We are all bombarded with millions of messages every day. Some of them we filter out and are not even aware of, but many of them at least make their way through to our brain in short little bursts, even if we don’t take in the whole message.
Headlines in newspapers, subtitles as you skim through the article.
How much good news is in there?
News stories on TV – even if you don’t actually WATCH the news, there are little pieces in ads that break through the shows that you watch.
How much good news is in there?
Let’s talk about the shows. My husband commented to me the other day that he had seen 19 murders, several vehicles being destroyed, large part of the sidewalks in city blocks wiped out during chase scenes, etc. This was not news, but just in the handful of shows he had watched that night.
How many happy stories are there? How much inspiration?
Then there is email, videos shared on Facebook.
I just read through the feed to my Facebook and I couldn’t believe the number of anti-just-about-everything-you-could-think-of messages in reading though the recent posts.
I decided to write instead of finishing it.
I have always been a “cup half full” kind of person, and I stopped reading newspapers and watching news on T.V. long ago because I don’t think that a steady diet of all that negative focus does anything good for our psyches.
I have a sign in my office that says “What you focus on E*X*P*A*N*D*S” and I think that is true. So what can you do to deal with the barrage of negativity that is out there around many corners?
There are several things actually!
1. Choose where you put your attention. It is OK to stop reading the paper and watching news – trust me, you will find out if there is some momentous news out there that you just have to know! Someone that you interact with will let you know about it.
2. You don’t have to watch all those videos that people send you! If it doesn’t sound like something uplifting, or they didn’t say something about it that lets you know it is funny or inspirational, give it a miss! (which goes back to the first point, you can CHOOSE where to put your attention…)
3. Although you will need to wade through some negativity to find them, there are some great Facebook groups that focus on positive things. Like Hiking? Check out mountainhikingsite.com or their Facebook page for inspirational pictures and articles about outdoor activities. I also like fitness and health related magazines that give me tips about how to feel better. Real Simple is a great magazine (and they have a site realsimple.com) that gives you tips for organization and time saving that are SUPER helpful.
4. Spend your time focusing on things you are grateful for, especially when you encounter something that makes you feel frustrated, sad, or anxious. You can’t feel those negative emotions and appreciation at the same time time.
5. Do something to help someone – anything! You can spend some time doing volunteer work, but it doesn’t even need to be something that organized. Help someone reach an item on the shelf at the grocery store. If someone looks lost, see if you can point them in the right direction. Some of us are in the helping professions, and that is a part of what we do all day. If so, take a few moments of your day to think about what you did, how you were able to help.
What kinds of things do YOU do to focus more positively?
