Entertainment as Food: You Are What You Eat

"I release all disappointment
from my mental, physical, spiritual and
emotional body..
Cause I know that spirit guides me
And love lives
inside me..
That's why I today I take life as it comes"

- "Healing" by India Arie

Whoo, that song gets me goin'. I have been addicted to India Arie and her lyrics since before I can remember. And what I love most about her songs is that they get stuck in my head. And they serve as positive re-enforcers that I repeat over-and-over-and-over to myself. Like "I am not my Hair," "Strength, Courage and Wisdom," "Video" and especially "Slow Down." I intentionally start my day with some India Arie, because who wouldn't want to have these positive messages secretly on repeat throughout the turmoil of the day? For example, the other day I got a lyric from her song, "Beautiful Flower," stuck in my head.

The part I kept mentally repeating was:

"You're beautiful like a flower, more valuable than a diamond, you are powerful
like a fire, you can heal the world with your mind.
There is nothing in the world that you cannot do when you believe in you. You are beautiful; yeah, you, you are brilliant; yeah, you, you are powerful; yeah,
you, you are resilient.."

What an awesome thing to repeat to yourself all day, right? What kind of songs or movie scenes get stuck in your head throughout the day? There really is a science in the power of self-talk. I wonder how psychologically different two people are, depending on what songs they get stuck in their heads. For example, if someone cannot stop thinking about that one really negative and degrading song...what affect does it have on self-esteem?

Just a thought.

I have a true affinity for songs that speak positivity and inspiration. Messages that actually mean something. For this reason, I admit, I am probably the opposite of eclectic. I like my Neo-Soul (India Arie, Jill Scott, Lauryn Hill, Musiq Soulchild)...and that's about it. I haven't even really listened to the local radio stations since I discovered Pandora. Now I can listen to my positive re-enforcing messages all day long lol. But I am also a fan of educated Hip-Hop. Early Kanye West, Drake (before he was discovered) and Common. I like people who actually have something meaningful to say...it's not just about a "great beat" to me.

What if we looked at entertainment as food or nourishment? We all need a healthy dose of it to stay healthy (or sane), though too much of it can be detrimental. When looking at the type of entertainment we eat, one must also be conscious of the type (or food group). Entertainment with seemingly negative messages (violent movies or degrading song lyrics) should by no means be banned, but eaten sparely- with caution. Too much of anything can have a negative effect. Degrading music can have a negative effect on our self-esteem and outlook on life. Violence in movies or television desensitizes us to the pain of others, thereby lowering our level of empathy. I sometimes wonder how I would react if I saw someone get shot at close-range or violently raped. I expect I'd be shocked, but at the same time...I've seen that same scene while watching Law & Order: SVU. Would I really be paralyzed with shock and fear?

One of my favorite movies is "Last Holiday," starring Queen Latifah as Georgia Byrd. In the movie, her doctor tells her that she has a fatal case of Lampington's Disease and only has 3-weeks to live. Byrd, who has lived a significantly simple and safe existence while keeping a book of "Possibilities," which features pages of her dreams- dream vacation, dream food and even a dream husband. Given this fatal diagnoses, she decides to live her dreams. I love this movie because though my diagnosis was not fatal, it was life-changing. MS could make anyone want to throw their hands up and give up. "Last Holiday," though silly...is one of those "feel good" comfort food movies for me...kind-of like cheesy mashed potatoes. It inspires me and also makes me feel like everything really will be okay.

There really is a power in thought. If you suddenly start to think your life sucks, best believe that things will start looking more and more gloomy everyday. If you suddenly start thinking, "My life is great. I am so happy," trust and believe that those birds will be chirping a little louder each day. Don't believe me? Try it! The power of thought is magical.

Many people don't realize how much our thoughts can affect us...not just mentally, but physically and emotionally too. In fact, It has been scientifically proven that people diagnosed with fatal or significantly impacting diseases often fare better when maintaining a positive attitude and positive outlook on life. For this reason, you can definitely find me watching what I "eat."