Organic blue tortilla chips. A mix of olives from the olive bar. A nice cup of cold-brew coffee. Cute smoothies in mason jars. Cocktails after work. Avocado toast.
If a few years ago you told me this was what my daily meal will be I would laugh at your face. Seriously? That's for wuss and hippies. That's for entitled people. Down with entitlement!!!
As crazy as it sounds to you, but when I looked back at my old Facebook posts I sounded all bitter and sad, not at all the bubbly, happy, inappropriate (ahem) gal I am now. The reason? I was with one.
Negativity is contagious. It seeps into your skin, poisoned your mind, and debilitate you as you slowly lost the light within yourself. Along negativity comes fear, then hate, then anger, then aggression.
The scary part is, you don't know that is happening. You don't know that you are slowly becoming as negative as the person who transmits it to you, you just know that you feel so 'done' with the world.
What changed? I started to hang with more people. Friends, dates, unofficial boyfriends. With every new friend I make, I learn something new and see the world from their perspectives:
- Farmer's market greens are sooo much better than pre-packaged leafy greens in the grocery store. The addition $2 I paid is nothing considering the taste and the shelf life are infinitely better.
- The cool hipster-looking workers in stores like Trader Joe's or Sprouts or Whole Foods are a whole lot less intimidating once you get used to them. The items still cost more, but you can easily plan it out.
- You can make a fancy cheese platter for less than $15 if you know how and what to buy. Or your own fancy smoothies. Or your own oh-so-hip cold brew coffee with the smoothest taste and ample caffeine punch.
The list goes on and on.
A lot of it was taught directly. Me, sitting with my best friend nibbling on cheese and olives. Me, accompanying a friend to shop at farmer's market every week. Me, 'kidnapped' for my first Universal Studio experience.
All you need is that one taste, somebody to explain it to you, and an open mind. I now know what good coffee tastes like. I now know what good beer tastes like. I now know what top-notch barbecue tastes like.
Surround yourself with good things, and only good things will come to you. We are what we choose to be, but since negativity is contagious, it is important to be careful to what we are exposed to.
In a mad, mad world like right now, it's easy to say we can't escape negativity. We can. It's challenging, especially since we're now all so connected, but we can if we know how.
The key is to expose yourself to things that will enhance you, with an open mind and a hunger, even lust, for (experiences in) life. Life is more than just ugly comments in social media, isn't it?
I learn about kindness, ambition, passion, sense of justice, and so much more from people I've met. I learn about the different way of thinking and different way of living lives. They are all good.
I don't always agree on what they choose to do, but I don't want them to be 'perfect' as per my standard, anyway. All their differences taught me acceptance, to see things past what I 'don't like'.
In the end, it's not about getting used to avocado toast. It's about knowing it exists, and instead of making it a menace, you get to know it, try it, and even if you still hate it afterward, at least you know what you are hating.
Wouldn't it be nice if life is like this? Readying ourselves for a full blast of psychedelic life in vivid color, as opposed to hid ourselves and internally growing hatred and anger, fueled by our baseless fear?
Cutting out toxic (read: overly negative) people from your life is a really good first step. Like I said, the difference between me 3 years ago and me right now is so profound.
However, you also need to be brave. Get out there and experience the world. Try to do it with as little prejudice as possible, as if you are a clean slate ready to be rocked by colors of the world.
As my sauntering-in-fancy-dress-at-the-opera persona will tell you, (or my swing-dancing-till-you-drop persona, or my board-gaming-is-life persona, or my little-lady-in-big-city persona, you get the idea), it is oh so worth it.
Our only limit to experience good things in life is ourselves. Correction. Our only limit to experience life itself is ourselves. Down with negativity! On with the grand bright world we have!
And yes. Avocado toast is not that bad. I still prefer regular eggs and bacon especially with green stir-fry on the side, but it's not bad at all. Not bad at all.
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