Snapple make fine non-carbonated iced tea drinks and I must admit that I have a fondness for their diet peach tea flavor.
But Snapple doesn’t stop at flavor. Under each bottle cap is a “Real Fact”.
Most are fun and not so relevant – such as, the definition of “octothorpe“. (The answer to be divulged later in this post.)
However, the other day I encountered Snapple’s “Real Fact” # 33:
Termites eat through wood 2 times faster when listening to rock music.
Now that got me thinking. Not so much about termites’ taste in music …. more about how external noise influences us. …Spa music is calming. ….Pop music get us dancing. …..Heavy metal rock charges up our speed wagons.
But there is another type of external noise. Words. Messages contained in words.
Media words are usually about selling something. These messages can be fear-based. Such as:
The world is a dangerous place so protect your family with life insurance or security systems.
Or
If you don’t starve yourself, smear a bunch of paint on your face and/or strip all the pigment out of your hair to become blonde, no man will ever find you worthy of his attention.
Or
If you don’t buy some expensive stuff for your child, you will be judged by ALL as an unfit parent.
Familiar words. And there is so much more. No reason to repeat it.
The point is that the external noise of words with messages deeply influence our thoughts and our actions.
In this regard, are we that different than the music loving termites?
One difference is that termites do not have dictionaries which define octothorpe as a hashtag or pound symbol (#).
Another difference is that humans get to choose how we react to external noise. We are able to live with deliberate intention.
I invite you to notice the words and messages that you encounter every day.
Choose to respond to those messages that tell the truth. The truth about your self-worth. The truth of your dreams.
Choose to dance with those messages that support your sense of well-being and joy.
Rock on!
