Protecting Your Peace - 3 Things to Remember to Stay Peaceful in a Fearful World

 

"Have you seen the news?" 

A question that can make me instantly uneasy. That's because the reason the person asking the question is asking it to begin with, is usually not because something amazing and wonderful has just happened in the world. What's that old saying: "Bad news travels halfway 'round the world before good news even gets its pants on." If a friend, co-worker, or loved one asks me that question, it's usually to share something they saw in the news that day, or the night before, that was, well, bad. They found it distressing, disturbing, or worrying, so they want to share it to offload some of that anxiety and feel comforted. Or maybe they just think I will be shocked and dismayed by it and they want to break it to me to somehow soften the impact. Either way, that bad news and all its accompanying imagery, implications and soul-crushing negativity are coming at me and my brain says, "Buckle up."

The fact is, we have access to a lot more news on a daily basis now than our distant human ancestors. We're exposed to more data in one day than a person in the 15th century encountered in a lifetime. In addition, it's not just written reports, but pictures and video footage, often recorded on phones of people who were right there when whatever happened, happened. This can be traumatizing for us as research has shown that our brains really don't differentiate between something we see or hear that's happening somewhere else, and something that's happening to us, right now. It's enough to make anyone want to go on a permanent news fast. However there are some practices and understandings that can help you consume news and information in a more measured and less traumatic way, so you can stay informed without living in constant fear. Here are 3 of them:

1. Remember that "news" is a product.

What this means is that various "news" outlets are not just reporting factual news with strict, balanced and unbiased journalistic integrity. They are selling a product. Gone are the days when people relied on newspapers to deliver important world, national and local news. With so many news sources,(web media, print, network and streaming services, etc.) "news" has been able to find very narrow and niche audiences. Identifying and reaching them with pinpoint accuracy due to data mining and the many algorithms we're all contributing to and living at the effect of each day. 

For example, if you click on every cute puppy video and pet advice blog that pops up in your internet or social media newsfeed, you'll find that when there's a story of heinous animal abuse or exploitation somewhere in the world - you'll likely get the story in that same internet newsfeed. Although knowing this doesn't make the story less sad or disturbing, it can make you less likely to click on it lest you start getting a constant inflow of such stories (true or embellished) to your feed. 

What the "news" sources want is for you to click on their sites and stories, so one way to beat them at their game is to avoid clicking on anything that smells vaguely of sensationalism, or has a headline that is designed to raise an alarm, such as, "The One 'Healthy' Food Nutritionists are Saying You Should Never Eat" paired with a picture of some celery - celery! Don't click it! Just crunch your crudites and scroll on. Remember you have the right to remain blissfully ignorant about some things.

2. Only trust trustworthy sources.

My parents' generation believed that anything "they" printed in the newspaper had to be true. I can remember my Mom saying when I was little, "Well, they couldn't print it if it wasn't true." Those were the days - if those days ever existed at all. Today, I think we all agree that not all news sources are credible. It's important to identify one or two that you know you can trust and only consume that content, no matter how "clickable" a story from "Fred's Fabulous Ohio News Bulletin" might look. How can you tell if a news source is credible? The folks from the News Literacy Project offer some solid basic guidelines.

1. 1. Do a quick search: Conducting a simple search for information about a news source is a key first step in evaluating its credibility.
2. 2. Look for standards: Reputable news organizations aspire to ethical guidelines and standards, including fairness, accuracy and independence.
3. 3. Check for transparency: Quality news sources should be transparent, not only about their reporting practices (see above), but also about their ownership and funding.
4. 4. Examine how errors are handled: Credible news sources are accountable for mistakes and correct them. Do you see evidence that this source corrects or clarifies errors?
5. 5. Assess news coverage: An important step in vetting sources is taking time to read and assess several news articles.

Personally, I tend to look for the less biased sources like Associated Press (AP), PBS, NPR, BBC, CNN and Reuters, to name a few. These are just my preferences though. You have to check them out and vet them for yourself. The process is worth the time as it can help you quickly sort through what's worth reading and what you should give a hard pass. And always remember that "New is a product" is still in play, no matter the source.

3. Avoid the morning cup of doom and fear.

The final practice I recommend for avoiding living in a constant state of news-based fear and dread is to avoid consuming news, print or otherwise, before you are fully awake and have completed some daily self-care routines such as exercise, meditation, positive affirmations, eating a healthy breakfast, preparing for your day, etc. This means if you are someone who checks their phone before getting out of bed each day and reads the news - stop it.

When we first wake our brains are still in a theta state. According to brain wave research, this is the state we experience when we're drifting off to sleep and as we're waking up. It has been compared to being on "autopilot." Brain wave frequency states are currently being researched for their implications with regard to health, wellness, etc. (see this article from Healthline to learn more), but what we do know is that the theta state seems to be very suggestible and useful for learning. Needless to say, you would probably benefit more from using those early waking hours to embed some positive ideas like affirmative prayer or creative visualization of the day ahead, rather than reading distressing news headlines.

Protect your peace by being a critical consumer of news

There will probably always be someone in your life asking, "Did you see the news?" but once you have some practices in place, you do not have to jump into reactive mode right away. You can ask them where they saw or read the story (is it credible?). You can stop and consider whether this is actual national or international news, or just a random story this person saw because they tend to click on a particular area of interest (news is product, after all). Finally, you can start your day with some positive self-care practices that will lend you maximum levels of hope and resilience, no matter what's making headlines that day.

If you enjoyed this post and found it helpful, please like, comment and share it with your friends and family. Until next time - stay well.

Peace, 

Claudia