Cut Out the Junk

Unfortunately, we are ensconced in junk. It is seemingly inescapable despite its well known harmful influence. Junk takes on many forms -- both tangible and intangible. The tangible forms are easier to recognize. They include junk food, trashy television and movies, click-bait articles, sedentary lifestyles, manufactured controversy, among a myriad of other things. Intangible junk is harder to recognize but it may be more pernicious. It includes counterproductive behavior, harmful thoughts, and general mental toxicity. All forms of junk degrade one's quality of life and prevent one from living a rich, virtuous life.

Reducing with the goal of eliminating junk from one's life is essential if one wants a purposeful, meaningful existence. The de-junking process will make a person healthier, sharper, more intellectually engaged, more productive, and, most likely, happier.

Because this is a process, it will take time and regressions will occur (we all have those hard to jettison junk indulgences that we enjoy). The goal is to keep making progress towards a junk free life, aiming for improvement, not perfection. When a person embarks on this, life starts getting better quickly. Avoiding junk food makes one's body better. Avoiding junk thoughts makes one's mind better (junk thoughts are my biggest challenge). This takes discipline and isn't easy, but it's worth it. A junk free life is incomparably better than a junk filled one.

Remember where junk belongs -- in the trash.