Each day we are given opportunities to choose the influences we want in our lives. The videos we watch, the music we listen to, the books we read, and the people we spend our time with. Each decision we make fuels our hearts with a worldview that will ultimately impact the way we carry ourselves. So, the question is, what is fueling your heart?
It’s easy to gravitate towards popular content the world is selling to us daily, but it’s important to understand what those stories are telling us. Just because something is portrayed as “cool” or “relevant,” doesn’t mean we should be consuming it. We need to be intentional about fueling our hearts with substance, promoting growth and excellence in all we do.
Here’s a few examples of what I mean:
Spotify has over 140 million users that consume over 1.7 billion hours of music each month. Currently, the song that is streamed the most and sits at #2 on the Billboard Top 100, is “Rockstar” by Post Malone (Feat. 21 Savage). The first lyrics that millions of people are actively choosing to put into their hearts when they listen to this song are,
“Ayy, I’ve been f****** hoes and poppin’ pillies. Man I feel just like a rockstar.”
WHAT MUSIC IS FUELING YOUR HEART?
Last month, the top grossing movie at the box office was “It,” earning $290,775,232. It has played in over 4,000 theaters countless times, entertaining millions of people across the globe. I understand the thrill and excitement that comes along with horror movies, but at what cost? The description that lures people to buy a ticket to this movie is, “A group of bullied kids band together when a shapeshifting demon, taking the appearance of a clown, begins hunting children.” Really?
WHAT MOVIES OR VIDEOS ARE FUELING YOUR HEART TODAY?
In 2016, 68% of high school seniors said that they tried alcohol with their friends. Their friends claimed they were going to harmless parties and having “fun” participating in drinking games. Statistics also say that alcohol causes the most harm in people under the age of 21 and is responsible for over 4,300 deaths each year.
WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DO YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH?
The point of this article is not to tell you what not to do. However, I think it’s important for us to ask ourselves the question, “what is fueling my heart?” If we think about it, the shows we watch, the music we listen to, the content we read, and the people we spend our time with, influences our lives in a huge way. If we want to be the best we can be, why wouldn’t we fuel our hearts with content that is positive and full of truth? For me, it’s a battle every day. I want to have fun and satisfy my need for entertainment, but I constantly need to examine what I’m fueling my heart with. I encourage you to think about the influences you allow into your life every day and ask yourself if the fuel you’re putting into your heart is the fuel that will get you to your desired destination.