“You must both consume and utilize the fuel for optimal health.”
I made a reference once about me feeling like the robot from the 80’s movie “Short Circuit”. You remember that movie? A military robot is struck by lightening and gains consciousness. He escapes the base and seeks “input” throughout the entire movie. “More input… More input”. This is a line you hear repeatedly from beginning to end.
During the quarantine I couldn’t help but realize this was me! I was consuming endless amounts of input. Books, podcasts, blogs, articles, videos… All day. Everyday. It was all very positive and uplifting info. I began to notice I was feeling very overwhelmed. My balance was off. I was consuming it, but I wasn’t giving myself time to marinate in it. I wasn’t really processing the information. It was like trying to shove 10 pounds of potatoes into a 5 pound sack. I had to put the info I gained into use before I consumed more.
This is the same process as the physical body. Everything in life requires balance. To be at optimal health, you must consume the healthy nutrients and use the energy you gain from it as fuel for your body to use. If all you’re doing is consuming without burning it off- no matter how healthy the nutrients are- you’re not doing yourself any good. Your body must consume the nutrients and exercise using that fuel. Same thing goes for the mind. You must consume nutrients (knowledge) and exercise (think deeply about your findings and implement them into your life) using the fuel (info you’ve gathered).
I learned to give myself contemplative space after taking in any new input. I take it in, think about what I’ve just learned, then figure out where I can implement these findings into my own life. That is, if it’s even necessary to do so. Once I’ve really devoured and digested everything, then I can move onto the next meal.
Bon Appétit! XOXO
