Shut off the news
In an article titled Digital Burnout and Mental Health, McClean Harvard School of Medicine Affilitate pointed out the connection between watching news and anxiety. They interviewed a Dr. Jacqueline Bullis who stated, “monitoring your news intake may help you manage your anxieties. When reading or viewing news stories, it’s important to check in and see how they make you feel.” Bullis recommended asking, “Do you feel an increased sense of community, connection, and shared humanity, or increased feelings of anxiety and despair?” If watching the news is stressing you out, then shut it off.
For me the war in the Ukraine, brings images to mind of small children needlessly suffering because of political greed. As someone who is active in my local community and works with at risk teens, I already have enough on my plate. As heartless as this may sound to some of you, I SHUT THE NEWS OFF. Most of my day is dedicated to making our community a better place and helping people including children. If I want to be of good to my community, I have to shut the news off. I cannot focus any energy on children over 5,000 miles away. I don’t have the training to help them. I do not have the funds to help them. And there are political forces at play that I have no control over no matter how skilled and well-funded I could be.
I always return to my central question before acting—what do I have control over and what do I not have control over? I cannot control the weather when a flood or hurricane hits. I can contribute some time and money to assist in clean up. I cannot control what Congress does but I can make my point of view known to my representatives and vote at election time. If I focus too much on the news, it would be easy to get sucked into negative thinking that the world is a mess and why bother? I refuse to get sucked in. You can also refuse. When there is a teaser ad with some sensational breaking news, you can SHUT THE NEWS OFF. I’m not saying stick you head in the sand and run around with rose colored glasses. Filter what you listen to and check where your energy is going. I enjoy helping flood victims. These are people who get excited about detergent so they can have clean clothes. If you can help, and want to help because it is in line with your value system, do it. However, if the news is sucking your energy out of you, why spend time watching it? Go outside. Clean the inside of your car windshield finally. Knock on a neighbors door and see if they need anything from the store. Make your own GOOD NEWS in your community.
Enjoy the present! What you focus on tends to multiply.
