Life is full of fluff

I used to disrupt my classes.

When I was in middle school I could never pay attention to the lessons. I would get distracted, and then start to distract the other kids by talking to them.

Eventually my teacher had a meeting with my mother and they decided that they would give me a tape recorder, and some play doh.

That way I could keep myself entertained in the corner and record the teacher’s lesson for later.

I didn’t think the teacher was saying anything important, so why should I listen?

So much of what we do and say is just fluff.

My friend told me about a Buddhist camp you can go to where you don’t speak for the duration of your stay.

Some people stay there for months.
Wow.

I can’t imagine staying silent for that long. I’m an extrovert with a lot of opinions on just about every topic under the sun. I think being quiet even for a day would make me explode.

Something interesting happens when you stop speaking.

You realize that 99% of the things you say are inconsequential. Your life is more or less the same without all of the small talk fluff.

Only that 1% of the things you say make a difference in your life. When you stop speaking, the absence of small talk doesn’t change your life at all. It is neither here nor there. Neither positive or negative.

The words that do impact your life and the people around you become clearer. Telling someone you love them. Genuinely thanking someone for helping you.

These statements make a lasting mark on you and the person you share them with.

One genuine heart to heart interaction can solidify a relationship, it can be a lasting impression that someone won’t soon forget.

I recently stopped eating…

Well, that isn’t true. I started a type of fast. It has been eye opening.

Just as when you stop speaking, I have realized that most of the things I put into my body aren’t really necessary at all.

Most of the time I’m snacking because I’m bored, eating foods that I “Love” but my body hates and generally indulging more than is needed.

I’m not saying fluff is bad.

No one will ever look at something and say “that’s too fluffy, it’s disgusting!”

But sometimes it is good just to be able to distinguish the fluff from the real stuff. The stuff that is good for you, improves your life and the lives of people around you.

Every once and a while cut away the fluff and spare some focus for that 1%.

“I want to import what’s important, and export the trivial out of my life.
”
-Jarod kintz