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Getting up early every day for work, and before that for entrance exam preparations, and then doing things for “naam, roti, kapda, and makaan”, which I may or may not likeā¦ I’m 41, and this has been the grind since I was 16 years old. These days, I have to watch a few motivational videos on YouTube just to get up and start the day. It works! I love my subject, my job, my home, my family, my dogs, the outside dogs, natureāand the list is never-ending. Life is beautiful, yet I still tend to complicate things.
I’m not going to share all the ways I’ve complicated my life, but we all do it in some form. We know that sugary and processed foods, tobacco and alcohol use, and toxic relationships actually harm our bodies, but we still hold on to them. We usually keep going until these things start directly affecting our health. Only then do most of us (though not all) decide to give them up.
Those who decide to give them up may not actually follow through. Those who do implement it may not sustain it. Those who manage to maintain it may develop some new toxic habit and again complicate their lives.
Sounds hopeless, right? I’m not going to quote anyone. I’m also not going to share any evidence or tools that can help us get out of this mess. Billion-dollar industries are busy finding and selling “not-happening” solutions. Yet here I am (a small atom in this metaverse) writing about this complication, and here you are, reading it.
Can we blame the world for giving us so many options for toxic habits? Or should we blame ourselves? I see tobacco and alcohol users day in and day out. Sometimes I feel, as an individual, I should blame myself for all the toxic habits I have. I don’t smoke, I rarely drink, but I do have an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. Shouldn’t I be held responsible for my toxic habits?
Some people may say that I’m trying to defend the companies. People often ask me, “Why doesn’t the government ban the sale of tobacco and alcohol?” We know there are some Indian states where alcohol is banned, and we also know what the ground reality looks like.
Trust me, I hate these toxic producers as much as you do, because I don’t just see individuals losing their lives, I see their families shattering. Their children, who should have been studying, are forced to abandon their studies and work to earn a living. Houses and valuable assets are sold off for money. These families deserved happiness, yet their lives became complicated.
But there are many layers to this. I also see oral cancer patients who, even after treatment, continue using alcohol and tobacco. When their family members confront them, they abuse their own loved ones right in front of us.
Sometimes I feel that the humans who developed tobacco, alcohol, toxic foods, digital platforms, and so on must have been hating humanity in general, because we truly never needed these things. They wanted to keep us addicted or distracted so that a few could do really well in their own lives while the masses remained unfocused.
But even those who created these billion-dollar empires of tobacco and alcohol are not spared. The only thing they may have more of is money, but we know money can only help with superficial wounds and needs. Money loses its power when it comes to trauma from childhood, heartbreaks, loss of loved ones, and so on.
Anyway, I have decided to dedicate two days to reflecting on why I have these unhealthy habits and see if I can come up with some answers. Usually, Saturdays and Sundays are those days. Some of my friends call me an overthinking weirdo, and that’s probably another unhealthy habit of mine.
See you soon with another note. Love and blessings.