They say you are what you eat.
But I think it goes deeper than that.
You are what you take in. Mind, heart, and soul.
I’ve seen it in myself.
Every year, when football training camp starts, I go all in.
Podcasts. Articles. Depth charts. Practice reports.
I know more about the third-string safety than I do about my own thoughts.
And truthfully? Sometimes it feels like a harmless escape.
I love my Vols. I love my Titans.
But even good distractions can take over quietly.
If I’m not paying attention.
Same with politics.
One headline turns into another.
Then I’m in the comment section.
Then I’m rage-scrolling.
And before I know it, I’m more agitated than informed.
More reactive than grounded.
Peace feels far away.
Because here’s the thing:
There’s always something to be outraged about.
Always another “crisis du jour.”
And the media? It thrives on it.
Outrage sells. Drama spreads.
It’s a cycle designed to keep us consuming.
And what we consume shapes us.
It affects our mood.
Our outlook.
Even our personality.
So I’ve started asking:
Is this feeding my peace?
Or feeding my stress?
If you follow the crowd, you’ll stay stuck at the spiritual junk food buffet,
forever looking for peace in a place that doesn’t serve it.
Because your soul has a diet, too.
And just like junk food weighs you down physically,
Spiritual junk will do the same.
That’s why I’m learning to be more intentional.
More aware of what I take in.
More careful about what I allow to shape me.
I don’t just consume content.
I consume opinions.
I absorb outrage.
I internalize comparison, criticism, and noise.
Sometimes without even knowing it.
But peace?
Peace begins with a sober look at what’s going on inside,
and a willingness to let God clear out the clutter.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
—Romans 12:2
Lord, help me tune out the noise and help me quiet the voices that don’t come from You. Give me a mind renewed by truth, a heart guarded by peace, and a spirit that’s grounded in You. Show me what I need to let go of and fill me instead with what gives life.
If this encouraged you, would you share it with one friend who might need it too?
#FeedingFrenzy #FirstLightwithNate #MindsetMatters #Romans12 #SoulHealth #SpiritualHabits #HeartCheck