The old saying “you are what you eat” doesn’t just apply to food; it also applies to the media we consume.
What we read, listen to, and watch has an impact on who we are.
I remember back in 2014, my wife and I had free movie passes and were excited to go out for the evening.
It had been a while since we had gone to the movie theater, and a certain film was playing, so it seemed like the ideal time to go.
Upon arriving at the box office, we were informed of two unfortunate things:
1) Tickets for the film we wanted to see had already sold out for the last showing of the evening.
2) Our free movie passes were for a competing movie chain and would not be honored.
Although slightly disappointed, we tried to make the most of our situation.
We looked at the list of other films playing and noticed one starring Ben Affleck.
Having never seen a bad Ben Affleck film before, we paid for the tickets and proceeded to make our way to our seats.
The first part of the movie was actually quite intriguing, and then it took a turn so twisted that I was completely stunned.
Some plot twists are brilliant, but this plot twist hurt the core of my soul.
Some scenes were so disturbing, I cannot adequately put words to what we witnessed.
Why was I watching this?
Make it stop.
Make it stop.
Make it stop.
As the final credits played, we walked out feeling numb, and we tried our best to make sense of what we just observed.
If someone could suffer PTSD from watching a film, I may have experienced such a thing.
For no good reason, a certain scene would replay in my head, and it pains me.
The human brain is like a fine sports car, and instead of filling it with premium gas, I watered down the tank and threw a few rocks into the fuel line.
There are some things you can never unsee, and by the time you realize what has happened, it is already too late.
We need to guard our minds.
Now, I admit, we should have just walked out of the theater.
I would feel so much better if we had made that choice.
And while some will question our judgment for staying, I could ask the same thing of you.
How many times do we get trapped on YouTube watching junk when there is a good book we could be reading?
How many times do we find ourselves staring at our phones instead of playing with our kids or grandkids?
How many times do we find ourselves binge-watching some series when we could be engaged in conversation with our loved ones?
How many times do we find ourselves gossiping instead of sharing an encouraging word with another person?
How many times do we complain about our problems but don’t go out and look for solutions?
Like I said before, the human brain is like a fine sports car.
What are you filling your tank with?
My name is John, and I’m thrilled to introduce myself
I am a dedicated husband to my wonderful wife and a proud father of two amazing children. In addition, I am blessed to be a loving papa to four adorable grandchildren. These roles bring immense joy and fulfillment to my life.
Two titles i identify by, that tend to grab attention: Leadership Advocate and Storyteller. These two titles are closely intertwined and warrant further explanation.
To me, being a leader means being an effective communicator. I firmly believe that storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to convey a message and connect with others. A good leader possesses the ability to inspire and motivate through the art of storytelling.