Are you experiencing news fatigue? A desire to ignore the world to protect your sanity? So tired of reading bad news, frustrating news, depressing news, you just don't want to read it anymore? Well, I am with you in that experience! The 'news' should be renamed 'Today's Bad Sh*t', because that is really what we here, and it is not an adequate reflection of what is happening everyday. There are many GOOD people in the world, many GOOD events each day, and many GOOD things for which we can be hopeful, every day. We just don't HERE about them, so we tend to experience information overload for the bad stuff, and think that the world is full of bad things, bad events, and bad people. It isn't true!
Much like trying to find Waldo in a photo like that one above, finding the good news each day is an ACTION we can all take, and feel better for it.
As I was writing this blog this morning, and searching for pictures, I found a great Where's Waldo: Social Distancing Version that made me laugh, and also made me think! We need to treat our interaction with the news to protect our mental health much like we socially, or rather physically, distance from others, to protect our physical health!
Photo captured from Twitter.
My tip for today is to actively seek out good news to offset all the negative information and negative experiences we are facing right now.
So much of what I have been sharing with you is about attitude: How to reframe our attitude, or how to protect our attitude from negative influences. Today's tip is no different. Protecting our mental health and attitude from too much negativity is important: it protects us from the misperception that the world is a place full of bad people or bad events. Protecting ourselves from that misperception allows us to reduce our stress level, improve our hope or optimism, and to generally feel more happy. So, how do we search out this good news?
I could tell you that one way to search out good news is the look for the good in the bad, but I think that might sound like placation right now.
I will not minimize some really difficult circumstances that many people are experiencing right now. Suggesting you 'find the good in the bad' is just not cool. Of course, it is true in many situations, but right now, we are not going to go there. In some situations, there is no good side. Like facing eviction, unemployment, hunger, fear of violence because of the color of your skin or your sexual orientation or gender identity... I could go on, but I think you understand the atrocities our world is engulfed in right now. So let's focus on the one thing that we can all do today: Find good news.
There are some specific sources that I will share with you that are online sources. If access to online sources are limited for you, then I will suggest you find pandemic positivity partner - a person you go to for good news, positive vibes, hopeful energy. It may be someone you live with, live near, work with, or work near. If you know of one of those individuals that are a beacon of positive energy, let them know you appreciate them and find ways to socially distance but connect with them regularly.
If you have access to online sources, then I will share a few simple places you can go for some regular uplifting:
In looking at these sources I just provided, they have a distinctly 'white' feel to them, so if you are aware of any other sources, I would like to know about them. I am always looking to expand my library of resources, expand my own knowledge, and expand the audience that I might reach with this blog. Comment - I look forward to hearing from you!
So, to summarize, one active way we can help offset all the negative information that we are barraged with every day is to actively seek out good news. This helps remind us that the world is not all bad - that there are good people, good events, good news. Every day. We just need to look for it! Like searching for Waldo (or Wally) in a sea of people, with some effort and persistence, you can be successful.
Stay safe, be well.
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