_edited.png)
The content you are consuming will end up consuming you.
The purpose of this blog post is to bring to light how the content we consume affects our mental health.
You can expect to walk away from this post with a new awareness of the content you are allowing into your brain via your eyes and ears.
I'll be the first to admit how toxic the social media environment can be. I used to follow numerous bodybuilders who were bigger, stronger, and smarter than me. I looked at these men and women and thought, "Holy crap, these guys are huge, strong and smart" I felt like I wasn't special, that I didn't have what it took to be great like them. Their success overwhelmed me with feelings of resentment, jealousy, and discouragement toward myself
My inability to self-regulate my feelings and emotions coupled with this media was a recipe for disaster.
I can't help to think if I fell victim to this cycle how are you handling it? Are you even aware of it?
My main point is that we have to be extremely careful, the things we consume on a daily basis especially if we lack the awareness and self-regulation of our own feelings and emotions.
Now, I want you to think about the music, videos, movies, or TV shows you are watching. What is the trade-off? Because you are trading one of the most valuable resources you have....time. Do these escapes make you feel more stressed, overwhelmed, jealous, depressed, hurt, lonely, or disgusted? Or are is your time being spent making you feel loved, appreciated, positive, powerful, inspired, creative, grateful, and at peace?
Most mainstream songs nowaday sing about death, jealousy, overpowering people, doing drugs and killing. What do you think this does to our minds listening to these lyrics all day long? Would you let a child listen to this stuff? And why not? Is it becuase it might have an imprression on them? Do you think your mind is any less impressionable? We literally blast these songs directly into our ears while driving, at the gym, while we cook, while we eat, while we work.....this can't be healthy.
I have become an emotional safe, allowing only what I truly want inside because I know my brain is soaking up this information on concisous and unconcious levels. You should do the same.
The same can be said for our Tv shows. The killing, the lying, the stealing, the drama. Now, I'm not saying it's a complete waste of time, and there's a time and place for these things, but the most important thing is being able to regulate your emotions and asking yourself, what am I getting from this trade-off?
So yes, ask yourself, what is the trade-off here? Am I feeling better or worse from the content I'm consuming?
Now here's what you can do. First, you must prune or get rid of the bad stuff. Stop watching and listening to stuff that is a waste of your time and emotions. Then add in content that will make you feel motivated, inspired, and creative.
I listen to self-help audiobooks, podcasts, and YouTube videos all the time now. I also watch a lot of YouTube videos that give me inspiration and ideas to become a better coach and husband. Simply shift your focus to an area that you want to improve yourself on a physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, or financial level.
So, as you navigate your day with those eyes and ears, pause and ask yourself: "Is this content serving my well-being? Is it enriching my life?" Make the conscious choice to feed your mind with what elevates you. Remember, in a world where you can consume anything, choose to consume what makes you feel alive, empowered, and at peace. Let’s not just be consumers of garbage, but the controllers of our own emotional and mental well being.