“Chidi! Where have you been, man?”
Given my last Fashi was in April, that is a legit question. As the language gurus will say, life has been lifing. Actually, autocorrect will prefer for me to say “life has been living”, but damn you auto-correct. And sharrap!
Life has been lifing.
Have I been writing? Yes. Sharing? Yes. There’s a brand new Fashi Mindset WhatsApp channel, where I drop shorter Fashis, quick drive-by pieces aka Fashi-bys as I like to call them. Would I love for you to follow the Fashi Mindset WhatsApp channel? Yes. Abeg. Please. Biko. 🙏🏾
I just returned from Kigali where I had a powerfully enriching experience with a group of people that I truly have come to consider family. You can read more about it here, as this Fashi is not necessarily about that. This one’s about the nourishing uplift I got from being around these people, and my realization of the neglect that I inadvertently unleashed on myself.
“Ah, Chidi…it is Tuesday o, depressing messages are for Wednesday, or Friday when I can depress the depression with liquid courage”. Don’t worry, this is not going to be depressing, walahi. It is a refraction. Remember that?
One of my secret weapons in keeping mind over matter, making sure Oga Chidi is above par, doing what needs to be done is the “ChidiOS Veggies and Carbs Mental Methodology”. Veggies and Carbs metho-gini? You’ve become a chef now, Chidi? No…just let me explain.
When we were building aKoma, which came with a Nigeria Must Go bag full of dark times, I came up with a system that ended up saving my mind and life. I designed a reading pattern, that bookended the beginning and the end of the day for me. No matter what, every morning I had to read a chapter of non-fiction, first thing. No phone. No coffee. Nothing. It was the first thing I did. Start with the Daily Stoic reflection. Then a chapter of Psychology of Money, Inspired, Designing Your Life, Reboot, Atomic Habits, Wanting, The Art Of Gathering, and so on, whether it was a new or repeat read…this was the content that I started the day with. One chapter every morning. Then I would write…journal, whatever.
That was the veggies, with some protein.
Then you attack the day. Or the day attacks you. Attacking galore. In the arena. Back and forth.
At night, I walk into the bedroom, throw the armor on the floor…and re-read the Daily Stoic reflection of the day again. Then I would write. After that, it was at least thirty minutes of fiction reading. Things Fall Apart, Billy Summers, Animal Farm, Homegoing, Harlem Shuffle, Dune (graphic novels are so underrated it is criminal), Flowers of The New Moon, and so on.
Those were the carbs, with fruit.
Veggies and Proteins—non-fiction
Carbs and Fruit—fiction
Movement—writing
This steady diet kept me on point. It gave me the jet fuel to start and go thru the day, and then the stretching and cooldown after the attacks, and counter-attacks, and defense, and offense, and hard left/right banks, and sudden pivots…the life lifing with a vengeance. It was the core of the ChidiOS, a way of making sure that I went to sleep calm and resolved, and woke up ready and refueled. That was how my soul stayed nourished.
I’m sure you notice I’ve been saying “was”. Yeah.
That system broke down a while ago. It was a steady creep, but before I knew it, I was taking in raw sugar straight from the packet first thing in the morning with my phone and all the crap that comes with it. Same thing at night with the iPad. The weird part is that the phone never sleeps in the room with me. Never. Yet, first thing. There it was. Get the hit, the very temporary high, and then the crash. And the day starts with misery.
I could do much better with my veggies. And I have not been on my good carbs. Not enough proteins and fruits. The writing aka the movement…sporadic. Some gems here and there. Not enough. So, yes. The soul has been severely malnourished for a while. It is borderline soul malpractice what I’ve allowed to manifest. And that is not sustainable. Forgivable, understandable, but not sustainable.
That’s why Kigali was such a boost. An infusion of pure undiluted fuel, and the inspiration to get back on that ChidiOS sub-routine that kept me moving and alive.
Here’s to your OS sub-routine getting back online if it’s wonky right now, or even more fine-tuned if it is humming along nicely.
We roll.