Consumption is by far one of the biggest factors that affects how we carry ourselves throughout our lives. What we choose to consume naturally shapes the rest of our decisions. It carries into how we react, how we think, how we move, and the choices we make.
Consumption is a human’s fuel. We take things in that support how we go about life. Fuel is often used to run a motor; for us, that’s our brain, body, and muscles. We all take things in every day. We consume through a mixture of things: taking in information, putting food into our bodies, listening to music that subconsciously feeds into our mindset, and the list goes on. When we hear something, watch something, or eat something, it affects us; for better or for worse.
As individuals, we have to protect what we consume, and we have to make sure we consume intentionally. It’s important to protect your peace and block out the noise. We have to be able to identify what fuel is going to heal us and push us forward versus what fuel is going to slow our motor.
Check the creditability of the source when consuming
One of the most common ways we consume information is word of mouth, from people within our inner circle. And this doesn’t necessarily mean the people we invite into our lives; it can be people we’re constantly around because of circumstance, like neighbors, classmates, or coworkers.
When we consume information that comes out of other people’s mouths, it is not always the best source. The majority of people don’t fact-check, don’t research, and don’t fully know what they’re talking about.
They also don’t take the time to prioritize and work on themselves. And that matters. When someone doesn’t prioritize their own well-being, especially their mindset and mental health, they often see the glass half empty, which means their mind naturally goes to the worst-case scenarios.
This is not me trying to put down the majority of our population. This is for me to better understand how important it is to know the credibility of the source.
And when we find ourselves playing a thought or idea in our head, we have to first figure out where it came from and whether that source is credible.
Checking the “credibility” of the source when consuming goes beyond face-to-face conversations. It can also mean checking the ingredients before you eat something, looking up the lyrics and meaning behind an album before you constantly play its message in your ear, and — most commonly — doing your own research when consuming media.