Be a Filter, Not a Sponge

Hello, world.

So blogging is one of those things I swore I would never do. Along with joining Pinterest, talking to my parents about my love life, and befriending people who like things like Justin Bieber and Jersey Shore. But I've done all those things now, so I figured I could give blogging a try.

My main reason for starting this blog is to organize my thoughts. I LOVE WRITING. I always have. It's therapeutic. I have come to realize that it is the most thorough and productive way for me to sift through my thoughts and discover little golden nuggets of truth. I love it.

For my first post, I thought I'd share one of my favorite quotes ever. It's from the book "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." Here it is:

"Be a filter, not a sponge."

In this book, the main character is named Charlie. This quote is advice given to Charlie from a phenomenal teacher. The teacher specifically intends for Charlie to utilize this advice when reading books. I firmly believe that this advice applies to books we read, along with everything else we're exposed to; this including opinions of human beings we respect.

It is so important to develop a way to sense what actually resonates with you, as opposed to instances when something simply shocks you into thinking you believe it.

Authors of novels are such interesting and insightful people. I love reading books and gleaning pieces of wisdom that the authors have nestled within the pages. I always write down quotes as I go, and I try to apply  those things which resonate most with me to my daily life. However, there have definitely been instances when I have read something, been floored by its peculiarity, and taken it for life doctrine simply because the idea was so original and captivating. Just because something shocks you and alters your perspective doesn't mean that it is truth.

In regards to written stimuli, the main point is that I've learned I cannot simply soak up everything I read and let it all affect me equally. I'm all for being exposed to as many aspects of life as I possibly can and letting everything I do in life influence me and shape who I am; however, letting something shape who you are doesn't necessarily equate to including it in your worldview. Letting something shape who you are often means that you're exposed to something, it shocks you, and you decide to reject it and move on.

I believe this also applies to the opinions of people you interact with. Often, a conflict of interest arises when someone I have a lot of respect for forwards an opinion with which I blatantly disagree. I'm not saying I'm more right, or they're more right; that's not the point. The point is that people possess opinions, and just because you revere someone as a person doesn't mean you need to mirror their views of what is truth and what is not. Don't passively let people change you. Be a filter, not a sponge.

Picture a water filter. I'm obsessed with those things.
The unfiltered water is everything you're exposed to. The filtered water is the things that you let affect and change you. The filter is the important part. Here you choose what you let change you. It might seem tedious to refine your filter, because it often takes a lifetime to fully develop. However, I believe it's something worth working on. Realize what things resonate with you, and what things don't. Life is so much more fulfilling when you realize how in control you are of who you become. So do it! Be a filter, not a sponge.