We are what we consume

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Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. Something went wrong. – Oscar Wilde

This quote really resonated with me. I believe that these days we consume so much from around us. We are overindulging in information that might not be important to us, but that is not the real issue there. I would say that over time the ideas you consume become your thoughts. Our environment shapes us and really can change us from the ground up if we allow ourselves to be exposed to it long enough.

Did you ever thing about sitting down and being alone with your own thoughts? I am not talking about meditating here. Rather it is about critically thinking about certain subjects and really having YOUR opinion on them. Actually making your brain work, rather than simply repeating what you heard from somewhere.

While saying this I also think it is not always bad to steal from the thoughts of others. It is probably best to learn from the great minds of our past, since they have thought about some important subjects deeply that are still relevant today. Therefore I would say steal only from the best, since thinking can be trained too. Learn what great minds think about and and how they approach important subjects, so that you can distinguish it from the noise that doesn't benefit you.

In this digital age information is abundant, so we have to learn how to filter what we consume and only take in what enriches our lives. You can think of it as junk food. We can indulge in it now and then, but overconsumption can have major negative implications on our health.

The last point I want to add is a good way to create life to your thoughts is to write them down. Get them out of your head and even share it with others to see if they resonate with your opinion. I would encourage anyone to create a journal or blog and simply write what they think, and over time they will become a new person. Writing helps you clarify your thoughts and structure them. It also helps you to hold better conversations. But ultimately, it will make you know yourself better.

#self