We live in a time of information overload. And honestly, it scares me.
Navigating through today’s society is challenging enough without an online world where fact and opinion are muddled together. There is no clear line separating the two—and that’s beyond dangerous.
Social media is littered with uninvited opinions, judgments and shaming. Keyboard warriors weighing in on anything and everything, and hiding behind the anonymity of a digital world. No accountability.
It’s up to us to determine the validity of what’s out there.
We all have a filter to separate truth and fiction. To distinguish right from wrong.
To click or not to click: that is the question.
It’s time to reignite the old-school approach of using common sense. Thinking for ourselves. No more letting others negatively influence how we live our lives.
No one enjoys being told what to do. Even more infuriating is being told what not to do.
Coffee is one of life’s little pleasures. But stop! Don’t drink that lethal liquid. Caffeine isn’t healthy. Sugar? It’s the devil in granular form. And the cream in your cup? Well, drinking milk from a cow isn’t natural or digestible by humans.
Salt is turning your heart into a ticking time bomb. The dirtiest word in the English language these days is “carbs.” And don’t even get me started about red meat.
Experts have told us the following will kill us: Butter. Beer. Bacon. Eggs. Cheese. Mayonnaise. White bread. Ice cream. Hot dogs. French fries. Pizza. Chicken nuggets. Bologna. Potato chips.
If you eat these things, please update your will. I understand the end is near.
Instead, you should load up on kale and lentils. But don’t fry them in Teflon. And since most of us don’t hydrate enough, chase it down with water. But not bottled water as the plastic has poisoned your H20.
Things you may or may not do in everyday life are also taking a toll on your health. Bad posture. Not enough sleep. Too much time in the sun. Too much time indoors. Sitting for too long. Not changing your kitchen sponge often enough.
Don’t believe me on that last one? Look it up. It’s not just my opinion.
Adulting isn’t easy. So, here’s my suggestion to you. Take a kid’s approach and do what you want to do.
Release your inner child. Give yourself permission to do something different. Stray off course. Enjoy life.
Summer is the perfect time to execute this plan.
Go get an ice cream cone. And if you can’t choose between flavours, then have two scoops. Maybe three. Make it a sugar cone.
Have a second hamburger off the grill. With cheese.
Order your steak rare. And ask for a baked potato the size of a football. With butter and sour cream.
Try baking homemade cookies. Sample the batter. Dunk your cookies in milk. Whole milk. None of that skimmed stuff.
Go to the beach. Wear that swimsuit. Who cares what anyone thinks?
Walk barefoot in the grass. Or dance in the rain. If it’s not raining, turn on the sprinkler and run through it.
Find a playground with a swing set and let yourself fly.
Take a drive down a back road with the windows down and music blaring. Sing along as loud as you can.
Go out this weekend and listen to live local music. And at intermission, strike up a conversation with the person beside you.
Take a walk and bring your camera.
Grab your family photo album and visit yesteryear.
Exercise your memory and make a list of childhood pals from your neighbourhood.
Then look up an old friend and give that person a call.
Lie on your back and watch the clouds roll by. Don’t forget to bring your imagination.
Or just sit outside and listen.
Don’t live your life based on the opinions of others. Only one person can tell you what to do—and that person is you.
So, recharge your batteries this summer with little things that make you happy. Because the little things make all the difference. The little things, and bacon. Bacon makes everything better. That’s a fact.
Jason Marshall has been a writer and journalist for more than 30 years and is an on-air host and station manager at Valley Heritage Radio just outside of Renfrew, Ontario. And he’s truly a big kid at heart. You can email him anytime at jason@valleyheritageradio.ca
