not check more than just Instagram and the 10 people I follow there.  I really enjoy the posts from people that have positive things to say or show.
• Podcasts - This area is similar to TV for me.  With all the walking that I do, I listen to podcasts exclusively.  For the most part these podcasts are educational, self-improvement, or humorous.  When I find one that is going in the wrong direction for me, I stop listening to it.  This has had so many positive impacts on me.  It's what led me to start my blog, has increased my financial knowledge, self-knowledge and got me to pursue other courses online.
• TV - I have not watched the news since probably around 1990.  I would get so upset and angry that I just stopped.  Now I look at shows more from the artistic content.  The variety of skills that actors have, the way shows are shot, the complexity of the plot, the keenness of the dialogue.  That has made for a much more enjoyable viewing experience.

 

I'm not saying that we need to turn into robots and live on salads and read the classics.  What I am saying is that you have choices to what you consume and what you consume determines a lot about why you are like you are.