I love coffee. A lot. And because of that, I have prioritised it while travelling. Slowly sipping on a delicious local brew at the resident coffee shop has become a cornerstone of my day. And synonymous with exploring a new city, to plan for the adventures ahead.
With the trip coming to a close however, I’ve decided to take a break from coffee. I’ve cut my consistent 2-3 shots of single origin espresso down to zero. And in the following days, the withdrawals have been painful. I’ve had gnarly headaches, brain fog, low motivation and lethargy. And I can go on. But these terrible two days haven’t been all that unproductive. Because going without coffee has got me thinking…
Once the withdrawals eased, I’ve come to a harrowing realisation: I don’t know myself very well without coffee. “Our baseline consciousness is caffeinated”, as I heard it once framed on a podcast. And I guarantee I’m not the only one. We are so unconsciously ignorant of our dependency on this thing that it has become us; just as the air we breathe and the food we eat are staples of our ability to function, so are our 3 cups of coffee a day.
I’m not out here to bash coffee. I am, as a I said, one of it’s biggest fans; a self-proclaimed coffee snob, and an amateur at-home barista. But these last few days have made me realise I need to pay closer attention to my consumption of it, especially now it has become so habitual and automated. Am I even choosing coffee? Or is coffee choosing me? I am, like many, a victim of the latter, deep in the throes of addiction.
Coffee deserves more respect than this. Anyone who has dipped their toe into the coffee world recognises its vast and wondrous properties; the endless possibilities of its rich and complicated flavour palette; the intimate and personable stories of its farmers and roasters. It is a luxury beverage; one that should be cherished and enjoyed, not just thrown down in the morning just so you can get up out of bed.
There’s no joy in needing something; in being addicted. So start to pay attention, to your cravings, your dependencies, and your urges; and choose to drink mindfully and consciously. Maybe you go cold turkey every so often, just so you can appreciate the coffee more when it’s there; or maybe instead of chugging, you sip, and relish every mouthful. Because coffee is, after all, one of life’s great pleasures.
This article was published in the September Edition of the Sydney Observer’s Health and Longevity Section
https://online.fliphtml5.com/wtpec/crxq/#p=24
CHANGE IS THE POINT 