Coffee
Sorry, but Coffee Isn’t My Cup of Tea.
Am I brewing commitment issues?
My daily grind begins with hogging on a succulent meal and washing it down with water. When I ask my friends, they tell me they commence their day with a cup of coffee or tea. I do not find it substantial to have coffee or tea as a habitual beverage in my life. When I mention this to people, you should see their expressions of dismay as if I’ve committed a felony. Is it so much of a sin to not relish caffeine?
But, the feeling of FOMO started creeping up on me (Fear of missing out, that is.) I had to push myself to try coffee in the mornings because it was supposed to awaken my inner beast- which basically meant my most enthused self.
So, I did. I got up for two days and went straight to the kitchen to make myself my mug of coffee. The first sip of the cafè Noir hit me, it’s rich taste of grounded beans forming a bitter taste in my palette. This beverage did not amuse me and the whole experience was not favorable.
Leaving myself with no choice, I backed out and hit pause on my coffee habit formation trial.
There Goes Instagram Again.
Every time I opened Instagram, people would broadcast their pictures of their morning dose of caffeine. There would be memes lined up in my feed- on how coffee is a blessing to this world. To top it off, I reached a new level of trying to fit in when Shein chose to make t-shirts with ‘But first coffee’ logos. I caved in again and got a handful of intricate coffee mugs, thinking that being part of the aesthetic mass would get me to like it.
For a week, I faithfully drank black coffee as soon as I got up in the morning, with the guarantee that my addiction would kick in by the 8th day. To my dismay, I still didn’t need it in my life and sure, I didn’t hate it anymore but there was no more reason to keep trying to consume it. On the 8th day, I completely disregarded the thought of making my obligatory cup of coffee and I didn’t feel deprived of it.
What if coffee wasn’t the problem but something else was?
Compelling Myself to Derive Pleasure from Coffee or Tea Was Not a Suitable Choice for Me.
I realized it was the end of the caffeine chapter in my life. It was time to go back to drinking water even if that meant I couldn’t showcase my daily dose of coffee to the world. The mugs that I bought are now neatly settled in a corner, occasionally used for mug cakes or cold brew.
That got me speculating on a few things. What if it wasn’t the fact that coffee was the problem, but my commitment to it? I started generating problems in my own head, relating to my life choices as well.
My loyalty issues towards beverages aren’t new. Whether it was green tea or chamomile, I couldn’t get myself to stick around for long. Although I felt the need to establish a daily routine, caffeine simply could never hold an exclusive place in my life. The fact that I was a Sagittarius made it worse- known to be afraid of commitment. But what the hell, when did I start using astrology as an excuse for everything anyway?
Cigarettes and Coffee; No One Wins.
Then I recalled a time in my past that proved to be a lesson learned. As a newly sprouting teen, I had a few friends who were devoted to cigarettes and asked me if I wanted to take a few drags. I could have given in to the feeling of blending in, which is very common in the delicate age of adolescence, but I knew that it wasn’t something I wanted or needed.
So, I straight up shook my head even though there were a few faces of judgment. I know that I did the most appropriate thing back then. That’s exactly what I needed to do in this situation too, even though it wasn’t as crucial as saying no to cigarettes for obvious health benefits as well. I just needed to convince myself that being like the rest wasn’t necessary when I was attainting nothing from it.
I didn’t perceive the fact that not liking coffee wasn’t a big deal, but the problem was that I was afraid to tell that to people. I don’t need coffee or tea- there I said it. It’s out in the open and people might disregard me for it but it is what it is. In fact, I can feel energized without being dependent on a drink and how cool is that?
So instead of trying to fit in, I decided to just be myself. And if all hell breaks loose when I say coffee isn’t for me, so be it. There was nothing wrong with me or my commitment issues per se, but I just let it get to my head only to be consumed with self-doubt unnecessarily.
That’s probably where we screw up so many aspects of life.
We Dive into the Gruesome World of Peer Pressure, Not Just When It Comes to Beverages.
But, our choices are our own and no one can influence us to change them. No one has the right to judge us for it either and neither should we care about their opinions on our preferences. People will always have something to say and it’s alright. Might as well give them something to talk about.
Anyone can get easily persuaded into doing things that they aren’t comfortable with or despise just to be like the rest of the crowd. Having the ability to fight through and say no is the real pressure test. In the beginning, it might be tough to revolt but if it saves you from doing something you’re aggravated about, it’s worth it.
Final Thoughts
Hey, just because I don’t like coffee doesn’t mean you don’t have to. This isn’t an attack on coffee or tea lovers, you can happily go about it if it keeps you sane and derives pleasure. It’s just necessary that you know your likes and dislikes. To finish it off, know yourself and be authentic, the world will adjust accordingly.
