We all have our own fish tank, and it’s not just about actual fish. It’s about our habits, relationships, and mental spaces. Think about that roommate you had in college who never did dishes. After two months, you stopped even seeing the pile of crusty plates. You became a fish.
I once worked at a job with a clock that was five minutes slow. Every single day, I was late by a few minutes. I blamed traffic, blamed my alarm, blamed the universe. Then a new guy showed up and said, “Dude, the clock is broken.” I was a fish in that broken-clock water.
Here’s the funny part: we often benefit from other people’s stink. If your family is loud and chaotic, you might think that’s normal. Then you go to a friend’s quiet, calm house and feel like you’re in a library. You realize you’ve been swimming in a pool of constant chatter.
The biggest stink of all: ourselves
But the most powerful version of this is about self-awareness. We can’t smell our own breath, right? Same goes for our own annoying habits. You might think you’re being “direct” and “honest,” but everyone else might be holding their nose because you’re blunt and rude.
I have a buddy who thinks he’s the life of the party. He talks loudly, interrupts, and tells the same story three times. He honestly believes he’s charming. He’s the fish. The rest of us? We’re the ones quietly slipping out for fresh air. He has no idea the water stinks.
So what do you do when you realize you’re the fish? You can’t just jump out of the water—you’d die. But you can poke your head up once in a while. Ask a trusted friend: “Hey, is there something weird in my water?” That’s scary. But it’s better than smelling like a dead fish forever.
Underwater the Fish Don't Stink by mightyfilm on DeviantArt
