Chocolate Chips
“We become what we pay attention to.” Sue Monk
I was standing at my kitchen counter shoving a few chocolate chips into my mouth (and by a few I really mean a complete fist full) while contemplating if I was going to honestly track them in my Weight Watchers app when it occurred to me that chocolate wasn’t the only thing I’ve been consuming numbingly lately.
After months of quarantine comfort food binging (tell me I’m not alone in this!?) I’ve recently made an effort to feel better by being aware of what I was actually eating. Strangely though, it never occurred to me to think about all the other inputs that impact my health and wellness.
What else do I consume that I’m not paying attention to?
We are never without a cornucopia of opinions, messages, and images to feast on. It feels like a good idea, a quick distraction when we have a few minutes free, an information download while we are waiting in a line or in-between activities and meetings. But I’ve been thinking lately that perhaps we would feel a lot better if we actually paid attention to all that we are consuming.
On any given day, new feeds are pushing messages at us that we gobble up, our social media accounts are filling in our downtime with quick scrolls through other people’s lives, conversations in passing (when we can hear them through the masks ;-) ) toss in opinions and perspectives. All of these things being inputs that our minds, hearts, and souls take in.
Who we surround ourselves with, what we watch on the news, how we consume social media all play a part in our lives. Do we notice the impact? Are we aware of what we are filling up on?
I wonder what it would feel like if we focused on not overstuffing ourselves with a non-stop stream of information and instead left room to fill-up on life-building inputs. Being informed and rallying for what is good and right is important. But so is guarding our souls from a never-ending barrage of inputs that don’t leave room for the quiet moments and positive messages we need so desperately.
We are living through unprecedented times and just like grabbing the chips, cookies, and chocolate feels good, so does the gluten of information. Until it doesn’t. Until we suddenly feel tired and unmoored. Afraid of all the uncertainty. Scared of the unknown. Fearing for what is next. Just like watching what we eat changes how we feel, I think that paying attention to the intangible things we consume creates room for grace and hope to be present.
What we consume physically, mentally, and emotionally matters. It impacts our hearts, our minds, and our bodies. To make room for healthier lives we need to consciously pay attention to what we let in.
And so, that is what I’m working on right now. I’m watching carefully what goes in each day. I’m working on making sure that what I consume inspires love, not pettiness, and smallness. I’m working on taking in what teaches and fills me with a desire to do what is good and right and holy. I’m working on filling-up with what brings peace, love, and healing to the world around me.
Want to take on this challenge with me? Imagine if we did this TOGETHER the difference it would make!
Let’s all work on putting in what we hope to put out!