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Internet, convenience, medium, consumption. Choose well.
🎼 📖 Read Intellego #027 by listening to:
Intro
Let’s dive right in. Take a moment of your day and observe your habits, what did you do? After this examination, I have three questions for you:
How often do you find yourself stuck in a negative loop?
Is it challenging to keep a positive mindset?
Are you happy with your actions and outcomes?
You are what you consume. Quality in. Garbage out. And I don’t mean you have a green flag to dispose of people and things in a blink of an eye.
Ponder, filter, select what matters to you, what feeds your soul, and goals.
Be careful what you let in your life. We're a product of what we choose to consume. From the cigarette you smoke in the morning to the news you watch at night. Everything is a choice:
Clothes, cars, and gadgets you buy.
TV shows and movies you watch.
Music and podcasts you listen.
Drinks and food you consume.
Books and articles you read.
People you associate with.
Conversations you have.
Thoughts you keep.
Products you use.
Places you visit.
Yeses.
Nos.
Your brain and body process every sound, smell, sense, emotion, touch, sight, taste you feel. These bits of information compounded shape your experiences and your perception of reality.
We are what we consume. And more... We're what we want to consume. Both aspects coexist in our minds and feedback one another. Too much to digest, right? Let me give an example to clarify my point.
If you’re not interested in learning about gardening. You will not consume information on this topic. Simple as that. There is no inner drive that sparks your curiosity about gardening.
The contrary is also true. If you like gardening or you’re motivated to grow your own food, you’ll consume more and more information on the topic. Don’t you think?
I go further. The desire to change drives consumption, for good or bad.
As I mentioned here, every excess hides a lack. Don’t drink, eat, smoke or work your frustrations and fears. Instead, treat the root cause of the imbalance.
What you focus on will massively impact your mindset, attitude, reality, and how you see the world. You become what you invest your time and energy in.
For example, if you often eat processed foods, you will become overweight, develop health issues, and be unhappy with your body and self-image.
The same idea applies to every single habit you value on throughout the day.
What we consume shape us all. To truly understand ourselves and improve our lives, we must examine everything we consume and how it influences our well-being and behavior.
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
Physical Body
Would you prefer broccoli or hamburger?
We're what we eat and drink. Our vital energy comes from what we consume. The substances we ingest are our building blocks. They nourish or poison our bodies, affecting our growth, performance, and who we become.
The nutrients we get from our food and drinks are used to build and repair tissues, produce energy, boost the immune system, and maintain healthy skin, hair, and nails, etc.
A diet rich in essential nutrients and wholesome foods leads to a healthy body and mind, while poor dietary choices can lead to a variety of health problems.
Staying hydrated is also essential. Water removes toxins from our body and maintains important bodily functions.
However, excessive consumption of sugary drinks, alcohol, or caffeine can have detrimental effects on our health.
Be careful with medications, supplements, and recreational drugs. These substances can also have profound effects on our health. They can cure or poison us.
"Your body is a temple. Treat it with respect and care."
Emotional Diet
Is this glass half empty or half full? What about your heart?
How do you manage and express your emotions?
What are the emotional experiences you search for?
Does your inner circle uplift or demotivate you?
Just as we choose what to eat, we also choose our emotional diets. People we surround ourselves with, environments we’re exposed to, the situations and activities we engage in, all contribute to our emotional well-being.
Positive habits include spending valuable time with loved ones, engaging in hobbies that bring joy, expressing gratitude, and seeking fulfilling experiences.
These activities can boost our mood, reduce stress, and enhance our overall quality of life.
Conversely, negative habits can be detrimental. If we expose ourselves to toxic relationships, high-stress environments, or activities that bring us down, our emotional health will perish.
Be mindful of the emotional content you consume and seek uplifting experiences when possible.
“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”
Mental Obesity
Is your mind flooded with thoughts?
You're the content you consume. Information shapes our worldviews and influences our actions.
News, social media, books, podcasts, videos, and more. In today's digital age, we're bombarded with non-stop information from various sources. We suffer from mental obesity.
The information we take in influences our thoughts and beliefs. The quality and nature of the content we consume impact our mental health and cognitive processes.
Consuming high-quality, reliable information can help us make informed decisions, stay updated about our surroundings, and engage in meaningful conversations.
However, misinformation is everywhere. Watching sensationalist news, or content that promotes negativity and uncertainty can lead to anxiety, stress, fear, and a skewed perception of reality.
Reading, writing, solving puzzles, learning new skills, and practicing mindfulness. Prioritize mental activities which contribute to your cognitive health.
Just as physical exercise strengthens the body, mental exercises can enhance our cognitive abilities and keep our minds sharp.
"The mind is everything. What you think you become."
Life Choices
Our habits cooperate and support our overall well-being. Here are some strategies to consider while creating a healthy lifestyle:
Be Mindful: Pay attention to what you consume and how it makes you feel. Reflect on whether it contributes positively to your well-being.
Seek Balance: Strive for a balanced approach in all areas of your life. Avoid extremes and aim for moderation.
Prioritize Quality: Choose high-quality food, reliable information, positive emotional experiences, and enriching mental activities.
Set Boundaries: Limit exposure to negative influences, whether it's unhealthy foods, toxic relationships, or misleading information.
Practice Gratitude: Focus on the positive aspects of your choices and express gratitude for the things that enhance your life.
Stay Informed: Develop critical thinking and media literacy skills to navigate the information landscape effectively.
Engage in Self-Care: Prioritize self-care practices that support your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
“Your diet is a bank account. Good life choices are excellent investments.”
Conclusion
You’re a direct product of the things you continuously do. You shape your identity based on what you consume. I'll repeat it. You’re what you eat, read, watch, listen to, and think about every day.
Cultivate critical thinking and seek media literacy to better navigate the ocean of information available to us. Learn to separate the chaff from the wheat. Focus on what is within your power.
Exposure yourself to uplifting and educational content which can inspire positive emotional states and motivate healthier lifestyle choices. And stay away from misinformation, gossip, and negativity.
Make disciplined choices. Developing good habits can have positive ripple effects. For example, prioritizing sleep and exercising will contribute a great deal to your health and holistic well-being.
In a fast-paced and consumer-driven society, it’s vital to make deliberate and informed choices. Carefully select what you consume to foster a balanced, meaningful life and unlock your full potential.
Be intentional, choose well, and live on your own terms. Phases pass, you remain.
"Flow with life. Let things come and go. What is meant to stay will stay."
Talk to you next week.
Light and peace,
—FMV
PS: Summer is here. Drink water, apply sunscreen, repeat. 🏖🌞😎
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✍️ Written by Fabíola Maia-Veres every Tuesday at 7pm.
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