My late-night epiphany, whilst look inside a barren fridge and choosing a path of self-improvement or something
It's 11:13 pm, and I'm hungry. The only source of light is coming from the TV across the room; it dancing like ripples of sunlight reflecting off a pool, all over the kitchen walls. I'm dragging my feet as if they have weights attached, like some productivity guru. I finally get to the fridge. I swing it open, and as the beam of light hits my half-closed retinas, I flinch violently. It takes me a moment to adjust as I rub my eyes half-heartedly. I peer into the fridge, and all I see are instant foods, if anything is in there at all, nothing healthy that is for sure. I contemplate what I can make with what's left of this barren wasteland, something that would put a middle-aged man to shame, knowing how empty his fridge is. Then it hits me—why do I feel like complete and utter crap? Why is opening a fridge and just trying to exist so darn hard?
"We are what we consume, from the media we watch to the food we unconsciously consume, to doom-scrolling and how much we move our bodies. I know this is not rocket science, but damn it feels like it is. The amount of mental power, willpower, and nerdy discipline needed to eat something healthy for you. No to even contemplate, plan, and buy something healthy is hard —why weren't we taught this in school instead of math? I feel like it's far more important than trigonometry. Then I think to myself, when was the last time I ever used trigonometry? Because as an adult, I have to cook or plan my dinner every single day, and I never got told or taught this. But finding the length of a triangle, that going to get us places in life!
Where was I? Yes, we are what we consume, and as you can see, I haven't been consuming the right things. I feel like a flat battery you need to hit a few times just to get a little bit more out of it. I feel so tired, and that's a given since I'm up at quarter past 11:00 at night, trying to find something of nutritional value. And I'm proud to say I'm not doom-scrolling but rather watching streaming services until that screen pops up asking if you're still there. Yes, I am still watching; stop treating me like a fridge with its door open. Which it currently is, as it rings in my ears.
Let's get back to it. You are what you consume, from the things we read about to the thoughts we have, all the way down to the people we hang out with, the things we watch on those black glass screens in our pockets, to the substances we put in our mouths. We are an orifice for everything around us. We can be easily used and affected by what we choose to have in our lives or, for me, daydream into. Knowing this, as the fridge finally stops beeping because I gave up and moved over to the pantry, which is also baren. I have to change something; otherwise, this will stay the same, this will end up being my life, and ultimately my death.
I... sorry, WE, yeah you I'm writing/talking to you, we have to change, I don't want to be alone on this journey. We have to realise that the reason we are feeling so rundown and low is because of the actions we take and the things we let into our lives, the content we watch, and the food we consume. I really need to get an engineering degree in rocket science so I can build something to get us out of this mess. But we don't need to do that because throughout history, from those books on myself that I've read—yep, I have read a few books during my existence—that the things we need are so very basic; they just aren't as easy as lounging on a sofa with the TV on.
Those things are as listed below. And it's up to us to do, use, and implement them. Because I don't know about you, but being close to 40 years old, my body can no longer take the beating I've been giving it, and soon it's going to tap out if I keep going. So here is the list to a better life.
Balanced diet (I knew it!)
Exercise (Easier said than done; when am I going to find the time?)
Relationships (Got a wife and a few friends, but I could be a better partner I guess)
Goals (What!! that new year crap?)
Some form of self-reflection, meditation, or gratitude. (That sounds a little woo-woo
And that's it, as if all that is easy, if all of those things come naturally to us?
Well, I have to try, I guess. We, yes we have to choose what to consume, and it starts with me accepting that there is no food in the house, turning that darn TV off, and going to bed. Oh crap, yeah, and setting the alarm so I can fit in time to work out tomorrow morning. No better time than the present to start now. Because there is one thing I know for sure, and it's this: I want to feel better and have more joy in my life, and consuming someone else's creative outlet is great and all, but it's not the only thing in our lives. And I guess what comes easy isn't what's best for us. A little struggle makes us strong, I guess. So I'm off to bed because tomorrow, I choose to become a better human being. I hope you do the same.
