Why knowing yourself is key
The world is full of many kinds of people.. Rich people, poor people, mean people, nice people, thoughtful people, selfish people, disciplined people, lazy people, goal-driven people, flow-with-the-wind kinds of people.. The world is truly full of people of all kinds, and we’re beautifully complex.
What’s interesting, though, is that social media introduces the details or highlight reels of the lives of very different kinds of individuals. How these people spend their time and money, who they hang out with and of course, the food they eat is information for the world to know.
As wonderful as it is to see how big this world actually is, a temptation subtly arises. While living our own lives and handling the responsibilities in our small part of the world, scrolling sometimes surfaces the thought of having another life. A new job, car, group of friends or an updated body and look becomes the new, very far goal. It’s honestly absurd. This covetness is absurd because an individual’s mental state, way of thinking, past experiences, preferences are not considered. An individuals’ very customized wiring as a human being is entirely neglected, which is a true disaster. The truth is, what works for one person will most likely not work for many others.
As it relates to physical health specifically, the fact that there are scientifically-backed habits and activities that are good for the mind, body and soul is rightfully acknowledged. Sunlight, water, mostly whole foods in a diet and more. Yes, this is understood, fully supported, and is not the point being made. Weight lifting is a form of activity that someone might love, but every single person in the world doesn’t also have to love weight lifting. Yes, physical activity is recommended for people, but every single person doesn’t have to love the gym. Hiking, running, pilates, soccer and so many other sports exist. Veganism sounds really great in theory, but if responsibly sourced animal meat aligns with an individual’s personal convictions, that is perfectly fine. Spending the time, attention and energy to honor and respect what really sets an individual up to be the best version of themselves is where the true gems of life can be found. Copying the ‘healthy habits’ of strangers may sound right, and can be quite easy, but does not guarantee personalized joy, peace and confidence.
Exposure to various lifestyles and sources of information through various mediums is healthy, great and recommended. Though for social media, the true goal of these platforms is to capture people’s attention for ridiculous amounts of time and find ways to monetize. Again, awareness of various options in life is healthy, however, there is then a responsibility to leverage all of this incredible information to decide what works best for unique people, like you and I. On Instagram or TikTok, Influencers are compensated for their content to increase engagement in scope and depth. Yes, some have the most genuine intentions, and others, maybe not so much. And all the time people spend watching others live their best lives distracts from spending much needed time looking in the mirror. What kind of physical activity works for you? What kind of books are you interested in? What nutritional diet optimizes your lifestyle and biology? By spending so much time looking, admiring and coveting the lives of various influencers, sometimes we lose sight of who we are and what we truly want. Sometimes things sound like the right thing to do, but it’s just not right for you.
Personally, I have done many things that sound right, outside looking in, but maybe it’s not authentically me. Yes, I was on the #75Hard journey, and yes, I have developed an amazing reading habit that made me hungry for more information.. I have the longest streak for closing my Apple Watch rings, I’ve drank a lot of water (though my skin doesn’t show for it), and have been very confused about my nutritional needs… I was following a program created by a man who is a stranger to me and lives a very different lifestyle than me - before and after he created this program. Maybe this program is what he needed to elevate his lifestyle, and for that I’m grateful he put together a program that works for him. Will #75Hard do the same exact thing for me? Not necessarily. I understand that the program promises to build grit, focus, discipline and many many great characteristics, but is this program the only way to further develop and refine those attributes? The answer is a resolute no.
So what’s the point I’m getting at? Figure out who you are and what works for you. Do not be fooled into thinking that there is one path to success. That is the story most of us were groomed to believe and has been perpetuated since childhood, which is not true. Well, I’ll speak for myself. I’m learning that success is multifaceted, complex, and deeply personal.
I’m taking the time to understand my options, preferences and desires. I will not, and I repeat, I will not fall into the trap of blindly following strangers who seems to have their shit together on Instagram. I’m committed to figuring out what truly works for me. What about you?