As summer drew to a close, I would head back to my classroom to set it up for the school year. I would put out journals, books, and art supplies, but my favorite thing to do was hang posters that would decorate the four walls for the year. Because I knew, even before social media, what you take in shapes who you become. We talk a lot about what we post, what it looks like, what people think, how many likes it gets. But what if the most important “feed” in your life… is the one no one else can see? The videos you watch. The group chats you read. The accounts you follow. Even the thoughts you replay in your head. That’s your real feed. This isn’t a new idea. Long before social media, I was teaching this in my classroom.
My favorite poster that I hung each year was this one: Watch your thoughts. They become your words. Watch your words. They become your actions. Watch your actions. They become your habits. Watch your habits. They become your character. Watch your character. It becomes your life. On the first day of school each year, we would read the words of this poster and discuss what they meant. You see, everything starts with your thoughts. And your thoughts don’t just come from nowhere. They’re shaped by what you take in.
The things you think about will be the things you talk about. The things you talk about will become the things you do. The things you do will become habits. Your daily habits will become what you’re known for. What you’re known for becomes your character, your reputation. And your reputation will impact how people see you and how you move through life. If you watch drama, you start thinking drama is normal. If you watch comparison, you start feeling “less than.” If you watch negativity, you start expecting the worst. On the flip side, if you watch kindness, you start noticing good! If you watch people lifting others up, you start doing the same. If you take in encouragement, you start giving it. Your feed is forming you, whether you realize it or not.
What You Let In Matters: There’s a verse I pray every morning: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” – Philippians 4:8. That’s like a filter for your life. Not just for what you post, but for what you allow in. Ask yourself: Is this true? Is this kind? Is this helping me grow? If not, maybe it doesn’t belong in your feed or in your life. Even when your phone is off, your brain is still scrolling. What you see doesn’t just disappear, it sticks. It repeats. It starts shaping how you think. And what you think matters more than you realize!
Want to make a few small shifts that can make a big difference? Try this: Unfollow one account that makes you feel “less than.” Take a break when your mind feels heavy! Replace 10 minutes of scrolling with something that fills you up!! Choose content that reflects who you want to become. Sis, you don’t have to be perfect. Just be aware.
Everyone is focused on what they’re putting out into the world. But who you’re becoming is shaped by what you’re taking in. This week, pay attention to your “invisible feed.” Not just what you post, but what you watch, read, and think about. Ask yourself: Is this shaping me into who I want to become? Because the feed you don’t see… is shaping you the most!