Consumption

Most of us think about food and alcohol when we hear the word consumption. The truth is that what we watch is also a form of consumption. What we listen to or read are also forms of consumption. In some ways, the people we hang out with are a form of consumption. Advertisements in magazines and on social media are deliberately-designed as highly-digestible consumables.

Everything we consume affects us. Much of the time, we are aware of our relationship with the various products we put into our minds and body. We know that a glass (or two) of wine will help us relax, just as a tall glass of water will hydrate us. We recognize that the doughnut we are about to eat has way more sugar than we need [doughnuts.…🤤] while a plate of veggies would make our digestive tract a happy camper. We anticipate experiencing sadness or happiness while watching a movie, listening to particular music or reading certain stories, and we choose our entertainment options with our needs or desires in mind.

Last year I was reading a book titled “What is the What” by Dave Eggers. I highly recommend it, however, be warned that it is heavy. While the story is compelling, it is filled with tragic, senseless violence as the author recounts the harrowing journey of one of the Lost Boys of South Sudan. It was the first time I thought about my reading choices in terms of the concept of consumption and the impact the words, ideas, images, and stories had on me. While I was enjoying the book in terms of its historical relevance, extraordinary events, and a desire to be well-informed, it was having the effect of dysregulating me. My mood, understandably, was affected by the stories the author told. It seemed that I couldn’t read the book with the objectivity that would allow me to immerse myself into the story and readily revert to reality when I placed my bookmark and set it on the coffee table. The sadness and despair stayed with me. The imagery prowled the perimeter of my mind as I tried to fall asleep at night.

It’s tough to stay informed without overdosing. Sometimes, our consumption dramatically affects us without our knowledge of the source.

Our consumption matters not only to us—to our brains and bodies, but the world around us. When we practice mindful consumption, we are befriending ourselves and the other inhabitants of this planet along with the earth itself. First, though, we need to actually register that our consumption might be producing negative fallout in our lives, or the lives of those around us. Only then can we make a choice.

Lately, whenever I notice that a book, a song, a show, or food is affecting me in adverse ways, I mitigate the unfavorable effects as soon as I can (though doughnuts get a pass). With Dave Egger’s book, I decided not to finish it despite being 2/3 of the way through, as I have done with several other publications. I took a break from a Netflix show and chose something lighter and more fun. In reading the daily news, I practice mindfulness regarding the amount, while also tuning into my feelings. If it feels as though I’m heading into a darker place mentally, I shift gears and read about something positive, or turn off the news entirely.

It’s not that we should ignore what is happening in the world—we must stay informed—it’s that we can also recognize when what we’re consuming is not healthy for us. Whether it’s too much alcohol, too much of a harsh show, or too much of the daily news. We cannot make a positive difference in the world around us if we don’t practice exquisite self-care. As in the pre-flight instructions given on an airplane, the world needs us to ‘put our oxygen masks on first before placing those of the people around us’.

Self-care matters. Consumption influences that self care in subtle and forthright ways. We can practice mindfulness in the manner and amount of ‘products’ we consume. It’s not always easy, but it is vital to our overall health, to the health of our loved ones, and the health of our home.